Any other sufferers out there? Surely, I'm not the only one.
I have gotten them since probably 14 years old. I went from about 18 - 22 without many. It's almost like they disappeared. Now I am 23 & they are back again with a vengeance. Not only am I getting the migraine pain, I have auras (flashing lights before the headache hits), nausea, audio/photo sensitivity, and dizziness. I have read that hormonal birth control can worsen these so I am planning on talking to my dr about this Thurs. I have Fioricet (butalbital/acetimenaphon(sp)/caffeine combo) to take when I get them but I do not want to become dependent on them (butalbital is a barbituate, which is habit forming).
Nasty buggers, aren't they. I've had migraines since I was 15, mostly menstrual migraines. I haven't found any medication that helps, but cutting down on dietary triggers does up to a point, and FAM charting means that at least I know when they're due and can keep an eye on blood sugar levels and what have you. Hormonal contraception can indeed worsen migraines, although if it's a steady dose it can also stop them. I was on Depo Provera for less than a year, and while it was horrible stuff that made me very ill, I didn't get any migraines on it.
I have chronic daily migraines. They aren't severe, but they are always there in varying degree. I've been toying around with the idea of doing Botox for it, which works for some but not all.
I've had migraines FOREVER! The first one I remember was when I was 5 years old. Continuous birth control pills have removed 1 migraine a month from my life. I've just started getting auras the last couple of years, and I'm happy about it - that gives me time to take the Relpax before the pain hits.
Back when they were much more frequent, I took ginger capsules every day. I also drink ginger tea or eat candied ginger when I have a migraine - not for the stomach soothing, but for the pain. Ginger has some sort of anti-inflammatory effect.
What I hate most is the lingering brain fog and fatigue the day after a migraine. People who don't get migraines seem sympathetic enough when you're in pain, but don't understand why you're still "off" the next day.
Oh yes, the joy of migraine hangovers. One thing that annoys me is that co-codamol may possibly take the edge off if I can stand the side effects, and being on magnesium citrate may help with one of those side effects, but I can't tell whether it's the codeine causing me to feel all peculiar in various ways or whether it's the migraine.
Has anyone tried anti-epileptics? I'm meant to be going on gabapentin for other pain soon, and you never know, it may help the migraine.
I've been haveing migraines for a couple years especially when I am stressed and durring allergy season, I get everything the nausea, axe to the skull head aches, sensitivity to light and sound, and ocular mine are kind of wierd my sight gets funny in the middle of my vission then it spreads out into a ring then eventually goes away. It's realy awful, especially in the fall thats when school starts and allergy season begins =(.
My brother has migraines-I read a magazine article about how taking magnesium can alleviate them.
He started taking 400 mg a day and it took 2 or 3 weeks before he saw an improvement, but he hasn't had ANY in almost a month! I'm sure results would vary but it's food for thought at any rate...
I don't get migraines often, but I get classic migraines ("normal" migraines) as well as complex migraines. I've been rushed to the hospital twice with complex migraines, because the symptoms are identical to a stroke. I had to see a neurologist and several doctors to see what was causing them, and the reason they gave me was because of my birth control. I was on Alesse 28 the first time, and TriCyclenLo the second time. It has to do with the sharp drop in hormones from the pill (when you switch from regular pills to no pill/placebo). I take Maxalt Wafers for my migraines, they're wicked expensive but it's the only thing I've found that works for me!
I took topomax for mine, but then asked my neurologist if I really should be taking daily medicine for a once or twice a month migraine. So, I tried a few other things and Maxalt worked great. Remember that Maxalt interferes with anti-depressants and can be lethal.
I get complex migraine and also classic migraine with aura. The complex migraine is the way thissideup described, they present like a stroke. I take a beta blocker daily to prevent those, because they are so debilitating that even if they are rare, they need to be prevented (plus they increase your risk for having a real stroke). I have Midrin to take when I feel either a complex or a classic coming on (the benefit of aura, I guess?) but I also take regular OTC Excedrin and that really does a good job if I catch it soon enough.
I'm on the Mirena (IUD birth control) - it's hormonal but very low dose because it's right in your uteurs and not going through your whole blood stream to get there, and it has not exacerbated my migraines at all.
I had migraines for many years. They started in my early 20's. I have been on many different prophylactics during the years, before the doctor found one that worked for me. I now take Amitryptilin 25mg every evening before bed. I have gone from 3 - 4 per week, down to once a month or less now. When I do get them now, Advil liqui-gels work if I catch them quick enough, or a 50mg Imitrex if the advil doesn't work.
It was a lot of work though finding the right prophylactic. You have to be firm with your doctor to keep trying...
I have also heard Magnesium can help. I will say my migraines have decreased since I started taking a very very low dose of Mg with my Calcium pill, but I do not know if it's related, since the dose is so low.
A few years ago I got a Maxalt prescription, and more recently take generic Imitrex at the onset of a migraine. It works almost every time within about an hour.
About 10 years ago I learned that birth control with estrogen is contraindicated if you have a history of migraine with aura- increasing the risk of stroke- but I don't know if many doctors pay attention to this.
Since then I've only been on birth control that's progestin only and haven't had any trouble.
I have had migraines since I was 18 , my mother had them and her mother before her. I get the aura which is great fun if they hit while you are driving the car.
Migraines?
I've been toying around with the idea of doing Botox for it, which works for some but not all.
I've just started getting auras the last couple of years, and I'm happy about it - that gives me time to take the Relpax before the pain hits. 
