Always have headaches/migraines at least twice a week, now its getting worse!

[2877]

I was hoping I could get some advice on what I should do/take for the following symptoms. I have been having headaches that then turn into migraines, for the past year or so. At first it was only once a week, and then went to three times a week, then back to one or none, and now I have had a migraine every day this week since Sunday. I find that I always wake up with them. Sometimes I feel like I'm going to be sick. Sometimes, like today, I felt dizzy to the point where I had to sit down and kept having to go sit down at work and had stomach aches and a migraine. I took 2 extra strength tylenols when i woke up, which made the pain in my head ( which is almost always from the right side of my neck all the way up my right side of my head, sometimes feels like its behind my right eye) less painful. I wear contacts, 6 months ago my right eye needed more strength so I got the same perception in both eyes now. I am 21 years old, female 146lbs. I had an accident in grade six where I got tripped and fell face first on the cement and chipped my two front teeth, and then in grade 11 again, fell face first on tiles and pushed the half fake two front teeth back a little. I had to get root canals done on both teeth. I do not feel any pain in my teeth, but could I have these headaches from possibly hurting my neck years ago? I didn't have headaches after the fall though, just a couple of years later.

I went to my doctor a year or so ago, and she thought that certain food triggers my migraines so she told me to not eat nuts or chocolate. I didn't eat them for a month and found no change. She also gave me pills to take when I feel a migraine coming on, which helped a little but there was still pain on my right hand side of my head. I would like to not have to feel this way every week and I hate that I have to miss work. I always feel tired even after a 8 hr sleep. I find myself coming home and falling asleep. I will be setting an appointment at the doctors, but I don't want them to just say 'here take this' and then not try to figure out what is causing them.  I also get instant headaches with smoke, cigarette smoke, or some perfumes.

Any advice or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[2877]

so went to the docs, she prescribed MAXALT 5mg. I couldnt get it because it was so much just for one pack of 6. She also suggested that it was from choc,nuts,wine, and cheese. Once again im going to not eat those things for a month and see what happens. I read online about the side effects of MAXALT and I am kinda worried about even trying it if I was to buy it. Anyone have any suggestions of weather to try it or not about MAXALT? She also suggested rather than taking birth control pills, she can give me the needle. Im really not thinking about that. If worse comes to worse I will try going off Yasmin and see what happens. I am also going to try to go on a gluten free diet before I go off yasmin. Any thoughts on MAXALT would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[2877]

thanks!

[twitchychick]

My migraines started about when puberty kicked in.  Way back then (I'm 43) if you had a really bad headache and threw up, you had a "virus."  Well at about 18 we finally knew they were migraines, because of the aura (visual disturbances, numbness in hands/face) before the pain would kick in.  That was also the age I first tried birth control pills.  I had other triggers like stress, fluorescent lights, flickering lights, etc.  My gyno tried me on pill after pill and I would always have a headache, every day.  Not a migraine, though those did increase.

I finally gave in and went on Topamax.  The migraines stopped.  I did have side effects and had to stop it.  I had kidney stones, twitching, tingling, cognitive function difficulties, and weight loss.  I am 5'8 and I lost down to 120 lbs.  For me, that was too thin.  However, since I stopped the Topamax in February I have gained all the weight I lost and then some.  I'm also on Nortriptyline.  It is an older antidepressant.  It can help with twitching/nerve pain, depression and migraine.  It can also make you gain weight.

I just started Tegretol, an anti-seizure medication.  Dr said it should show results very quick, 3-4 weeks.  If no relief by then, discontinue it, it's not going to work.  Been on it two days.  Will keep you posted in case it might help someone else. :-)

[2877]

Thanks for the replies everyone,

Twitchy chick, how did your doctor figure out it was birth control pills that caused it?

Day To Try, When i told my doctor about my migraines she did give me something that she said would prevent them from coming, but I would still have pain. Maybe I will ask her about Topamax. Thanks!

[DayToTry]

Maybe you should talk to your dr about taking a preventative medicine for your migraines.  I take Topamax daily for mine.  Like you I especially have menstrual migraines.  That's pretty common.

[twitchychick]

Don't know if it helps but I have never been able to take ANY type of birth control pills because they cause migraines.  I would have a daily headache while I was on them, then a big ole migraine.  I would also have more migraines after I started my period.  As I got closer to 40, they were out of control.  You may just not be able to take the pill.  I was also not able to take any kind of birth control injection because docs said if I started having more migraines there was no way to get the hormones out of my system.   If you stop taking bc and the migraines are better, you may have your answer. At least as to what is aggrevating them.

Good luck!

[2877]

Oh I forgot to mention, I am on Yasmin 28. This 5 day migraine started after my menstrual cycle.  I am very sensitive to light and sounds.