migraine tips?

[lowbudgetTV]

I get horrid migraines and they're just getting worse sonetimes. I figured I'd see if anyone here had tips or experiences. Migraines are the worst pain imaingable so I figure its good to vent.

Im not going to type very good because migraine. Im going to talk to a doctor next week. Maybe ill detail the horrid weird symptoms i get with them later. Ow!

[Marcine]

Aw lowbudgetTV,
I really feel for you. I too have experienced migraines.

The worst of them would start during the night and wake me in full fledged inferno pain. I found it very difficult/ impossible to get ahead of it at that point and just had to hang on for dear life until the vice grip on my head loosened after several hours. Excruciating.

Whenever I could sense it creeping up during awake times, that allowed me to try oral pain relievers and cold exposure (ice packs or cold water plunge), which sometimes reduced the intensity and/or duration.

Talking about the migraine's existence with loved ones who understand has helped me too.

But truthfully the breakthrough came when I started methodically tracking what happened in my life  during the 24 hours prior to each migraine.

And for me, the pattern became crystal clear. When I did something fun or liberating on my own terms— boom a migraine.

When I saw truth clearly and accepted it— boom a migraine.

When I spoke up for myself and held a boundary— you get the gist.

Like an epic clash between the titans of old, established neuron pathways and the current, vibrant neuroplastic growth.

A while ago I jotted this in my journal from the internet:
"Migraines and emotional flashbacks are closely linked as both stem from trauma where intense feelings (fear, shame) from past events resurface unexpectedly alongside severe headaches.
"These aren't just headaches— they're complex neurological/emotional responses."

(sorry that I didn't keep the source of that citation)

If indeed it resonates with you that migraines and emotional flashbacks are related, then it would suggest that reducing emotional flashbacks would reduce migraines.

I have found this to be true for myself. After a long time struggling.

As Pete Walker writes, reducing the frequency and intensity of emotional flashbacks is progress. They may never completely go away.

I still get migraines from time to time, less frequently and less intensely than before, still requiring me to slow down and heal the pain that is commanding my attention.

I sincerely hope migraine pain will become less intense and less frequent for you. My empathy and healing thoughts are with you.
 

[dollyvee]

Hey lowbudgettv,

I have a different approach to migraines. I never got them, but my dad had them repeatedly.

I think that a lot of my dad's health issues were environmental/genetic. I have been looking into my genetics for a while and there's a history of lots of IL-6/inflammatory markers in my family. I have had my own problems with histamine recently, and know that peanuts and my dad didn't mix (tho not an allergy), even though doctors say that peanuts don't precipitate migraines. Anyways, I think, like me, my dad was also suffering from mold/mycotoxin exposure after renovating our musty basement, and one of the symptoms of mold exposure are migraines. Some people have genetics which don't allow the body to detox mycotoxins and they can build up in the system causing problems and/or trigger existing inflammatory/sensitive genetics (chronic inflammatory response syndrome/CIRS and mast cell activation syndrome/MCAS).

With MCAS, stress is also a factor and yes my dad did have his own mental health struggles, but I feel like this was probably exacerbated by other environmental factors.

I hope you find some relief with it though.

Sending you support,
dolly

[Armee]

Was basically going to say the same as Marcine. I'm sorry you are getting these. Ive had migraines since I was about 13 and I'm almost 48 now. They are far less severe now than they were. But yeah that pain is unbearable and overwhelming.

The 2 things that helped were 1. Not being stubborn about pain management and not waiting to see if maybe it goes away on its own. The first sign of pain I need to take something and not wait and see. I may need to take something several days in a row but it's better than the pain coming back full-fledged. I had a bad reaction to migraine medication so just stick with advil and Tylenol and sometimes have to take them both...usually 2 advil and then an hour or two later two Tylenol.

2. The other thing that helped was paying closer attention to the emotional triggers because usually there was some kind of trigger...and yeah like Marcine said ... emotional flashbacks. So I would start to pay attention and track like Marcine did what was happening before I got the migraine and then tend to that issue. It's like if we can't resolve the emotional issue it turns into massive physical pain.

Good luck figuring this out (including DollyVee's suggestion to look at potential allergen triggers too) and I hope they get better for you

[lowbudgetTV]

I constantly analyze my symptoms to try and figure out my issues. I'm used to doing this; I sadly had terrible experiences with just going to the doctor. Turns out there's so many things that we haven't solved yet. And it's no coincidence that they're typically things that mainly affect women and other marginalized groups. 

I've come to observe that my Migraines are likely related to my digestive system/GI issues, which of course developed due to my PTSD in my youth. I used to think having like, IBS attacks were the worst ever. Having them with Migraines now? Now, that's terror.

I noticed that I would get bloated just from drinking water, and I had to use the bathroom with cramps constantly. There's also a possible element of menstrual stuff, which I'm going to discuss with the doctor, but even with that it all seems to be sourced with my GI track. It's a headache of intense pressure everywhere. I also have a TMJ arthritis issue so my right side is so strongly aching.

Today I feel better but its still present, but I can work. After that, I'm free for the rest of the week to rest mostly.

If anything, I think its the physical leftovers of being in my terrible situations as a youth. Its better than when I was a youth and the pain was a constant, but now it feels reduced to a real bad lot of pain once a monthish. I can't imagine the poor souls who get long, long migraines and are chronic.

I imagine the trigger was something I ate a few days ago + the fact I took a break from my constant hormone pills (as directed to by a doctor!) and having a period triggered a huge thing. Which is why I want to discuss like three contributing factors with my doctor ... I have the worst periods and I think it may be endometriosis, but there's also five other issues... The migraines on top... I need to be a stubborn ol' mule and search for answers. I'm quite good at finding them, even though I do know that there's no easy "cure" to nothing.

(Which reminds me, I saw a video the other day about psychologists being asked how many people they've cured, as if that was a gotcha from an anti-psychology grifter. I wish, dude. Not how this all works.)

Thanks for the advice. It is made worse by the fact you can't even have a fun sick day. I wanted to play games last night. Nope! 

I do have non-caffeine migraine meds for the night that seemed to help. And, ironically enough, the source of all my childhood pain had previously sent me a mask that massages you for migraines and it actually helps. I had to research a whole bunch on that to make sure I wasn't going to hurt myself with bunk tech, but it seems okay. I'll still ask the doctor if they recommend it or want me to stop and try something else.

So, TooLong; Didn'tRead: it's a mix of all what you said, I think. Emotional turned into physical residue, and thats the main thing. Or, maybe, the hormones of the horrific entity of the menstrual cycle made me feel horrid, and triggered a migraine. Either way, its a potpourri of garbage stuck in my body, giving me a horrid pressure everywhere.

[Hope67]

I'm glad to hear you feel a little better today - hope you enjoy your rest time later in the week.

[dollyvee]

It sounds like you've found a couple of temporary fixes and are seeing the doctor to help you sort it out, aware that the body migraines might be linked.

I know mold as a cause for issues sounds crazy and it took me eight months for me to believe my functional medicine practitioner that it might be linked, but it's been a big source of issues (including anxiety for me though mast cell stabilisers have helped with that amazingly). Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker had a list of symptoms on his website survivingmold.com.

Hoping you find something in your searches,

dolly

[lowbudgetTV]

Our previous place we lived in was definitely garbo and had mold, which I think could've affected my current nasal things that No One can figure out a solution to. Now that we're moved to a very nice place it does feel better. It's also fairly dry in winter up north here.

I'll mention my nasal cavity issues/possible mold as a footnote to the doc!

[dollyvee]

Hmmm interesting. I would have a look at his website and what Marcons are, which is basically a staph infection of the sinuses that can be related to gut issues. Mold has other down stream issues such as hormone dysregulation too. Hopefully the doc will listen, but in my case I was told that the tests I was doing would never be administered by the NHS, but you never know.