Looking for advice

I have been suffering from migraines since I was 5 years old. I had neuro surgery in 97 to correct a neural tube defect they believed to be causing the headaches...however, since then, I've had recurring migraines. The neurosurgeons and neurologist believe that they have nothing to do with the neural tube defect and that I'm just a migraine sufferer.

I have tried everything, imitrex, relpax, and something new with a t. I am now on Prestiq (Anti-depressent and headache preventitive.) However, my migraines have come back with a vengence. I am wondering about alternative treatments, acupuncture, botox, biofeedback, massage therapy, chiropractic work, etc...any suggestions? Any luck with any of these?

I am recently married and my husband doesn't know what to do with me when I am suffering so bad with the migraines...I would really like to find some relief!

Treximet is maybe what you had tried?
Also, can you tell us more about Prestiq? How long have you been on it? Did you get a refill close to the time your migraines came back? Are you using a generic instead of brand? Did it work, and if so how long did it help?

I don't have experience with alternative treatments yet. I am new to the drug brigade. I am also newly married, 2 years next week

I heard good things about botox, although I don't know if I would concider it alternative treatment. It works for a few people on this forum, I'm sure they will chime in soon. Biofeedback seems silly, but everyone is different. I'd love to try acupuncture myself and if I do I'll let you know!

Have a nice night!

Only this morning I was thinking that lately "natural" therapies are helping me more than drugs.
I have had good results with chiropractic and accupuncture.
The only problem with them is that they must be regularly made and they are a little bit expensive.
Bye

You should try those things you asked about. some may help.

Botox seems to help some, though 1500 $ - 2000$ and 3 months or less is what i read.

I had great chiro for my low back but 15 visits for migraine was not helpful.

I would like to try accupucture, have not heard of it working.

In 6 years I have gone without meds 3 times checking against rebound and I get 4-5 M a week with or with out meds. I hope you find relief.

Although I encourage you to try all of the alternative therapies, the only one that has given me any measure of relief is massage therapy. I carry a lot of tension in my neck, shoulders and upper back, and massage relieves some of that tension. It doesn't take away the migraines but, by lessening the pain in the neck, shoulders and upper back, it's at least a little more tolerable.

I've tried, without success, acupuncture, chiropractic, botox, you name it. Chiropractic, especially, made things markedly worse, for me.

Good luck.

Becky

Treximet is what I tried..It was right on the tip of my tongue. I just feel really helpless because my neurologist has told me "You're just doing to be a person with migraines." I don't like that answer. The Botox really doesn't seem like an answer to me because of the expense.

I have an appointment with my nuerologist the first week of February. It's my first one in over 6 months because I was without insurance.

I'm trying to research and find out as much as I can so I will be more prepared to go into his office and get some answers.

I was like you.

I remember when "this is what you have been dealt, make adjustments accordingly and learn to deal with it" was unacceptable to me.

When I was sure that there had to be a reason, and moreover, a solution.

I remember that hope.

I was determined and strong. I had too much to lose.

I wonder after which brick wall I hit did that hope diminish????


I wish you the best in your quest. AND...... if you find something that works, please stop back through and share!!

Howdy

There are a kazillion migraine preventatives out there. I went through many then discovered that cycling between Topomax and Lyrica worked for me ... 6 to 9 months on one and then go tothe other. This helped me somewhat for several years. Now I take Cymnbalta with limited success.

I have to remember that "success" means fewer (not no) migraine episodes and/or shorter epsidoes and/or less intense episodes. Nothing will cure this dreadful disease ... BUT many medications help reduce the frequency, intensity, and or duration of migraine episodes. Let's see how many I can recall that I have tried with some success:

Lyrica, Topomax, propanenol, Neurontin, something with a Z, Dilantin, Depakote ... there are many more that my migraine memory has spaced.

Good luck to you ... I believe it hurts the ones who love us almost as much if not more than it hurts us to have migraine episodes.

Thank you Jessica!

Richard, Lyrica made me gain so much weight that it was aboslutely devistating and it didn't do much against the migraines. I've tried several cycles of Topomax and well, it makes my face go completely numb and then sometimes the face just tingled...Apparently my nerves dont handle it well.

I've tried propanenol, I'm on Verapamil now, I am 26 but was diagnosed with high bp at 23. it runs in the family, I've been taking my blood pressure a lot lately during my migraines and for example last night it was 130/95.

The verapamil is used to control my bp, in April of 2008 I actually had a migraine introduced TIA, a stroke variant. So I watch my bp very closely.

I've been told that apparently, what induces my migraines is enlarged ventricles in the brain which cannot be explained...so that again It's back to "Well, you have enlarged ventricles, you're just going to have migraines."

Thank you for the list of other medications, I'm going to research those.

Massage has always helped me That and Topomax.

I take topamax and for the first 2 months and even now my face, hands and feet go numb and tingle. It is a normal side effect of the drug. Believe it or not, it is the most common one people taking it experience! It has gotten better with time and now it usually is only my heels and my face tingles when I get angry.

I'd take it over experiencing the M any day. Didn't have too much luck for the first few months on it but the severity went down. Now, after 3 months and switching to brand from generic I can finally say lately I have been getting 1 migraine a week compared to 4, sometimes more. I am very happy I gave it a chance!

The thing to remember with all migraine medications is that each specific medications effect is VERY individual. What helps me will hurt you and vice versa. Pity of it is, we never know until we try,

I have had some success with Namenda, an alzheimers's med. It has not lessened the frequency, but has helped a great deal with the severity. With it I can generally get the pain down to a 2 with a vicoprofen. Plus, no side-affects such as weight gain, or stupidity.

I still get some doozies, I'm struggling today wth loss of vision, but the weather has been really cruddy the last four days, and I think my head just said "enough!" But, I don't get them nearly as bad as I did.

It is very individualized, but if you bring up a med., someone here has probably tried it.

Welcome to the forum. Your photo is gorgeous.

Charlotte

thegirlwithbrowneyes wrote:I have been suffering from migraines since I was 5 years old. I had neuro surgery in 97 to correct a neural tube defect they believed to be causing the headaches...however, since then, I've had recurring migraines. The neurosurgeons and neurologist believe that they have nothing to do with the neural tube defect and that I'm just a migraine sufferer.

I have tried everything, imitrex, relpax, and something new with a t. I am now on Prestiq (Anti-depressent and headache preventitive.) However, my migraines have come back with a vengence. I am wondering about alternative treatments, acupuncture, botox, biofeedback, massage therapy, chiropractic work, etc...any suggestions? Any luck with any of these?

I am recently married and my husband doesn't know what to do with me when I am suffering so bad with the migraines...I would really like to find some relief!

I have tried all the acupuncture, biofeedback, massage, chiropractic work,etc. I have also tried a number of physical therapies and meds.. Nothing so far has given me the success that botox had given me. However, most insurance companies wont cover botox and it gets expensive. I'm currently trying to figure out a way to "beat" the system so I can get this once again.
I feel for you, I know how awful migraines are for the person that has them as well as the people around us! I'm no fun to be around, it's terrible.
Good luck, hope you find something that helps!

Richard wrote:Howdy

There are a kazillion migraine preventatives out there. I went through many then discovered that cycling between Topomax and Lyrica worked for me ... 6 to 9 months on one and then go tothe other. This helped me somewhat for several years. Now I take Cymnbalta with limited success.

I have to remember that "success" means fewer (not no) migraine episodes and/or shorter epsidoes and/or less intense episodes. Nothing will cure this dreadful disease ... BUT many medications help reduce the frequency, intensity, and or duration of migraine episodes. Let's see how many I can recall that I have tried with some success:

Lyrica, Topomax, propanenol, Neurontin, something with a Z, Dilantin, Depakote ... there are many more that my migraine memory has spaced.

Good luck to you ... I believe it hurts the ones who love us almost as much if not more than it hurts us to have migraine episodes.

Well said and very true!