Waking w a migraine

I haven't posted for a while. I've had M since I was 8. They are now chronic. Currently I am 64 yrs. for the last few yrs I noticed my migraines always seem to come on about 4:30 am.  My neuro put me on trazedone at night that helped a lot to curb these early am migraines. But recently they are back again coming on EVERY morning at 4:30 - 6am! So I get up now every am & take my imitrex so by 7:30 I feel better & can hopefully struggle thru my day.

However I am worried about the increase daily frequency & taking this much imitrex. I have tried all the preventatives, Botox x3, & short courses of prednisone. Imitrex works for me & is my lifeline. But worry about long term effects from taking it so much. On the other hand how do other people that this works for use it? Also does anyone else have migraines that always start in their sleep & wake them up ? Help, this is so frustrating!

Hi Indyjanie, I often get migraines that start sometime in the early morning hours. It helps me to keep a water bottle and my Imitrex right by the bed so I don't even have to get up to take it. I also keep a bottle of peppermint oil right with it to dropper all over my head and it helps a lot. As for taking it often....that is a concern but since Seaine recommended cutting the Imitrex in half, I am at least taking less medication than before. I do plan to call my doctor this coming week and ask for a prescription for a Cefaly this week though. Don't know why I've put it off so long....probably because I have a few concerns about using this just as I do about taking pharmaceuticals on a regular basis.

Hi Kem 10 thanks for your reply, sort of weighing the Cefaly idea too. I am calling my neuro Mon. Maybe I will ask him about it. Wonder if you can do a trial before you have to shell out more money for something that again doesn't work! Will try the peppermint oil idea! Anyone out there tried Cefaly with any luck?

I've made several posts on Cefaly here, so I won't repeat everything. But, yes, I've been using it daily since March, and it has changed my life.

And probably 99 per cent of all of all of the migraines I've ever had (since about age 19, I'm now 63) have awakened me at about 5 or 6 a.m.

i've had migraines for 45 years.  for the last 20plus years they have usually hit me at 4 a.m.  strange, i think, but no practitioner has ever had a clue to why this happens.

peppermint oil has been in my arsenal for over 30 years.  i slap it on my head and under my nostrils, and it does help to keep my mind off my head pain.  

i take daily triptans; alternating the two which work for me.  my health is fine, OTHERWISE.  and i've done this daily thing for many years now, out of necessity.  i still have to work, so i have to get out of bed.  without triptans, i could not.  just my story; NOT a good idea if there are any other options.  dianne

I used to wake with daily migraine (and sometimes still do). I suspected a few triggers: not enough air circulation in my room, so I'll leave a door open and/or turn on a fan. Light entering in the morning, so I now have blackout shades. Light doesn't seem to be an issue for you, because yours start so early. Try changing your pillow/sleeping positions. It could be a neck issue. As my headaches change I find that the pillow I prefer also changes.

In response to your question about taking too many triptans, here's an interesting post about it: http://www.nyheadache.com/blog/daily-use-of-triptans/
The main issue with taking a lot of medication is stomach irritation and increased susceptibility for ulcers, but I believe that is only for NSAIDs--correct me if I am wrong. Read about it here: http://umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/peptic-ulcers#ixzz3G0RFLAq3

If you order the Cefaly from Costco, check their return policy, I think you can return it within 90 days to any of their stores around the world.

Wow great article!

Thank you Concord grape for the ideas. That tryptan article is so reassuring. I have thought for a long time that taking them daily does no harm or cause rebound. I can take them daily & then go a week without taking them during very infrequent times. But if rebound was the case during those infrequent pain free tryptan weeks wouldn't I be getting rebound if I was going to? Stopping tryptan At those times does not bring a HA on. I am perplexed about the 4 am migraines though. I have changed my pillow, had neck p. therapy, blocked the light etc. I guess I'm just an odd duck! This is the most perplexing disease! One that needs as much attention as ALS got!

Just an FYI....I tried Cefaly and it didn't work and it was easy to return.

I think the Cefaly is helping me. But even if it doesn't, it is unlikely to hurt. Just a tingly sensation on the forehead.

While mine are nowhere near constant, mine also onset in the early morning hours. Immediately upon waking (5-6x/year since I was 15-am now 40), I'll feel a pounding sensation in the back of my head. When I try to sit up its a mad dash for the bathroom of a trash can because I know I will vomit. No medication works, prescription or otherwise. If it goes into a second morning I'll go to the ER and get IV fluids to replenish me and painkillers/sleep inducers to make it go away. Miserable feeling. The only two times they occurred other than upon waking were in 4/1998 and 8/2011 when I had bouts of meningitis.

I am convinced that many of our morning headaches are caused by severe dehydration which acts like another trigger for migraine. Dehydration is often overlooked as a powerful M trigger, and it can happen easily especially when we are busy, or preoccupied with coping with daily pain.

I am trying to carry with me a water bottle during the day, but in winter I am not keen on cold drinks, and coffee and tea do not count because they cause  dehydration.

I have just made some tea because I am thirsty, but I need to remember to have some water later on, as well.
I know that dehydration is not the only cause of the morning head pain, but it often makes it worse. so remember to drink at least 2 bottles of water a day, summer or winter.