Treating Migraines with Feverfew?

Question

My fiance has begun experiencing very painful migraines recently. It first began around this time last year, and subsided after a week or two when he began taking Imitrex. The migraines have now returned, and for about a week, he's been suffering in the early mornings with these awful migraines. He has a new batch of Imitrex, but now needs to take 2 capsules in order to dull the pain. It doesn't even eliminate it fully. I've heard taking Feverfew could help reduce migraines. Would it begin to kick in immediately? I've read that you have to take it daily for a few weeks before you can see a difference. Should I invest in some Feverfew for him or just hope the migraines suddenly disappear like they did last year? Thanks!
Any other tips to help ease the pain would be greatly appreciated!

Oh no, we don't plan on mixing it, but perhaps switching to feverfew instead.

Thanks for the idea! I've already had him eliminate coffee and soda and MSG, and I'm glad that you recommended something that doesn't require ingesting more foreign substances. We'll try this and see how it works!

Answer 1

Sounds like your fiance needs to be evaluated in the ER and have a MRI done to make sure it isn't something more serious than a "migraine". My migraines turned out to be small strokes called verterbrobasilar TIAs. It also explained why the quick fix drugs actually made me worse.

I am also wondering if he is having problems with rebound migraines.

The physician analyzes the patient’s migraine history to devise an appropriate treatment program. The goals of treatment are to prevent or reduce the number of migraines (called prophylactic treatment) and to alleviate symptoms and shorten the duration of the migraine (called abortive treatment).

Preventative medication may be prescribed for patients who have frequent headaches (3 or more a month) that do not respond to abortive treatment. Studies have shown that as many as 40% of these patients may benefit from preventative treatment.

Using one medication (monotherapy) is tried first, but a combination of medicines may be necessary. Many of these medications have adverse side effects. If migraines become controlled, the dosage is often reduced or the drug discontinued.

Beta blockers (e.g., propranolol [Inderal®], atenolol [Tenormin®]) are the preferred medications. These drugs produce an effect on heart rate. They should not be taken by patients with asthma and should be used with caution in patients with diabetes.

Side effects include gastrointestinal upset, insomnia, low blood pressure (hypotension), slowed heart rate (bradycardia), and sexual dysfunction. Some beta blockers pass into breast milk and may cause problems in nursing infants.

Antiseizure drugs such as valproic acid (Depakote®), topiramate (Topamax®), and gabapentin (Neurontin®) may be used to treat migraine.

Side effects include nausea, gastrointestinal upset, sedation, liver damage, and tremors.

Calcium channel blockers (e.g., verapamil, amlodipine [Norvasc®]) inhibit artery dilation and block the release of serotonin. They should not be taken by patients with heart failure or heart block.

Side effects include constipation, flushing, low blood pressure, rash, and nausea.

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs; e.g., amitryptaline [Elavil®], nortryptaline [Pamelor®], desipramine [Norpramin®]) block serotonin reabsorption and take 2–3 weeks be effective.

Side effects include the following:

*Constipation
*Dry mouth
*Low blood pressure (hypotension)
*Increased heart rate (tachycardia)
*Urinary retention
*Sexual dysfunction
*Weight gain

High doses of TCAs have been implicated in seizures, stroke, and heart attack. Abrupt discontinuation of these medications may cause headache, nausea, and malaise, and may intensify side effects.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs; e.g., paroxetine [Paxil®], fluoxetine [Prozac®], sertraline [Zoloft®]) are usually better tolerated than TCAs, but may not be as effective.

Side effects include nausea, insomnia, sexual dysfunction, and loss of appetite.

Methysergide maleate (e.g., Deseril®, Sansert®) may be prescribed for patients with frequent, severe migraines.

Side effects include insomnia, drowsiness, lightheadedness, and hair loss. This drug should not be used by patients with coronary artery disease and must be discontinued for 3–4 weeks after 4–6 months of use because it can cause retroperitoneal fibrosis, a condition in which the blood vessels in the abdomen thicken, which reduces blood flow to organs.

Abortive Treatment
Mild, infrequent migraines may be relieved using over-the-counter medication. Severe headaches with accompanying symptoms may require prescription medication.

During a migraine, people often prefer to rest or sleep alone in a dark, quiet room. Applying cold packs to the head or pressing on the bulging artery in front of the ear on the painful side of the head may provide temporary pain relief.

Analgesics (e.g., aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen) provide symptomatic relief from headache pain and should be taken at the first sign of a migraine. They are most effective for infrequent migraines (less than 3 a month) and breakthrough headaches (i.e., headaches that occur despite using prophylactic medications).

Frequent use of analgesics (i.e., more than 4 times a week) can cause rebound headaches and may interfere with prophylactic treatment. Acetaminophen is sometimes combined with other drugs to form an analgesic compound (e.g., Midrin®).

Side effects caused by aspirin and ibuprofen (e.g., Advil®, Motrin®) include gastrointestinal upset and bleeding. These drugs should be taken with food and used with caution. Ibuprofen is available in suppository form, which can be useful if the migraine is accompanied by severe nausea and vomiting.

Serotonin receptors (e.g., Imitrex®, Amerge®, Axert®, Zomig®), are fast-acting, usually well- tolerated medications commonly used to treat migraines. They are available in oral, injectable, and nasal spray forms and can be taken any time during the headache.

Side effects include dizziness, drowsiness, flushing, discomfort, tingling, and nausea.

Ergots (e.g., Cafergot®, Mioranal®) may be administered orally or as a suppository and is often combined with antinausea drugs, such as prochlorperazine (Compazine®). This medication should be taken at the first sign of a migraine and may not be effective if the headache has moved into the throbbing stage.

Side effects include gastrointestinal upset, dizziness, stroke, and high blood pressure (hypertension). Ergots should not be taken by patients with heart, vascular, liver, or kidney disease.

Answer 2

I have had problems with migrains, I have tried a myriad of drugs with no real satisfaction. I will try to give you the reader's Digest version of what I learned: There are many, many things that triggers migrains, if you've done any research, I'm sure you have found this out. Have your BF start a diary. In this diary you put the date of each migrain, give it a rating fo 1-10, (10 being so bad that suicide is tempting). then go back 24 hours before the migrain and write down everything he ate and did. Did he excersise, (beleive it or not sex is a trigger) what did he eat, how much of what did he drink, add anything that he thinks might have brought it on, like bright lights, flashing lights etc. In this way, you start to see a pattern which will aid in the remedy, if there is one for him.
In my case I had a pinched nerve in my neck and I desperately needed glasses. I have found that learning to relax is key to defeating this problem, I don't mean just counting to ten and doing breathing excercises, I mean changing your outlook to the point that you just don't allow yourself to get all wrapped around the axles at theings you have no control over. Another very key player is how much water does he drink, Coffee, tea, Soda and all that stuff doesn't hydrate the body, it has cafene in it which is a dieretic. he needs to drink lots of WATER, like 8 glasses a day or more. He can judge his bodys hydration level by the color of his urin, if it is almost clear, he is well hydrated, it it is very dark and pungent, he is dehydrated and needs to drink a lot more. I went from debilitating migrains as frequent as one a week, to virtually none. I still get them, but they last only a half hour or so, once or twice a year. Hope this helps, my appologies for any speling errors, the spell checker doesn't want to play today.

Answer 3

Dosage and Administration

In the past people consumed feverfew similarly to chewing tobacco, receiving nutrients from chewed leaves. This method can cause stomach and mouth irritation. Today feverfew is usually ingested in the form of extracts, capsules, and tablets made from dried feverfew; these forms do not cause irritation. Various dosages exist; clinical studies used 50 or 100 mg daily to prevent migraines. Up to 250 mg of feverfew can be taken without causing side effects. To prevent migraines, feverfew needs to be ingested for a minimum of four to six weeks.

To make feverfew tea, place one teaspoon of the dried leaves in 5 to 8 ounces of water. Boil for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain the leaves from the tea. Drink as much tea as preferred. The tea can also be applied to the skin to work as an insect repellent.

p.s. Make sure you let your Doctor know you would like to take this herb. Sometimes supplements interfere with medications...

Answer 4

Do not mix herbal remedies with prescription drugs without first consulting the doctor. Serious side effects can result. Natural does not mean safe

Answer 5

Have his heart checked:
http://www.neurologyreviews.com/feb04/nr_feb04_foramen.html