Anyone else here with chronic migraines?

[megsaroni88]

Anyone? Anyone? Just looking to chat, you can PM me, too, if you like.

I've had migraines for 10 years now and at times I'm just at wits end with it. My life pretty much revolves around how terrible I feel and how I can avoid attacks. My family all know I'm constantly grouchy, but getting a full time job to move out of my parents' house is impossible. It also leads to boughts of depression. It's a strange and diverse affliction. I'm interested in anyone else's experiences and any tips on management they've found.

Thanks for giving this thread a look!

[moonraingirl]

Hi Meghan, welcome.
I don't have chronic migraines but I'm 28 and still live with my parents as well.
Is due to my mother's illness - she needs care and someone had to take her job in our family business plus I've got anxiety and mental issues. The combination of these makes it difficult for me to gain independence. So we have something in common.

[blue_moon]

Hi Meghan,
I've been suffering from migraine since I was about 6 yrs old - for over 30 years now.

The pattern is pretty much the same but the intensity changed over the years.

I read a few articles and books dealing with migraine (there isn't really one I can recommend because I didn't keep track).

What I've learned is that the migraine is some sort of inflammation that causes swellings in your mucous membrane and the veins. The blood has problems to flow - it is important to drink a lot. (Aspirin should be the painkiller of choice) - sometimes it helps if I drink two big glasses of water. Lemon, ginger, cinnamon are helpful. A mixture of peppermint and lavender essential oil (google headache salve) can help as well.

I saw many doctors in the past 30 years, got acupuncture, took homeopathic medication, got osteopathy, physiotherapy, got a brain scan... there are herbs in the chinese medicine that might help (I saw a doctor once but I couldn't have afforded his recommended therapy so I can't give you any information on that).

A few years ago I saw a neurologist because of an upcoming depression. I told him I was suffering from migraine and he gave me amitriptyline. It helped. I got less migraine attacks. It's not the best solution though.

I really feel with you.

[megsaroni88]

Hi Meghan,
I've been suffering from migraine since I was about 6 yrs old - for over 30 years now.

The pattern is pretty much the same but the intensity changed over the years.

I read a few articles and books dealing with migraine (there isn't really one I can recommend because I didn't keep track).

What I've learned is that the migraine is some sort of inflammation that causes swellings in your mucous membrane and the veins. The blood has problems to flow - it is important to drink a lot. (Aspirin should be the painkiller of choice) - sometimes it helps if I drink two big glasses of water. Lemon, ginger, cinnamon are helpful. A mixture of peppermint and lavender essential oil (google headache salve) can help as well.

I saw many doctors in the past 30 years, got acupuncture, took homeopathic medication, got osteopathy, physiotherapy, got a brain scan... there are herbs in the chinese medicine that might help (I saw a doctor once but I couldn't have afforded his recommended therapy so I can't give you any information on that).

A few years ago I saw a neurologist because of an upcoming depression. I told him I was suffering from migraine and he gave me amitriptyline. It helped. I got less migraine attacks. It's not the best solution though.

I really feel with you.

Yeah, I've gone to a neurologist too, but the prescription migraine pills never did any better than the over the counter meds. It seems like things only work for a while before I'm back where I started. How did acupuncture work for you? I get really tense muscles in my neck and back so it sorta helped but my insurance ran out before I had any real relief.

[megsaroni88]

Hi Meghan, welcome.
I don't have chronic migraines but I'm 28 and still live with my parents as well.
Is due to my mother's illness - she needs care and someone had to take her job in our family business plus I've got anxiety and mental issues. The combination of these makes it difficult for me to gain independence. So we have something in common.

Merry meet! It's both frustrating and fun to live at home as an adult. None of my family know I'm Wiccan, so that is quite limiting. It's nice to meet someone my age, thanks for responding.

[blue_moon]

The problem with tense muscles is that the tension will keep coming back until you get to the root of this problem. I spent a few hundred euros for acupuncture and was really disappointed.. osteopathy was a great help though!

[megsaroni88]

I don't think osteopaths are much of a thing in the USA, I had chiropractic work that helped my neck though it was a bit barbaric, a machine hit me with a bar in the neck to be precise, but that was really the only time it helped.

[corvidus]

a machine hit me with a bar in the neck to be precise, but that was really the only time it helped.

Curious. Have you considered that it might be your kundalini energy rising?

This was the cause of my migraines a few years ago.

[megsaroni88]

a machine hit me with a bar in the neck to be precise, but that was really the only time it helped.

Curious. Have you considered that it might be your kundalini energy rising?

This was the cause of my migraines a few years ago.

I'm not very versed in chakras so I'm not sure, on quick googling, it seems like my symptoms. Is there a certain exercise or something that can help? At least when I'm feeling bad it's good to have something to try.

[corvidus]

I'm not very versed in chakras so I'm not sure, on quick googling, it seems like my symptoms. Is there a certain exercise or something that can help? At least when I'm feeling bad it's good to have something to try.

No worries.
For me it worked best to breath into where the migraine was centered.. if that makes sense. Oxygenating and opening up the 'system' helped alot.

[TwilightDancer]

I've had them for as long as I can remember.

An ice cold towel over my eyes and a nap usually does the trick.

They used to last for days. They still make me sick on occasion.

[ZippyZoo]

I know Terrence McKenna used a certain psychedelics as a way of dealing with cluster headaches but I don't know if that's the best solution. But maybe if you looked into the chemical within the plant that aids with that, and seeing where else it occurs in other not psychotropic plants? It might be tied in, but maybe not.
Sorry if this isn't very helpful. My mother and I used to get headaches all the time in California and after we moved to a developing town in Arizona. We thought it might've been a combination of hay fever/pollen and pollution/gasoline fumes. The town in Arizona sucked but the air was very clean, and of course no pollen... until they transferred a million BASICALLY pollen trees over. Evil geniuses.
Now I live in the mountains and the air here is pretty clean too, so my headaches are still rare. It's different from migraines, but I wonder if environment could make a difference. Have you noticed a difference in other cities if you've traveled?

Sent from my LG-K373 using Tapatalk

[megsaroni88]

I know Terrence McKenna used a certain psychedelics as a way of dealing with cluster headaches but I don't know if that's the best solution. But maybe if you looked into the chemical within the plant that aids with that, and seeing where else it occurs in other not psychotropic plants? It might be tied in, but maybe not.
Sorry if this isn't very helpful. My mother and I used to get headaches all the time in California and after we moved to a developing town in Arizona. We thought it might've been a combination of hay fever/pollen and pollution/gasoline fumes. The town in Arizona sucked but the air was very clean, and of course no pollen... until they transferred a million BASICALLY pollen trees over. Evil geniuses.
Now I live in the mountains and the air here is pretty clean too, so my headaches are still rare. It's different from migraines, but I wonder if environment could make a difference. Have you noticed a difference in other cities if you've traveled?

Sent from my LG-K373 using Tapatalk

Yeah, hot and dry and sunny California certainly doesn't help my headaches. I think though my problem is more stress related than allergy related. Better air quality would probably help but I'm not in the position to be able to move. Thanks anyway.

[SnowCat]

A magnesium supplement might help. Glycinnated is usually the best for bioavailability.

Snow

[Lunar Rose]

I've suffered with migraines for as long as I can remember, they've changed as I've grown up and it does feel like you manage to stop them, and then they evolve and come back! Which I very frustrating and I can understand why you're feeling low about it.

I've tried a lot of different treatments and medicines, I found that acupuncture made it worse for me. And while amitriptyline did reduce the number of migraines I was getting, the negative side effects outweighed the benefits. I felt completely drained and zombie like while I was on them. And as they didn't stop the migraines completely, I decided to stop them.

I've found that environment plays a huge part in them. I had to change my job as I was working in a very small, dark room with no air flow (it was basically a cupboard!) and the doctors thought that would be contributing (the migraines have stopped completely since I left my work place). I'm also on beta blockers to improve my blood circulation, it took a few months for them to properly take effect, but they have been really helpful.

It may be worth talking to your doctor about hormone control too, as I know that menstrual cycles can play a big part in causing migraines.

Try keeping a diary to see if there is any correlation between when the migraines occur. It could be a certain type of food causing them, or a place that you go to.

I really hope that you are able to find some way to control them and hopefully stop them for good! There is nothing worse than feeling like the pain of migraines is controlling your life. I hope that you are able to find peace from them. BB.