Thursday, March 25, 2010
This is my first post on this site, as I just joined today. I have been suffering migraines since i was about 23 (10 years ago). I am allergic to the medications such as Immitrex, Axert, Relpax, which makes it hard to know what I can take. I was given Fiorocet, which DOES work without making me sick like the others did, but that is such a strong drug I worry about taking it for everyone of my migraines (so I don't). For one thing, I fear that I could build up a tolerance to it, and so far it's the only one I can take. Second, with the barbiturates in it, I just worry about taking it too often because of my liver. I generally prefer to try and stick with natural type remedies if I can, because I feel safer with an herb or root than a pharmaceutical.
I am getting married in the fall - in the back of my mind, there is a constant fear that I'll get a migraine that day and then what????
Hello, and welcome to MyMigraineConnection.com!
We are so glad you've found us. I'm so sorry I've taken so long to reply to you.
Depending on the number or Migraines you get a month, like three or more it is time to have a discussion with your docctor about Migraine prevention. There's growing evidence that Migraine is a progressive brain disease. A recent study showed that Migraines can cause brain damage, and that people with three or more Migraines a month are more susceptible to this damage. For more information, see Is Migraine a Progressive Brain Disease? and Yes, Migraines Can Cause Brain Damage.
Now onto Fioricet - here's the thing with this pain medication - it does not abort (or stop) the Migrainous process. Only abortive medications like triptans (Frova,) ergotamines (Migranal nasal spray,) DHE 45 and isometheptene compounds (Midrin is only available in generic form such as Duradrin, Epidrin, Isocom) can abort a Migraine attack. This article helps me alot when trying to figure out the difference between all the different medications that are used for Migraines preventives, abortives and rescues: Preventive, Abortive, and Rescue Medications - What's the Difference? So ANY use of opioids or barbiturates and frequent use of triptans and NSIADs are associated with increased risk of transformed Migraine. See Transformed Migraine - Risk Increased by Some Medications for more information on this.
There are some dietary supplements that work well for some people to prevent Migraines, but not one "natural" product I know of that has a high success rate for aborting Migraines in progress. You can get rebound from some of the "natural" substances too - feverfew for example.
Please remember that these "natural" substances were mankind's first drugs, and they still act as drugs in our systems. They have potential side effects and warnings too. They should be discussed with your doctor before trying them.
For Migraine prevention, talk with your doctor about Petadolex, Coenzyme Q10, Vitamin B2, and magnesium. The studies on acupuncture have been mixed, but it might be worth trying.
Thank you for creating a SharePost. SharePosts are a form of blogging, and there are many things you can do with them. You can share an experience, suggest something that's helped you, use SharePosts as a Migraine and headache journal, and many other things.
We also have a discussion forum that you may want to check out. Especially if you have questions or are looking for information, you may find the interaction on the forum to be quite helpful. I hope to see you there. To get to the forum, just look for the orange box marked "Manage" and click on the Migraine Forums link. Because our forums are maintained by a third party, you'll need to register for the forum. You can use the same information you used to create your community log-in if you like. If you want to go directly to the forum, you can click HERE.
Along with your personal "My Home" page and the discussion forum, you'll find links to a great deal of helpful information on the main page of our site, http://www.MyMigraineConnection.com. Under the Find, Manage, and Connect tabs at the top of each page, you'll find a wealth of information - educational articles, tips, quizzes, workbooks, support and advocacy information, and more.
Do you have questions about Migraine? There are three ways to get answers - through our Ask the Clinician column, in our community Question and Answer Section, or through our forum. Just go to our Migraine Answers page HERE.
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Welcome again,
Nancy Bonk
MyMigraineConnection.com Community Manager
PS: If you receive this message from more than one of us, please excuse the overlap. Thanks!