Migraine

Hello fellow sufferers,
My name is Jen, 25, F, from Missouri. I was first diagnosed when I was 16 but have been having them since I was about 9. I have found a few triggers (milk chocolate, artificial sweetners, MSG) although I am sure there are some more that I haven't recognized. I also just read the article on Ice-pick headaches, and I have those too. I was glad to learn that I wasn't crazy on those! LOL
I usually know when a migraine is coming because one or all of the following happen:
- nausea
- can't get words to form right
- loss of balance

Sometimes I have no warning though. My migraines are primarily on the right side behind my eye. Although on rare occasions they are on the left, and those are the worst ever!
My doctor just put me on Nortriptyline 25mgs today, so we will see how that works. I have been about everything. The one that worked for the most part was Topamax 100mgs. I haven't had a preventative for years because I hate taking pills. I have been having migraines every day lately so I thought I better get back on one. My doctor told me I wasn't allowed to have Tylenol any more because I have been taking Tylenol PM every day to get to sleep. So she thinks that some of my headaches might have been rebound. Let's hope so.
Is anyone else taking Nortriptyline? Does it help you sleep? The doc said it was suppose to, and I have such a hard time getting to sleep that I hope it does. Any help there would be great!

Thanks for reading!
Jen

Hi, Jen. Welcome to the forum. We're glad you found us.

It is so hard to predict anyone's reaction to a drug. Remember that all side effects are "potential," and may not happen to you. Nortriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant, and most people find drugs in that class to be sedating, so it may help you sleep. That said, I take imipramine, another tricyclic antidepressant, and it causes me insomnia every time we increase the dose. Eventually my body adjusts, and I can sleep again. Since doctors tend to recommend the dosing schedule (i.e. bedtime) based on the expectation of sedation, I have to keep reminding the doctor that I get insomnia from it, and do better taking most of it in the morning.

I really hope the Nortriptyline works for you. If not, there are plenty of other options. See this article:

Migraine Preventive Medications - Too Many Options To Give Up!

Welcome again. If you have other questions, ask away.

Hi Jen!

Welcome to the family!!

Are you keeping a headache/migraine diary? If not, this will really help you and your doctor track your migraines, and potentally, get you better treatment!

I thought the majority of my migraines were on the right side, but when I started tracking them, it was about a 60/40 split - now it seems I flip flop between sides every other migraine - fun, right! NOOOO!!!

If you are not keeping a diary yet, it is very beneficial. It gives you a much better count then when the doctor asks you "on average how many migraines do you have a month" you know exactly what you head is doing (after it does it, unfortunatly )

Check it out - Teri made 3 different styles, so I'm sure you can find one that you will like.

Welcome again!

Thank you for the replies! Yes I just bought a datebook to keep track of my migraines at my doctors request.

I hope that this does doesn't give my worse insomnia than I already have, and yes she said to take it at bedtime.

This tracker thing is neat! Thanks to whoever found it first!

Jen

Hi Jen! Welcome to mymigraineconnection and to our forum family! Glad you joined us, and if there's anything we can do to help, just let one of us know, ok?!

Cool new ticker, by the way!

How do I add a picture under my name? I have looked but am unable to find it.

Thanks in advance,
Jen

You know how you got the ticker into your signature? Well- it's on that same screen. In the box above the signature text that you entered, it asks if you want to use an avatar. That's where you can upload a picture to use (hit edit, and follow the prompts to upload a picture of your choice)- and it should show up under your name after you save the profile.

Warning- it may take a few minutes to show up!

Hope this helps- I'm currently migraining, and words aren't coming to me with great clarity...

quote:

Originally posted by JenJen:
How do I add a picture under my name? I have looked but am unable to find it.

Thanks in advance,
Jen

Welcome JenJen,

This is my third atempt at posting this......it didn't like my attachment. So I'll suggest you ask your doctor about a sleep hygiene sheet. My neurlogist provided me with one (which I was trying to attach for you) and the inforamtion was very helpful. Lack of sleep is a migraine trigger for me, so I try and watch it very carefully. Nortriptyline did help my sleep also. I was fortunate that I had very few side effects from it.

Good luck, and again, welcome,

Cindy

Welcome to the forum family JenJen

I used to have a heck of a time sleeping before seeing my migraine specialist. He put me on Zanaflex and now I normally sleep five hours solid and when I wake up, I can take a smaller dosage and get another two hours if needed.

Lack of sleep, weather changes, and not eating are my main triggers. (Although my migraine diary is showing some other possible triggers...I have to keep an eye on those).

I noticed you mentioned medication overuse; (rebound) here is some additional information for you to take a look at.

Welcome again! I look forward to seeing you around the forum

Welcome to our forum family, Jen! Glad that you found us.

I've been taking nortriptyline at various dosages since last April. I started at 10 mg, got up to 50 mg, and am currently at 40 mg. The side effects - constipation, increased appetite for sweets - are intolerable for me at 50 mg. (The increased appetite for sweets wouldn't be so bad if sugar wasn't a major trigger for me. ) My HA specialist is restarting me on Topamax with eventual plan to take me off the nortrip.

The nortrip has only made me sleepy when interacting with other drugs - promethazine (one of my anti-nausea meds) and Topamax in particular. Like others have said, there's no way to predict how you will react to a particular med until you try it - I do hope it works well for you!

Take a look at the links others have posted for you, and let us know if you have any other questions. Welcome again!

JenJen,

Hello and welcome!

Hi Jen, welcome to the forum