I am a woman who has had migraines since 36, I am 50 now. HELP PLEASE
Triptans have not worked. I have migraines as many as 20 times a month. What and where can I turn toward and get some relief. I can not work, nor know what each day brings....not knowing if I can enjoy my relationships or grandchildren. I NEED HELP PLEASE.
Hello, Joan,
Triptans don't work for everyone, only about 80% of Migraineurs. But, they're not the only abortive medications. Have you tried the ergotamienes -- DHE 45 or Migranal -- or Midrin/Epidrin?
When we have three or more Migraines or headaches a month, we need to be talking with our doctors about prevention, and please trust me when I tell you that you couldn't possibly have tried everything for prevention yet. There are now over 100 medications and supplements that can be used for Migraine and headache prevention. The frustration of trying to find what works for us can make it seem as if we've tried it all, but with so many possible preventives, it's literally impossible to have tried them all. See Migraine preventive medications - too many options to give up! for more information.
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.
Hope this helps!
I am so sorry to hear what you are going through. You don't mention if you are seeing a migraine specialist or not, but it seems reasonable to say if you are still experiencing 20 migraine days a month, maybe your current doctor isn't helping you very much.
There are some great articles and information on this site that might help you find a competent migraine specialist. This may be the place for you to start, even if it means travel from where you live. Take a look at these articles and links:
I hope this is of some help to you.
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I also Have suffered with similar numbers of migraines, I am 55. I also was on imitrex and it stopped working and the headaches were getting much worse . Then I found this wonderful site ,I really didn't realize there are many ways to manage them. I found a headache clinic from the list on this site have had two visits and found out I was giving myself a rebound headache with the imitrex. The doctor has put me on a preventative as well as a new medication along with a good headache log to keep. Find a good Doctor! Finally I am going to a good accupucturist who is also helping me. Keep fighting it !!!! good luck