New here. Advice? Tips?

[K---7]

Hi guys. I am 17 and have been dealing with migraines for 4 years. This past year has been the worst in terms of migraines. Laat December they would wake me from my sleep leaving me crying. I would miss school sometimes. Around March they got bad again. I got a ct without contrast in March :normal. Blood test normal aside from insufficient vitamin d. Been taking vitamin D since April or May and around June migraines had diminished and lowered in severity greatly. Thought I was done with them. Then all of a sudden August comes and migraines are back full force. This past week I have had nonstop migraines and I'm left with derealization and pressure behind eye. I take excedrin but try not to take much bc I don't want rebound headaches and I have acid reflux (taking med for that). My doc gave me sumatripran but reading the info scared me & I don't really wanna take it. I also have anxiety and unfortunately this has been getting worse. Anyone know any natural preventative for migraines? (Ps I've also been wondering what if I actually get cluster headaches but not sure)

[troy04]

Hi K---7 It is really horrible, unfortunately there is no permanent cure, so we all have to manage our condition somehow. I have discussed this with another person in below thread - can you please read it:

healthunlocked.com/migraine...

Regarding Sumatriptan - if you are taking once or twice a week, it is absolutely fine and it is no worse than other painkillers and codeine based remedy. But you have to take it at the onset and make sure you are not taking too many. You must not exceed 8 Sumatriptan every month. There are lots of other triptans and they all are supposed to work more or less same way.

Hope this helps !

/ Troy

[Gambit62]

You mention acid reflux - presume that means that you are taking a PPI? Just wondering if B12 deficiency is a possibility - particularly in light of comments about anxiety etc. Do you know if your blood test included B12? ... and if it did then it would be useful to have the exact result with units and ranges as serum B12 isn't a gold standard test and will miss 25% of people who are B12 deficient if taken as a single measure.

This is a checklist of symptoms of B12 deficiency

pernicious-anaemia-society....

if it sounds likely then please take a look at the PAS forum

healthunlocked.com/pasoc

getting a proper diagnosis of B12 deficiency can be extremely difficult because most GPs and even a lot of specialists aren't really aware of how B12 works, the limitations of the standard diagnostic tests, or the breadth of systems that are affected by B12 deficiency and hnece the very wide range of symptoms. PA is the most common cause of a B12 deficiency and is frequently associated with lowered stomach acidity which is often mistaken for high stomach acidity as the symptoms are pretty much the same.

[Gambit62 in reply to Gambit62]

also, on the sumatriptan - you may not need a full tablet - I use another triptan - rizatriptan, which comes as a wafer and find that I really need quite a small amount - 1/8 to 1/4 does it for me. My migraines are hormonally related but got a lot worse whilst I was B12 deficient.

You are on at least 2 medications which are known to affect absorption of B12 - assuming that you are taking a PPI for the acid reflux as excedrin contains aspirin so would fall into the category of NSAIDs.

[K---7 in reply to Gambit62]

Yes I've been taking ppi but stopped it a few days ago but going back to it. Was getting nauseous & migraines & thought it was the ppi but don't think it was bc still getting migraines. Either way doc told me to switch from omeprazole to prevacid after teling her bout nausea and migraines

[Gambit62 in reply to K---7]

prevacid is another PPI - long term use of PPIs isn't recommended but you shouldn't stop them cold turkey either - need to come off them gradually.

My migraines are accompanied by a huge amount of nausea which is actually down to spasms in the gut - one theory is that the headaches are caused by spasms in the blood vessels supplying blood to your brain - and the triptans may work because they are muscle constrictors and a short dose of those can stop the spasms progressing ... but they can be quite tricky to use as too much will make the situation worse.

Personally I find that my nausea is much easier to manage if I sip on water with lemon/lime juice in it, though for a bad migraine I just have to lie down because if I'm not lying down then I'm going to throw up (and I need to be on the loo for that because .... edited to remove too much information).

Please do take a look at the PAS forum and see if you can get your GP to look into the possibility that you are B12 deficient - and you will get plenty of support from the PAS forum if things with your GP don't go well.

[K---7 in reply to Gambit62]

I show similar signs but I'm confused because blood work was normal

[Gambit62 in reply to K---7]

see response below re anaemias

[K---7 in reply to Gambit62]

I've been assuming I'm vitamin b deficient too. Blood tests did not show vitamin b

[Gambit62 in reply to K---7]

the two vitamin Bs that you need to be looking for are B12 and B9 (folate). If these haven't been tested then it may be worth asking your GP to test these - they may look at you dismissively because of your age (B12 deficiency gets more common as you get older as stomach acidity tends to lower anyway as you get older but PA can affect anyone at any age).

[K---7 in reply to Gambit62]

However blood tests showed red blood cell count normal tho my rdw is a tad high but must not be serious if it was not mentioned to me till I saw the results

[Gambit62 in reply to K---7]

PA doesn't necessarily present as anaemia - 25% of people who are B12 deficient will present without any sign of macrocytosis. The rdw being elevated is an indicator that there is an anaemia going on that is affecting the shape of your red blood cells. If you have an absorption problem then it may be affecting your iron levels as well as B12 (and possibly folate). Iron deficiency makes red blood cells smaller, B12 (and folate deficiencies) make them larger and rounder - if both are going on at the same time then interpretation can get quite complex.

[K---7 in reply to Gambit62]

I have a feeling you're right as I've suspected this. I just don't know if my doc will want to test for that and just cast me away w anxiety :/

[Gambit62 in reply to K---7]

you will certainly never know unless you try.

sometimes it can help to write to your GO - or if you have a family member that you can take with you then that can also help with communicating.

if you go to the PAS forum people there will be able to support you and provide advice on what to ask your doctor about.

[MaryF in reply to K---7]

Do you have other relatives with autoimmune diseases, past or present including thyroid, or miscarriages or blood clots at a young age? MaryF

[K---7 in reply to MaryF]

No not that I know of

[Crissijack]

I have had migraines since I was 8, I am now approaching my 25th birthday. My migraines cause me to go numb on one side of my body, have slurred speech, tunnel vision, nausea, sickness, confusion and a blinding headache that lasts for days. I lost one job and had to quit another, I have been on every medication known to man and I am triggered by everything from partying to stress to sex to an all you can eat buffet I have also had depersonalization since a young age, I have serious anxiety and depression, I do feel like its all connected and I have gotten myself into a huge mess in my life where I have no friends and I have lost my partner who I have loved for 10 years because of all this. Unfortunately some of us are cursed with this and we just have to find something that can help relieve the pain. The only thing that I have tried and gives me some sort of relief is a medication called atenolol, I take two a night as a preventive and i don't have them as often, they haven't stopped but they are better. I hope that helps, I know how difficult and lonely this can make you feel but I still have hope that it will get easier and I wish you the best

[troy04]

Crissijack I am so sad to hear your condition ! Please do not think you have no friends - we all migraine / headache sufferers are your friends !

Are you based in the UK? Do you have a GP?

Just a quick thought - sometimes there can be problems with neck-bones or spine, such as cervical kyphosis etc - have you been to such scan with Orthopedics by any chance?

Also MaryF can tell you, doctors often overlook APS - nhs.uk/Conditions/Hughes-sy... - this can make your life hell too if not treated.

Please do not lose hope and things may change in future in order to find appropriate remedy.