Always in the left side of the head, with exterme sinsitivity to light, smell and sound. Sometimes blurred vision or double vision and closing right eye gives normal vision. Pain is continuious and can last days. Nausa and vomiting can follow with depression ather a few hours with a lot of anger problems. During these headaches my family has learned to avoid me because of the anger problem. My doctor has me on migraine meds, but they only work part time and he has tried anti depressants,( too many side affects). I've had these for over 30 years now and they seem to have gotten more frequent with age. I know stress and a lot of activity make them more frequent and more severe. I have had many tests and always little show up other than increased brain activity during these.
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Q: My migraines usually start in my sleep, I then wake up in agony. Can I do anything to stop this?
Hi Steve,
Irregular sleeping patterns may trigger a Migraine for many people. You may want to talk to your doctor about a sleep study to see if you are getting good quality sleep during the night. Maintaining a regular schedule helps this - going to bed at the same time every night and waking at the same time every morning is very helpful. You can read more about this in the article, Transformed Migraine Related To Sleep Problems.
If your doctor isn't able to help you, it may well be time to consult a Migraine and headache specialist. It's important to note that neurologists aren't necessarily Migraine and headache specialists. Take a look at the article Migraine and Headache Specialists - What's So Special? If you need help finding a Migraine specialist, check our listing of Patient Recommended Migraine and Headache Specialists.
Postdrome is the last phase of a Migraine attack and some people can feel depressed, fatigue or unable to concentrate as well. You certainly aren't alone. We have more information on this in the article Anatomy of a Migraine.
I hope this helps,
Nancy
Steve,
It is now our "winter" in Texas and I, too, have experienced daily migraines that start in my sleep. About 15 years ago, i , too, had an "anger problem". Everything seemed to just "set me off". I was losing friends and damaging valuable relationshipswith people that meant the most to me--those who cared about me, that I could laugh or cry with, and the day my anger overflowed towards my child, I went to parenting (Anger-management) classes for help. I was committed, because I did not like the person I was turning into and harming the people who were most dear to my life.
Now, I live for a different purpose than getting my needs met irregardless of others. I now have the sense that none of of are perfect, and I gave up "perfection" of expecting certain things for myself and from others. My outlook and attitude change was the key to my new-found happiness and actual joy of life. Whatever it brings, whatever changes, I notice it and strive to "accept" it in my own life and attudes, and in others.
Stress and anger are real triggers to migraines. What an easy thing to do: changing our own attitudes toward people, places, and things in our daily life. Find a loving phrase that you can use to avoid the anger and tension over things that we really have no power over. I just think, "God bless us".
By putting myself in the phrase, it helps me to remember, we are all doing the best we can at that moment, and we really don't always know what the other person ahs gone through or is struggling with in their life that day. God bless you, too!
Hey i feel you.I suffer from migraines also and never thought i would find a solution. Im a retired disabled vet,and when i first went to the VA , my doc started me on 2 meds,Amitriptyline 10mg and Midrin. Belive it or not the antidepressent has stopped my headaches.Its been about 6 weeks since i started on it and i havent had 1 attack. Sometimes it i have a small headache, i take a Midrin and that kills it.But i havent had one of the crippling ones that just knockes you out. Im 44 years old and it is a relief to finally something work for me. Ask your Doc and see if he or she will try it for you. I wish you the best of luck with this. Take care and God bless
Amitriptyline
I have been using Amitriptyline for 5 years and it's the only thing that's helped my Migraines. My Dr started me on that Med after a 3 month migraine. I only went to the Dr when all the over the counter meds stopped working completely.
I took Amitriptyline for 3 weeks before it completely eliminated the Migraine. I also found that I gradually had to increase the dose from 20Mg to 40mg nightly before it really helped. This drup is an 'anti-seisure and subsequently was found to be an effective anti-depressent. I have no issues with depression, and it has never affected my mode. That said, it 'quiets' the nerves in my head and I get a good sound 9 hours of sleep a night. This Quieting of the brain is what got me out of the Catch 22 of a chronic long term migraine.
I also know my Migraine triggers, Red wine, Dark Chocolate, Low blood sugar (prolonged hunger) lack of sleep (usually when traveling)..
Lastly, I have occasional 'Thunderclap Headaches'. These have always come on when I was sleeping. I get up to use the bathroom and I get a surge that within 2 seconds is a full-on worst migraine. I hit the imitrex, darvocet, through a pillow over my head (blocking light and sound) and usually sleep for another 4-6 hours before it susides. (I never knew this Migraine was different from the ones during the day caused by known triggers. This 'thunderclap' seems to have no relationship to anything external that I can identify. I get them about 1-2 times per month. Not horrific..
Best to you, Paula
Hi, I too often wake up with these nasty migraines and the blurred or double vision and find that they are becoming more and more nasty with time...but the one thing I did find out that one of the medications I was taking made me feel frustrated and short in the fuse...after I came off the medication, I was back to my 'normal' self.
It's very hard dealing with side effects from medication and dealing with migraines that just don't seem to 'behave'.
I wish you all the luck in finding something that will work for you and help relieve both the pain and the stress.
Through continued searching and trial and error, surely something will click.
Donna
Steve,
For most Migraineurs, little or nothing shows up on tests. That's one reason we still have no diagnostic test to confirm the diagnosis of Migraine.
Waking with Migraines most often indicates sleep issues. Too much, too little, disrupted, and poor quality sleep can all be Migraine triggers.
Another issue could be a trigger that you're encountering on a regular basis. Triggers don't necessarily bring on a Migraine immediately. Migraines triggered by foods can occur up to 48 hours after consumption.
Trigger identification and management is an important part of Migraine management and preventing Migraines. You may have some triggers that you can avoid, thus preventing Migraines brought on by those triggers. Do you know what any of your triggers are? When working to identify triggers one of the best tools is a good Migraine diary. You can read more about this and download a free diary workbook in our article Your Migraine and Headache Diary. Some of us have food triggers, some of us don't. The best way to determine if you do is to do an elimination diet for a while. For more information and a workbook on this, see Managing Migraine - Migraine Trigger Foods.
Your situation definitely warrants a visit with your doctor. If your doctor isn't able to help, it may well be time to consult a Migraine and headache specialist. It's important to note that neurologists aren't necessarily Migraine and headache specialists. Take a look at the article Migraine and Headache Specialists - What's So Special? If you need help finding a Migraine specialist, check our listing of Patient Recommended Migraine and Headache Specialists.
Good luck,
Teri
You sound a lot like me. (I don't have anger, just wish I could cut my head off)lol...Hormones can make the migraines worse in the peri-menopause/menopause years....MUCH worse. Botox has helped me...tremendously. Talk to your Neuro. I hated the idea of Botox when I first heard about it, but I was left with a choice of an Oopherectomy (removing my ovaries to get the migraines to stop, which is major surgery & I was looking at a complication), OR Botox. Botox has cut the migraines down and I'm functioning at 80-90% these days! WOO HOO! Take Care.
I'd like to add that in the different phases of my migraine attacks, I have trouble speaking-the words don't come out in the correct order, that is if I can remember the words. Plus I'm completely wiped out after one, no energy at all. I call it my migrain hangover.
When my vision goes, which is with every attack, I can't see out of one or the other eye-and have run into Muni with the side mirror of my car 5 times now, (well, you have to remember they are huge buses and city streets are small!), I'm always grateful I make it home in one piece.
I only get migraines upon waking, however when the Aura's hit me, it can be any time of day and they don't bring pain. My Neuro told me they are "pain-free" migraines. It's an aura migraine.
I've had to politely ask my family not to laugh when I say things backwards and when I am talking about something and all of a sudden "can't remember my words". They are pretty good about it now, even my clients try to help me finish my sentences and we laugh about it & I thank them. :) My Neuro said the word "headache" shouldn't even be used when they are so severe. On days I am too sick with a migraine to work, she said to tell my clients that I have a "severe, chronic Neuro Vascular Disease, and I am doing my best".
If you mention the word headache when you say migraine, some people will think-why can't you just take a tyleno'". Yea, like that would make a dent! lol People don't understand how sick we are, and how much and how often we struggle. We need more public awareness.
Before the Botox, I was getting migraines for 3 days @ a time, every 3-4 days, which means ALL THE TIME. It's rough.
Now I am on Amerge for the migraine attacks and Botox for preventitive. It's helping. I got off Fluoxetine which I was taking 10mg.- for the Serotonin benefit and to help with hot flashes. Even on that drug I was still hot, and still migraining. So happy to be off of it as I have more energy, losing weight, (it caused some weight gain), and feeling overall better.
I hope some of this info helps someone. Take care everyone.
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Thanks for the advice, but I don't have any anger problem untill the migraines kick in. They cause my anger, I think the pain is part of the problem and during the migraines I am prone to memory loss and confusion. I am normally very easy going and very passive and friendly, but the migraines bring out another personality from time to time. As to stress I have a lot of stress for several reasons that include work, and personal problems. Doctors see no serious reason for this problem to be there, but turst me the pain is real and intense.