Migraines in the parks

[lovinwdw]

I also suffer from migraines. The last time we were at WDW (October 2004), I got one while waiting to see Fantasmic. (you know those bright lights just hit you the right way and there you go). Luckily my mother came with us and had some of her migranie medicine with her. (I forgot my Imitrex at the hotel). It is the type you dissolve under your tongue. Worked like a charm. I just put on my sunglasses, closed my eyes and rested my head on my mother's shoulder for about 1/2 hour and it was completely gone. Of course, I had to watch the whole show with my sunglasses on and then when we went to leave I was a little dizzy (I am normally like that the day after a migraine). But, the next day I was ok and ready to go!! Go to the doctor before you go on your trip and make sure to get some type of migraine medicine. Good luck.

 

[lovinwdw]

I have to second the preventative medicine technique. I've had migraines my whole life (I get them worse when I'm on the pill), and I would have no life at all if I hadn't found Maxalt. I went to a neurologist and tried a bunch of medication before finding that Maxalt works best for me. The minute I feel any sort of pinchy feeling in my head, I take it. I think I took one during our last week-long trip and never missed a day of fun. Good luck!

I borrowed this from my mother during our last trip to WDW in October of 2004. I left my Imitrex at the hotel (dum dum), and we were sitting waiting to see Fantasmic! Bright lights really kill me. They just have to hit my eyes the right way and I am done...strobe lights, tunnel vision, numbness, nausua, tremendous headache...oh just the thought of it!!!! Anyway, I took the Maxalt (let it melt under my tongue), rested my head for 1/2 hour on my mother's shoulder, put on my sunglasses and I was ok after that. A little light headed and still had to wear my sunglasses. But, it worked. Usually I am done for about 2 days from a migraine. I have to lay in bed all day in the dark, sometimes throwing up, and then the next day I feel like I have medicine head. MAXALT WORKS!!!! I am going to get that prescription before I go in September. Good luck!! I know they are rough!!!

 

[lovinwdw]

I have to second the preventative medicine technique. I've had migraines my whole life (I get them worse when I'm on the pill), and I would have no life at all if I hadn't found Maxalt. I went to a neurologist and tried a bunch of medication before finding that Maxalt works best for me. The minute I feel any sort of pinchy feeling in my head, I take it. I think I took one during our last week-long trip and never missed a day of fun. Good luck!

I borrowed this from my mother during our last trip to WDW in October of 2004. I left my Imitrex at the hotel (dum dum), and we were sitting waiting to see Fantasmic! Bright lights really kill me. They just have to hit my eyes the right way and I am done...strobe lights, tunnel vision, numbness, nausua, tremendous headache...oh just the thought of it!!!! Anyway, I took the Maxalt (let it melt under my tongue), rested my head for 1/2 hour on my mother's shoulder, put on my sunglasses and I was ok after that. A little light headed and still had to wear my sunglasses. But, it worked. Usually I am done for about 2 days from a migraine. I have to lay in bed all day in the dark, sometimes throwing up, and then the next day I feel like I have medicine head. MAXALT WORKS!!!! I am going to get that prescription before I go in September. Good luck!! I know they are rough!!!

 

[excitedfamily]

I started getting migraines about 3 years ago and have the strangest triggers. What's even worse is the fact that I have chemical sensitivity and am unable to take any medication! If I am in extreme pain I will take a tylenol and go straight to bed where I will have hallucinations and will wake up with numb feet!

My triggers include scented products and petroleum products. I discovered that I can avoid migraines at Disney by avoiding all attractions with explosions! There is a whole section of MGM I can't go near. I am also unable to take the boat between MK and Grand Floridian. I also have to avoid small restaurants or sitting close to the kitchen as natural gas gets me too! So no fuels, gases or scents and I am fine! Unfortunately I die on the plane ride down!

 

[MamaQuack]

DS13 gets them occasionally. Had one last year in MK. Although I had his meds on me and got a coke into him immediately I knew by the time we got back to YC he would be really bad. We went to first aid and they let him lay down in the dark with an ice wrap for his head and neck. I sat in another room and talked with the wonderful nurse. In 20 minutes he was much improved. We did not have to miss out on a full day of fun. Went back to the YC for a little more rest and then he was great. He also had a bad stomach ache 2 years ago in MGM - they were great there too.

 

[mel63]

Glad to know I'm not the only one worried about this!!!! I have to remember my excedrine, & will remember to keep a coke with me at all times! (what else is new) Can't believe I never thought of using them together. I always take them with water. Anyway, what type of perscriptions do you take for your migraines? My dr. perscribed Imatrex, but I can't take it. It made me crazy!!! My limbs got heavy, I was walking slow, and my speach was soooo slurred, everyone thought I was Drunk at work!! Since then, I just stick with excedrine!!

I had the same type of reaction. I felt tight from the middle of my head down to my waist, like I was bundled in ace bandages. I finely went to the Doctor after years of migraines. I was given samples of Imitrex, Zomig, Maxalt, and another I can't remember. I was told try the Imitrex first, bad reaction. Went online to read about all of them. Same type of medicines, so can't take any. Did get rid of my migraine, though. Never knew they were migraines, just thought they were bad headaches. My trigger is low blood sugar. Sometimes I get nausea, sometimes not. I had asked a doctor visiting work aboout them, and he told me I didn't have migraines, because I wasn't nauseous and light doesn't bother me. That is how my mother's migraines were, so I never knew mine were too, because they were not the same. No matter what, the pain the same, and in the same place. When I described them to my regular doctor he told me "that was the best description of a migraine that he had ever heard." Napping doesn't work for me, it is just worse when I wake up. So, I try to eat and not let my sugar drop too low. I had asked my pharmacist what to take for them. This was long before I finally went to the doctor about them. He said take 2 Aleve, and if that doesn't work, I can take extra strength tylenol on top of the Aleve. Aleve is a 12 hour medicine, so if it isn't working, I can take the tylenol every 4 hours. They are not the same type of medicines, so I am not over dosing, and usually the Aleve and the first set of Tylenol do it for me. I love the "rapid release" tylenol. They do work very quick. If it does last longer than the 12 hours, my next dose of Aleve is just 1 pill, not 2. I finally went back to the doctor about my reaction to the Imitrex, and he told me just to do the Aleve that I was doing, because it works for me. I had tried the Excedirne migraine, but since I was on a strong dose of antibiotics for a BAD sinus infection, my stomach cramps with the excederine. Sometimes with Tylenol, too. But I just have to make sure my stomach is not empty when I take it. I don't have any problems with Aleve.

 

[tmarquez]

I too get migraines, I've been getting them as long as I can remember. They seem to be mainly hormonal, or eating pattern related. No food in the morning (even though I'm not at all hungry) and I can bet on one sometime that day. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I never had a single one, but I don't think being continuously pregnant is a realistic cure .

Sometimes they start out visual, sometimes they don't. They are the bad ones with vomiting, etc. It used to be that a nap in a dark, quiet room would make them go away, but that doesn't work anymore. The weird thing is that now I get a secondary symptom from them. After I wake up after a couple of hours I have a second and different headache (it's stabbing and in one spot, and it is so much worse to lie down that I have to sit up or stand until it goes away. Luckily, regular over the counter pain meds make it go away in 20 minutes or so. Then the entire next day I am in bed with what I can best describe as a hangover. Sound familiar to anyone else?

Luckily I have never had one at Disney!

I have taken Relpax. but it only takes away the head pain, all the other symptoms remain.

 

[ptrbryant]

You're not alone! My DH has had migraines for years and we've noticed, bu keeping a headache journal to pinpoint triggers, that everytime there's a major weather front that creates a change, he gets a migraine. We live in Kentucky now and, basically, the weather changes several times a day! The spring and fall really are hard seasons because of both the weather changes and allergies.

Take care!

Karla B.

 

[lisatradingspaces]

Glad to know I'm not the only one worried about this!!!! I have to remember my excedrine, & will remember to keep a coke with me at all times! (what else is new) Can't believe I never thought of using them together. I always take them with water. Anyway, what type of perscriptions do you take for your migraines? My dr. perscribed Imatrex, but I can't take it. It made me crazy!!! My limbs got heavy, I was walking slow, and my speach was soooo slurred, everyone thought I was Drunk at work!! Since then, I just stick with excedrine!!

Same thing happened to me with Zomig (same class of drug). It was so bad I was actually drooling! LOL!!! Did you try taking less? I currently take 1/4 of a Zomig and it does the trick for me without making me feel weird and appearing drunk. LOL If I get a really bad one I will take half and that makes me feel just a little weird. The migraine always goes away with 1/2 though and usually I only need 1/4. It works so much better than just the Excedrin Migraine!Just buy a pill cutter!

Lisa

 

[Sthronds]

Wow, there are a lot of us aren't there? I usually get 3 or 4 migraines a year. Mine are usually realted to blood sugar and dehydration like many of you. I have to make a conscious effort to drink water and eat at regular intervals. Lunch is especially important. This year we have PS for every lunch so it should keep us on track. Apparently chocolate is also a trigger for me but I choose to ignore that one! My cures are Advil (a lot of Advil) and coffee. If I can get into a hot bath to soak, that helps too. My last migraine was triggered because of a lack of coffee and caffeine withdrawls. It was one of the worst I have ever had! Totally preventable too.

 

[CJK]

Wow - thanks for all your tips and info! I've been going to WDW since I was 2 and I've always gotten what I referred to as, "heat headaches". I'd just go into an air conditioned building and eat something for a half hour or so, and then I was fine.

However, in the last 5yrs, I get "regular" headaches still, but now I get migraines. I don't get vision spots perse, I just feel tremendous pain having my eyes open and I get nausea. When they're at their worst, there's nothing I can do but go to bed. The problem, is that the pain is so severe, it prevents me from sleeping for a couple hours so I'm just rolling around in pain in bed (in between runs to the bathroom - ugh).

I'm not sure what my triggers are, but I know dehydration and stress are related. I was very interested to hear that many of you drink coke when you have a migraine. Is that just for the caffeine? I want to try excedrin migraine (I've been using advil and it does nothing for me) but I don't know if it's sold in Canada. Anyone know? Thanks so much for all the info. It's nice to know we're all not alone!

 

[DreadpiratK]

I've also had migraines all my life, but was often told they couldn't be migraines because only women get them! Anyway, I just want to say Maxalt has been a Godsend since my neurologist gave me a sample- I'm 39, and have had to suffer through them all my life, and nothing ever really helped, untill this year. It's expensive without insurance, the stuff is like $25 a pill, but it works.

Anyone else here tried periactin? it has worked very well in breaking the cycle for me, when I start getting headaches they usually last for several months, almost every day, but if I go on periactin right away, they stop in a day or two. First two days it makes me a zombie, but after that I get used to it and it doesn't bother me. Plus, it's cheap comnpared to the Maxalt.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Also a member of the migraine club. I bring my prescribed Zomig with me everywhere I go. Also have used the Exedrin/Coke combo and find that it works great. I am triggered by many things found at Disney...smells, bright light, and the heat (I tend to get a lot more in the summer). However, a bonus for me is that my migraines have become almost non-existant since I gave birth. I really got nervous since i couldn't take the medication during pregnancy but shortly into my pregnancy I realized that I wasn't getting any (and at my worst, I was getting 2-3 a WEEK!!!). For all you migraine suffering women of childbearing potential...hope this gives you a glimmer of hope!!!

 

[Tony Toon]

Another vote for Maxalt. I suffer from hormonal migraines and the only thing that makes a difference are Maxalt Melts - great because they're wafers and just melt on my tongue so I can take them anywhere - and I just struggle to swallow any form of pill. Luckily I get them on an NHS prescription here so they cost me £6.50 (about $12) for 6. A bit less than DreadpiratK's $25 a pill! What is Exedrin? We don't have it in the UK. Can I buy it over the counter in the US?

Mrs TT

 

[UrsulasMyHero]

YAY! I'm glad I could help. I know what you mean, it's agonizing when one starts off as a low dull pressure in my face and then WHAM I've got a migraine. See you're not alone

For the question about Excedrin: it's magic ingredients are Acetaminophen 250 MG, Asprin 250 mg, and CAFFINE 65mg. If you're aspring allergic, DO NOT TAKE.

I find the Advil Liquigels work wonderfully -IF- I notice it starting and it dosen't creep up on me. Sometimes I try to ignore the pain, and it only makes me worse when it finally hits with it's full power.

As for what I take: Imitrex 100mg, but damned if I take it, because the side effect of feeling like I'm being scalped, and an elephant on my chest is just as painful/annoying as the migraine it's self. Now if I can lay down, I do take the Imitrex with a hot pack or Cold pack on my neck.

I take Butabital (Fioricet) a codine based medication, Vicoden 500 mg, as well as Stadol as a rescue med. Sometimes I'll help the meds out with a muscle relaxer, because my chest tends to get very tight when I have a migraine, it feels like I'm being knotted up. not a fun feeling. *sigh*

Hope you all have pain free days... today was a bad day for me. Woke up with a migraine, took the trash out and went back to bed, there was no activity till after 5pm when I finally felt like I could stand withoug t being

 

[trappednabox]

Same thing happened to me with Zomig (same class of drug). It was so bad I was actually drooling! LOL!!! Did you try taking less? I currently take 1/4 of a Zomig and it does the trick for me without making me feel weird and appearing drunk. LOL If I get a really bad one I will take half and that makes me feel just a little weird. The migraine always goes away with 1/2 though and usually I only need 1/4. It works so much better than just the Excedrin Migraine!Just buy a pill cutter!

Lisa

After that happened I never took them again!!! It felt like I had no control over my body, I really think I was drooling too when I tried to talk. not a pretty picture! As for what triggers them, I have no idea, they just seem to come whenever my body decides to punish me! 1st I get the "flashes", then my vision almost completely goes, then I get really really sick to my stomach. I have thrown up soooo many times from it! Then I get the headache. Sometimes, I don't get the headache but everything else. What I hate is that I usually get them at work and it's really bad b/c I ride the bus to work and have a hard time knowing which bus to get on. If I stand to close to the street all the smells from the cars make me sick, but if I don't stand close enough I can't see which one to take. I need to hire someone to stay with me at all times to help just in case! Just make him cute with an accent & I'm good!

 

[Dopey's twin Dippy]

i am a migraine suff. to. also my now 16 yr.old dd was around 5-6 when she was diagnosed. My doctor finally had to put me on regular medicine. I started off with i think it was inderal also. I switched to atenolol. It helps alot . i take 2 pill s a day. i also have Caffergot pills , which are 100 per cent caffeine. if i still start to get a head ache, i will take a caffergot pill, try to have regular tea or pepsi ( i also switched to caff. free tea a while back.)that usually helps. i also end up putting ice packs on my head and my face. lol. my husband always says "whats wrong now.........ha" lately i have been having bad headaches, and a couple of times i actually had to go to bed and sleep for a while. usually the other tricks help though. make sure you bring something def. and also like every one else said , DRINK lots of fluid. i would try to see your dr. before going and getting something to try and also have with you when you go.

 

[shannon1219]

I can't believe that more people aren't on a daily prevention. Mine became so severe and frequent that I went to a neurologist and he said that it has been discovered that some anti-psycotic meds can help people with migraines. He put me on Elavil and I have not had a migrain in months.

 

[grumpyandbashful]

Another migraine person! Have been dealing with migraines since my mid-30's - am 50 now. I have several triggers - hormonal, weather changes, stress, lack of sleep, etc. Been through several neurologists, preventative meds, etc. Maxalt MLT works best for me taken when a migraine starts - Imitrex never worked for me, Zomig but migraine tended to recur more than with Maxalt. Everyone has a "best" med for them.
Recently a new doctor started me on Topamax daily to prevent migraines, since they really seriously impact my life. Lots of WEIRD side effects, but it has cut my migraines in half, so I'm willing to stick with it for the meantime at least.
If you have migraines, it's worth it to see a doctor about them and not just treat them yourself! Drugs like Imitrex, Zomig, Maxalt, etc. can be miraculous for some of us (and can save a whole day of vacation!).

 

[nicki dahling]

I've had migraines since age 12; I am now 48 and still get them occasionally. I never travel without my migraine medications; I have several. It is a hassle, but it beats getting stuck without them. I also find that Excedrin Migraine sometimes works along with a Coke. Also, sometimes it is possible to "freeze" out a migraine somewhat by eating something very cold, like ice cream or water ice. It is not pleasant having one at WDW, but unfortunately triggers are all over the place - lights, sounds, foods. Also, as much as we love WDW, travel in itself is stressful. Cold compresses help a lot. So does rest.....I find going back to the resort, putting the Do Not Disturb sign on the doorknob and napping in a dark room will often help quite a bit. Don't push yourself. Take it easy even it means missing precious park time.

This sounds like me. I never thought about trying to freeze it out ( although a cold ice pack on my neck works sometime ). I tend to find that taking a nap helps. Also excedrin migraine has been my savior. Mine seem to be more frequent in the heat. So we switched to winter time for traveling. I am going in a few weeks to celebrate my goddaughters birthday, and crossing my fingers that I get through the weekend without any. They don't seem to get me down as much at WDW as when I am at home.

Cyndi