Two-Week Migraines

[Suludo18]

Does anyone else out there have migraines that last for about 9 to 10 days most of the time? Any helpful hints? I've tried just about everything under the sun over the years but nothing seems to break the cycle. Any suggestions?

[Cat00]

My migraines tend to come in 10 day blocks, I usually get 2 blocks a month roughly. The only thing that has helped me is Botox and triptans, but I'm only allows 6 triptan days a month so I have to pick them wisely. I've been on 13 other drugs and done accunpuncture etc. but they didn't help.

[Suludo18 in reply to Cat00]

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply. Things I've tried over the years include neurologists, pain specialists, ER where I've been called a "druggie," sphenopalatine ganglion blocks, botox, acupuncture, chiropractic visits, triptans, clean diet, no caffeine, Daith piercing, all otc pain meds, maintenance meds including anti-seizure meds, avoiding triggers at all cost, staying hydrated, many natural supplements including magnesium, essential oils diffused and applied to the skin, regular exercise, anti-depressants, etc. Can't remember everything because it's been going on too many years. The headaches just seem to wear themselves out after a couple weeks. Good luck to you!! I feel your pain.

[Cat00 in reply to Suludo18]

Sounds familiar! Haven't had a Sphenopalatine Ganglion block but I have had several Greater Occipital Nerve Block, I think the only thing remaining maybe the dreaded 'acceptance' which has been suggested to me by everyone at the pain clinic and 'mindfulness' of course!

[Suludo18 in reply to Cat00]

Acceptance? What choice have we had? We've accepted the fact that we have a miserable condition and we are just trying to deal with it the best we can. That's why we're constantly searching for a better way to deal with it. I find that statement from your pain clinic to be rather offensive, but that's just me.

[Cat00 in reply to Suludo18]

I think it's their way of saying they were out of options. We tried pretty much everything, they even gave me morphine for my pregnancy bc I had to come off everything else but for some reason morphine doesn't work on me either!

Don't get me wrong I wasn't happy about it I kept having nervous breakdowns every couple of years bc I couldn't cope with the pain and despite killing myself at uni to get a degree I've never been able to work. I've lost my mind and career to migraines.

[Suludo18 in reply to Cat00]

I'm so sorry! Thank the Lord mine aren't that bad but I, too, have missed many things, many beautiful days I wanted to get out and do something, anything! And, as you already know, people who don't have them, truly don't have a lot of sympathy. They just don't know!!! I know it's wrong, but I have wished that a couple of especially cold people would have just one full-blown migraine, just one. Lord, forgive me. Good luck to you and I pray you find some kind of relief soon.

[Cat00 in reply to Suludo18]

I think most of us wished that at one time or another, it's only human to want to be understood! It would be nice to feel we could stop having to explain ourselves to everyone with words that are always inadequate.

[ruefreedom]

What do you do in terms of treatment? Medication etc. How often do you get these 10 day migraine cycles? I think and certainly with my own experience of migraines you have to understand your own particular cycle and what might a) triggering in first place and secondly what keeps it going. I'm lucky in that my migraines rarely last more than 3 days; I take triptans which keeps the worst at bay most of the time but they stop working about 7 or 8 times a year and I go cold turkey and rest, eat very little mostly water based food. That seems to minimize the length of my migraines.

[Suludo18 in reply to ruefreedom]

Thanks for replying. Over the many years, I've tried several neurologists, several pain specialists, the ER where I was called a druggie (always by a male physician), sphenopalatine ganglion blocks, Botox, acupuncture, chiropractic treatments, triptans, clean diet, no caffeine, Daith piercing, all otc pain meds, maintenance meds including anti-seizure meds, avoiding known triggers at all cost, staying hydrated, several natural supplements including magnesium, essential oils diffused and applied directly to the skin, exercise on a regular basis (when no migraine), anti-depressants, etc. These are just the things I can recall at the moment and none of these things have broken the cycle, but thanks for your input.

[maggiegump in reply to Suludo18]

An ER visit is not an option for me. Went once because I had gotten sick outside the country, became dehydrated and needed Iv fluids for my Imitrex to work. I was treated like a drug addict even though all I asked for was IV fluids. They used morphine with the IV fluids. Guess what. I still had my migraine when I woke up-dah! Went home with my headache to then use my Imitrex which worked because I was hydrated. The pathetic medical profession in the Er doesn't know to treat migraines and forget about empathy. How can we expect our families, friends, and co-workers to understand when the medical community is so uneducated.

[anysosa]

Sometimes I get bad migraines that last for many days, for me to break the cycle works an injected painkiller, I use ketorolako (sorry i don't know if is the correct spell in English). I live in the US and when i need i go to an urgency clinic for the shot, as soon as the migraine is better I take a triptan and that works for me. most of the time breaks the cycle. Hope it could help you. Get well!

[Suludo18 in reply to anysosa]

Thank you for replying. I've never heard of ketorolaco but will ask my newest pain specialist. Good luck to you. I feel your pain!!

[Joolstom]

I've had migraines all of my life but they have definately worsened over past couple years. I've tried preventors and triptans without success and am trying to persuade my Dr to refer me for BOTOX consideration. In addition to the 5 day migraine every 2 wks I also vomit day and night for the same period. Sadly just been advised it's one of those things and to live with it. Can't understand how patients are literally losing moths out of their lives each year and yet we're nowhere near a liveable treatment or better yet a cure.

[erincawood]

Hi there! There isnt a day goes by that I do have one symptom or another. Basically, for me, the preventative meds are helping me live a normal-ish life. I’m allergic to Triptans, so I have cycles of rough days that last for weeks/months, you know the kind of days that would put other people in bed but not us chronic migraine sufferers. On the last bout, because the next meds in my careplan is flunarazine if/when the Candesartan / Aspirin / Nortriptyline combo stops working, a neurologist suggested ibuprofen 3 times a day for a week to break the cycle. Its worked twice. But if you try it, remember its not good for your stomach and take it with food.

[Suludo18 in reply to erincawood]

Wow! Thanks for the tip. I'll try just about anything. Good luck to you!!

[Relief_seeker2]

Hi Suludo18,

I have not been Migraine pain/symptom free since 2008 when mine turned the corner & became Chronic Daily Migraine Disease. I have not had even 1 second free of pain & sickness since. Tried many things. Some things help decrease the intensity of some of the symptoms but they don't always work and they haven't affected the pain-ever. I have had several TERRIBLE encounters with so-called Neurologists/Head-ache 'specialists' & currently do not have 1. My PCP admittedly doesn't know much about treating them but she's willing to learn, listen to me & try to help so that's what we're doing. I don't think my life can get any better than that, but I'm in a dark, dark place with mine so don't let me bring you down. Many other Mingraineurs have had totally different experiences so get really plugged in to others and see what your other options might be. I found bunches of Migraine buddies on Twitter, including this site, & it's been great. I don't feel so alone and people listen & care & totally get what I'm saying. Support is really helpful!

[Suludo18]

I'm so sorry for your pain and frustration. I feel like I've tried almost everything I've ever heard of, but I have yet to try Yoga or Meditation along with a very strict diet. I hope to get around to that at some point but migraines seem to just be a very time-consuming burden with all the other life events and just trying to get from day to day. We spend very valuable time suffering in dark rooms, to buying new products, dragging ourselves to doctors' offices, and researching, researching, researching. I pray for normalcy in my life and the lives of other migraineurs (not sure about spelling).

[MaryF in reply to Suludo18]

Hi out of interest any history of autoimmune disease in your family including thyroid with family members past and present, or history of miscarriages, strokes or heart attacks at an early age? If any of this sounds familiar come back to me please. MaryF

[Suludo18]

Thanks for responding, but no, none of those.

[RMB7]

I don’t know if this will help you or not, but when I fall into a long migraine cycle that isn’t relieved by triptans, my doctor gives me a migraine “cocktail” that consists of Toradol (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory), Diphenhydramine (antihistamine), and Phenergan (anti-emetic). It always seems to help relieve the feeling of just wanting to crawl in a ditch somewhere to die. I wish I could give you a magic formula to keep the migraines away for good. I’ve tried just about every prophylactic approach, but nothing has ever worked permanently and my migraines always seem to come back with a vengeance. Currently fighting day 3 of my latest battle. I hope you break the cycle soon and start feeling better. You aren’t alone!

[Suludo18 in reply to RMB7]

Thank you so much and hope you feel good very soon.