Any migraine and/or tension headache sufferers?

There was a VERY informative thread on this topic just a few weeks ago, I'd search for it and review that. My DH got some useful info from it, about using feverfew. It has cut the number of migraines he was having, even when on Topomax, in half, and allowed him to reduce waayy down his Topomax dose. Next step is to get off that Topomax!

I found acupuncture uncomparable for treating tension headaches.  My acupunture doctor gives me needles for "whole body balance,"  as he calls it.  I guess it reduces stress overall, all I know is that I no longer get these headaches.  It's so liberating!

I've had them on and off since I was 14, and they run in my family too. Cutting out or significantly reducing caffeine often helps. If you get them a lot, you may need to take something to prevent frequency, most common b-blockers or SSRI. I always keep Maxalt on hand for emergencies, it works great (similar to imitrex but better for me). Some women do better on OCP's too if it is related to your cycle.

I only get horrible migranes when I eat food with ingredients that I am allergic to, so I understand. Before I caught the allergies, I had them allllll the time.

Migraines are just one of the many headaches I get.  I just had a killer migraine Wednesday.  Bad enough that I spent almost all day Thursday getting over it.  I don't get them frequently enough for the doctors to give me anything, but I did discover something quite by accident- Ibuprofin and Dramamine works on getting them to end sooner.  Actually, if I catch it early enough, that combo will stop it in its tracks.  I didn't know why until someone on another board read somewhere that the nerve involved in motion sickness is also involved in some migraines.  Wednesday I took 3 Advil, a Dramamine, took a hot shower then went to bed with a cold, wet rag over my eyes (obviously it came on too fast for me to stop).  That was after my husband fixed me a can of soup.

I get migraines.  They are normally attributed to my birth control, but I do get them other times in the month also.  For me, only a few foods trigger them.  If I eat too many potato chips (MSG) or drink 20oz or more of Sprite (don't ask me why).  I used to be able to take over the counter medicines, but they stopped working lllloooooonnnnnnggggg time ago.  I used to take Maxalt MLT (it dissolves on your tongue) but if I didn't catch it right as I felt it coming on I was SOL.  Right now I'm on Fioricet and that helps (but still not 100% of the time).  The only true remody that I have found that works is to go to sleep for about 3 or more hours. 

Absolutely EVERYONE who has responded is right - and that's the kicker with migraines ... it is *so* individual.
 
Best advice anyone gave me was to keep a food/environment diary for a while.  And particularly when you DO get a migraine, sit down and write down everything you can think of that you ate or drank for the last 24-48 hours, any chemicals you used or were around, what the weather was like, what time of the month (your cycle) it is and what phase of the moon it is and what the weather (barometric pressure) is. 
 
Somewhere in there you're gonna find a pattern -- and then you can begin to avoid certain things at certain times.  Post full moon if I"m gonna get a migraine that's when *I* get one.  Particularly if I have a bit more caffeine than usual (and I have to avoid caffeine anyway), and Nutrasweet is *always* a major no no for me (that will give me migraines any old time).
 
Then you think back to how you felt about 6-8 hours before -- and you'll discover there's a particular 'feeling' you get -- a tiny ache in the temple, maybe your stomach is queasy .... or just a general malaise ... but whatever form it takes for you, if you can go ahead and take something or *do* something to avert it, very often you can get rid of a migraine before it starts.
 
My doctor told me years ago never to use the 'pill' birth control *because* I get migraines.  In fact another doctor put me on them, and when he discovered I had migraines he took me off them so fast it sent me reeling (I was enjoying having a light time for a change *sigh*) - but he told me if I didn't I'd have a stroke.  But my migraines were always clustered around my cycle - usually just *after* it. 
 
But the thing I have found that works the best for me is either a really good quality peppermint oil, or particularly White Flower Oil (which is an essential oil blend) -- just a drop rubbed on my temple in the 'aura' stage and (it's a relaxant -- it relaxes the blood vessels and calms them down) it will completely avert the migraine. 
 
A lot of folks don't believe that you can affect a headache with an oil rubbed on the outside of your forehead but you can -- it's pretty powerful stuff actually. 
 
I used to get migraines all the time until I discovered what foods to avoid and how to deal with them in the starter stages ... it takes a bit of self-discipline (particularly avoiding stuff I really like ...like caffeine in coffee, chocolate, Coke, etc.) but it's truly worth not having to get so sick. 

Ah the flashy lights are the worse, something that i have found out is that when i was in football season, suscribed to a gym or doing excersice in general i almost never had them

The old migraine thread:

http://forum.dog.com/asp/tm.asp?m=14158&mpage=2&key=migraines

I found acupuncture uncomparable for treating tension headaches.

It rocks for migraines, too.

And listen to Callie. She knows stuff[] Stuff that works, no less. I can't tell you how many migraine emails have gone back and forth to her, and I've truly seen a difference in the frequency of my migraines. Keep a journal. Write down EVERYTHING, from food to smells that stood out to new experiences, and stresses. My migraines are related to allergies, stress, AND hormones. Short of living in a bubble, they're going to happen. There's lots of stuff you can do to minimize it, though.

i did as a child, my doctor put me on imitrex, but it didnt do crap and you had to take it before the actual onset of the migraine for it to be effective, which was hard to do alot of the time. i had all kinds of scans and tests but nothing ever was found to be the cause. they started to dissapear around mid-teen years and i still get headaches every day but nothing bad enough to ruin the day. i know it bites real bad, im sorry you are having such a hard time.

ORIGINAL: espencer

Ah the flashy lights are the worse...
 

 
That's one of my migraine triggers.  And heavily scented things,smoke (cigarette and wood)  and, believe it or not, Frontline.  Heck, it doeasn't even have to be heavily scented.  Needless to say- I use unscented soap, don't use perfume/cologne and, when I did put Frontline on Mick, I made sure to do it before I went to bed so it would be dry in the morning.

I'm a migraine sufferer of about 35 years.  Lots and lots of them over that time period.  I've gotten the frequency down to about once every 6 weeks or so now.  And now it's debilitating but not as bad as it used to be...A migraine used to put me down for 14 hours minimum.  Now the severity is such that I'm only down about 3-5 hours.

I use Excedrin Migraine and feverfew, and sometimes Valerian as well.

Hope this helps.

Feverfew has worked extremely well for me. When I start to get a migraine I take an extra one and most of the time the head sort of ..... evaporates.

It's really wonderful. I get them related to my cycle, but have never been able to figure out what else "triggers" them. Too much caffeine daily will set me up for one.

You have to take the feverfew every single day. But it really works for me, and for one of my band members, too. (He's a guy, I have no idea why he gets migraines.)

I use the Nature Made brand, and not even the stuff that is extra strong. Just the regular feverfew. I buy it online for like $5 a bottle.

My stomach is very sensitive, and ibuprophen just rips it up. Since feverfew is far less hard on it I've been a happy camper.

It works something like an NSAID, but it isn't one. However a really great "side effect" is that since it's an inflammation reducer it does a very good job on mild arthritis. My hands are back to normal now! Since I'm a professional muscian that's really important.

It also has improved my breathing about 30%. I have asthma.

If you have severe stomach problems or are on blood thinners, you should probably not take it. Other than that, it's great stuff! I have used ONE ibuprophen since starting with feverfew last year. My stomach is much happier and I have all-around much less pain.

I asked one of my coworkers for any suggestions, she's into natural remedies BIG time.  First she suggested seeing a chiropractor, your neck may be out of alignment and an adjustment might help.  Then she suggested acupuncture.  Finally, she gave me this website [linkhttp://www.nativeremedies.com]www.nativeremedies.com[/link]  use the MiGone Plus.  She said their products are terrific.