I went to the dr for my appt yesterday. I went to the regular family practice dr. She was a new one, and was very nice about everything. She took notes on everything I told her about my headaches. I mean she had a good half page of notes on what I said. She asked a lot of questions, why I decided now to come in,how long they last, how frequent etc...She said it sounded like migraines to her, and expecially since I had family history, as my mom and brother have them.
She asked if I wanted something to take everyday (preventitive)or something just to take them away when I got them. I said the 2nd, I want something to take away the pain when I got them. She gave me samples of 2 dift things,one was Imitrex, and something else that just dissolves. She said to try them out when I get the migraines. She said I could call her up at anytime and she will call me in a prescription for the one I wanted. I woke up with a headache at 1am. I was hesitant about taking anything because I wasnt sure if it was a migraine or just a regular headache. I ve been in that position a lot, where I am not sure. Then boom, it is too late, and nothing works. So after anout 10 minutes of laying there thinking about it, I came downstairs and took an Imitrex. Of course Im so not patient, and thought "its not working"...but I sat here and with in 45 mintues it was kind of fading. It was still there, but much more tolerable. I felt then I could go to sleep. When my head hurts really bad, I can not sleep. So I went upstairs and within 10 minutes I was asleep. I woke at 6am and the headache was completely gone. I did feel kind of sick to my stomach when I first took it, and even when I woke up. As the morning went on, that went away. I feel so much better about things, that I have some sort of help when the headaches get bad.

By Karen~moderator on Tuesday, May 9, 2006 - 07:27 pm:

That is good to hear. Very often, the nausea is part of the migraine. Like it's not bad enough that your head is splitting open, right? LOL

As I said in your other thread about migraines, I used to get them 2 or 3 times a week back in the 70's. And like Pamt, I had them as a child too. Before my hysterectomy they were really bad, not as frequent as 3 times weekly, but definitely once or twice a month, EVERY month, and in a 10 year period, I probably went to the ER twice a year for them. I had one that lasted 5 days once. No exaggeration. After my hysterectomy, I didn't even get one for probably 5 years. The last 4 years or so, I've been getting them with increasing frequency. A couple of years ago, Jeff had to take me to the ER with one that was really bad.

I woke up with one around 4 AM on Sunday. I took so much stuff trying to get rid of it, and literally spent most of the day in bed in a darkened room, with an ice pack and a bandana, meds.... all the things I normally do. It was still pretty bad that evening, and I drank a coke and it started going away.

Hopefully you can figure out your triggers. Hormones always played a huge part in mine. Chocolate too. I had some sugar free chocolate ice cream both Fri. & Sat. night, so I'm wondering if I'm *back in that place* again. Between figuring out your triggers, and having something to take for them, hopefully you'll be able to manage them a lot better now. I've heard good things about the Imitrex. I know several people who use it, and they all say that within 30 to 60 minutes it gets rid of their migraines.

By Nicki on Tuesday, May 9, 2006 - 07:47 pm:

I'm so glad you now have something to help your headaches! I have been wondering how you were doing. Thanks for letting us know. Good news, for sure! (And it sounds like you have a great doctor.)

By Dawnk777 on Tuesday, May 9, 2006 - 07:58 pm:

Yikes! I have been spared migraine headaches. No headache I have ever had, sounds like any of your headaches, although I have had HA's that made my eyes sensitive to light, but not very often, and the pain wouldn't ever be that bad.

My sister on the other hand gets them BAD. If she would call me during a headache, I could tell by her voice, that she was having one. She has gone to the emergency room, to get shots of Demerol. For a while, she was taking Inderal, which is a beta blocker you would take all the time, to try to prevent the headaches, but I don't think she takes it anymore.

She rarely calls me anymore, so I have no idea what's going on with her headaches, now.

By Christylee on Tuesday, May 9, 2006 - 10:56 pm:

Imitrex is a godsend, I've used that for many years. They even have an inhalent that works almost instantly that is great. You get a really nasty taste in your mouth afterwards BUT within seconds the headache is gone. I prefer that to the waiting that comes with the pill version.

I'm glad they worked for you and you found an understanding doctor.

One thing you might do is when you feel one come on or if you get one try to think about what is going on ex: chocolate, processed meats, stress, etc...It really helps alot in cutting the frequency down when you can pinpoint a trigger. Mine is stress or lack of sleep most of the time.

By Pamt on Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 08:14 am:

Glad that oyur doctor was supportive! Jackie, one thing that is VERY important with migraines is to take something when you first start to feel one coming on. Just try to "wait and see if it gets worse" or try to be tough and wait it out. The minute you start getting a slight headache or even feel that you might (seeing twinkling lights generally happened prior to the actual headache part), so ahead and take something then. It will work faster and help you avoid the pain.

Hope the Imitrex does the trick for you!

By Babysitbarb on Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 08:47 am:

I have found with my migraine's the nose spray imeterx works much faster then the pill does for me. Sometime within 20 minutes. The pill can take up to hours and it will add to my already nausea. I have both and also have made the mistake many times of just doing advil first and by that time it's to late and I end up having to take the migraine medicine anyways.

By Tarable on Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 10:05 am:

In my experience I have found that if I wait until I know it is a migraine then it is too late and I will be in bed for hours - days, but if i get the first signs (which for me is weird almost blurred vision) and I take my medicine (Zomig ZMT it melts under your tongue) then I am only out for about 30 min. Also if the nausea from the Imitrex is too bad try something else. I had to quit taking Imitrex because it made me really sick to my stomach for a long time after I took it. I have been wanting to try the Imitrex nose spray but I haven't been to the dr to see if he will let me try it. I hope you find your triggers and they are easier than mine (which is Stress and only Stress). Good luck!