I forgot to add that since seeing the chiropractor I was able to get off the depakote (with my neurologists permission.) It was making me very drowsy.
First thank you for serving our country. We owe our freedom to all who serve. Second I am sorry you sustained a TBI. I received a concussion from a car accident and one result was horibble migraines. Last year I finally found a neurologist who would listen. She prescribed a low dose of depakote for prevention and when I get a migraine I have relpax. She also checked my Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D levels. My vit D levels were so low I put on prescription vit D.
One thing I found that helps is getting my neck treated by a great chiropractor. You might have sustained whiplash with the TBI and if the whiplash has not been treated that can make the migraines worse. If you can see if you can find a good chiropractor. Also there are foods that trigger mine-- gluten (wheat, barely, rye), dairy, any artificial sweetener, nitrates/nitrites, cashews, msg (now call umani), and high fructose corn syrup (corn sugar).
I hope this helps and once again thank you,
achilles2
First off, thank you for your service to our country and I am sorry that you suffered and are suffering from the blast. I'm glad you're home safe.
I use a hot/cold therapy product for my migraines that works right away. It's called SootheAway and I bought it on line. It has a had pad that I wrap on and then I turn on the unit (cold works best for me). Within minutes there is cold water pulsing over my pain points and within 20 minutes or so the headache has subsided.
I took medications and combinations of medications and couldn't deal with the side effects. I'm also on anti-depressents and the combination was not good.
Even though the unit was a little bit of an investment, it was a lot less expensive than my co-pays on my drugs and my whole family uses it. Hope this helps!
M.R. - Nebraska
This will help to reduce the migraine and prevent it longer term.
If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and resume later.
Anulom Vilom –
Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril
then -keeping the left nostril closed deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 20 to 30 minutes twice a day(maximum 60 minutes in one day).
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.
Hi,
How are you?
Yes you are right antiseizure medications like gabapentin, topamax, depakote and BP medications like Inderal and verapamil are used as preventive therapy for migraine.
No medication is without side effects so each of these medications has side effects. If the beneficial effects overweigh the side effects they are worth trying.
Apart from these magnesium supplements, feverfew, biofeedback, acupuncture therapy and B12 supplements have shown beneficial effects in preventing migraine.
Hope this helps!
I took the anti-depressant and blood pressure combo. It worked ok, but with me having really low blood pressure anyway, I didn't like the feeling from the blood pressure meds. If you have normal blood pressure, perhaps the combo could work for you. I have taken hydrocodone for years for pain and it is still working very well for me. I only take it as needed, not daily. I have ringing in my ears occasionally, also, and sometimes my left ear hurts. I've got vestibular damage from a TBI and also had a stroke from having my vertebral artery dissected when the accident happened. Hope that you can find something that will work for you. Thanks for your service. I'm prior military, but fortunately never had to serve during war time.