For those of you out there that get Migraines...?

Question

What do you take for your migraines? How long is the longest one you've had?

I have had one for 4 days now, and it is really getting annoying - not being able to do anything at all. I was perscribed Midrin, that doesn't work. I have been taking Advil, but it keeps coming back after about 6 hours or so. Any suggestions?

Thank you everyone for your fantastic answers - I wasn't expecting the great response!

Answer 1

ick, aren't headaches awful? My friend gets very severe ones and I get fluid headaches, I have lymphedema and build up fluid around the base of the skull and jaw and omg they hurt!

I feel bad for you, 4 days is a long time to hurt. Try to rest as much as you can, you have to try to relax, take a hot bath, close your eyes and picture being on a beach lounging in the sand and sun. Get all ofyour body in the hot water except up near the neck and head. When you get out, take some advil with coffee, you can safely take 4 200's totalling 800, darken the room, soft music if you like music, put a warm hot pack on your upper back, ice on your head, and if you can massage the temples, base of the skull, and on your face around the sinus's, do that or have someone do that, also massaging the legs and feet helps circulation move downward to take pressure off the upper part of the body. Try to sleep it off. If it hurts in your neck and shoulders, upper back you might want to try a paid masseuse, for a massage therapy session, or even a chiropractor. Massage therapists can massage directly on trigger points and help loosen tight muscles to bring circulation back to an area, and a chiropractor can align things to help too, they also use ultrasound and tens which are wonderful for headaches. One thing I really like is traction, where you have someone gently stretch your head and neck upwards, it feels so good.

There's alot of newer medications out there you can try like zomig, imitrex, and some serotoin uptakers and mood enhancers. Sometimes they work, sometimes not. They can make you groggy too. The mood meds can bring on crying jags and swings. My friend has tried it all. She gets massage, chiropractic, and accupuncture and takes motrins and still gets them.

You might want to watch your diet too as some things can bring them on like chocolate, wine, cheeses, dairy, spices, etc.

My friends longest one was 3 weeks before she got help. I had one that lasted a week, that was awful. I get massage therapy, the specialized kind I get is called complete/complex decongestive therapy and consists of manual lymph drainage.

Answer 2

Longest one I can recall was 7 days. Been a migraine sufferer for at least 25 years. Tried nearly everything. Been to a few neurologists, chiropractors, dentists, eye doctors, one orthodontist... had braces (that seemed to help). Weather &/or hormonal changes still get me. I've been on several different prescribed meds... usually missing that 'window' to take a pill at the best moment & it not working for me or making it worse! I'm 'alright' with taking the liquid Advil tablet or with one sinus advil on occasion. That in combination with some fresh cool air, a warm bath, a foot massage (hitting all the reflexolgy pressure points) and some quiet rest, usually helps me get the edge off of the pain until the weather changes.
I wonder if you are doing what I did (and do now & then)... get so worked up that the pain isn't going away and you can't do anything that it keeps it around... tension and stress will do that.
Sorry to sound like the non migraine sufferers... Try to relax and not 'think' about it so much.... Sometimes I can achieve this 'trick' to myself. I hope that sort of makes sense.

Answer 3

I used to get migraines all the time, they would last anywhere form a day to 8 days. Not any more. I would have to try all sorts of pain relievers but none worked, cold compresses, darkness and ultimately just go to bed.
Then last year my sister and I went to the chiropractor. After 6 months of neck and back adjustments, I am finished with migraines!!! I feel for you, they can be extremely bad, and it is hard to do anything. Light always aggravated mine to the point of throwing up. Now, though, I have my life back! Maybe you could try chiropractic adjustments and see if they help you? Good luck...

Answer 4

I get them all the time and nothing works.. Unless i get it right from the beginning.. and the only thing i can take is excedrine migrane.. All the other ones don't work on my they even tried imtrex and all the others nada.

This is what I do, because I was in a car accident. I think it has alot to do with my neck. So i use ice and hot pack depending on which is better for that day.

I have a herbal pack that i put in the microwave for a couple of seconds and the laydown... so its all dark and listen to the ocean. I usually fall asleep and its gone.

You might even want to try a massage, chiro, or even accupuncture.. i've done the accupuncure, massage and chiro and they do work

Answer 5

Try caffeine and Advil. Drink a very strong cup of coffee, assuming you can have caffeine, and take the Advil. It sounds like you are having Cluster Migraines. But, before you do anything else, you really should seek your Doctors' advice. I have had a migraine that lasted for 8 days. The caffeine shrunk the blood vessels in my brain that were causing the migraine, but, I have vascular migraines. Good Luck!!!!

Answer 6

If the Advil works, I'm not sure it's a migraine. Advil works for six hours and wears out.
When I've got a migraine I have to take something with Codeine in it. Advil would do nothing.
Are you also sensitive to smells, feel nauseous and don't want light? Is your vision wavy or do you see stars? Those are all of the joys of migraines.

Answer 7

I have had migraines that lasted about a whole day. Bayer usually works for me and messaging the temples.I also splash cold water on my face because I usually have a slight fever associated with the migraine.But putting pressure on the sides of my heads helps the pain temporary.

Answer 8

As you can tell, most migraine sufferers (75%) are women....as was my mom. I was diagnosed with them 15 years ago and have tried everything from cafrogot, midrin, elivil, inderal, imitrex, maxsalt and a dozen others. The only thing that aborts them and kills the pain in a narcotic& sedative combination call Fiorinal #3 (brand name). It iscomposed of asprin (325mg), codeine (30mg) & butalbital (50mg).

You don't want to drive on the stuff....but then who wants to drive with a massive migraine.

Good luck

Answer 9

I used to have to go to the doctor's office and get shots... but I can't remember what the drug was called. I never had a migraine that lasted more than two days, but when I got one it totally knocked me out for the day.

Answer 10

Headache is a pain in the head, scalp or
neck. Headaches can becaused by minor problems like
eyestrain, lack of coffee or moreserious reasons like
head injury, brain tumors, encephalitis andmeningitis.
Taking painkillers continuously can have harmful side
effects, so it is better to modify your lifestyle. More information
available at http://tinyurl.com/q8696