Migraines in the parks

[diswedwish]

Another member of the migraine club... Usually I'm just fine and dandy at Disney since my trigger is stress. The one time I got one, I drugged up, had a coke, and sat in Mexico for a while - it was mid-afternoon, not too crowded and at least pretty to look at with the auro - lol!

I've had them since I was 10; I get 2 types, "text-book" with the aura, throwing-up and the whole bit, and a lesser one which just makes me nauseous but functional and lasts longer.

Seen a neurologist, and the only 2 that mostly work are Immitrex and Zomig. I have to combine them with prescription strength Naproxen though. My side effect is a cotton-ball stuffed head feeling. Better than pain though. I've stuck with pills, I have some Immitrex shots but am a little leery about giving myself a shot - I'm a wimp

Tried 2 preventatives so far - tofranil and Depakote ER. Tofranil didn't do much of anything, Depakote made me gain 10 lbs in a month without much improvement Still trying to take that off and it's 4 months since I've been off of it...

Adding to a previous thread about taking Immitrex every day - my neurologist recommended that I take 1 the day before and day of my wedding, just in case, but not to do that on a regular basis because of rebound headaches. So if you have something really special planned one day, it might be worth a shot...

 

[NotUrsula]

I never had any side effects from Calan, but like all meds, some people do; I suggest that you research the possibilities if you think it's an option.

The way that my Dr. explained the idea of treating it with Calan was that he was going for the root cause of the problem; the tendency of the blood vessels to constrict too much. It doesn't work for everyone, but it did work for me, and I'm very grateful that he went with the idea. Concentrating on treating the symptoms always seemed like an awful lot of money and effort gone on shutting the barn door after the horse had run away.

My worst triggers are sun, smoke, flashing lights, and letting my blood sugar drop too far. I had given up on WDW for awhile b/c I always got so sick there, but after I got rid of the chronic attacks I made an effort to learn how to prepare and pace myself, and now I can even go to WDW in summer; wearing a very large hat and dark glasses, with nutty snacks in my pockets and a large water bottle on my hip.

 

[the kabuki]

Another member of the migraine club... Usually I'm just fine and dandy at Disney since my trigger is stress. The one time I got one, I drugged up, had a coke, and sat in Mexico for a while - it was mid-afternoon, not too crowded and at least pretty to look at with the auro - lol!

I've had them since I was 10; I get 2 types, "text-book" with the aura, throwing-up and the whole bit, and a lesser one which just makes me nauseous but functional and lasts longer.

Seen a neurologist, and the only 2 that mostly work are Immitrex and Zomig. I have to combine them with prescription strength Naproxen though. My side effect is a cotton-ball stuffed head feeling. Better than pain though. I've stuck with pills, I have some Immitrex shots but am a little leery about giving myself a shot - I'm a wimp

Tried 2 preventatives so far - tofranil and Depakote ER. Tofranil didn't do much of anything, Depakote made me gain 10 lbs in a month without much improvement Still trying to take that off and it's 4 months since I've been off of it...

Adding to a previous thread about taking Immitrex every day - my neurologist recommended that I take 1 the day before and day of my wedding, just in case, but not to do that on a regular basis because of rebound headaches. So if you have something really special planned one day, it might be worth a shot...

Depakote..that's the one my doc mentioned as a possibility. Yikes, 10lbs in 4 months? I'm still trying to lose that 10lbs I gained when I got married 13 years ago!! Did it at least help any?

 

[cottontail]

Hi: Another thing that I know has helped me thru the years is having tunnel vision. I find that if I look at too many of anything moving around, it could be cars while driving, people at events, I will trigger a headache. I have developed my own system to try and look far ahead and not to the sides, I am like the horse pulling the cart with blinders on the side of my eyes and that helps.

Yes the weight gain is a constant problem with my daughter who is currently on her 7th preventative in a year and a half. Sandomigraine made her gain 25 lbs in about a month, even the neurologist commented on how much she had gained, she would eat double what my hubby who is 6.3 would eat while on that drug.
If the betablocker/elavil do not work, I will tell her to mention the calan as she has not tried that.

Deb.

 

[diswedwish]

I was only on Depakote ER for about 2 months. In addition to the weight gain, it made me light-headed, and seemed to make me stupid - no other way to describe it - lol! I felt light-headed off and on all day; and I'd do stuff like leaving my keys in the apartment and not realizing until I got to the car, and I just generally wasn't with it. For me it was a big deal since usually I don't have any side effects from meds... And with no decrease in the # of migraines, I quickly decided that it wasn't worth it I kept taking it until I had my next appt. with the neurologist and we decided I'd try relaxation techniques regularly for a little while to see how that works. I've been off it for about 4 months. It's really funny because over the summer when I'm not working as much I hardly get any. Oh, if only we were independently wealthy and didn't have to work lol!

 

[Disney29]

Well, I know that there are so many migraine suffers out there. I am 41 and have had them since I was 5! They ruled my life. You never knew if I was going to be able to go through with any plans! I Missed alot of school. My friends were afraid to have me in their weddings with the fear that I would be sick. Mine are FULL blown. I get it all.....light sensativity, pain so bad that I would band my head agianst the wall, and I would lay on the bathroom floor for hours because of the vomiting. I have been sent to the emergancy room many times.
MAGRAINES are NASTY!

When I got pregnant they went away. Instead I got sinus headaches. Which for me was a blessing. I was able you take sudafed and they would go away. After I gave birth they came back.

I have been on Effexor now for a few years. It is an anti-depressent with pain reliever in it. It helps with the lack of Seratoin in the brain. They are not cured by any means, just fewer of them.

I have been on all meds under the sun. Nothing helped. Imitrex injection helps but noe the pill.

They run in my family and I fear that my 5 year old will get them. There are even some on my husbands side that get them.

I have been to Disney 39 times and have had many migraines there. I have to go back to the hotel. With the imitrex injection I could now take it and then rest for a half hour and hopefully the headache will be gone. But the side effects are still there. I feel kind of drunk and very weak, so if it's hot out I still need to be somewhere cool.

Unless you have had a migraine you have NO idea the pain that is involved. I would not wish one on my worst enemy (if I had one).

 

[digskat]

I don't know if anyone esle uses this but it really helps to numb my headaches/migraines so I can still function unless it's a real banger I still use this and then lie down. It's Tiger Balm..it's for sore muscles but a pharmacist reccommended one day to my mom to rub on her temples and forehead when she has a headache, it actually numbs your forehead. I swear by it and never leave home with out it. It comes in red strong which is reddish orange in color and they are making it in clear strong now. I reccommend giving it a try you can get it at Walmart or other Pharmacies for about $5 it's near where the A535 is. Good Luck Kat..Oh yeah it kinda has a cinnamon smell to it, I think it's mad out of red peppers. I had a h/a after MK as did DH but I think it was because we had not drank enough fluids.

 

[cottontail]

Hi Disney29:

That is how my ddaughter is. She has been off work for 2 years because of them, just starting back slowly but each and every time she goes to work she is coming home with full blown migraines, she cannot take her maxalt til she is home for fear of not being able to drive the 40 min home from work, so she is actually at the sick stage runs in the house and goes to her room with a pail and her medicine, it is sad. iIs hoping to one day lead a normal life. It is very hard to hold a job while getting debilitating headaches.

They gave her paxil for the stress and to help with seritonin but she thinks it made them worse and is now down to 4 mg,'s trying to ease off slowly. Now she is on elavil and betablockers, for a trial period of 6 weeks, the beta blocker did not work while at work but did if she just stayed at home.

She was given the imitrex needle , but is afraid to use it. Do they hurt alot and where should she inject herself. She thought the thigh area. Do you have to laydown after the imitrex needle. She had the nasal imitrex but it eventually stopped working, but I understand the injection is supposed to be better.

Thanks,

Deb.

 

[daystar]

Hi,
I sometimes have the problem of migraines in the parks or just any where...If you know you get them in the parks i would tell your doctor maybe he could give you something to help the pain...My doctor prescribe me some meds for that reason...It becomes not so enjoyable when your in pain...I would definetly tell him not to give you anything that would make you go to sleep....I had that problem one year...I wasn't going to WDW but to another park and i felt like a little old man falling asleep every time i sat down...I felt as if i dragged myself all over the park but it was worth it my kids had a good time....Good luck

 

[Disney29]

Hi Deb:

I can feel for your daughter. I too have missed many days at work.

Regarding the Imitrex injection: The way I see it is NOTHING hurts more then a FULL BLOWN MIGRAINE!

The first time I was given it by my doctor, I put up a fight, I didn't want any needle. My sister (who is a PA) drove me to the Drs. office talked me into it. After about 10 minutes the doctor came back in the room and could not believe that I was the same person. When I walked (sort of) in the office I could not spell my own name! My face was a mess. I vomited all the way there. I thought it was a MIRACLE!

Now for doing it to yourself......The first time I used it I was at work. I went into the bathroom with a co-worker to do it. She had to read the instructions as I could not read them. My vision goes when I have a migraine-that is one of my early signs. Being with a co-worker I did not want to drop my drawers in front of her so I did it in my upper arm. Yes, it hurt! But it got easier to do. I would make my husband hold my hand and we would count to 3 and I would push that button.

It does have some side effects. It makes me feel "Goofy" No pun intended!

Again, tell your daughter that compared to the pain of the headache, the injection is nothing. When it first came out, insurance would not cover it. It was $80 a shot! WELL WORTH THE MONEY! Now I get it for free (from my sister) but it is also covered by insurance!

Good Luck!!!!! Send me a PM someday if she desides to try it!

Karen.

 

[cottontail]

Hi: Thanks for your reply. I will probably have to help her. She is saving them for the morning that she wakes up with a migraine and has to be into work that day, in order to not have to book off work again.

Having migraines is costly in many ways, she used to be so thin but by the time she has been thru 7 preventatives she put on about thirty pounds, and had to go out and buy more clothes because the weight does not just fall off when you quit the preventative.

Deb.

 

[BeccaGrace]

Like many people have already said, I was totally surprised to see this thread and how many of us have the same problem...I've had migraines since I was in high school and have (thankfully) gotten to the point that if I take my meds at the first sign of the visuals then I can ward off the pain...however, the visuals are so hard for me to deal with. Are there really meds that stop that aspect as well as the pain? My regular doctor, eye doctor and neuro all told me there was nothing to do about them and it is terrible because I am on the computer for work all day and my husband can't drive and I have two kids that need to be taken everywhere, so I can't be in a position where I'm unable to drive. Not that I am complaining since things are SO much better when I have them since I can ward off the pain/nausea about 90% of the time now...I feel so bad so many of us are suffering with this.

Oh, someone mentioned anti-seizure meds used for migraines...besides Depakote, Topamax is now prescribed for migraines. My dd2 is on Topamax for seizures and I was surprised to see all the migraine info...not a good idea if you are at Disney a lot though since it inhibits sweating, which causes lots of heat issues.

 

[vanyel]

I too am surprised by so many migraine sufferers on this board. I've had them since I was 16 and one of my daughters started about the same age. My mother used to have them also. I do take a beta blocker for a mitral valve prolapse and when I began that, the headaches lessened slightly.

Mine used to start with an incredible tiredness. If I could lay down immediately and take extra strength exedrin, I could usually stave them off. If I fought the tiredness and didn't have exedrin, the next step was flashing lights, nausea, migraine headache. Then it didn't get better until I had thrown up and had other intestinal problems. Sometimes that took awhile.

DisneyMim - the one benefit from menopause that I can see is that my migraines have decreased immensely. My symptoms have changed and they are no longer predictable though I'm figuring them out. I do take imitrex and that helps though I have some side effects. Tremblling arms/legs and I have to sleep.

I've found ice frequently helps, heat usually makes it worse. I also often have to sleep propped up for several hours because laying down seems to make it worse. Tiger balm helps me, as digskat mentioned. I also go to a massage therapist on a regular basis and that seems to make a huge difference!

As many you mentioned, some of my triggers are: dehydration, low blood sugar, tiredness, overheated, stress, used to be hormonal, champagne though not wine, bending over, and too much sugar.

Luckily, I've never had a migraine in the parks though I've worried about it and I try to make sure nothing happens to trigger them. I never skip eating in the parks and I make sure I keep drinking water.

I hope all of you struggling with more frequency find some help. People who don't have or have never had a migraine or even bad headaches don't understand the debilitation and frustration they bring.



I

 

[the kabuki]

Has anyone tried the Topomax yet? Have been checking this out online, would like to bring it up at my next doc appt.

 

[Shagley]

Originally Posted by the kabuki
Has anyone tried the Topomax yet? Have been checking this out online, would like to bring it up at my next doc appt.

I tried Topomax last year, but I had to stop because I didn't like the side effects. It made me mentally slow (more so than I already am) - like if I was having a conversation, I could never think of the words I wanted to use. I felt like a complete idiot when I was on it, because my mind worked so slow. I didn't really notice if it has any effect on my migraines, because the side effects were such a problem for me. I know that Topomax has worked great for many people, and that is why I wanted to try it in the first place.

 

[trappednabox]

I know this thread has been dead for a while, but I just had to say thanks!!!! I got a migraine at work today, & b/c of advice I got from this thread it went away in about 1/2 an hour instead of like 4 hours. I feel sooooooo much better than I ever do an hour after a migraine!!!!!!!!!!

 

[UrsulasMyHero]

Whee! I;m glad you found some relief. Hopefully it won't come back.

 

[Miranda Danda]

any time I've gotten a migraine in the parks I've had to go back to the hotel - only a nap cures them. But you could try going to the medical areas and lying down for a few minutes.

Same here. I get the occular kind and then it is followed by the splitting headaches. I was put on Reglan in 1999, but nothing really helps unless I go to sleep. I have learned that taking a dose of Nyquil as soon as the symptoms start will knock me out for a couple of hours and I will wake-up okay.

Luckily, I have never gotten one while in the park or on vacation (knock on wood).

I would say the suggestions of everyone else seem pretty good. Just try not to worry about it, but be prepared just in case. Have a great trip (and try to leave the migraines at home!)

 

[old one]

Well, I know that there are so many migraine suffers out there. . Mine are FULL blown. I get it all.....light sensativity, pain so bad that I would band my head agianst the wall, and I would lay on the bathroom floor for hours because of the vomiting. I have been sent to the emergancy room many times.
MAGRAINES are NASTY!

Sounds like mine. Many trips to the emergency room to get a shot to just put me out for 24 hrs. Next day feels like a bad hangover but at least I am better.

Tried a lot of stuff, including Inderal. Finally I got some relief from an older drug called Midrin. I think it works on the constiction of the vessels. If your are still searching form something that works without a lot of side effects, you might ask your doctor about it. Only thing is for it to help me, I must take it the MOMENT I see the visual effects, if I delay at all and the pain starts, then it is too late.

 

[old one]

duplicate post.