Well I went to the doc, he's an ass by the way. I told him I didn't want a maintenace drug and he refused to help me till I said I would take the prescription. Then he finally gave me Imetrex and something else thats a maintence drug that I cant afford to fill. I recently lost my job and my insurance has expired. So its back to home remedies. My pop called the other day and told me he read in one of his many books that 1 oz of peppermint in 9 oz of everclear, dap on forehead and temples and back of the neck. Anyone ever tried it? I figure if nothing else I could get rid of the migraine by drinking the homemade peppermint schnopps...LOL.
The headaches are daily now, not migraines just headaches, eyes are always sensitive to light. Sinuses burn like I've sprayed something up my nose. The doc just wouldn't listen. I occasionally get nosebleeds about one every other week or so, sometimes more frequent. Someone here mentioned feverfew but I'm leary of it because of my nosebleeds. I just needed to vent, maybe it will relieve some of the pressure in my head..HAHA. Thanks for listening and let me know if any of you have tried the mixture.

I don't know anything about the mixture, or any other remedies. Just wanted to wish you well. I'm so sorry about the headaches and the action of your doctor.

I thank God that HE blessed me with good health and that I don't have any issues. When issues do come, I just pray that I have the faith to accept HIS will.

I used to have weekly migraines and my ex had cluster migraines.
We met an naturopedist (spelling?) at an event and he mentioned using Magnesium.
It's helped us alot.
You might want to look it up.

You sound very much like you suffer from sinusitis. You're describing exactly how I used to feel. Visited a naturopath, who advised I get a neti pot, and flush my sinuses with warm salt water. Bingo, no more headaches,no more burning nostrils, and cheeks, and no more nosebleeds. And no, I wasn't a great believer in natural remedies, but I am now.

I understand your predicament. I am 67 & have a very long history of very bad headaches. I used to end up in the emergency room several times a year. Over the years they tried all the new drugs on me. Even read the other day that one of drugs they tried on me is now considered in the LSD category.

My headaches were not exactly true migranes, but bad enough to make you suicidal when no one could help. I did get better when I retired, so I'm sure your stress level is not helping at this time. Some of the things I learned are. Excedrin helps me especially if I take it as soon as I feel the heacache coming on. Deap breaths through the nose help to get the circulation in the brain going again. I heard on the news the other day that they were using oxygen as headache remedy. Makes sense as when I wake up with a headache the 1st thing I have to force myself to do is to get the deep breathing going. When your in severe pain sometimes you forget about the breathing.

In addition to this, I drink a lot more water since I retired from teaching. I think that helps. They say a lot of headaches are caused by dehydration.

I wish you well & I'm glad you have quilting to help keep you calm.

I read somewhere that peppermint is good to open the veins in the brain so it might work. You could probably use it in rubbing alcohol just as easily. If light is bothering your eyes get some sunglasses. They wouldn't have to be the really dark ones if the lesser ones work for you.

Did you ask your doctor if he had any samples that he could give you? or ask if there was a generic form of the medicine that would be affordable? Depending on your age there's a thing called Circuit Breaker that helps cap med prices. You can also contact the makers of the drug and see if they have a program for people that can't afford their medicines or see if it's on the Walmart $4 list.

Something else you may want to try is Co-Enzyme Q10. This can be found in the vitamins section of your local pharmacy usually.
I hope you get some relief-I suffer daily due to my IH so I understand and can empathize with your pain.
Hugs
April

I have had migraines for years. Some one told me fish oil capsules help, and so I started taking them, and it worked as a preventive thing. I take 2-3 a day to start for 2-3 weeks, then 2 a day to maintain. Also, Excedrin Migraine actually works fairly well for an OTC (over the counter). I have no insurance either, so I understand what you are going through. Hope this helps.

My friend had migraines and she knew someone else who was going through allergy testing and she would just do the same as her friend. Turned out she's allergic to beef and citrus, and hasn't had a migraine since she stopped eating them. I don't know if this will help or not. It seems that I was just reading about something for migraines, but can't remember where. I'll try checking out my bookmarks and see if I can find them. I think I'd also find another doctor, one that will work WITH you.

Ditto, magnesium helped my hubby, but please do it thru a NEW dr, I already don't like your present one!!!!!

Thanks to everyone for all your helpful advice, gonna give some of it a try.

Please try the netti pot. I would bet my last dollar that you have allergies.

I to have had migraines for years. I have the tense neck muscles and flashing in my eyes before they hit. If I can drink about a quart of Gatorade or Powerade with tylenol it usually curbs them some. I also go to a chiropractor. He helps more than the Imetrex.

I've had migraines for years.

Imitrex IS available in generic! Please try to get it filled as a generic, what little it will cost will be worth getting rid of the pain.

Just wanted to put my 2 cents in. Hubby suffered from migraines. Went to a dr. who understood and felt like his were mainly food related. Turns out he has a sensitivity to certain foods (not an allergy or lactose intolerance). A big job to figure it out but cut his headaches down by 95%. Now he can control them by diet, hydration, and when he gets one that starts with sinus issues, usually Extra Strength Excedrin works. Second line is Isjec (or Esjec) something like that, which he only takes when the excedrin fails. He doesn't need Imitrex anymore.

I want to say I do wish you well I know what iti s like, and I also the losing job and ins. been there as well... it does not make anything better though...there seems to be alot of remedies you can try.. I hope one works for you and that you feel better...

I don't get very many anymore, but what worked for me was if I took Excedrin Migraine with a Coke at the first sign of a headache. I don't know what the coke does, but for some reason the combination worked. I tried other brands of soda, but for me it has to be Coke with red label.

I hope you find relief. Migraines are miserable to have.

I woke up around midnight with one and became violently ill afterwards. Tylynol and Excederin do not work on my migraines. I'll ask my doctor about the magnesium and see what he says. He's even prescribed muscle relaxers for me and they didn't work.

I can't try the food elimination to see if it's a food alergy since I don't get them everyday. I just went weeks without a migraine and all of a sudden, it's back.

It's good to toss ideas around to see what works, who knows, it just might work for you.

Icky! I'm so sorry you are going through this. I get tension headaches, which aren't as bad as migraines, but I somewhat feel your pain. Turned out my headaches were related to a lactose sensitivity. There is a website I used to track everything, it is awesome, and was instrumental in helping me figure things out. (I had some other symptoms in addition to the headaches)
Anyways, here is the website:
http://www.foodintol.com/
Check it out! I hope you find something that helps!!
~Heather

Coke and motrin at the first sign of a migraine is what works for me.

Years ago my mother suffered with migraines, related to her cycle. We would buy coke syrup from the pharmacy as it helps with the naseau and vomiting. She only took a teaspoon or two and that would settle her stomach. She finally had a hysterectomy and no more migraines.

I would have to agree with the neti pot it may see weird at first but it does work. They are not that expensive around 10 at the pharmacy. When I get a migrain I grab a coke and something for the pain. the coke, caffen opens the blood vessels drs have said this also.
Keep a diary of when you get the headaches if it is food related ect.

Not all doctors are created equal and many don't understand how much pain a migraine can cause. If your headaches are that bad then I would get a second opinion with a good neurologist who specializes in migraines. Has anyone done a CT scan to make sure you do not have a severe sinus infection (or worse) that is being mistaken for a migraine? This happens a lot in the upper sinuses. You might not even feel "stuffy" but the pressure has built up.

Many sufferers (like me) find a lot of hidden triggers to our headaches. You need to keep a headache diary that starts from the time you wake up until you go to bed. I even had to write down when and how often I was waking up in the middle of the night, where I was when symptoms begain, what my activity was, what the exact symptoms were presenting, etc. It was enlightening. Many migraine sufferers have issues with smells during a migraine so I'd be cautious of the peppermint oil.

Here are a couple links to research more into migraines that might be helpful.
http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/migraine.cfm
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/000709.htm

Maintenance medications are supposed to help reduce the number of migraines but may or may not work. Triptans (Imitrex) and ergots are being used a lot for immediate relief. What works for one person may not work for another. Don't dismiss a treatment that works because you "hear" things. Please don't get misled on the ergot thing. It is NOT LSD.

Many of the medications used for migraine are now in generic. For those that aren't, you might qualify for assistance (check with the pharmacist for programs).

Pat used to get migraines and we found out that he was allergic to some foods. Liverwurst triggered them somwhat fierce and something (not sure what) at El Torrito restaurants. Those things were easy to avoid, but he would still get them on occasion. Then he got Bell's Palsy - which was scary - but it must have kicked the headaches into submission. (knock on wood)

I would like to join those who suggest to go a different route than this particular Dr.

Have you tried a netti pot? They work wonders for some people for the sinus part. If the headaches are related it could help.
Don't you just love some of the docs we have these days? We just canned the one we had. The new one actually listens when you talk.
I hope you get some relief soon....that's no way to live.. :-(

For me though, it is not just the caffeine because no other soda works but coke. Even Mountain Dew which has a ton of caffeine doesn't work. Has to be coke.

Good luck at your doctor's. A lot of them don't seem to know about other treatments for migraines. They just give you the accepted prescription.
Here's something from the USDA website about magnesium.
http://www.ars.usda.gov/news/docs.htm?docid=10874

I have had migraines for the last 32 years. Once I went thru menopause the severity lessened but not the frequency which is atleast every week, some times 2-3 days in a row. Certain smells used to bring on an instant headache but now it only intesifys one already in progress.
I did go to a neurologist for awhile. He had me take magnesium citrate along with Vitamin B2. That also helped. The B2 was sometimes hard to find, may have to go to a health food store. I also have a drug called Frova for my headaches. I became immune to Imetrex and the frova works well but there again it is a prescription and since you do not have insurance that may be out of the question. i find sometimes coffee helps too. but now always.

My son has had severe migraines since at least the age of 4 (probably earlier but he couldn't verbalize). We've tried just about every medication on the planet. Right now he is on a daily preventative and Excedrin Migraine (which doesn't eliminate but does reduce the headache).

Some home remedies and lifestyle changes we've tried with some success are: proper hydration (he drinks 3 bottles of water a day), the right amount of sleep (can't have too much or too little), 30 min of exercise a day (something to do with natural seratonin levels), butterbur (get the kind that is PA free to eliminate possibility of liver damage -- we used the brand name Petadolex), caffeine (dialates the blood vessels)