My great-grandma and grandma had what they called "sick headaches" from childhood, and me and some of my siblings and cousins got them too.  We may regard them too acceptingly as part of life's sufferings, but at least have ancestors to blame when a bad one makes you stay in bed, and others around to understand why it needs to be so dark and quiet. Having sisters, cousins, and aunts with them leads to occasional discussions about them, and identifying some clues about helping sometimes.

Sometimes for a few days ahead of time, I get some feelings or clues, like my vision seeming less clear or a little bit ripply like the freeway in summertime, changes in temperature hurting more than it should, sunlight hurts, back and arm skin feels sore, tingly, burning, tube lights noise that nobody else can hear causes ear pain, smell odd things nobody else smells, get constipated, have to pee a lot, feel queasy and hungry but not sure what for, worry more and get anxious more than I usually would, some sounds or colors cause nausea, unusual level of tiredness, muscle aches like having run a marathon or moved a bunch of heavy things when didn't, so when I realize these or other similar sensations are happening, I start drinking water, lots of it.

Hydration for some reason helps or can even head one off at the pass before it really gets here. Nothing with caffeine or carbonation or alcohol or sugar of any kind, except pedialyte, and water or smartwater.  WATER really seems to be at least helpful. Maybe I'm flushing something out of my system that contributes to the severity, I don't know. It also helps some of my relatives, even some who don't drink much water otherwise.

Then I avoid almost every kind of food for the days I'm feeling that "getting sick" feeling, like only eating plain boiled rice, applesauce, plain boiled chicken soup, peas, that sort of super simple no chemicals sick people food, because it seems not to aggravate anything and is very easy on the system. Even potatoes, toast, or spaghetti seems connected with feeling worse, but sure have to avoid nuts, chocolate, anything made with grapes or yeast, all meat except plain chicken or turkey or white fish, anything out of a box, bag, or restaurant, anything with salt or spice that I didn't add myself, everything really yummy dang it, but after a couple of days if I wake up knowing I'm better and I didn't lose a couple of days to the pain, it is well worth it. I eat small meals all day because not being hungry or too full seems to help most.

I usually boil a big pot of rice in the morning, and leave it on the stove all day, and just have that for every meal for a day or two, along with the lots of water. Maybe boring but also seems really nurturing somehow, like food for babies or invalids getting me better when I need the extra care. I love jasmine rice because it is very good all by itself while still being a mild white rice. Then I take plain raw chicken and boil it in distilled water with realsalt, a cretaceous era sea salt, and and maybe carrots and peas or greenbeans but nothing else. I know this is not a balanced diet and wouldn't do it for very long, this is just one of my best tricks to trying to limit the suffering when I feel a sick headache coming on. This rice idea is a family thing.

I'm sure you also do everything else possible, like hot bath with epsom salt, big sunglasses, warm comfy sweater, stay away from tube lights, stay home as much as possible, limit activity and stimuli especially noise and smells, etc. Sometimes there's nothing you can do, it just happens, and you just deal with it the best you can.

Last, for a few days or so, I try to make getting to bed early a top priority. I also take naps if possible, since for me getting extra sleep helps me resist or bypass the head-splitting-open-and-vomit-bucket phase. A lot of times I go from the blurry vision, achy, stupid, forgetful, clutzy phase straight to the mild headache, zombie, where-am-I feeling phase without the black cave of pain phase in the middle.

I know this is weird and might not work for someone else, but I really hope you figure out a method that minimizes your pain. My sister has not had much luck with the plain water and rice routine, but I have other relatives that did, but everyone is different and different things help or don't. My sister finds naps the most helpful, and hot baths. Whatever works for you, I hope and pray you find it soon.

jaimeleschats

2/ 3/10 2:54pm

I have most of the classic prodrome symptoms, with aura.  I get tortuously thirsty and need to drink almost constantly.  I wonder if something needs to be purged from the system, or if it's just my body going haywire.

 

A lot of common foods seem to make my headaches worse if I eat them when one is coming on, or if I eat too much of something when I feel fine.  Especially bacon, fried food, red candy or red drinks, chocolate, birthday cake, or peanut m&ms.  I try to be good then get tempted and pay for it later.

 

I use plain rice as a basic safe food, but I find yogurt and bananas help too.

 

 

Hi,

   I've suffered from migraine from the age of 20 and it has been a very painful journey uptil now,so,i can really empathise with you. I'm 48 now and going through perimenopause,that is the years leading to menopause when your period becomes irregular.My worst migraines were hormonal too like yours and so now when i don't get my period for a few months,my headaches are minimal and mild. I just wanted to give you hope that yours will soon get better and may be disappear too,because,i remember the way i used to look for hope in such forums.. Also,one more thing,i started using a herbal supplement called petadolex about a year ago and that helped to bring down the frquency and intensity of the headaches even before the perimenopause started,and i still take it anyway,because i'm frightened the headaches may return if i do. But, its perimenopause that has brought it down to this level where i feel i have control over my life again,i'm sure every migraineur will understand what i mean! Best of luck to you! Judging by your age,you'll be out of your misery soon!