Need some help with migraines...

[blackskittles]

I'm a 20 year old female, and I have had migraines for many years  I used to only have them a few times a year, but for about the past year I have been having 1-2 a week.  I am taking Atenolol 50 mg as a preventative medication, but I don't think it is really helping since I still have 1-2 migraines per week.

The first abortive medication I tried was Maxalt 10 mg.  I had to take a least two for it to work and even that was not a guarantee.  Next my doctor switched me to Midrin, which sometimes relieved the pain, but mostly made me sleepy.  Now I have Imitrex 25 mg which seems to make no difference at all.  I have even taken 2 or 3 of them with no effect, which gets really expensive at $17 a pill.

Some of the migraines are lasting 2 days and I have trouble sleeping when I have them.  I wake every 30 minutes or so because the pain is so bad.  I'm out of Imitrex and have no intention of getting a refill.  I don't really know where to go from here. I am starting to wonder if any of the triptans will work since two haven't already.  I am thinking maybe I should ask if I can try a different preventative medication.  Heck, I don't know.  My doctor is nice, but never really has any ideas about what to do next.  I always have to bring up switching medications or what I want to do next.  I just don't want to have so many migraines, and I want to be able to get rid of them when I do.  Any ideas?

[hava]

To to get relief from headache/migraine naturally, the full pranayam exercises are described below.
Initially do Anulom Vilom (as much as you can) for the fist few days and then start the full set of pranayam.This works gradually, so allow time (1 week upto 12 weeks) and concentrate fully on the breathing. Avoid cold drinks and drink warm water.

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. 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.
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

[Dr. A. Srivastava]

Thank you for your question. Although without being able to examine you I can not offer you the specific advice on diagnosis and treatment that you need, but I would try to provide you some relevant information about your health concern.

I can understand your worrying concern about long term migraine headaches and no sure success treatments that you have tried. The mainstay of the migraine treatment is always to identify the triggering factors and to avoid them. Triggering factors could be different foods such as cheese, chocolate, alcohol and even few fruits. Other factors that may induce your migraine attack may be contraceptive pills, stress or depression, bright lights, loud noise and traveling. Few women experience headache more commonly during the time of their menstrual periods & at the time of hormonal imbalance. I would suggest careful record of events that have proceeded with the attack and avoid those factors. In addition, try to rest in a dark & quiet room, meditate, have a balanced diet and avoid taking unnecessary drugs. Even then if you suffer continuous headache, please arrange an appointment with a neurologist right away who will evaluate the further underlying disorders here that may be the main reasons of your migraine attacks and can provide you an appropriate treatment. Hope this information proves helpful to you.

Take Care & Regards!!!