Migraine Sufferers

[emmalou]

This thread is great, for some stupid reason it never occured to me to discuss this on here!!!
I have suffered migraines since around 14yo. they're definitely hormonal and worse just before and during AF. I wouldn't say we put off having children, but i was probably making myself sicker worrying about what would happen when i'm pregnant and not able to take my best friend Imigran and 2nd bestie Aspirin! At the end of the day we own a business and i need to be there, taking maternity leave is a stretch but i can be flexible, i'm not so career minded just enjoy what i do and have worked hard to be good at it. I'm happy for the change but can't afford to not be there for the pregnancy aswell as afterwards.

4 months before we started ttc i went to the naturopath and joined a gym. The naturopath put me on some hormone balancing herbs (since feb 2007 i only have 1 ovary and that 1 doesn't like to ovulate- sometimes once a year if not on pill) and gave me some homeopathic migraine drops. I know you're either into that sort of thing or not, but I've certainly found it has worked she's amazing! I think that combined with going to the gym and getting regular exercise which admittedly i didn't do enough of. My migraines have been less frequent and at the very least i can stop a headache turning into a migraine by using the drops.

Massive breakthrough for me I've tried acupunture, chiro, chinese herbal doctors, preventatives can't think of more but basically since i've been in the workforce i've spent a lot of time and money on treatments, some of them have helped a bit but then stop.

So now I'm 15weeks preg and my migraines were great- non existent for first 12 weeks and no where near as bad asthey were in the last couple of weeks. Keeping my fingers crossed it stays that way! I'll certainly be keeping my eye on this thread to see everyone else's tips!!



P.S. Does everyone hate it when you have a migraine and someone says "yeah don't you hate it when you have a headache" meanwhile i'm trying not to vomit all over them!!

[Aimz]

Or when they say "Just take a panadol - you'll be right"..... Ummm helloooooo if you knew what a migraine felt like you would not be suggesting panadol - you would be suggesting a tranquiliser!!

Or when people say "yeah I think I've had a migraine before..." hahaha YEAH RIGHT!

[emmalou]

So comforting when you just want to throttle them! LOL My hubby has learnt don't touch me, don't talk to me just walk away and turn off the light! Please!

[Aimz]

Haha my DH is the same - he knows to stay away when I have one. Although he was very good yesterday when I had a real nasty one - he even held my hair back while I was vomiting!

[Lenny]

Diagnosed at 9 with migraines and there is a stong genetic background of migraines.
I have tried lots and lots (and lots) of things. But for now like Kat I use Imigran although there have been times when IV peth has been the only thing to get me though.
One thing about doing IVF is i knew without a doubt when i was or wasn't pg, so it meant i could take medication without fear of harming a baby. Early pregnancy was not much fun - I was hit quite hard, and never seemed to shake a migraine completely. However after about the 5 month mark i was never troubled again. Wow, I was lucky. Since DS was born I have only had one shocker - and thankfully i had some EBM in the freezer, so i could take Imigran again.

So, that's my story
When you find a cure...let me know. I am still keen to go on the botox trials!!!

[Aimz]

I've heard about the botox - sounds very interesting.

Does anyone know what surgery Keiran Perkins wife had?? I remember reading in a magazine that she was a constant sufferer of migraines and then she had this surgery and she's barely had one since.. I've tried looking but can't find it anywhere.

[Astrolady]

if you google sam perkins migraines. you should be able to get a 60 mins transcript from Ninemsn abuot the procedure she had.

love

[BellyBelly]

Migranes can be treated with acupuncture - its one of the conditions recognised by the WHO as treatable by acupuncture, which is of course safe in pregnancy.

[Aimz]

I have looked into acupuncture - but with limited practitioners in my town I am skeptical.

The last one who I spoke to said to me that she guaranteed that she could cure my migraines. I was put off by this comment as she had no idea of my medical history or the severity of my illness.

There are a few more around so I will check them out. I could have used something on Tuesday night when I had my head in the toilet bowl and felt like my head had cracked open....

[aussienic]

We are on day 3 of no banana's. going well so far..

Do any of you notice behaviour differences in yourselves leading up to a migraine? The reason for asking is we have noticed with Isaac that in the 2 weeks leading up to a migraine. he gets very tantrummy. So this week it is tantrums.. throwns himself on the ground kind of tanty's.. Next week he will be highly emotional and then a few days after that he will start his 5 day cycle...

[Aimz]

I do notice that I feel absolutely fantastic the day before. It's almost like I'm on a high and I am happy, relaxed, comfortable and very bubbly. I usually get an awesome nights sleep the night before a migraine too. I guess that is my body gearing up for one.

I had a really nasty migraine on Saturday night. I put it purely down to stress as we had an open house that day and I had spent all of Friday night cleaning with bleach and chemicals. My brother and his girlfriend also travelled up for a visit on Friday night so the excitement of that combined with the stress and the chemicals made for one hell of a migraine.

At work today but I feel like I have been hit by a train...