A little help needed!

Hi Everyone!
As a fellow migraine sufferer and pharmacy student, I would like to ask you a few simple questions. Im doing a project about over-the-counter codeine use in migraines. Would you please take some time to help me out, it will only take about 2mins.
Thankyou so much, your help is appreciated! Kat.

Which medicines do you treat a migraine with that you buy over-the-counter at a pharmacy?
a) Panadol d) Panadol Extr g) Panadeine
b) Panadeine Extra e) Nurofen h) Nurofen Plus
c) Mersyndol f) Anagraine i) Metomax
Please state any others that you use

Why do you choose to use this/these medicines for migraines?
a) I was recommended them by a health professional (Doctor, Pharmacist, Nurse)
b) I was recommended by a friend
c) Advertising on the medicine packet/TV commercial states that they can be used for migraines.
d) Because it works
e) It is stronger than other pain relievers
f) It is the strongest pain reliever that I can get without a prescription
g) Other.... (please state reason)

At what point during a migraine do you take pain relief such as the medicines above?
a) At the first sign of pain
b) When the pain is moderate (does not interfere with your daily activities)
c) When the pain is severe (interferes with your daily activities)

Are you aware that the following medicines contain codeine?
Panadeine Nurofen Plus
Panadeine Extra Mersyndol
a) Yes
b) No
If Yes please state how you know this

Are you aware that medicines containing codeine are not the best option for treating migraine?
a) Yes
b) No

Rate which medicine you think is stronger and therefore better at treating migraine:
Panadol Anagraine Mersyndol
Nurofen Plus Panadeine Metomax
Panadol Extra Nurofen Panadeine Extra

Thankyou!

Hi again. Im from australia and Ive just realised that not everyone on this site is, so apologies because alot of you wont know the brand names of the medicines we have. Please answer any of the questions possible according to similar products that are common in you country....Thanks!

if a person has severe migraines, none of the otc meds are going to do much, if anything.

as someone with a 41-year history of these monstrous things, i have, of course, tried nearly everything, both prescription and non.

codeine does nothing for the pain, and makes me loopy and dizzy. all opiates, synthetic or not, make me throw up violently, and believe me, i've tried them all at various ER's through the years.

so, codeine-containing drugs are off-limits for me, and one good thing is that i can never become addicted. dianne

I am in the states, and don't really recognize any of those drug names, however I don't use anything over the counter, or anything with codene. Neither has been very effective at all. Sorry I can't help more.

Hi Kat,

I'm from Australia. It is ismportant to note as mentioned above that the only time a migraine sufferer would use OTC drugs was if they had no access to proper migraine abortives or if the abortives don't work for them and they don't have access to their prescription medicines.

Which medicines do you treat a migraine with that you buy over-the-counter at a pharmacy?
a) Panadol d) Panadol Extr g) Panadeine
b) Panadeine Extra e) Nurofen h) Nurofen Plus
c) Mersyndol f) Anagraine i) Metomax
Please state any others that you use

Why do you choose to use this/these medicines for migraines?
a) I was recommended them by a health professional (Doctor, Pharmacist, Nurse)
b) I was recommended by a friend
c) Advertising on the medicine packet/TV commercial states that they can be used for migraines.
d) Because it works
e) It is stronger than other pain relievers
f) It is the strongest pain reliever that I can get without a prescription
g) Other.... If I have no access to Imigran I will use anagraine to try and abort the migraine. I does occassionally work if taken early enough. To be honest I actually just take paracetamol and prescription maxalon which = anagraine but a lot cheaper. There is no neurological reason why it should work - I was recommended it by a doctor as an emergency backup. It is probably placebo.

At what point during a migraine do you take pain relief such as the medicines above?
a) At the first sign of pain
b) When the pain is moderate (does not interfere with your daily activities)
c) When the pain is severe (interferes with your daily activities)

Are you aware that the following medicines contain codeine?
Panadeine Nurofen Plus
Panadeine Extra Mersyndol
a) Yes
b) No
If Yes please state how you know this - experience

Are you aware that medicines containing codeine are not the best option for treating migraine?
a) Yes - (for me - not for everyone)
b) No

Rate which medicine you think is stronger and therefore better at treating migraine: [This is not an accurate conclusion. The best medicine for treating migraine is the one that works, not the one that's 'stronger'. Every migraine sufferer is different. You need to focus on the person as well as the migraine. Please also note, it is often not possible to tolerate OTC drugs (for me anyway) with codeine in them because they make me nauseated. ]
Panadol AnagraineMersyndol
Nurofen Plus Panadeine Metomax
Panadol Extra Nurofen Panadeine Extra

Thankyou for your replies.
I do realise that these questions will be very simple and not accurate for the 'high tech' migraine sufferers.
The data suggests that most people are not treated adequately for migraine and many sufferers 'settle' for OTC medicines, or will use them before the headache becomes a migraine. My project is not on the sufferer but on OTC codeine use, as many are not aware that its not the optimal solution.
Thankyou again for your replies, keep them coming!
(Please add any information that you are willing to share!)

Hi Kat,

If you are an undergraduate doing a class project or minor assignment just ignore my constructive criticism. I am currently working on a 3rd year course in psychometric assessment which includes questionnaire design! So that's why I'm being picky. You might get better research marks if you take some of it on board

I realised that you could have one other option on the question where you ask when people take the drug. Perhaps you could consider adding 'at the first sign of migraine onset' because pain may or may not be part of the first sign and all migraine sufferers know to take something at the first sign. It can often be aura, or some other neurological symptom - even yawning or language problems.

Also, you may run into problems interpreting any responses to your last question because it is worded in a way which is both double barrelled and leading . (1) You are asking people to (a) rate which drug is strongest and (b) rate which drug stops migraine - all at the same time. And (2) you are more or less telling people that the strongest medication stops migraine. So basically, this question is biased in favour of having people choose the strongest pain killer regardless of the other part of the statement. Also, if you try to interpret it, you won't know which part of the question people responded to.

Know what I'm saying? You may as well ask: Which medication is the strongest and therefore likely to lead to world peace? They are two independent statements pretending to be one. And there's no option for people to disagree with the conclusion that medication could lead to world peace. So it's doubly biased.

Just a thought. Sorry to be critical - I'm also writing my thesis so I'm in the research headspace. This is excellent creative avoidance for me =)

OK thanks for your input living.
Yes this is a simple questionnaire. Ive realised that this page is probably not the best to ask questions as most of you will know alot more than the average person. When I work in the pharmacy, so many people come to buy nurofen plus or mersyndol for migraines its not funny - hence the research.Yes I was thinking of rewording the last question for that reason, but in my defence, most people I come across think that the stronger the painkiller the better the effect.

My answer to question #1 is none of the above , which should be an response option. My response to the other questions is therefore not applicable, which should also be an option.

FYI. I have never found any OTCs that did anything for migraine pain. I take Oxycodone combined with a triptan. The oxy is the only thing that seems to work. I am sure most people are aware they are taking medication that is not effective if that is the case. It's hard not to notice the pain. The real problem is finding what is effective and/or getting a doctor to prescribe it. I suggest you expand your research to consider this.

Where I live codeine containing products are only available with a perscription, and NOT over the counter.

Mostly what I have been using lately is Hyland's homeopathic Migraine Headache Relief tablets that I disolve under my tongue. If I take one (1) tablet at the very first hint that a migraine is developing, and a second tablet four (4) hours later, I can often stop the migraine. But if I wait until the migraine is fully in progress, then it will not provide any relief.

I also sometimes use Acetaminophen, but have been taking it less often since it has been loosing its effectiveness, and I do not want to damage my liver or kidneys. I also do not want to get into a rebound situation like I did with Ibuprofen. I find that the only headaches that Ibuprofen has any effect on are the ones that it causes by rebound, so I do not use it.

I really like this post quite informative and interesting points and figures you had given. This is helpful in enhancing the knowledge regarding the topic. Thanks for sharing with us.

Kat, I live in the U.S. so I am not familiar with the drugs you have named - but have answered what I am able to answer.

Which medicines do you treat a migraine with that you buy over-the-counter at a pharmacy?
a) Panadol d) Panadol Extr g) Panadeine
b) Panadeine Extra e) Nurofen h) Nurofen Plus
c) Mersyndol f) Anagraine i) Metomax
Please state any others that you use: Naproxen Sodium (brand name Aleve)

Why do you choose to use this/these medicines for migraines?
a) I was recommended them by a health professional (Doctor, Pharmacist, Nurse)
b) I was recommended by a friend
c) Advertising on the medicine packet/TV commercial states that they can be used for migraines.
d) Because it works
e) It is stronger than other pain relievers
f) It is the strongest pain reliever that I can get without a prescription
g) Other.... (please state reason) OTC choices here are basically ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin, and naproxen sodium and maybe a few other related drugs. Generally, NSAIDs aggravate my acid reflux so I don't take ibuprofen. Acetaminophen does nothing to dull my migraine attacks. Naproxen sodium was recommended by a doctor because it is less likely to cause rebound headaches than some others and less likely to irritate the acid reflux than ibuprofen or aspirin. But it doesn't really help the migraines.

At what point during a migraine do you take pain relief such as the medicines above?
a) At the first sign of pain At the first sign of a migraine which is food cravings and weakness (not pain)
b) When the pain is moderate (does not interfere with your daily activities)
c) When the pain is severe (interferes with your daily activities)

At the first sign of a migraine I take whatever current rescue meds my doc has prescribed. Recently that was Treximet (sumatriptan & naproxen sodium). But that did not work very well so the last one I tried was meperidine (Demerol). But that didn't work either. Tomorrow I'll pick up a new script to try. It will be compounded from compazine, caffeine and indomethacin. Hoping the indomethacin won't rip up my stomach

Are you aware that the following medicines contain codeine?
Panadeine Nurofen Plus
Panadeine Extra Mersyndol
a) Yes
b) No
If Yes please state how you know this I don't know any of those drugs, so I don't know if they contain codeine.

Are you aware that medicines containing codeine are not the best option for treating migraine?
a) Yes Yes
b) No

Rate which medicine you think is stronger and therefore better at treating migraine:
Panadol Anagraine Mersyndol
Nurofen Plus Panadeine Metomax
Panadol Extra Nurofen Panadeine Extra