Dear Teri

 

Thank you for your comprehensive classification of the various migraine medicines into abortive, preventive and rescue medications.

 

From a biochemical point of view, the difference between the rescue medicines and the abortives is small, and the distinction may at best not be useful for migraineurs, and at worst give us the impression of effects that are not there.

 

Both types of medicine are absorbed in our bodies, do their job to counteract our experience of discomfort, and are decomposed and/or excreted after some time. When the concentration of the active compounds dwindles to a level where their effect disappears, we continue to experience the migraine as we would have done without the medication.

 

The action of the so-called abortive medicines (triptans and ergotamine) is, however, different from that of the various rescue meds, which are all painkillers. The triptans and ergotamine restore the diameter of the blood vessels (and may have a range of other effects as well), but if the chemicals that induced the vasodilation (NO, tyramine, phenylethyalmine, histamine or others) are still in the blood when the triptans/ergotamine have been excreted, the migraine returns.

 

Some doctors use the term 'rebound migraines' for the migraine that returns after the abortive treatment, but not for the returning migraine after rescue medication. This does not make a lot of sense,  biochemically. Migraine is countered by both types of medication as long as they are in the body in sufficient amounts. We just experience the remaining part of the attack when the medication has been excreted or decomposed.

 

The distinction between abortive and rescue medication may lead migraineurs and others to believe that the triptans and ergots actually take the attack away. They don't.

 

Research is showing that we get more irreversable brain lesions, the more migraines we experience, independently of whether we take triptans or painkillers. Therefore it is important that we do not classify the so-called aborted migraines as 'no migraines'.

 

We also know, from experience of many migraineurs, that  the number of attacks you get can be minimised by avoiding your personal triggers.  So for a migraineur who wants to preserve his or her brain, it is vital to identify his or her personal triggers and work on reducing the number of attacks.

 

It may not be easy to identify your personal triggers, but the prospects of having more changes in the brain than the general population get is certainly a strong motivating factor for me. There is quite a lot of information about triggers at The Danish Migraine Association's website http://www.migraeniker.dk/english/index_eng.htm

  

Hope this is helpful!

 

Anne Bülow-Olsen

Chairman, Danish Migraine Association

 

 

 

 

There are lots of things that trigger a migraine.

I found that listesning to relaxing music helps prevent them

.The music takes your mind off of stressful things. 

 Of course some of my miagraines start out as sinus headaches and then turn into migraines.  But using the music  still makes those less severe.

 colognes and perfumes I cannot wear cause they bring on a migraine.

Migraines also run in the family. 

  

this might be off the subject but, i have had migraines since i was a child that hit me so hard that i had to relieve my stomache and then i would pass out,i would sometimes become very confused at where i am .i am one of those people who medications do not work on me even in high doses. docters have tried.i find the method of a large bag of ice planted firmly on the facial area and crying sometimes helps i have other symtems i am starting to notice now and its starting to scare me, my family just doesnt understand how im feeling! what do i do