Migraines and Kids

[Magickndm]

I had to pick up my 12 year old DD from school today, when I got there she was in tears saying she had a horrible headache and her stomach was upset. I have gotten migraines since I was about 13 myself, so I asked her if she had any vision trouble before hand (I always do). Sure enough, she said yes, and described how it is to me. There wasn't a lot they could do for me when I was younger, even now I have tried the Imitrex injections, but still no relief. Has anyone else delt with this and their kids and found relief? I so don't want her suffering like I did and still do occasionally.
Any advise would be really nice.

 

[ahutton]

After many years of this I found my #1 trigger was caffeine. Not too much at any one time, but if I had a little several days in a row I almost always get one. I also have found it runs very often with my hormone cycles... Not much you can do about that, although my endocrinologist did put me on a birth control pill to help keep me on a more even keel, and it has been the best six months of the last 10 years!

 

[lulugirl]

I have also suffered from migraines since I was a teen. I have tried several medications w/ moderate success. Imitrex doesn't always work for me either, but sometimes it does "take the edge off". Did you know that it also comes in pill form, and as a nasal spray in addition to the injections? Have you tried Maxalt or Amerge? Have you seen DD's pediatrician about this? I know it can be so frusrating to see a Dr. that isn't knowledgable in regards to migraines. Gosh, it must be just awful to see your DD suffer like that. I hope you have success in finding a treatment for both you and DD. As the previous poster said, try to determine what triggers the migraine.....
Hope this helps.....
-Elisabeth

 

[momof2OH]

My DS is 12 and has had migraines for about 2 years now. His neurologist has him taking Aleve twice a day (1 in am and 1 at pm) It has worked wonderfully!! He hardly ever gets them now. My son can't take the normal migraine meds due to him being on many other meds. You might ask your peds dr. to refer you to a peds neurologist.

Good luck getting her some help, I know how hard it is when your child gets them and they are hurting so badly!

 

[Wendy]

I've had migraines since I was 3, and my 7 year old ds has had them since he was about 4. We both take daily preventatives, and they have worked wonders for us. Luckily, the medications they have now are so much better than when I was a kid. When I was little, I just had to suffer through them because there was nothing at all they could find to help me.

If her headaches continue, my best advice is to see a neurologist that specializes in headaches. I've found that many pediatricians either don't seem to take migraines seriously or they don't know the most effective way to treat migraines.

BTW, Imitrex won't touch my migraines either. There are much better migraine medications out there. You may want to see a neurologist yourself and see if she recommends something different for you.

 

[Michelle]

I think you need to see her pediatrician or family physician. It MAY be migraines but it also could be caused by a myriad of other reasons. You really should have a doctor evaluate her to be sure.

Good luck!

 

[kinlaw6450]

My brother suffers from Migraines and has since he was 2 years old. Now my DD gets them. She has been seen twice by doctors to rule out tumors (yikes!) and has not as yet been put on prescription meds. Thankfully they don't come but every couple of months. Adam my brother, lives with them chronically.

 

[Magickndm]

Thanks so much for all of your replies. I am definitley taking her to the doctor if she gets another one. Someone here mentioned caffeine, which I should know is a trigger, but just realized I have been letting her buy sodas at lunch, something she never did before. Maybe all that extra caffeine did trigger it?? From now on, if she wants soda, it will be a Sprite.
I feel like I can handle the pain, but momof2OH, you are so right, it's terrible when you know your child is hurting. My mom always sympathized with me, but never having a migraine herself, she just couldn't imagine it. It's one of those things, unless you've experienced it, you have no idea.
Thanks again everyone.

 

[jsmith]

it is also possible in a 12 year old that they are hormonally triggered. I have the worst hormonal migraines-interestingly they were made worse by BC pills-I had to stop the pill, which I need to help with other problems because I could not deal with missing a day or two of work every month. I would say a visit to a pediatric neurologist is definately in order if the problem continues.

 

[Magickndm]

I can't take BC pills for that reason myself jsmith....those triggered the worst, and the longest lasting migraines I've had.

 

[TEENEE]

My ds (11) gets migraines. His seem to be triggered by stress. I've kept lists of everything he eats and there does not seem to be a common thread there. His pediatrician was the one who came to the conclusion that it is stress. He's a very smart child and tends to put too much pressure on himself. Excedrin for migraines or just a simple aleve will work for him. Fortuntaley his migraines are mild (most of the time). I feel helpless when he gets them.

 

[momof2OH]

Like I said earlier...the Aleve really helps my sons. He takes it everyday as a preventative med. We do keep on hand Tylenol 500mg, Ibuprofen 200mg and Periactin 4mg if he gets a bad one. The ped. neuro doc wrote us down a combo of the above mentioned meds to get rid of them. My son also goes to his room(dark & quite) and uses ices packs. There was also no pattern to them. He did however stop eating choc. for awhile. He also drinks Sprite or caffine free pop. But for the most part, he really hasn't had one except for we he goes and gets his IV treatment every 4 weeks, then it's BAD!!! The rate the IV is going in can cause severe headaches for most people, it is worse for a migraine sufferer.
Keep us posted on how she does and what happens after she sees the dr.
PD to her!!!!!!

 

[DisneyMim]

My heart goes out to your daughter. I have had migraines for years too. As one poster already said since she is 12 these could be hormonal as mine are. I know what you mean, you have to have them to really understand. Hugs to your daughter, hope she is feeling better. Oh, I just thought of something, sometimes a heating pad works for me.

 

[Magickndm]

Thanks for all of your well wishes.
Hormones crossed my mind too, as did stress. I almost gave her Excedrin yesterday, but thought I remembered children shouldn't have asprin. Just to be safe I gave her Advil.
The heating pad is an excellent idea DisneyMim. I'm really hoping this was a fluke thing and that she won't be prone to them, tho I really do believe they are hereditary, at least to some extent. But since I know the signs, hopefully I can get her help quicker and better than I had.

 

[2bemarried]

I was automatically drawn to your post. I've been getting migraines since I was 10. My mother and grandmother both suffer from them. My mom immediately took me to a neurologist who treated my migraines with a profalatic(sp?)...so it basically prevented me from getting them. Her hormones could definitely be the trigger as well as stress or caffeine. I know that as a student I pushed myself to make straight A's. So you have to look at her behaviors to tell if it's stress induced. Other possibilities are chocolate, msg, and bright lights. The msg from chinese food gets me every time. I'm now 26 and on a different preventitive called nortriptylene. When I do get the rare ones I take Imitrex 100mg tablets. Sometimes that doesn't even work for me. Just dark rooms and sleep will make it go away.
I wish you the best of luck in trying to help her and I wish her luck in that she doesn't have chronic migraines.

 

[tmfranlk]

I found that the preventative medication worked well for me too. I have had migraines since I was 7 or so, but never saw anyone about them until I was 20. I always thought they were just part of life until in law school I was getting them everyday and lasting for as much as 10 hours. Within 3 days of being on the preventative, I didn't get one again for 4 months. In those situations, Imitrex nasal sprays work (but they don't seem too on their own).

Good luck!

 

[justjulie]

Both of my children are migraine sufferers. After trying several things we finally found that an adult strength Motrin seemed to be enought to quell his migraines provided they were caught in time. Once he was able to recognize the warning signs (he's 11 now) he's able to ask for the pill before the headache gets the best of him.

Good luck, it's heartbreaking to try and soothe a migraine sufferer.