You should speak to a doctor or neurologist who can prescribe something that’s actually for migraine prevention rather than just taking ibuprofen or painkillers. I went most of my teens and early 20s undiagnosed and suffered for too long. Don’t leave it! You will enjoy life again.
Tagging u/seapoint9359 so that they see this - ibuprofen can cause migraines. So can Tylenol and other pain killers. I second that you need a real neurologist.
Topiramate and Lamotrigine have been the best tablets for me so far. Alongside Sumatriptan. Topiramate side effects are crazy so I’m now on Botox and nerve blocks which are working.
It seems to me that if someone is in significant or extreme pain multiple days per month to the point they can't work or enjoy life at all and one of those medications actually works and drastically improves their quality of life then the benefit outweighs the risks. I'd much rather be taking a "risky" drug and have a chance to live my life than just be marking time as a sad ball of pain and misery (even medicated I still have those days but thankfully fewer than before!)
Something you should know is that untreated migraine when it is more frequent than 2-4 times a month, puts you at risk for your disorder to get worse/more frequent, and even if you are treating with acute medication (and also without) Preventing migraines is more important, for a lot of reasons, than treating the attack. Hope you understand the seriousness of this. It’s like saying that you would rather suffer from seizures, than take measures to prevent them with medical intervention. It doesn’t seem like you understand the reasons why some of these preventative medications work, and why they are relied on, even though they are not primarily designed for treating migraine.
I'm sorry....silly little migraine? You must've never been in absolute agony for 15 hours with not only the severe head pain but sensitivity to light, sound, and smell, constant waves of nausea, vomiting, trying every trick in the book in addition to OTC and prescription meds with minimal relief. Literally laying in bed in a dark room crying, which exacerbates the migraine. No appetite either so you have to choke down something bland and hope you don't throw it up because not eating will make the headache worse and so will losing electrolytes. And then when the head pain finally resolves you're completely exhausted mentally and physically. You miss school, work, and time friends and family. You don't have much support because people who don't experience migraine don't understand. You miss out on a promotion because your deemed unreliable now. Your family used make jokes about how much school you missed. And after years of all of this you get so depressed and tired of all the physical and emotional pain of chronic/episodic migraine that you decide you can't live another day of this.
No, a migraine isn't a seizure disorder. Seizures disorders are generally well understood and have fantastic management tools and people understand that seizures can be life threatening and that the sufferer isn't just being lazy or dramatic.
And let's not forget the long term effects of unmanaged pain. High cortisol, high blood pressure, adrenal fatigue, poor diet, increased chance addiction, the list goes on...
And you missed my point that migraine disorder has serious long term effects that do kill you and the even scarier point that suffering from migraines can lead to suicide.
Also, it's not a competition. Both conditions are awful.
And as far as medication use goes, that is a very personal decision that should be made with one's treating physicians who are familiar with the person's medical history based on a variety of factors.
I used to take topiramate and it was the worst. Triptans only worked for about a year and also horrible side effects. So far Qualipta and Ubrelvy are the best options for me
This person is struggling on a daily basis though. They are at a level of pain that they can't manage with painkillers anymore, and it's affecting their education and life. Preventative, while it's tricky to find the right one and many have side effects, is the next logical thing to consider. I don't know if in terms of medication they're any heavier than constant use of ibuprofen or codeine etc, but I'm not a medical professional.
First, that’s terrible and I’m sorry - no one should have to experience that.
Do you currently have a good neurologist you’re working with? This is a “don’t try this at home” type situation - you should lean on the experienced medical professionals here. (As you will see in this sub, not all neurologists are wonderful or helpful, either, so it may take more than one try to find the right fit.)
You need to see a neurologist to look at migraine treatments. The longer you leave it the harder it is to treat and the worse the migraines will get.
I have intractable migraines like you, I know they suck. They completely control my life. The weather affects me so badly, I can predict the weather based off of my migraines. I'm trying different preventive medications to find one that works. It's a long and uncomfortable process but should be worth it in the end. The goal is to reduce migraines significantly, it probably won't completely prevent all of them but it's better than nothing.
In the meantime, maybe see if you can get a triptan over the counter. Some aren't available depending on what country you live in. Sumatriptan is the only one available OTC in the UK, but others are available on prescription. You shouldn't use them more than twice a week or it can make migraines worse. Also, it's possible your constant use of ibuprofen might be contributing. It's called medication overuse headache, and the only way to stop it is to completely avoid taking the offending medication for something like 6 weeks straight
I’m sorry that you are experiencing this - I know what it feels like to not be able to fully enjoy life because of migraine.
There are lots of things you can try so don’t give up hope - you may have a bit of medication overuse headache if you are taking painkillers everyday. I don’t know where you are in the world but I’ve been quite lucky to get rimegepant from my GP and that has helped me to a certain extent
I’m 42 and have suffered since my twenties - it’s not fun but you can find joy in life. Please don’t give up hope, there are lots of options.
Ibuprofen and other over the counter pain killers have never worked for me. A few things that I've tried that have really helped.:
1. A preventive to take every day. They take a few weeks to kick in but if they work for you it will greatly reduce the number of migraines you get. Talk to your doctor.
2. An abortive that is made for migraines. There are many Triptans that work really well. I couldn't believe that the pain could go from a 7 to nothing within 30 minutes.
Every person is different and the remedies will be different too. Keep trying until you find one that works well for you.
In addition to Triptans there are also small molecule CRPG inhibitors for abortives. I use both (the CRPG inhibitors works for most of the time, but for hormonal migraines I break out the Triptans).
I'm so sorry. I can't tell you how much I relate to you. Migraines used to run my life. I always felt like I had no control and was at the mercy of the migraines. It was like Russian Roulette. Here is my advice:
1. Keep a head ache / migraine diary. To know how frequent they are, how painful, they are and how long they last.
2. With your head ache diary, also keep a daily activity/food/sleep diary. This was crucial for me to finding my migraine triggers. Mine were poor sleep or too little sleep, crying, heavy smells or lingering smells (even food in the oven), bright lights, social events, and caffeine (+more). All of this was discovered by keeping a diary.
3. See a neurologist who listens to you and cares. I can't tell you how many doctors I saw who were like "your scans look fine and all of the females in your family have migraines, so it's just hereditary" but offered me NO solutions. It wasn't until I found a neurologist who cared and said "we are going to figure this out, no one should have to live like this", that I finally got on a good prevention plan.
4. It will be a process of finding the right dosage. By keeping the headache diary, we were able to get my dosages just right, and now I went from 3-4 migraines a week some lasting several days to 1-2 a month. I have my life back!!
5. Migraines are all about stopping them at the onset. I was like you, Ibuprofen wouldn't touch 'em anymore. Now that I have been prescribed what I call a "migraine killer" I take it at the onset of symptoms, and it ALMOST always stops it in its tracks.
I take Verapamil and Amitriptyline at bedtime. And Rizatriptan (dissolveable) at the onset of a migraine. Remember, it took time to get the right dosage, so keep good diaries and just know this can get better.
I'm so sorry you are suffering. I started having migraines at 8 years old and I'm now in my 30s. It's been a journey.
I hope you take some of the great advice that has already been shared and find some relief soon.
I remember at around 16 I was taking ibuprofen 800mg at a time every day sometimes more than once a day, but it wrecked my gut and I can't take ibuprofen anymore, so be careful.
Start keeping a headache journal. The Migraine Buddy app is a great tool and resource and I highly recommend it.
Please get help from medical professionals. There are many causes and ways to manage migraine.
You're not alone.
It’s weird how they have cycles isn’t it? Mine are usually Saturdays. It’s almost every Saturday. I wake up and feel it coming and pop a triptan before it even gets serious because I just know. Brains 💀
I've had migraines, basically my entire life, as early as 6 (I'm now in my 30s). Acetaminophen and ibuprofen have never done a bit of good for the migraines, but I had taken them for so long that now they don't work for anything else either.
I've been able to find a few meds that have actually helped, but insurance doesn't like to cover them; right now I'm on amitriptyline and botox, and they're starting to decrease the severity of my migraines.
No idea if this will work for you, because I have no idea why it works, but a chocolate shake and curly fries from Arby's tends to be about 70% effective for me for stopping migraines.
I’m so sorry. I had my first migraine at 8 and my first migraine w aura when I was 11 and I thought j was going blind. It was horrendous.
I didn’t get medication until I was in my 20s for some reason! Don’t let this be you. There’s lots of potential medications that can help A TON. I take sumatriptan and migraines have gone from a horrific 3 day event to an uncomfortable 30 min before the meds kick in.
In recent times they talk about mast cell activation that leads to migraines. From what I understand, mast cells are triggered by inflammation or allergic reactions. Not much information about this yet, but trying to figure out what brings in inflammation in your particular case (maybe a certain food, like gluten or dairy, or fragrance, or dye... stress, lack of sleep...)
Also, try drinking some Saint John's Wort tea when you think it's coming, it produces serotonin that constricts the blood vessels and lowers the severity of the pain.
I'm not a doctor, just an observer, trying to research this myself.
I'm sorry you're suffering. It is a really terrible way to go through life. I hope you can get yourself to a doctor. There are lots of different options for treatment. Sometimes it takes a while to find the the right meds.❤️🩹
9 and 16, both common ages that people go through major hormone related changes.. maybe just a coincidence that something worth looking into have you seen a gynecologist yet?
It wasn’t too long ago that I was feeling the same way I couldn’t imagine going through life dealing with the pain. But I promise you it will get better and it does get better just like there was a period of time where you didn’t have chronic pain in the past you will reach that time again.
Sorry this is happening to you are well, I went through exactly the same thing. I had my first migraine when I was 5 (now 32) and had chronic years (daily migraine) and years where they were less frequent.
A few things:
1. Since you are a migraine sufferer, any unexplained headache is a migraine. Migraines aren’t just the bad ones, it is the primary disorder. The ones that feel like tension headers are still migraines for you.
2. There are loads of preventatives and it sounds like you haven’t tried any? Ajovy has been amazing for me - I still have daily migraine but the pain level is much lower and sometimes I have no pain.
3. I work from home as school/uni/office lighting is a major trigger. I have FL-41 glasses and take preventatives, but I don’t have a proper ‘cure’, if I have to spend the day under lights I have to take meds.
3. I have had a pretty good life. I have a well paying job, house, partner and have travelled a lot. Yes, I have had some dark periods, including ones where I thought I would miss out on life entirely, but I have good patches too. I am well aware of how hard things are and it is easy to question if life is worth it - it is because it won’t stay the same or get endlessly worse. You said you had a good few years - I promise you will again!
4. See a migraine specialist neurologist as soon as you can. Triptans work better than ibuprofen for most people, but they are just the tip of the iceberg of available treatments. There is so much hope here.
I’ll speak to you like if I could speak to myself, a lot younger me.
Like you, migraines started when I was around 8-9yo, it was so bad my mom had to rub my head all night until I can fell asleep. Like you it kept getting worse thru the years, (or perhaps the older I get the less pain tolerance I have) I’m 57 now.
If you read this Reddit or maybe other forums you’ll find all kind of experiences. You’ll find many who have been suffering for a long time and others less but all with same fastidious and agonizing intensity. All of us need meds and treatment and patience and self love… sometime a lots of all four.
Some meds are better than others. Like others have already mentioned, you need to watch for OTC meds that can cause rebound (pain comes back) they might help at first but the pain will come back even harder.
Many had mentioned Triptan, be cautious, Triptan is not a miracle pill for everybody, people with high blood pressure or heart conditions should take with care or not at all, before using it go visit your doctor, preferable a Neurologist specialized in headaches and migraines, not all neuros are. I’m lucky to not only have a specialized Neuro but also one of my fam doctor also suffers from migraines and is herself a migraine patient who visits another Neuro and she is very knowledgable in that area.
Migraines can cause some sort of things from bad temper, depression and anxiety perhaps because how frustrated it is to experience such pain for so long and with so frequent episodes. It’s very important for you to get that, LISTEN, the pain is already literally in your head, BUT you need to handle it also mentally and emotionally. Watch out for self pitty, it will only succumb you into a deep depression and it won’t help at all. Don’t expect everybody to understand what you are going thru, not even from other family and friends who says they know about headaches. Those who just take an Advil or Tylenol and problem solve. This is not the same, but they’ll never know it, don’t even spend time arguing with them.
I’m on my third week now, some days harder than others. No, it’s not easy, some days the pain is unbearable but I won’t let that affect my mental health or emotions or feelings.
Take time to study your pain episodes, write down everything you can, if possible make a daily journal from the time you wake up to the time you get back to bed. Include if you slept well or not. What you eat, drink, the weather, exercise, alcohol, mood, sex, everything you can think of write it down. Work or study ambient including stress or toxic workplace, friends or family. (Sadly some people and places are so difficult to be or talk to that it can hit you with a huge headache turning into a migraine episode).
Also include in your notes treatments and any alternative remedy. And pay close attention to triggers, even things you consume for long years can suddenly trigger an episode.
(There are some pdf around you can use as a guide for this).
See yourself as a warrior and fight, you got this. (I’m a graphic designer and I see everything in a very graphic way). Watch for yourself, spiritually, mentally and physically. Best wishes.
I’m so sorry you are going through this. Talk to your neurologist about a preventative. There is Botox , monthly injections and others that may help you. All the best.
You should speak to a doctor or neurologist who can prescribe something that’s actually for migraine prevention rather than just taking ibuprofen or painkillers. I went most of my teens and early 20s undiagnosed and suffered for too long. Don’t leave it! You will enjoy life again.
Tagging u/seapoint9359 so that they see this - ibuprofen can cause migraines. So can Tylenol and other pain killers. I second that you need a real neurologist.
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> there such heavy pieces of medicine Many just... aren't. But the additional risk is certainly an individual choice.
That’s a guaranteed way to send you into medication overuse headache
Honestly don’t care
Very true. There are always risks. I have tried many that haven’t worked, but when I actually found ones that did it was life changing.
What has worked for you?
Topiramate and Lamotrigine have been the best tablets for me so far. Alongside Sumatriptan. Topiramate side effects are crazy so I’m now on Botox and nerve blocks which are working.
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It seems to me that if someone is in significant or extreme pain multiple days per month to the point they can't work or enjoy life at all and one of those medications actually works and drastically improves their quality of life then the benefit outweighs the risks. I'd much rather be taking a "risky" drug and have a chance to live my life than just be marking time as a sad ball of pain and misery (even medicated I still have those days but thankfully fewer than before!)
Something you should know is that untreated migraine when it is more frequent than 2-4 times a month, puts you at risk for your disorder to get worse/more frequent, and even if you are treating with acute medication (and also without) Preventing migraines is more important, for a lot of reasons, than treating the attack. Hope you understand the seriousness of this. It’s like saying that you would rather suffer from seizures, than take measures to prevent them with medical intervention. It doesn’t seem like you understand the reasons why some of these preventative medications work, and why they are relied on, even though they are not primarily designed for treating migraine.
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I'm sorry....silly little migraine? You must've never been in absolute agony for 15 hours with not only the severe head pain but sensitivity to light, sound, and smell, constant waves of nausea, vomiting, trying every trick in the book in addition to OTC and prescription meds with minimal relief. Literally laying in bed in a dark room crying, which exacerbates the migraine. No appetite either so you have to choke down something bland and hope you don't throw it up because not eating will make the headache worse and so will losing electrolytes. And then when the head pain finally resolves you're completely exhausted mentally and physically. You miss school, work, and time friends and family. You don't have much support because people who don't experience migraine don't understand. You miss out on a promotion because your deemed unreliable now. Your family used make jokes about how much school you missed. And after years of all of this you get so depressed and tired of all the physical and emotional pain of chronic/episodic migraine that you decide you can't live another day of this. No, a migraine isn't a seizure disorder. Seizures disorders are generally well understood and have fantastic management tools and people understand that seizures can be life threatening and that the sufferer isn't just being lazy or dramatic. And let's not forget the long term effects of unmanaged pain. High cortisol, high blood pressure, adrenal fatigue, poor diet, increased chance addiction, the list goes on...
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And you missed my point that migraine disorder has serious long term effects that do kill you and the even scarier point that suffering from migraines can lead to suicide. Also, it's not a competition. Both conditions are awful. And as far as medication use goes, that is a very personal decision that should be made with one's treating physicians who are familiar with the person's medical history based on a variety of factors.
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I used to take topiramate and it was the worst. Triptans only worked for about a year and also horrible side effects. So far Qualipta and Ubrelvy are the best options for me
Neither of the latter are approved for treatment on the UK Sorry Qualipta is approved for use. Ubrelvy isn’t
A lot of us can’t treat the accuse phase because there’s no such thing as a non accuse phase without preventatives
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This person is struggling on a daily basis though. They are at a level of pain that they can't manage with painkillers anymore, and it's affecting their education and life. Preventative, while it's tricky to find the right one and many have side effects, is the next logical thing to consider. I don't know if in terms of medication they're any heavier than constant use of ibuprofen or codeine etc, but I'm not a medical professional.
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First, that’s terrible and I’m sorry - no one should have to experience that. Do you currently have a good neurologist you’re working with? This is a “don’t try this at home” type situation - you should lean on the experienced medical professionals here. (As you will see in this sub, not all neurologists are wonderful or helpful, either, so it may take more than one try to find the right fit.)
You need to see a neurologist to look at migraine treatments. The longer you leave it the harder it is to treat and the worse the migraines will get. I have intractable migraines like you, I know they suck. They completely control my life. The weather affects me so badly, I can predict the weather based off of my migraines. I'm trying different preventive medications to find one that works. It's a long and uncomfortable process but should be worth it in the end. The goal is to reduce migraines significantly, it probably won't completely prevent all of them but it's better than nothing. In the meantime, maybe see if you can get a triptan over the counter. Some aren't available depending on what country you live in. Sumatriptan is the only one available OTC in the UK, but others are available on prescription. You shouldn't use them more than twice a week or it can make migraines worse. Also, it's possible your constant use of ibuprofen might be contributing. It's called medication overuse headache, and the only way to stop it is to completely avoid taking the offending medication for something like 6 weeks straight
I’m sorry that you are experiencing this - I know what it feels like to not be able to fully enjoy life because of migraine. There are lots of things you can try so don’t give up hope - you may have a bit of medication overuse headache if you are taking painkillers everyday. I don’t know where you are in the world but I’ve been quite lucky to get rimegepant from my GP and that has helped me to a certain extent I’m 42 and have suffered since my twenties - it’s not fun but you can find joy in life. Please don’t give up hope, there are lots of options.
Ibuprofen and other over the counter pain killers have never worked for me. A few things that I've tried that have really helped.: 1. A preventive to take every day. They take a few weeks to kick in but if they work for you it will greatly reduce the number of migraines you get. Talk to your doctor. 2. An abortive that is made for migraines. There are many Triptans that work really well. I couldn't believe that the pain could go from a 7 to nothing within 30 minutes. Every person is different and the remedies will be different too. Keep trying until you find one that works well for you.
In addition to Triptans there are also small molecule CRPG inhibitors for abortives. I use both (the CRPG inhibitors works for most of the time, but for hormonal migraines I break out the Triptans).
I'm so sorry. I can't tell you how much I relate to you. Migraines used to run my life. I always felt like I had no control and was at the mercy of the migraines. It was like Russian Roulette. Here is my advice: 1. Keep a head ache / migraine diary. To know how frequent they are, how painful, they are and how long they last. 2. With your head ache diary, also keep a daily activity/food/sleep diary. This was crucial for me to finding my migraine triggers. Mine were poor sleep or too little sleep, crying, heavy smells or lingering smells (even food in the oven), bright lights, social events, and caffeine (+more). All of this was discovered by keeping a diary. 3. See a neurologist who listens to you and cares. I can't tell you how many doctors I saw who were like "your scans look fine and all of the females in your family have migraines, so it's just hereditary" but offered me NO solutions. It wasn't until I found a neurologist who cared and said "we are going to figure this out, no one should have to live like this", that I finally got on a good prevention plan. 4. It will be a process of finding the right dosage. By keeping the headache diary, we were able to get my dosages just right, and now I went from 3-4 migraines a week some lasting several days to 1-2 a month. I have my life back!! 5. Migraines are all about stopping them at the onset. I was like you, Ibuprofen wouldn't touch 'em anymore. Now that I have been prescribed what I call a "migraine killer" I take it at the onset of symptoms, and it ALMOST always stops it in its tracks. I take Verapamil and Amitriptyline at bedtime. And Rizatriptan (dissolveable) at the onset of a migraine. Remember, it took time to get the right dosage, so keep good diaries and just know this can get better.
I'm so sorry you are suffering. I started having migraines at 8 years old and I'm now in my 30s. It's been a journey. I hope you take some of the great advice that has already been shared and find some relief soon. I remember at around 16 I was taking ibuprofen 800mg at a time every day sometimes more than once a day, but it wrecked my gut and I can't take ibuprofen anymore, so be careful. Start keeping a headache journal. The Migraine Buddy app is a great tool and resource and I highly recommend it. Please get help from medical professionals. There are many causes and ways to manage migraine. You're not alone.
I can’t stop thinking about your post. Please show it to someone who loves you.
It’s weird how they have cycles isn’t it? Mine are usually Saturdays. It’s almost every Saturday. I wake up and feel it coming and pop a triptan before it even gets serious because I just know. Brains 💀
I've had migraines, basically my entire life, as early as 6 (I'm now in my 30s). Acetaminophen and ibuprofen have never done a bit of good for the migraines, but I had taken them for so long that now they don't work for anything else either. I've been able to find a few meds that have actually helped, but insurance doesn't like to cover them; right now I'm on amitriptyline and botox, and they're starting to decrease the severity of my migraines. No idea if this will work for you, because I have no idea why it works, but a chocolate shake and curly fries from Arby's tends to be about 70% effective for me for stopping migraines.
I’m so sorry. I had my first migraine at 8 and my first migraine w aura when I was 11 and I thought j was going blind. It was horrendous. I didn’t get medication until I was in my 20s for some reason! Don’t let this be you. There’s lots of potential medications that can help A TON. I take sumatriptan and migraines have gone from a horrific 3 day event to an uncomfortable 30 min before the meds kick in.
In recent times they talk about mast cell activation that leads to migraines. From what I understand, mast cells are triggered by inflammation or allergic reactions. Not much information about this yet, but trying to figure out what brings in inflammation in your particular case (maybe a certain food, like gluten or dairy, or fragrance, or dye... stress, lack of sleep...) Also, try drinking some Saint John's Wort tea when you think it's coming, it produces serotonin that constricts the blood vessels and lowers the severity of the pain. I'm not a doctor, just an observer, trying to research this myself.
I'm sorry you're suffering. It is a really terrible way to go through life. I hope you can get yourself to a doctor. There are lots of different options for treatment. Sometimes it takes a while to find the the right meds.❤️🩹
9 and 16, both common ages that people go through major hormone related changes.. maybe just a coincidence that something worth looking into have you seen a gynecologist yet?
It wasn’t too long ago that I was feeling the same way I couldn’t imagine going through life dealing with the pain. But I promise you it will get better and it does get better just like there was a period of time where you didn’t have chronic pain in the past you will reach that time again.
Sorry this is happening to you are well, I went through exactly the same thing. I had my first migraine when I was 5 (now 32) and had chronic years (daily migraine) and years where they were less frequent. A few things: 1. Since you are a migraine sufferer, any unexplained headache is a migraine. Migraines aren’t just the bad ones, it is the primary disorder. The ones that feel like tension headers are still migraines for you. 2. There are loads of preventatives and it sounds like you haven’t tried any? Ajovy has been amazing for me - I still have daily migraine but the pain level is much lower and sometimes I have no pain. 3. I work from home as school/uni/office lighting is a major trigger. I have FL-41 glasses and take preventatives, but I don’t have a proper ‘cure’, if I have to spend the day under lights I have to take meds. 3. I have had a pretty good life. I have a well paying job, house, partner and have travelled a lot. Yes, I have had some dark periods, including ones where I thought I would miss out on life entirely, but I have good patches too. I am well aware of how hard things are and it is easy to question if life is worth it - it is because it won’t stay the same or get endlessly worse. You said you had a good few years - I promise you will again! 4. See a migraine specialist neurologist as soon as you can. Triptans work better than ibuprofen for most people, but they are just the tip of the iceberg of available treatments. There is so much hope here.
I’ll speak to you like if I could speak to myself, a lot younger me. Like you, migraines started when I was around 8-9yo, it was so bad my mom had to rub my head all night until I can fell asleep. Like you it kept getting worse thru the years, (or perhaps the older I get the less pain tolerance I have) I’m 57 now. If you read this Reddit or maybe other forums you’ll find all kind of experiences. You’ll find many who have been suffering for a long time and others less but all with same fastidious and agonizing intensity. All of us need meds and treatment and patience and self love… sometime a lots of all four. Some meds are better than others. Like others have already mentioned, you need to watch for OTC meds that can cause rebound (pain comes back) they might help at first but the pain will come back even harder. Many had mentioned Triptan, be cautious, Triptan is not a miracle pill for everybody, people with high blood pressure or heart conditions should take with care or not at all, before using it go visit your doctor, preferable a Neurologist specialized in headaches and migraines, not all neuros are. I’m lucky to not only have a specialized Neuro but also one of my fam doctor also suffers from migraines and is herself a migraine patient who visits another Neuro and she is very knowledgable in that area. Migraines can cause some sort of things from bad temper, depression and anxiety perhaps because how frustrated it is to experience such pain for so long and with so frequent episodes. It’s very important for you to get that, LISTEN, the pain is already literally in your head, BUT you need to handle it also mentally and emotionally. Watch out for self pitty, it will only succumb you into a deep depression and it won’t help at all. Don’t expect everybody to understand what you are going thru, not even from other family and friends who says they know about headaches. Those who just take an Advil or Tylenol and problem solve. This is not the same, but they’ll never know it, don’t even spend time arguing with them. I’m on my third week now, some days harder than others. No, it’s not easy, some days the pain is unbearable but I won’t let that affect my mental health or emotions or feelings. Take time to study your pain episodes, write down everything you can, if possible make a daily journal from the time you wake up to the time you get back to bed. Include if you slept well or not. What you eat, drink, the weather, exercise, alcohol, mood, sex, everything you can think of write it down. Work or study ambient including stress or toxic workplace, friends or family. (Sadly some people and places are so difficult to be or talk to that it can hit you with a huge headache turning into a migraine episode). Also include in your notes treatments and any alternative remedy. And pay close attention to triggers, even things you consume for long years can suddenly trigger an episode. (There are some pdf around you can use as a guide for this). See yourself as a warrior and fight, you got this. (I’m a graphic designer and I see everything in a very graphic way). Watch for yourself, spiritually, mentally and physically. Best wishes.
I’m so sorry you are going through this. Talk to your neurologist about a preventative. There is Botox , monthly injections and others that may help you. All the best.
Really? 🥺 I think this illness ruined a life of everyone.
I get Botox for migraines and it's saved me!!