I have just posted a question, a few minutes ago, about a migraine I suffered from today.
In the past I was prescribed drugs to help with the migraine headaches I suffered from. Today, my husband went to the Chemist to get me some 'over the counter' pills which helped (although not as quickly as the prescription drugs).
After a day (well, most of it) spent crawling around the bed, curling up in a ball, hanging over the edge of the bed and trying to pull my hair off my scalp (that's really going to help, isn't it!!) I now look as though I have been mauled.
If I had half the brain I was born with I would have realised that I was about to have a migraine. I have an 'aura' before the pain starts - my aura is zig-zag lines around the periphery of my sight. I had the 'aura' on Sunday, felt really queasy and had a slight headache yesterday and today .......................
I'm now worried that it is my new (additional) inhaler to blame. The Qvar my GP prescribed for me a couple of weeks ago makes breathing so much easier.
What a choice!!! Easier breathing and migraines or shortness of breath and no migraines.
Annec
xxxxx
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Pepsicoley
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have you tried migraleve i used to suffer badly if i worked under un defused strip lights forv any length of time, had to wear tinted bins, but when i was told about this med i found it worked well, theres two different tabs in the box, one to take at the first signs of a head ache and the bother is for if it does get hold, it can knock you a bit sideways but it's way better than a full blown migraine it could be the inhaler did you read up onthe side effects ?
Yes, I have in the past tried Migraleve but it didn't really help. I had to have the prescription drugs.
I have to admit that I don't always read the about side effects of medicines - I'm afraid that if I read about them then I'll convince myself that I have them.
Thank you for your message.
Annec
xxxxx
think i'd better go back to school lookin at that spellin : )
blame it on the wonky eye effect of your migraine lol sorry shouldn't make light of your affliction,, sorry
I remember getting my first ever 'aura'!
I suffer from visual migraines without the terrible pain, I get a low throbbing in my head and feel desperately tired and washed out. Only sleep will do.
Oddly enough I haven't had one since I was diagnosed - mine are brought on by odd lighting I think.
I don't think I'm a drama queen but the first time I had the aura and the pain and sickness followed I thought I had a brain tumour. I suppose that sounds a bit over the top but I was terrified.
This morning, I feel a bit fragile and washed out - I didn't get up til 10.30am!!!
I too get optic migraines with the zig zags. As a child I had the head pains, but they stopped when I was about 20 and I've never had one since. They were replaced with the zig zags. I know what triggers them for me: sunlight flashing through trees when in a car and driving in the dark with other car's headlights coming towards me.
As for your meds, many inhalers say they might give headaches but often only for the first few days. I had that with Spiriva and now again with Seretide.
I assessed a charity that deals with migraines. There is a lot of success treating them with Botox now apparently, but it can only be done if you have more than a certain frequency of migraine.
I was telling the opticians about my zigzaggie migrains and he said I should see a doctor as it can be high blood pressure? I find it happens when I exhert myself on an empty stomach. xxx
I also get those zig zag migraines,I was afraid at first,that blood pressure might be up,although its under control,with meds. However that has not been the culprit,& my optician said my eyes are fine,so I have no idea what triggers it for me.I have to add,that whilst it is a migraine,it's not bad enough to put me to bed fortunately.Do hope you are ok by now,
I'm feeling a bit washed out today but sooooooooooooo much better. Thank you.
Love and hugs
Annec
xxxxx
Hi Annec I did answer your other blog, but that picture reminded me of a time when I had a migraine for days and nothing would shift it until I tried cold flannel on the back of my neck and forehead. Then it was a heat migraine but when in pain like I think we all try everything we can think of. After affects of a migraine can make you feel very delicate.
I cannot imagine what it must be like having that pain for days on end - I think I'd be asking someone to put my out of my misery! I have heard though that some people have migraines most days but manage to control them and still hold down a job.
Hi Annec, I can't imagine working with a migraine, when I lived in Oz the doctor there told me to go to the hospital when it happened again (if the migraine lasted more than 24 hours) to get a B vit shot, I mentioned this to my UK doc when I returned to England and the answer I got was 'never heard of that before'
I did used to get desparate, one time I asked the doc for morphine (this was one that lasted 5 days) oh no the doctor said there are lots of other things we can try before that, I was that drugged up with pain killers in the end and hanging on for every dose time.
I learnt a lot about pain when I used to get those migraines, it will be different for everyone but I did discover a head position that was less painful for me when the pain was at its worst, mine used to get to the point of throwing up and after I did that I would take another pain killer and prop myself up in bed and tilt my head back a little. That was the least painful position for me. I found when I lay flat on one pillow I felt sick again and when I stood up the pain increased it was a nightmare as you probably know.
For days after my head was sore and my (dare I say it knowledge pumps were so tender, not funny though I know.
You would have thought that if your UK GP hadn't heard of the Vit B jab he would have looked it up!
I get desperate sometimes and I have only had full blown migraines which last a day. I think I'd be more than desperate if they lasted longer.
If I have another bad headache then I'll try your tilted head position. I have cheated a bit today - I took another two migraine pills even though I no longer have the headache.
I tried to talk my Father and Mother into going to Australia - £10 assisted passage. They woudn't go. Most of my family live on Vancouver Island in Canada.
The sun is out today and it's beautiful outside so I'm going to put on a hat and some sun glasses and venture out for the afternoon. Wish me luck (lol).
Your suggestion about food triggers made me think of mushrooms. I love mushrooms but have had headaches (not migraines) in the past because I have eaten too many of them and I did have lots and lots of mushrooms the other day.
I have just posted another reply on the weight loss question, as I am losing weight and lots of foods(including chocolate!) now give me a migraine when they didn't before.
I hate it when you get the first glimpse of the flickering zig zags and you know that soon your whole vision will be filled with them, then the nausea and headache and weakness...ugh
I often wonder if they are linked to my asthma and poor breathing.
Flashing lights and hunger and stress as well as food do it for me
I mentioned above about the chocolate. I think too much cheese is another thing which is a trigger.
If you suffer lots of migraine headaches go to see you Doc. My GP prescribed some pills for me which, if I took them early enough, warded off the worst. I cannot for the life of me remember what they were called but they were absolutely fantastic,
Hi Annec. I was lucky enough to be missed off the migraine list when they made it up. They gave me Trigeminal Neuralgia instead so I know the sort of pain you had. Next time, give me a shout and I will rush round to give you an emergency cuddle.
It is very nasty but luckily it comes and goes. I haven't had it for several months now but it will be back. I am 70 years old but I cry with the pain when I have it. Even very strong painkillers have no effect at all. The ladies that suffer from it say the pain is worse than childbirth.
Love from Bobby xxxx
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it could be the inhaler did you read up onthe side effects ? 
Hope the day gets better and that pixie head behaves itself. 
knowledge pumps 
Feeling Much Better!
Getting the best treatment now.
Hoping for better days 
