Migraine relief?

[binny]

Dh has been having terrible migraines this week. Tonight he is sick as can be with one. Its really painful plus the being sick to his stomach that goes with. ( sorry TMI)

Does anyone have some Migraine relief tips that we may not have tried yet?
So far Ive put ice on the back of his neck ( which usually helps but isnt this time), a cooling eye gel mask on his eyes, and a heating pad for his stomach. He's taken 2 tylenol with codeine for the pain but it doesnt seem to have made a dent in it.

Any other ideas?
If he doesnt get better soon Im going to take him in I think


BTW, before I get flamed for surfing while he is in pain, Im in here for a few minutes so he can get some rest in a quiet room. Ive been taking care of him most of the night.

 

[tiggersmom2]

I've had migraines most of my life and I can't take the prescription medicines specifically for it like Imitrex, ect. I usually take a Vicodin and a Benadryl. The Benadryl takes the edge off the headaches and helps alleviate the "aura" that goes with mine (I literally go "blind" with mine for atleast 30 minutes).

Thankfully, I haven't had one in over a year - I hope your hubby feels better soon.

 

[CyranoJones]

Not to be flip, but a sledgehammer to the head would help. Really, if he's not on any migraine meds (I can't take them so I understand his pain) the only thing that can help is sleep. Sometimes heat helps my head, other times cold helps. And I will sip small amounts of flat ginger ale to try settle my stomach, but in reality, it just has to run its course.

 

[DisMN]

I was shocked to find how well this works for me...although I HAVE to do it while I'm still in the visual disturbance stages of the migraine.

Advil (Ibuproffen) taken with Coke. I've heard it's the combo of the caffeine and ibuproffen together that make this work so well.

Good luck to your husband. Those migraines really stink.

 

[candykisses]

I like to be in a very cold room. I now take Imitrex and most of the time that does the trick. If the migraine is really bad...to the point where I can't think right...I get an injection of Toradol wait 45 minutes and get an injection of Imitrex. That combination usually works for me. I go to sleep and wake up drained , but able to function.

Before Imitrex sometimes 1200 mg of Motrin with a caffine chaser might help.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I take Maxalt, which usually takes care of the headache. I usually get them in the evening, which works out fine since the medicine makes me sleepy. When I get a daytime headache, though, it is tougher. Sometimes if I take Advil as soon as I think I might be getting one I don't get one (but of course there's no way of knowing if I WOULD have gotten one, anyway). My daughter sometimes takes Excederin Migraine and it seems to help.

I have so many migraine triggers that it's not even funny and normally get several a week, so the prescription medicine is a must for me.

I hope your husband is feeling better soon!

T&B

 

[Phrebert]

Imitrex worked the best for me, and then a soft pillow over my eyes to block out any light. Eww, I'm cringing even thinking about them.

 

[nancy679]

I take Excedrin Migraine--(tylenol, aspirin and caffeine)--it works wonders for me, but I do have to take it as soon as I feel a slight twinge of headache, otherwise I still have pain althought not as severe.

 

[Poohnatic]

Caffeine! Get the man a double espresso, some mountain dew, coke or chocolate.

I take Imitrex shots and have to do it as soon as I get the aura, or else I'm in a bad way.

Look for triggers...my major trigger is nutrasweet, and since I stopped consuming nutrasweet products, I haven't had my twice a week migraines-down to one every month/2months.

Another trigger for me is pistachios. Apparently, nuts trigger a lot of people.

Good luck.

Suzanne

 

[mtblujeans]

Does neck or scalp massage help any?

 

[lulubelle]

DD17 ususally only gets relief like one poster said from Vicodin (the generic equivilent) and some caffiene. And lots of rest. And no light, but especially no sound. For her, the sound is the worst. Luckily she doesn't get the tummy problems too much (just doesn't have an appetite). I have never had a migraine or even a "bad" headache, so it is hard for me to empathize. But as a mom of a child who goes thru it every month or so, it is agonizing. We think it is linked to her monthly cycle, but don't know how to prevent them. We have been to family doctor and chiroprator. She has an arsenol of meds and sometimes it frightens me.

Once we went to ER and the Imirtrex shot was a godsend.

Anyway, Binny, I doubt any of us here would flame you for "surfing while he is in pain", I certianly never would. I hope he is sleeping pain free and you are taking a well deserved rest break. Hugs to you and pixie dust to Dh

 

[mtblujeans]

Originally posted by lulubelle
Anyway, Binny, I doubt any of us here would flame you for "surfing while he is in pain", I certianly never would. I hope he is sleeping pain free and you are taking a well deserved rest break. Hugs to you and pixie dust to Dh

Agreed! Especially since there may be nothing you can do but make him feel as comfortable as possible! Hope you both get some rest tonight!!

 

[SandraM]

I've always found that if I don't take whatever tablets as soon as the migraine starts, I won't be able to keep them down. I think it's true of most migraine sufferers that the digestive system shuts down during a migraine, so if they leave it too long to take medication they get sick.
The best thing for me was to lie in a dark room on my left side (I get them in the left side of my head, and if I lie on my right it feels like the pain is dropping right through both sides), and have as little disturbance as possible. A glass of water to sip on is also helpful.
Hope your DH gets over this quickly. Awful things, migraines.

 

[shortbun]

Aww, I'm really sorry. My migraines left with my hormones
but I agree-caffeine or alcohol with the pain med always made
it work better, opened up those blood vessels. My migraines
were vascular type-this would not work otherwise. Trying the
caffeine thing wouldn't hurt-flat coke might help his stomach.
I remember getting so sick in my 20's, I'd call my Mom who was
hours away and make her feel helpless.
Oh, a re caffeine: I figured out it was causing some of my migraines too so I quit using it unless direct vascular stimulation
was needed for an already happening headache. I used to respond really well to firm hand massage. the pressure points
in the web area between the index finger and the thumb were
great spots for temporary relief. Sometimes I'd have bruised hands from pinching those little spots.
I had to go in for a shot a few times. They gave me immediate
relief. I tried several meds "for" migraines. Good luck.
the pain is crushing as you can tell.

 

[DisMN]

Originally posted by shortbun
..... I used to respond really well to firm hand massage. the pressure points
in the web area between the index finger and the thumb were
great spots for temporary relief. Sometimes I'd have bruised hands from pinching those little spots.
I had to go in for a shot a few times. They gave me immediate
relief. I tried several meds "for" migraines. Good luck.
the pain is crushing as you can tell.

I've done the pinching thing too and yep, occasionally it helped.
I've also gotten desperate enough to smash a big toe with a foot.......just step on the big toe until it aches....sometimes that transfers a bit of the pain for a while. LOL

Aren't migraines the most awful thing? I couldn't sympathize with my sister and father until I got one of my own and then DANG......!!!

 

[poochie]

I too suffer from migranes, had all my life. Yes at the first sign I have to take Excedrine Migraine. If not it is not effective. Also I must lye down in a dark, quiet room. I find if you fall asleep it also helps. And the indigestine is the worst. Many a time I got physically ill, which makes the headache worst. And yet sometimes, it relieves the pain Sipping coke does help. I seem to remember being told too much caffine causing them. Yet there is caffine in Excedrin, and Coca Cola also has caffine. So much for triggers.

Key points: meds - quiet - darkness - sleep

Make for an exciting evening let me tell you. Surpirses me how many of us suffer though. Your DD has my total sympathy.

 

[mickey65]

This will probably sound totally off the wall, but I use a Chinese ointment called Pearl Essential. I rub it on my temples, and if I catch it soon enough then it stops it pretty fast. It smells awful, but it really helps my migranes. One time when I was out of the Pearl, I used Tiger Balm. It helps too, but not to the degree of the Pearl.

 

[chrissyk]

If he's to the point of throwing up, the caffiene won't help now. For the people who get occular migraines (vision loss), coffee will help that bigtime if you drink it as soon as you see the aura but before you feel nauseous.

As for the nausea, call your DH's PCP and ask them to call in a suppository nausea med. Explain that it's for migraine nausea/vomiting. If they balk at the idea, tell the Dr. that you're going to take your DH to the ER every time he has a migraine. That should get his meds. called in asap, LOL!

I have suppository compazine for my migraines. It really does work. I was told to keep a compazine suppository and my pain meds on me at all times, so I have them in my purse. Is there a non-drowsy migraine med that he could carry in case of emergency, along with the compazine?

I really feel for your DH right now...migraines are awful

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Binny, how is he doing?

As to the caffeine being a trigger, but yet being in coke and excederin, I think for many (most?) people it's the lack of caffeine that is the issue. Basically a caffeine withdrawal. If we're used to having a few cups of coffee in the morning and then we only have two or we're used to having afternoon tea and then we skip a day. I'm sure that for others the actually caffeine is the problem, of course.

Some people who use advil, tylenol, etc on a regular basis also get rebound headaches.

Chocolate is my biggest trigger (and no, not the absence of it ). Even that doesn't always trigger a headache.

I got terrible headaches (but not real frequent) starting when I was about 12yo until I was about 18yo. At that time the dr told me to stop eating foods with nitrites and nitrates (pork products, etc). I then only got one headache from that time frame until I was 39yo. Then they started all over again, without the auras, and have been so much more severe. Not at least I have the prescription meds.

Not fun!

T&B

 

[crz4mm2]

How often does he get migraines? I have suffered from migraines for years. When they became too often with severe vomiting, I went on INderal LA for suppression. This has been the miracle cure for me. I still get headaches, and even an occassional migraine, but not the two or three a week that I used to get. I did quit caffeine and also did the diet eval trying to find triggers. MSG is a big one for me.
I also have suppositories on hand for nausea/vomiting. I have Imitrex oral and injectable too.
Migraines are horrible.
If he gets them often, he may want to consider suppressive therapy. Sure has been wonderful for me.

I hope he is feeling better.