Please tell me what you think.

[seamel]

My 17 year old son has suffered from migraines for most of his life.  The weren't technically diagnosed as migraine headaches until a few months ago because his pediatrician didn't want to call them migraines until he was an older adolescent, but my son has complained of headaches on a weekly basis since he was 6 or 7 years old, maybe younger.  Anyway, we have tried Imitrex and my son has continued to have 8-10 migraines a month.  Yesterday, the doc prescribed 10mg of amytripteline each night before he goes to bed.  I have read several things about side effects, and I am really nervous starting him on this drug.  Any advice or experience anyone would like to share?

[Suri123]

Hi ktmandal, thanks for your reply. Hope you are keeping well? It is really tough to take decisions especially when it comes to health of an individual or family care and career. You have indeed done a right thing of giving importance to health rather than money, once you feel better and get back to your early days, you will be able to perform well with your job. Try to continue rest of medications prescribed to you. Make yourself bit comfortable and find ways how you can be relaxed. Do some regular exercise, have good nutritious food, take daytime naps if possible, weekend outings or kind of family get-together, which can bring in some change to daily living. Good luck to your new job. Keep sharing your thoughts and update on your progress. Take care.  

[Suri123]

Hi, How is your son keeping? Migraine headache can certainly be worse and particularly in younger age group it can affect the daily routine and cause problems in studies and sleep mostly. You need to focus on his possible migraine trigger factors and avoid them to the extent possible. It is true that you are very much concerned to start him on Amytripteline, which is given as an anti-depressant and subsequent side effects as he is young. How stressed is he? Does he get proper sleep and how about at his studies? Regular exercise, good nutritious diet, relaxation techniques and few sessions of physical therapy can be beneficial. Due to your reservations on the drug usage and its benefits, it is better to consult a Migraine specialist for a re-examination and plan of care. Take care.

[Crystlas]

Have you tried magnesium yet?  It works wonders for me cutting my migraines down from three times a week to a few times a year only when I accidently eat a trigger food or too much stress.  Other than that a huge success.  My nurse practioner, whom also suffers, recommended this to me.  Go to a drug store/ walmart/ walgreens and get a bottle of 250mg Magnesium tablets.  Have him take it twice a day.  I take one with breakfast and one at night before bed.  After two weeks I started noticing a HUGE difference and that was three years ago!  Also, watch out for trigger foods. My main one is Aspertame.   I also do not tolerate MSG well.  Also a great book you can get off of half.com, which is where I got it, is called Migraine: The Complete Guide.  It is a great reference book with a lot of education surrounding migraines.  I attended a class about migraine and it was recommended to me.  ISBN# 071009009998   Good luck.  

[hava]

You are right to be worried about side effects of medication.Do these exercises everyday and the migraine will start to ease and disappear in about 4 months. It may work quicker as the son is only 17, and he will feel generally better from day two.
Build up your timing gradually.If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and resume after 1 minute.
Kapalbhati -(Do it before eating) Push air forcefully out through the nose about once per second. Stomach will itself go in(contract in). The breathing in(through the nose) will happen automatically. Establish a rhythm and do for upto 15 minutes twice a day.(Max 60 min/day) Not for pregnant women. Seriously ill people do it gently.

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 breaths into the lungs.

Bhramri Pranayam -Close eyes. Close ears with thumb, index finger on forehead, and rest three fingers on base of nose touching eyes. Breathe in through nose. And now breathe out through nose while humming like a bee.
Duration : 5 to 15 times