Suffered with Migraines all my life.
Mine tend towards total blackout more often than not, with pain behind my eyes & various other disabling symptoms.

I was put through several courses of medication, but none of them worked.
Now, I meditate & do a bit of Yoga. Apparently the lack of general stress helps in my case.

I used to find ear plugs & a cold cloth over my eyes helped a little too, when it was based in my head/eyes.
Couldn't hurt *shrug*

Gotta admit my migraines seem to be getting worse.

I ended up buying the Migraleve tablets the last time I felt one brewing and found them much better than normal painkillers.

Mine are stress related and sometimes hormone related. I was plagued with them with both my pregnancies and i couldn't take anything stronger than paracetemol both times which did absolutely no good at all. My vision goes a little on the blurry side when i'm about to experience one and i take two painkillers immediately and then go to bed. The room has to be in complete darkness and quiet (not easy with two boisterous kids)and i try to sleep it off. My last one was about three or four months ago, it was horrible and made me extremely anxious.

Hope you get over yours soon

i usually only get them twice a year if im lucky last serious one i had was when i was in scotland and i was bedbound for a week (passing out, being sick, weak, sensitive to everything, along with the usual) and even though painkillers didnt help with the pain they made me sleepy so they helped a little.

thank you Keeny my heads a lot better this morning it's kinda reduced to a headache now which i can handle coz i've been suffering from headaches since an incident when i was 9. but i dont know what causes my migraines.

(Edited by bipolar 26/10/2003 10:09)

Migranes, any headache actually, is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, your arteries are contracting.

The only cure i have found isnt 100% efective but can ease symptoms.

Alcohol.

Know how you get flushed after your first drink? that's because it's a vasodilator, it causes your blood vessels to dilate (those in the skin produce the flush), there by also increasing blood flow through to the brain.

This isnt normal drinking though, (ie slow and over an evening) you need something strong (or i do) taken quickly. i cant drink neet spirits so something like mailbu is perfect for me. i down a large one as quick as i can.

sometimes it has made me sick, but the change in pressure as i bend over and ... well you know, can also be bennificial.

No drug or other cure has ever impacted a migrane. my mother (an ex nurse) suggested this cure a while back and it allows me to carry on with life, albeit with sun glasses on and on monosylabic terms with people.

i couldnt even stomach food let alone alcohol. i havent eaten since friday morning now ... or possibly even thursday night i've lost track ... though im much better today i cant seem to find food that sounds good enough to risk it.
might try it for lesser headaches though one day if i'm feeling brave

Alcohol on an empty stomach always gives me a headache, so not seeing it as a good remedy in my particular case.
Maybe it's the head-rush feeling that it gives that does tha damage.

---

by Cat
Migranes, any headache actually, is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, your arteries are contracting.

---

Actually the headache part of Migraine is a symptom of its wider neurological dysfunction.
I was recently diagnosed with complicated migraine. The headache was hardly noticeable. However I suffer dizzy spells, loss of co-ordination, loss of concentration, nausea, muscle spasms and exteme tiredness. My neurologist said that many forms of migraine present symptoms in childhood which include travel sickness and abdominal pain.

I'm now on a constant course of preventative medicine, but while having an attack I found that taking small amounts of Stemetil (anti-emetic) helped with the major symptoms.

My mother used to have migraine tabs on prescription that dissolved, somewhat like Alka-Seltzer and not only killed the headache, but also settled her stomach down.

As Taz suggests, relaxation and meditation can help as a preventative measure, but it might be an idea to have something on standby for if it gets really bad.

---

by Kate
many forms of migraine present symptoms in childhood which include travel sickness and abdominal pain

---

When I was younger, I had what one doctor referred to as 'migraine stomach'.
It's apparently a childhood stage of migraine.
I just thought it was funny until the rest of the symptoms of migraine started hitting me a few years later.
I still think it sounds funny, but I just wish I hadn't found out about it via my own body

Never had any childhood symptoms. mine are all down to the bloody pill!!!!

there was a family history of migranes but i never suffered until my Doc put me on the pill to ease my cramps. it was wonderful at that but, even though i havent taken the pill for nearly 10 yrs, i still get about 2 migranes a year, often after flying for some reason.

My Doc never offered prescription drugs so i havent tried those, but all other remedies i've tried had no effect what so ever.

Although migraine is hireditary, it is also triggered by hormonal changes, so getting them after going n the pill is quite common.
Bloody things seem to pop up all over the place...