Migraine

Hi Guys - I have spent countless hours reading on migraines. I need advice so bad and I'm hoping you guys can help. I'll read as much on the forum as I can - in the meantime I'm hoping I can be pointed to other resources and help. Specifically those that have helped other tension-migraine sufferers. This seems to affect only a small percentage of migraine sufferers.

Here are my questions. More information follows on my situation specifically:

Is there an escape drug that will work - knock me out for 12 hours?
A sleeping pill?
What about an antinausea drug - gravol isn't working.
Do most of you go to emergency for an injection?
I seem to throw up any drug that I try and take - any advice on getting the drug to work if you can't keep it down?

I suffer from tension-migraines. It starts as soon as I wake up as a normal tension headache and by noon its a full blown all over the head migraine - all my pain points are throbbing at one time, sensitivity to noise and sound but most bothersome is movement. Movement induces the vomiting and the throbbing is unbearable. I haven't found a drug that will work. I'm working with a headache specialist/neurologist but it is months between appointments and my gp is trying to help. We have not found the trigger - it could be weather related in some way - we will probably never know. I know its going to be bad as soon as I get out of bed in the morning.

I started a preventative - amitryptaline (spelling) six months ago and my minor migraines have all but disappeared (I had them about 4 days a week - now get one or two a month).

The evil tension-migraines are now weeks apart but they are dibilitating. I can't complain compared to most of you. The pain is horrible and the vomiting and migraine hangover for days afterwards is not fun.

So here is what I've tried:
Rest and lots of gel packs in the freezer.
Toradol/ketoralac - works on standard migraines (one sided ones) not on the tension migraines
Amitryptaline - reduced number of migraines. The evil tension migraines seem to be worsening.
Maxalt - bad reaction didn't work anyways. Throat constriction/chest constriction
Relpax
Amerge
Imitrex
Codene

My gp a few months ago prescribed Oxycontin as an escape drug. This has done nothing but make the nausea worse. No relief at all - I don't know why this drug can be addictive. I was so happy leaving the dr.s office with this - I thought I was going to laugh my way through the next one. Boy was I wrong.

I have gained 60 pounds in the past year. I didn't excersize because I was worried about triggering one and fell into all my old habits. I did join a gym three weeks ago. Missed my first personal training session today because of my migraine yesterday. $25 cancellation fee to boot.

The thought of going to emergency and waiting 6 - 10 hours in a noisy bright environment let alone the 45 minute care ride makes me want to cry and I haven't had the guts to go.

Thank you to every one that reads my post.

Karrie
Ontario, Canada

Hi Karrie,

Welcome to MyMigraineConnection. You are doing one of the best things possible, educating yourself on Migraine diease and headache.

Tension-Type Headaches are the most common form of headache according to the World Headache Organization. There are actually three types of Tension-Type Headaches:

Infrequent Episodic Type TTH

Frequent Episode Type TTH

Chronic TTH
A headache specialist is the doctor to help you diagnose these headaches, and of course Migraine disease.

Some medications used for TTH (Tension Type Headache)are OTC pain releivers, muscle relaxants and combination medications with codeine, hydrocodone and butalbital in them.

Massage therapy, physical therapy, biofeedback and acupuncture are some complementary therapies that work well for people with TTH.

Preventive, Abortive, and Rescue Medications can be confusing so I hope the above information will be of help.

There are over 100 medications used for Migraine prevention, so don't lose hope. Headache and Migraine Preventives

As far as the triptans go, you mentioned four of them. There are actually rwo more you could try. Axert and Frova. I didn't have success with triptans til I recently tried Axert. And it works!

Reglan, compazine, phenergan,tigan and zogran are some other anti-naseau (antiemetic) drugs you might want to try. Being in Canada, I don't know if they are all available.

I've given you a ton of information. Take it in when you can, and ask any questions you want. We will help in any way we can. We hope to hear from you soon.

Nancy Bonk
Community Manager
nancy@helpforheadaches.com

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Hi there!

I just want you to know that you shouldn't give up. Somewhere there is a drug combo that will work for you...sometimes it just takes some time and patience, and I know that patience during those painful episodes is not something we all care to try!

Please stick around and keep researching, researching, researching! There is always more info just around the corner.

Welcome to the site...I hope that you will find what you need to make it through your episodes, meanwhile, allow us to support you.

Welcome to the mymigraineconnection family! Great to have you aboard, but sorry you have to be here.

I Can say the TTH into Migraine are the pits! (working on one now!!) And the nausea today is just killing me! I have seen a lot about the imitrex injections I think it was????? I'm trying to remember now - there was a recent article on the site here somewhere about treatments for TTH. I am not firmiliar with all of the drugs you listed here - are any of them muscle relaxers? I just realized that they help my TTH not turn into Migraine (sometimes). What about a preventative? Meditation? Relaxation? Anything to just try and "chill out" as you feel them coming on? That's what I try to do. I also take Melatonin at night too, but you'd have to check with your doctor first for any possible side effect with other medication. Although it is herbal. Just need to put that in there. It's a nice alternative to feeling loaded up on drugs all the time, plus I personally have found no "rebound" from it, I don't think it exists, but I can't be sure.


I hope you are feeling better by the time you read this. Sorry I couldn't answer any of your questions, but I did want to give you a big welcome!!!! Take care of yourself!!!
Eileen

Thanks for the words of encouragement and the advice. I wonder why I never thought of looking up a forum before. And your quick replies amaze me too

I was searching the forum and a lot of TTH posts popped up. Would these be relevant in that the tension headache I experience is only for an hour prior to it turning into the full head vascular migraine? I was wondering if the tension headache was a sort of muscle aura - I doubt they exist though

I have read in the past research that I did that in cases of severe migraines digestion shuts down. I wonder if this is a factor for me - the drugs may not be getting into my system. I took the oxycontin at first sign of the tension headache yesterday and the migraine still progressed rapidly and painfully after the 1 hour tension mark. I have a prescription in hand for the imitrex nasal spray. Or maybe Oxycontin just doesn't work for some people?

I will get a prescription for anti nausea drugs for sure - calling today. Are there any that dissolve - that you don't need to swallow to work?

Thanks again guys.

Karrie

Oh - and most of the drugs are in the triptan family. I've never tried a muscle relaxant and will bring that up with my GP also.

At first sign of a tension head ache I am in bed with an gelpack on the back of my head (above the neck) and across the top of my head (above the forehead and across my temples).

I get TTH that often morph into migraine. I have Imitrex Nasal Spray, Relpax, and Frova to choose from. Imitrex is great for the full-blown migraine that wakes me up at 5am. Relpax can do a pretty good job on the ones that come on during the day, usually after a TTH. I use Frova about 12 hours in advance of a weather front. I estimate it's preventing about half of my weather-triggered migraines.

Muscle relaxers help me. I've taken most of them over the years: Zanaflex, Robaxin, Skelaxin, Flexeril. I recently had to give up the Flexeril because I was getting severe dizzy spells. The kind I'd fall down during. They're better now that the Flexeril is out of my system.

My headaches are daily, with migraine attacks once or twice a week. I've been taking preventives for 18+ years. I'm currently taking Lamictal, an anticonvulsant. I also take Wellbutrin and Effexor, both for headache prevention and for Major Depression. I've found that when I find an effective preventive, it works both on the dailies and the migraine attacks.

I love my ice wraps! Recently, I've tried alternating heat and ice. That felt pretty good. I love long, hot baths, and soaking sore muscles is a good excuse.

I'm very lucky and have nausea only 2 or 3 times a year, but it's miserable when it happens. I have Phenergan that I can take when I need to. I know that it's available as an injection. If it works, perhaps you could give yourself injections? I don't know whether they'll prescribe the injections. I get it when I end up at the urgent care clinic with a nasty that won't respond to anything after a couple of days.

Oxycontin and any other drug for that matter, doesn't work for everyone. Perhaps another pain med would? Sometimes you have to try different things before you find something that works.

I'm glad you found us. This is a great place. Between us, we've been through a lot.

Gretchen

Yep, I think we were all writing at once!! LOL - as for the drugs not getting into your system, if you are getting sick - not so - again I'm sure a Mod may have better experience on this but in Teri's book she referances a story of a young woman that thought she was not getting the drug (I believe in her case it was advil or tylenol) because she kept throwing up - so she kept taking it. DO NOT DO THIS!!!!!!!!! I think unless you throw up a whole pill it's in your system (please someone correct me if I am wrong)

As far as the Oxycontin: What works for some may not work for you - but don't worry - like my friends said - there are so many drugs and different combinations - you'll find one that works for you - it just may take some time, but hang in there! Plus - The Oxycontin could also be what is making the nausea worse too!

Take care!!

Eileen

quote:

Originally posted by ksikelly:
Thanks for the words of encouragement and the advice. I wonder why I never thought of looking up a forum before. And your quick replies amaze me too

I was searching the forum and a lot of TTH posts popped up. Would these be relevant in that the tension headache I experience is only for an hour prior to it turning into the full head vascular migraine? I was wondering if the tension headache was a sort of muscle aura - I doubt they exist though

I have read in the past research that I did that in cases of severe migraines digestion shuts down. I wonder if this is a factor for me - the drugs may not be getting into my system. I took the oxycontin at first sign of the tension headache yesterday and the migraine still progressed rapidly and painfully after the 1 hour tension mark. I have a prescription in hand for the imitrex nasal spray. Or maybe Oxycontin just doesn't work for some people?

I will get a prescription for anti nausea drugs for sure - calling today. Are there any that dissolve - that you don't need to swallow to work?

Thanks again guys.

Karrie

Lots more questions

The oxy is making my nausea worse for sure. Thats the only thing it is doing. I took it one time though and I got a couple hours sleep so I keep hoping it will help. I'm going to turn them into the pharmacy tonight.

I'm off to the doctor before she goes on holidays. She's fitting me in tonight.

Axert is available up here but not frova.

I'm going to ask for Axert, her pick of antinausea drug (I always get nausea but it is worse with the oxy) and a muscle relaxant.

I'm going to try:
Migraine 1: Muscle relaxant route next time - first sign of the morning tension headache (I no longer get just tension headaches). See what I can and cannot take if this doesn't prevent the oncoming migraine)
Migraine 2: Axert - crossing my fingers that this will be the one for me finally.
Migraine 3: Imitrex Nasal Spray - would I take this at first sign of the tension headache or wait for the migraine to hit?
Migraine 4: New escape drug

Also - my neurologist/headache specialist has me try each drug more than once - even though none of them ever ended up working. Did you guys find that the drug worked the first time or it never did? Or that it worked after multiple attempts at it.

Thank you so much! This forum is amazing. I wish I had found it sooner. I'll be spending every free moment reading all the sections.

Welcome.

There are nausea drugs you don't have to swallow - suppositories. Yes, I know, I wasn't thrilled with them either, but they work.

Good luck. I hope you get some answers.

quote:

I will get a prescription for anti nausea drugs for sure - calling today. Are there any that dissolve - that you don't need to swallow to work?

First off, welcoming droolie hugs are going out to you!

When I was getting severe combo tension/migraine combos from muscle spasms following surgery that my doctor had me try Lodine (it's a strong, extended release pain reliever). According to my doctor, for most people it's quite effective on TTH, though it likely won't touch a migraine. If you can find something that works for the TTH, though, you might be able to prevent the seque into migraine morph from happening.

Personally, I had better results by far with a muscle relaxant and eventually a TENS unit. To me, the Lodine was just an overgrown, pricey green Tic-Tac. But some people do well with it, and it's not narcotic. It might be worth asking about.

Welcome home, Ksikelly!

Now that suppositories have been mentioned...!

I've successfully used phenergan and compazine suppositiries to help control both nausea/vomiting and migraines. Tigan suppositories have also worked for nausea/vomiting.

Several other medicines are available as suppositories, including muscle relaxers and NSAIDS. Ask your doctor.

And, Ksikelly (and all y'all), PLEASE get all your prescriptions filled at one pharmacy!! I cannot overstress the importance of this.

Even if that pharmacy employs several pharmacists, they still keep ONE record on you, with ALL your prescriptions and allergies, etc. They also will keep a list of all OTC meds you take (if you tell them.)

Your pharmacy can be your best ally in keeping you healthy. Your pharmacist(s) know(s) more about the medicines and their interactions than your doctor(s) do(es).

My pharmacists have saved my life, literally, more than once.

Rebecca

You guys are seriously amazing. I knew from reading the intro posts that you would be though. Maybe I'll be able to help others in due time.

Good point about the one pharmacist. I'm a big believer in that as well. My doctor's computer program that does her prescriptions automatically flags interactions too.

I left before I read about the suppositories. I don't think she would have been up to prescribing them anyways lol. I would have paid good money for them last night and this morning!

I didn't leave the doctors office with everything I was looking for but I have one more option than I did before - the Axert.

1. No to anti nausea drug. She's hoping I can use just gravol if I avoid the Oxy. It kept me from throwing up before but I was always nauseated.

2. No to escape drugs. She wanted to change the oxy to one with Tylenol or aspirin. I didn't want an oxy drug. I told her plain oxy wasn't working and OTC strength of Tylenol or aspirin alone wouldn't be enough. The emergency room is my only option for escape The thought of it just is unbearable when I'm mid migraine. Just getting out of bed - let alone driving in a car!

3. No to muscle relaxants. She thinks I should try and take my amyitriptyline preventative as it has muscle relaxant qualities (also sold as Elavil, Tryptanol, Endep, Elatrol, Tryptizol, Trepiline, Laroxyl) or a robaxacet for back pain. I don't think either of these would be strong enough to prevent the evil migraine from taking over.

4. I did receive a prescription for Axert. Will be trying this next migraine and the imitrex spray on migraine #2.

And I have hope much more hope than before now that I know this site and this forum exists. Its now my home page!

Karrie

Hi Ksikelly,

Welcome aboard. I, too, never had much success with drugs, mostly trouble. Physical therapy and a TENS unit made a big difference for me. But, I knew one of my primary triggers was in my neck.

Good Luck, Bob

Well phooey on the no escape med (I'm assuming you mean rescue?)

You need more than Axert if you're going to use it more than 2-3 times a week. Triptans may cause medication overuse headache also.

Keep us up to date on how things are going.