HELP

[najemah]

im a 21 year old woman. I  have migraine every day since i was aboth 13 yrs old i dont no what to do about it could u, help me find the answer?

[DrNoopurMD]

Hi,

First and foremost try and identify the triggers for your migraines. These triggers can be red wine, processed meats, aged cheese, caffeine, MSG, artificial sweeteners.
You can use the migraine tracker or a headache diary to identify the triggers.
Also you can speak to your doctor about magnesium supplements and B complex supplements which have been known to reduce the frequency of migraine. Please remember the best treatment for migraine is identification and avoidance of trigger.

[marileew]

Have you seen a doctor about this? What about a neurologist?

Do you keep a headache diary? How long have you kept one for? Have you seen any trigger patterns behind your migraines? Do you know what causes them? Do you know anything that currently gives you any relief?

Also, what type of medication are you currently taking for your migraines? And do you take a daily preventative medication? What type are you taking if you are?

There are basically a few different categories of daily preventative medication: anti-depressants; seizure medication; beta-blockers (blood-pressure medication). Within those categories there are quite a lot of different medications to try... it is a trial and error process to figure out which one will be right for you.

There are also other treatments such as botox (injections in trigger point areas) and if botox works for you then there is also surgical treatment where they can cut the muscles/nerves that are bothering you.

There are also some "natural" treatments that seem to help some people such as high doses of vitamin B2 (400mg per day), high doses of magnesium (400mg per day i believe...), co enzyme q10 (i think that's what it is called... i don't know the dosage), and an herb called fever few (out of all of the "natural" treatments, this is the most dangerous to start without consulting your doctor as this can mix VERY badly with some medications and you can have serious reactions, do please do NOT take this without first consulting with a doctor and do NOT taking this with other medications).

So... without knowing what you have already tried... I can't give you too much advice yet... but, let us know what you have tried already and I will give you as much advice as I can. I get chronic migraines and I am 25 and female. I have had migraines since I was a child and have suffered with them chronically for quite a few years now. I've tried a few daily medications (I'm currently on topamax), a few "natural" treatments (i am just starting b2 again), and quite a lot of triptans (I currently take zomig). I also spent a lot time taking mega doses of advil (up to 1000mg at a time) although I don't take advil at all anymore to avoid rebound headaches in hopes that it will help with the chronic aspect of my migraines. Medication over-use is something to watch out for with chronic migraines... although it is also important to properly treat your migraines too.

Most importantly, you need to find a doctor that you can build a good relationship with... one that you trust and one that you feel is working with you to solve the mystery behind your migraines.

Keep in touch!!