A new found sympathy for migraine sufferers...

[~Raven~]

I used to think mine was pill related but after not being on it for over 10 years now and still getting them I'm sure it wasn't the case. My Dr also said that you can get them from relaxing lol. Kind of weird to explain but he said when you're stressed or anxious the blood vessels in the brain constrict and then when you relax the vessels also relax but the tissue surrounding them has adapted to the constricted vessels and you feel pain from the tissue adapting. Don't know how right that is but it made sense to me when he said it

I know if I'm not looking after myself properly by getting dehydrated or skipping meals I am more susceptible.

I have an acute sense of smell and strong perfume or artificial flavourings can start mine off if I already have the beginnings of a headache.

I'll feel nauseous and then get flashes and blind spots. Can't see, can't stand up etc and am zombified for a day or two after.

It's really scary the first time you have a migraine. I hope you have understanding people around you

[Lana]

A trigger for me was MSG which is in an amazing array of foods especially Asian dishes but also things like chicken flavour for noodles and potato chips as well as snack food like twisties, burger rings, Corn chips etc. You can see if it is in your food by looking for flavour enhancer 621 in the ingredient listing. I found good chocolate was ok but cheap compound chocolate could set me off. Nuts could also trigger me. It was also hormonally related as it had gone for years only to reappear during my pregnancies.

If you have another one keep a list of the foods you ate the day before and then you might find some common food triggering you. Hopefully you don't they are really a horrible and sometimes scary experience with the loss of vision, body sensations and the severe pain in your head.

[jesses_girl]

Dp gets them, he doesnt get the 'aura' though. Its just BAM and there it is all of a sudden, he doesnt know his triggers but ive found them to be sleeping in. Zomig 2.5mg works for him usually but he has to take it with prior warning or it wont work for him. If he takes it within 2-3 minutes of feeling it, he generally will be ok. He still throws up and cant see/eat/sleep. Cant remember who said it but he also hates people who say they have a migraine but can somehow still continue shopping for the next 3 hours. Or people who say that they had a migraine and 1 pandaol worked to treat it. He's only ever had to have 4 injections at the ED.

[Cranky Kitten]

Mine seem to also be over-tiredness and stress related, I don't get the visual aura but do get about an hour's warning from suddenly becoming very restless, jittery and often quite irritable. Darkened room and sleep plus painkillers is usually the only thing that works, DH made the mistake of flipping the light on one day when I had one just after we got together - resulted in him being snarled at to turn it off and me curled in a ball wimpering from the pain...

[Aries]

My goodness thank you all so much for sharing and for the hugs.
I am feeling much better today - just a little hungover... if that makes any sense!
Alot of people I have spoken to have said that they could be hormone related and to note where I am in my cycle. I will keep a close eye on it and mention it to my GP at my appt next week.
I am sorry you all suffer so badly with them
Thank you again xxxx

[Cranky Kitten]

Glad you're feeling better - and yes, post-migraine hangover makes perfect sense to me

[Astrolady]

I have been advised by my doctor that if I feel a migraine coming on to dissolve 2 or 3 Aspro clear in as little water as you can tolerate. I am not good at having water with tablets, so I use a small amount of cordial. When she told me I sort of smirked and said "yeah like that's going to work" cause I am a huge migraine sufferer. Lo and behold it does. There has been times when I haven't got to it in time and a migraine has still hit, but the other times it has worked.

I have also cut out all the crap from my diet. Chips, coke, chocolate etc etc.

I would get a migraine every 2 weeks, one at ovulation, one at AF. I went onto the Depo and that stopped that for a while and migraines would only happen when I came in contact with strong smells. Few months ago was getting them back every 2 weeks again, which is when the doc suggested the Aspro trick, and I cut out all the crap. Now I seem to only seem to come on when sleep has been lacking.

My pet hate is people saying they have a migraine and they are happily chatting to you. If you've ever suffered a migraine you would know you are bed ridden for hours upon hours and many times more than one day.

As a migraine sufferer, my day can't just stop most of the time, weekends yes, weekdays no. So I am normally one of those ones that is chatting, but you know by looking at me it isn't so happily. I am also usually drugged to the max as well to get me through what I have to get through. Cause I have had them so often a lot of meds that make you drowsy, just have no affect on me.