Migraine

This has been a bad week for my head. 7s and 8s all week. I've taken morning naps 3 times. Slept all this morning. I've been trying different things all week. My supply of my rescue, Hycodan, is running low, so I decided to take plain old aspirin. Haven't taken it in years.

Would you believe it's working? I'm down to a 3, which is great for me. My daily pain level is usually 6. If my hair weren't still wet from my bath, I'd use an ice wrap, too. I'll do that a little later.

This is a new cut, and I'm trying to get used to it. I went yesterday. At least I don't have gray roots anymore. I refuse to give up the red hair just yet.

I'll add aspirin to my arsenal. Oh, I'm watching how often I take things to prevent rebound.

Gretchen

On the few occasions anymore that I take aspirin, it seems helpful, too. It's just one of those things that's so simple you just don't think about it at first, I guess.

Hooray for you, Gretchen!

ROFL- I had a similar experience the other day. It was amazing. I was laughing when it was offered to me for a HUGE beastie... but... it worked, and knocked the pain level down to the point where I could work through it.

Very interesting, thanks for sharing, Gretchen.

Hi Gretchen

It's really good to hear you've found another way of dealing with the beast!

My only meds for migs are paracetomol (do you call it tylenol or something?), ibuprofen and aspirin. I take aspirin mostly and if I feel it's a big'un coming on it'll get zapped with an extra power paracetomol/caffeine mix.

Ibuprofen is good because you can take that two hrs after paracetomol - intercut them to keep the pain level down more consistently.

I have always found aspirin to be effective if taken in time although it my not take all the pain away. I've wondered if there's something to do with thinning the blood ? Given that blood viscosity seems to play a part for some of us... who knows? It works!

samxx

I'm told that asprin would not only be prescription, but also would be very regulated if it were discovered today. It's that powerful for so many different illnesses/whatevers.

Asprin is a non-steroidal anti-infammatory drug, like ibuprofen and indomethacin. It reduces swelling and relieves inflammation (redness) by very specific mechanisms.

Tylenol, or acetomeniphen, (did I spell it right?) is a different class of drug, It also reduces inflammation, but acts to do so differently.

NSAIDS, no matter how you take them, will cause ulcers if you take a high enough dose long enough.

Asprin's safety margin (difference between a safe dose and an overdose in a single dose) is VERY high. Tylenol's safety margin is VERY narrow. Most people tend to vomit up most of an asprin overdose immediately. Tylenol stays down just long enough to destroy your liver.

ALL of them will give you a MOH. Been there, done that. 12 years ago, when I thought I had a bad sinus/tension headache, I alternated asprin and Tylenol every 2 hours daily at work for 2-3 weeks. I was working for the USDA & handling a lot of pollen & out in fields, etc., so...

Finally, just before a family reunion, I called my family doctor. I was in tears when he saw me that afternoon. He diagnosed migraine, and GAVE ME A BOTTLE OF STADOL NS! He also wrote me a prescription for Stadol NS and Fiorinal, both of which I filled on the way home.

Let me tell y'all, that little brown bottle was my lifesaver that day! I learned later what it really did and did not do, but...!

On the way home from the reunion, Kat started down with an 8/9 migraine. Matt stopped the car, & I gave her a hit of the Stadol. She slept the rest of the way (about 3 hours) home. She was then migraine-free all the next week.

That first little bottle lasted the both of us about 8 weeks.

Oh, and asprin? I take my 1 a day, and still take 2-3 for arthritis aches & other pains.

It truly is my wonder drug. AND CHEAP!!!

Rebecca (the long-winded)

Hi ladies,

Sammy wrote: I have always found aspirin to be effective if taken in time although it my not take all the pain away. I've wondered if there's something to do with thinning the blood ? Given that blood viscosity seems to play a part for some of us... who knows? It works!

This last spring I was in a study to determine if aspirin would be beneficial to migraineurs because of the effect on the blood. The answer was yes for me, but it has too much down side. It has never done anything to relieve any pain. Looks like you have figured out what the researchers are trying to find out Sammy :-))


Take care, Bob

quote:

Originally posted by newbattleaxe:
...
Asprin's safety margin (difference between a safe dose and an overdose in a single dose) is VERY high. Tylenol's safety margin is VERY narrow. Most people tend to vomit up most of an asprin overdose immediately. Tylenol stays down just long enough to destroy your liver....
Rebecca (the long-winded)

I'm right there with you, honey.

I have had migraine since I was 5. St. Joseph's Baby Aspirin was my friend in those days.

I had NO migraine trouble until I developed an aspirin allergy. I could take 2 aspirin and drink a Coke or have a cup of coffee and it would magically disappear.

Can't take aspirin now, though. Gives me hives and asthma attacks. Funny that NSAIDs don't, though.

Alas, I miss taking Alleve even though I almost died due to overuse...no more NSAIDs for me...:-(

I remember years ago I was about to leave work I was in such pain with my head, plus curled on the floor due to cramps (at a hospital, no less) and my coworker offered me naproxem- at that time it was prescrip. only. For the first time in my life, I was pain free! When it became OTC I was thrilled...but it took more & more to be affective & now here I am...

My gastroentrologist said tylonol is ok. However, even tylonol 3 doesn't work & even makes some of my symptoms (sleep attacks, parasthesias & "seizure-like" symptoms) worse!

OK, asprin does not actually thin blood. What it does is to prevent platlets from acting properly, so blood is less likely to clot. That's why so many of us take low-dose asprin to reduce stroke risk. (I'm told eating okra has a similar effect. Okra slime is like Teflon!)

Also, asprin is a prostaglandin inhibitor. This is why it is so effective against menstrual cramps. They are triggered by prostaglandins.

Rebecca

Interesting about the aspirin. I've started taking Midol for my cramps and that has a little aspirin in it. I've always been scared of aspirin for the blood clotting thing. When I was younger, I had nose bleeds on a regular basis. (Even as an adult, my nose still gets really dry and I have to use vaseline so that it won't get terribly dry and start to bleed. Fun, huh?) I always avoided aspirin because obviously having that in my system wouldn't be good if I wanted a nose bleed to stop quickly. Maybe I'll have to give the aspirin another shot. Or just buy Exedrin with aspirin in it.