Consistent migraines and (tension) headaches - Advice? | The Boneyard

Consistent migraines and (tension) headaches - Advice?

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Hello everyone! Who here gets migraines and tension headaches?

I've had some pretty bad ones, and pretty consistently for the past five years (I am 34). I started to get them about 3-4 months after moving to Bogota. I can't stand migraines and I am looking for any solution possible. A little background....

I am not sure what is causing these migraines. Sometimes I think it is a lack of sleep, but then I sleep very well for several nights in a row and still get them. Sometimes I think it is stress but then suddenly I am chilling by the pool, just relaxing and feeling at peace during a two week vacation and I suddenly get them. Sometimes I think it is because I skipped breakfast (yes, a bad habit, I know) but then another day I have a huge breakfast and lunch and am not hungry at all and I get them. I used to think it was due to high altitude when I lived in Bogota, kind of a long term side effect of the altitude but now I am just (550m or 1750 feet above sea level) I still get them. So I really have no clue. For the first 4 years when I lived in colder places that were usually 10 to 25C (50-75F) and I thought it was the climate because when I would go on vacation to hotter places I never got them (30C and above or 85-100F and above) so after those 4 years I moved to a hotter place where I have been for the past year. This city gets to 40+C (easily triple digits in F) and I am getting them over the past half year. I am not sure if it is diet, I try to eat lots of fruit every day, including bananas, lots of veggies, drink water. Sometimes I think it is because I stare at a screen too long but then I go on a digital detox and still get them. Part of the reason I am leaving teaching is because I think it might help a lot with the stress and migraines.

The migraines I get: I see like a flashing thing that looks like a snake in one eye, kind of like a rainbow then it switches to the other eye. I feel a little dizzy and that my brain is in a bubble or something and just this surreal feeling, I easily forget things and it is a little hard to speak and when the flashing thing goes away it is replaced for the rest of the day by subtle tension headache that isn't too bad but still annoying. Sometimes I get a tension headache with no migraine over the past year. With the tension headaches it is this subtle feeling but it kind of feels like my brain is being squeezed a little, kind of like muscles aches but with the head. Hard to explain. I usually need to retreat to a dark, quiet place. Sometimes I get them during class and have to close the blinds and turn off the lights and I think my students are not sure why.

Any way, what has helped for you?
 
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Who here gets migraines and tension headaches? I've had some pretty bad ones, and pretty consistently for the past five years (I am 34). I started to get them about 3-4 months after moving to Bogota.Any way, what has helped for you?
Never experienced, but after 5 years of migraines and tension head aches haven't you visited doctors? Educated, practicing MDs, not witch.
I can't stand migraines and I am looking for any solution possible.
When in Colombia ... sugar? Good luck.
 
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Go to the doctor.

Do you smoke weed? A lot of people seem to treat migraines and tension headaches with it to varying degrees of success
 
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Never experienced, but after 5 years of migraines and tension head aches haven't you visited doctors? Educated, practicing MDs, not witch.When in Colombia ... sugar? Good luck.
Witch?

Yes, I have seen them. They usually just brush it off as being typical migraines and just to take maybe a Tylenol or something similar.

Jmick,
Yes, in fact there was a 10 day span or so where i had tension headaches basically all day for 8 of the 10 days and the only two I did not, I had smoked some.
 

Chin Diesel

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Besides the obvious see a doctor, I had this prescribed for about 6 months when I used to be in the Navy.
I'd be fine all day but as soon as I tried to get to sleep, my brain would go in over drive and start thumping.

This stuff worked like a charm.


Nowadays I occasionally have a tough time settling down at night. A 3mg melatonin pill works great but I need about an hour in the morning to clear my head if I don't get 8 hours sleep.
 
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Witch?

Yes, I have seen them. They usually just brush it off as being typical migraines and just to take maybe a Tylenol or something similar.

Jmick,
Yes, in fact there was a 10 day span or so where i had tension headaches basically all day for 8 of the 10 days and the only two I did not, I had smoked some.
Is there anything that would keep you from being able to smoke small amounts every night before bed? I know weed helps me with tension headaches but I don't get them often
 
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My wife used to get pretty regular, debilitating migraines. Would start with blurry vision, then severe nausea and obviously a painful headache. She started taking magnesium daily on recommendation of her primary care doctor, and went months without them. Coincidentally, the other day she ran out and missed a few days, and lo and behold last night got another migraine. I'm sure there's no silver bullet cure that works for everyone, but try magnesium. Should hopefully be available at any drug store. Good luck
 
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As someone who has suffered with headaches and migraines since childhood, i feel your pain. I get them the least intense in my family. My two older sisters are but incapacitated by then. I had all types of testing at 14 and they found no cause. Certain foods could trigger them. The best relief i found when a tension headache is coming is ice on the back of the neck/base of the skull and sometimes on the temples. This of course isn't always practical if you're at work. Glasses i would find triggered the tension headaches so i mostly wear contacts.

Good luck.
 
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Have you seen an eye doctor? I have gotten ocular migraines (flashing kaleidoscope like you describe) and it could be something serious in your eye. I'd see an opthomologist also.
 
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Have you seen an eye doctor? I have gotten ocular migraines (flashing kaleidoscope like you describe) and it could be something serious in your eye. I'd see an opthomologist also.
This is why I said to definitely see a neurologist who should be the first person to parse out the symptomatology (especially given these specific visual symptoms) to narrow in on a possible diagnosis, cause, and where to refer further; this may lead to a consult to neuro-opthomology.

Nobody here, even those who experience their specific migraines, have a clue
 
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As a long time sufferer you need to see a neurologist. Everyone is different. My trigger is low pressure systems. There are various drugs out there which are effective but almost all have mild to sometimes severe side effects and you need someone monitoring your circumstances.
 
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Lack of sleep, too much sleep, smell of fumes, squinting too long, dehydration, and no coffee in the morning will give me migraines. I try to avoid doing any of those. Exedrine Migraine is always near when I feel one coming and it always works.
 
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I would consider coming on the Boneyard less (especially in the offseason). I'm not saying this is the main cause of your headaches, but it certainly can't be helping. If you don't believe this to be a contributor, just look at all the Boneyarders who posted responses that have the same issue as you as proof that there may be some correlation.
 
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As someone who has suffered with headaches and migraines since childhood, i feel your pain. I get them the least intense in my family. My two older sisters are but incapacitated by then. I had all types of testing at 14 and they found no cause. Certain foods could trigger them. The best relief i found when a tension headache is coming is ice on the back of the neck/base of the skull and sometimes on the temples. This of course isn't always practical if you're at work. Glasses i would find triggered the tension headaches so i mostly wear contacts.

Good luck.
I do the same with ice..,but i also use heat...i use a roll on like icy hot...and roll it all over my face, temples, neck and it does wonders. I started doing it when i was 9 or 10 and found them inbearable. Still get them at 55 and do the same routine
 
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I started getting severe migraines about 10-15 years ago. They hit me 2-3 times a year. I have to go in a dark room and lay down and it eventually gets to a point where I throw up. After vomiting and sleeping for a few hours I start feeling better. I assumed it was due to tension,dehydration or BP ??
For those of you who have never had severe migraines you are very fortunate.
 
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This is why I said to definitely see a neurologist who should be the first person to parse out the symptomatology (especially given these specific visual symptoms) to narrow in on a possible diagnosis, cause, and where to refer further; this may lead to a consult to neuro-opthomology.

Nobody here, even those who experience their specific migraines, have a clue

Agree here, Neurologist or Headache clinic (Run by Neurologists). These guys can rule out differential diagnoses off where they might be coming from and the types of migraines they are (if they even are vs. bad headaches). They you can determine prophylactic vs. treatment medications or life style changes (food, sleep, glasses, etc.)

The Magnesium as described above has worked for many (usually females as the hypomagnesium is linked to "monthly blood loss") as well as B-Complex (my wife actually gets monthly shots of B Complex and Vitamin D which have seemed to help). You could always start with B Complex and Magnesium to see if it helps as a cheap safe/option before going to headache clinic for them to tell you to do the same before coming back.

I tell none of this to you as a pharmacist and it is not a clinical recommendation...gotta CYA myself.
 
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Have seen ads promoting Botox as a treatment for migraines. If it works you may be able to get rid of migraines and wrinkles at the same time.
Seriously, good luck and hope you solve the problem.
 
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Lots of good info on the internet as to possible causes, symptoms, etc. The over the counter meds that work all contain caffeine, a vasoconstrictor, plus some analgesic like tylenol or others. There's also quite a few prescription meds that work.

For those touting marijuana, some strains have shown vasoconstrictor properties while others show vasodilator properties. If you use one that's a vasodilator you'll make the problem worse, so buyer beware. Unfortunately, as of the moment, there's no data to show definitively which are which.
 

zepfan

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Hello everyone! Who here gets migraines and tension headaches?

I've had some pretty bad ones, and pretty consistently for the past five years (I am 34). I started to get them about 3-4 months after moving to Bogota. I can't stand migraines and I am looking for any solution possible. A little background....

I am not sure what is causing these migraines. Sometimes I think it is a lack of sleep, but then I sleep very well for several nights in a row and still get them. Sometimes I think it is stress but then suddenly I am chilling by the pool, just relaxing and feeling at peace during a two week vacation and I suddenly get them. Sometimes I think it is because I skipped breakfast (yes, a bad habit, I know) but then another day I have a huge breakfast and lunch and am not hungry at all and I get them. I used to think it was due to high altitude when I lived in Bogota, kind of a long term side effect of the altitude but now I am just (550m or 1750 feet above sea level) I still get them. So I really have no clue. For the first 4 years when I lived in colder places that were usually 10 to 25C (50-75F) and I thought it was the climate because when I would go on vacation to hotter places I never got them (30C and above or 85-100F and above) so after those 4 years I moved to a hotter place where I have been for the past year. This city gets to 40+C (easily triple digits in F) and I am getting them over the past half year. I am not sure if it is diet, I try to eat lots of fruit every day, including bananas, lots of veggies, drink water. Sometimes I think it is because I stare at a screen too long but then I go on a digital detox and still get them. Part of the reason I am leaving teaching is because I think it might help a lot with the stress and migraines.

The migraines I get: I see like a flashing thing that looks like a snake in one eye, kind of like a rainbow then it switches to the other eye. I feel a little dizzy and that my brain is in a bubble or something and just this surreal feeling, I easily forget things and it is a little hard to speak and when the flashing thing goes away it is replaced for the rest of the day by subtle tension headache that isn't too bad but still annoying. Sometimes I get a tension headache with no migraine over the past year. With the tension headaches it is this subtle feeling but it kind of feels like my brain is being squeezed a little, kind of like muscles aches but with the head. Hard to explain. I usually need to retreat to a dark, quiet place. Sometimes I get them during class and have to close the blinds and turn off the lights and I think my students are not sure why.

Any way, what has helped for you?
I am a past migraine sufferer. My triggers are not eating enough and eating chocolate, and sometimes an unknown cause. The solution for me is a prescription medication called sumatriptan. Ask you doctor. It has been a life safer for me. It has never not worked in erasing a migraine headache and I have used it for about 10 to 15 years. It is the key ingredient in Treximet, but straight sumatriptan is fine on its own. Hope this helps.
 

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