UKC

Bit of open speculation here, any sufferers or partners of sufferers here? Those that treat sufferers perhaps? I would like to share experiences, treatments, triggers etc and hear your own stories.
I've suffered for about 3 years gradually increasing in serverty and frequency. Mine only affect the right hand side of my face and I can sense the start of one as my right nostril feels blocked and the pressure starts to build in the sinus area and behind the right eye. It moves upwards and then the pain starts, again only on the right hand side of my head. My right eye becomes very bloodshot and it waters and I'm very sensitive to light, the blood vessels in the right hand side of my head also become very enlarged and swollen. Like many sufferers the only 'cure' is to sit still in a darkened room with my eyes shut. The attack lasts roughly an hour start to finish, the 'finish' being when I can say the pain has gone. For 2 or 3 hours afterwards I can feel pretty spaced out though. I've noticed the triggers in my case seem to be mainly stress and/or stimulants - too much in too a short space of time of nicotine, caffine and alcohol. Dehydration can bring one on too but as climbers we do tend to know about the affects of and avoid dehydration as second nature.
My doctor has been working to tackle these migraines by getting me to reconise the triggers and learning to pre-empt an attack. Up until now I've just dealt with them with off the shelf drugs, paracetamol, ibuprofen and others. Syndol I've found pretty good and water disovlvables like asprin <get into the system quicker perhaps> If I can get something inside me as the attack is in its early stages I can lessen the serverity of it but not stop it completely. I know I'll never be free of them and have learned to live with them but I've always been worried about the sheer amount of painkillers I'm taking per week <I can do 1000mg of para every other day> so I've been back to the quacks to discuss the long term effects of taking regular painkillers. I've not felt great the whole of this year and I'm sure my well being and the painkillers are connected. Anyway, he has agreed that I'm taking too many off the shelf drugs and he has changed track. I've been prescribed Sumatiptan and betablockers <Propranolol> the sumatriptan are to control the migraine, I'm to take one when I feel an attack is starting. The Propranolol is to control my blood pressure in an attempt to slow the blood flow to my head as migraines can be caused by excessive blood flow. I've started the betablockers today and It'll take a while to see any change there I guess but I felt an attack starting last night and took a Sumatriptan. I wasn't that confident to be honest but the feeling of doom I usually get didn't develop as it normally does and in 40 minutes I felt fine with no symptoms at all. Early days with these tablets I know but its the first time I've ever managed to stop an attack in its tracks. I slept better than I had done for a while and woke today feeling refreshed. I'm taking a few weeks off work too to remove stress <and the amount of coffee I can drink in a shift!> so we'll see how it goes from here.
Any users of these drugs here? your experences would be welcome. Are they 'run of the mill' type drugs? I pretty healthy ordinarily and rarely even take antibiotics so being on these is a big deal for me.
So fellow suffers, the floor is yours <with the sound turned down and the brightness adjusted on the monitor of course>

In reply to blanchie14c:

Hi, suffered with migraines for 30 odd years, always over right eye. I know the triggers but unfortunately cannot do much about the hormonal ones. Alcohol - virtually cut out now. I did many years ago start taking Sumatriptan, but they would wear off and I needed something with a longer "half-life" so now take Frovatriptan which covers me for about 22 hours. I still feel crappy but can at least function albeit at about 50 per cent of normal.

Was tried on betblockers at one stage but I have a low heart rate anyway, so they nearly finished me off. Acupuncture every 6 weeks to 3 months worked for a time. Triptans are wonderful things if they work for you. See how you go - this document might be worth a read. http://www.headachedrugs.com/pdf/HA-2008.pdf bit dated now and haven't looked for the current 2012 but lots still valid.

In reply to blanchie14c: sounds like cluster headache. have a look on www.patient.uk.com or on BASH.org which is british association of headache.

most powerful treatments sumtriptan via subcutaneous injection for this or zolmitriptan nasal spray; as can high flow oxygen 100% for 10-20 mins.

verapamil a bp/angina drug will often stop it from happening, do not use with propranolol but your doc will know this.

don't sue me for incorrect diagnosis, responding in my capacity as a fellow climber not your private physician!

In reply to blanchie14c:

My wife suffered for a long time until we eventually two specific triggers, caffeine and chocolate.
It wasn't over indulgence in these, the merest trace would trigger an attack. Since cutting them out completely about a year ago, she has been migraine free.

In reply to rurp:

Cluster Headaches (from personal experience) are linked to your "body clock" and come in cycles rather than an external trigger/stimulant (caffene, alcohol etc.) Keeping a diary, will start to show a pattern. You can be headache free for years at a time, only to start a new cycle of attacks, to the day.
Triptans do not work for me, the only thing that breaks the cycle is a high, short term dose of steroids when a cycle starts.

Cheers Adam

In reply to blanchie14c:

Hullo Blanchie,

For me it was Caffeine. I got to this conclusion through a bit of a process of elimination. But when I first started with the migraines I was utterly shocked at how they wiped me out for 24 hours.

I am mostly a decaf person now, and that seems to have sorted it out. I do get a bit of onset of photo-sensitivity (normally a sign to me that migraine is coming) but this hasn't led to anything major for a while.

Syndol has been the best over-the-counter remedy I can find, though a couple of these and I am away with the fairies.

In reply to blanchie14c:
Mine are set off by coffee, chocolate, cheese and alcohol so have cut down all those but still suffered occasionally. Interestingly I had physio on a recent shoulder injury, and was it was also found that I have issues in my neck, which can attribute to migraines according to physio. Am no doing neck exercises, and frequency does seem to be reducing frequency. Will see how it goes, as of yet I've not had to resort to meds so can't comment on those.

In reply to blanchie14c:

Mr TC gets them from time to time, and they seem to be triggered by being overtired then having a lie-in. That, and stress - he had four or five in a three week period last year when he was getting divorced. He has triptan (?) drugs for them, but for last year's he was prescribed amytriptylline.

In reply to Tall Clare:
triptan yea, same as me - sumatriptan. It seems caffine and alcohol are big factors in many sufferers, chocolate even. I'm not a choc fan really so can't comment on how it affects me, not noticed anything other than aching teeth after eating too much

In reply to blanchie14c:

mine are thankfully fairly rare - about one every 4-6 months - but also seem pretty random. They do wipe me out for a good 24 hours or more and for up to about 12 of those I'll be often rolling around in agony wishing I was dead and not knowing even where I am.

I can't help with the drugs suggestions or talk of triggers, but just wanted to say that there's a big stigma around taking drugs regularly or long term and particularly some people think they should just mtfu. Don't be one of these. Do think for yourself and listen to your body and seek the best solution for you, but don't think badly of having to take drugs in general. If they help you have a normal life then it's worth it.

In reply to blanchie14c:
I have had them in the past but haven't had one for a while. Normal painkillers were totally pointless, but I used to get migroleve over the counter, and as long as I took them at the visual disturbance stage and before the headache, they would reduce them (I used to carry them around in my purse so that I would have them on me at all times). I would feel the effects for about 3 days afterwards and at times would vomit as a result of them. I couldn't use a monitor or watch tv at all while having a migraine!!!!

In reply to blanchie14c:

Mine are relatively infrequent and mild (mostly visual). Having little pain I've not had to resort to drugs to manage them. Quiet, dark and a couple of pints of water are usually all it takes to sort it out.

Reliable triggers are stress, tiredness and hangover combined with bright flat light or big brightness gradients between my peripheral and central field of vision such as you get when entering/leaving a dark room on a bright day.

Your symptoms sound horrendous, I hope you manage to get them under control. FWIW I'd just go along with the doc's prescription for a while, see how it works out for you before you worry too much about what and how much you're taking.
jk

In reply to blanchie14c: interesting, i have suffered recently(6 months or so)coffee, beer and chocolate are 3 of my favourite things. will try cutting them out. i know its not for everyone but weed helps, although i don't enjoy the other affects and would rather not myself but could work for someone

In reply to blanchie14c:

Mine are sickeningly painful and almost blinding but thankfully quite short so after quite a bit of consultation I have managed to minimise the triggers and just grin and bear the inevitable ten-twenty minutes when the do occur. The worst trigger for me is compressing the back of the neck or across the temples, especially straining to look upwards. This has meant getting rid of the road bike in favour of a hybrid with a more upright riding position, not lying on my front to watch TV and using a reclining chair rather than a stool for nights out with the telescope. I also wear contacts for running or walking so that I don't try to grip the glasses by tensing my head when they get sweaty and slide down my nose. Chocolate is out for me as well as large amounts of rare beef or coffee although they don't trigger migraines as often as tension. I feel that regular meditation helps but I can't really quantify its efficacy as I got back into it at the same time as giving up red meat and chocolate.

In reply to Clarence:

Have you got those special belay glasses?

In reply to tlm:

Never heard of them, are they like Dennis Taylor's Snooker specs?

In reply to blanchie14c: I think they're genetic in my family - my maternal grandfather, my mother, my sister and I all get them. I suffer the least of the four of us; with my main warning sign being a dull-increasing-to-crippling headache, normally above the right eye. Untreated this progresses to nausea in about two hours; I've never got to the loss-of-vision point. If I can hit it early enough, Ibuprofen (more effective than paracetamol for some reason) will sort it out, otherwise sumatriptan or zolmitriptan and, bizarrely (we think that it's an ingrained placebo effect from years of experience, unless it's just calming), Schubert's Trout Quintet will also help (very useful at work, ibuprofen and the Trout on my iPod will stop me from needing to head home sick)!

Ironically, given the number of people on this thread who have caffeine as a trigger, lack thereof is one of my main triggers (i.e. caffeine withdrawal symptoms for me are headlined by a migraine). The other main ones are too much time unprotected in the sun, lack of sleep and dehydration (net effect = 50% chance of migraine on the first evening of a multiday climbing trip , no matter what I do, unless I vigilantly hit the tea on return to the hut and have worn a hat/helmet if sunny).

In reply to Clarence:

nah... like this:

http://www.powernplayusa.com/

In reply to blanchie14c:
I suffer quite frequently (most months), and they can go on for 3-4 days but if I catch them in time, Maxalt (triptan) wafers can help break the cycle. Triggers include:

not sleeping properly

eating badly or the wrong stuff (e.g. processes foods) or not soon enough after exercise

sinus pain

not treating a conventional tension headache soon enough

If I'm in a susceptible phase I also have to avoid alcohol and chocolate, and make sure I eat really regularly

As well as the Triptan, I found Syndol pretty good (alternatively a combination of paracetamol, a anti-histamine, codeine and a small coffee are a good substitute) and curiously, bananas - sometimes a headache will disappear within minutes of eating one, and I'm not sure if its linked to the potassium or carbs.

In reply to tlm:

Hmmm, pricey tat...I have to have a pair!!!

In reply to blanchie14c: what eventually worked for me was not becoming afraid of the Migrane when it started,and over a period of time I learnt to control them all I ever get now is the Aura ,and dont even take tablets now, it worked for me but maybe not everyone..it was actually an American article that got me started ..

In reply to FrankBooth:
OOOOoooo look at you coming on here with your fancy bullet points...



Syndol for those who haven't had them before are supidly strong pain killers at one time only on prescription but you can get them over the counter now. Be warned though, they do make you very drowsy. My mum used to get them for her migraines when I was a id and if I was suffering from something painful she'd let me have HALF a tablet and it still knocked me out.

In reply to blanchie14c: Summarised my own experiences on a previous thread a couple of years ago. No real change since then. Don't know if you've checked previous threads but here's the link in case you haven't.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=439369&v=1#x6187606

In reply to blanchie14c: I've suffered from migraines since I was a young kid (35-ish years now) and have been through a variety of painkillers to manage them. For the last several years, I've been successfully using immigran as a nasal inhaler (I'm frequently sick with my migraine, so anything swallowed came back up again - not a problem with a nasal inhaler).

I tend to get through 3 or 4 of these a month, but my headaches do come in clusters (incidentally, my GP told me that 'cluster headaches' are now being viewed as a form of migraine). Triggers for me are post-stress (i.e. once a stressful situation has passed) and excessive alcohol (the odd beer is still ok, fortunately!)

In reply to blanchie14c:
Have you tried following a Tyramine free diet ?
http://www.headaches.org/pdf/Diet.pdf

In reply to rurp: Headaches aren't simple to qualify as there are over 100 different types. True cluster headaches can be so bad that they have caused suicides.
Having had headaches for over 10 years i am still trying to get mine truely identified. Mine can last for over 24 hours, and always occur with vomitting. A darked room with my eyes closed is the only relief. Drugs such as Sumatiptan do nothing and i am currently trying fast acting tablets such as rizatriptan.

good luck and take care

In reply to blanchie14c: I get them every now and again, generally caused by looking at sunlight and then away very sharply. Whether this is bright lights in general is another thing, but I never got one the whole time I was at T in The Park and I had my fair share of time staring at awesome light shows !

I used to get them from using Lynx deodorant, simply due to how strong the smell of the stuff was. Not had any problems since I swapped to using softer smelling stuff like Nivea.

Mines start with a very sharp light everywhere I look and then my eyes begin to get blurry and water up and once this goes away it brings on a dull thumping headache. Normally a few paracetamol and a darkened room for an hour settles it but the headache can persist into the next day sometimes.

Never really been that much of a problem for me but it can be a bit annoying.

In reply to Nath93:
sympathy to all here and thanks for your descriptions. Seems coffee and booze and big triggers for a lot of us, Chocolate too. I hope peeps have learned something to help from this thread so far, I know I have. I'm certainly going to look at diets. After a day funtioning normally after my first betablocker I got it clear in my mind today of what I need to aim for. I hope the propranolol will have some sort of effect on my blood pressure after a week / ten days and that it helps reduce the onset. In the mean time I can try and stop them with the triptan. If at the end of the month if I notice a difference then the answer starts with looking at a lifestyle and diet that reduces my blood pressure if thats possible. Perhaps then look at coming off the BB's. Ideal world and all that I know....
Keep them coming

In reply to Tall Clare:


My migraines usually involved 2hrs of intense pain and extreme light sensitivity, often with nausea and vomiting, and then being unable to function for 4+ hrs. Triggers were stress and dehydration.

In the end I was also prescribed amytriptylline (not the same as triptans), and have barely had one in the last four years. Obviously I would prefer not to have to take a pill each day, and I can see why many would choose not to, but in my case, it has made an amazing difference in my life. Its not the first choice for GP's, but anyone has tried everything else with no success it may be worth asking about.

In reply to blanchie14c:

fortunately very occasional for me, every few months although can be a several grouped together over a week or so before disappearing for 3-4 months.
Tends to be several hours of nausea and low level headache before kicking off into serious behind eye pain which generally has me hiding.
Because it is infrequent not really sure of triggers, might be lack of sleep plus step down from stress eg when been working arse off and then get some downtime.

Havent taken drugs since every time i think its about time to see a doctor it disappears.

In reply to Dan Arkle:

He ended up deciding not to take the amytriptylline in the end - can't remember why - and his have calmed right down to the point of having one every three months now.

One thing he gets is tunnel vision - I remember him saying a migraine was coming on one day when he was driving me to the airport, and that because I was sitting to his left (as passenger in the car) he couldn't see me. Definitely not good when you're driving!

In reply to blanchie14c:

Is interesting to see other triggers - especially the food ones as I don't seem to have any. For me it's bright/flickering light (especially fluros), usually combined with stress or tiredness. I have them down to only once a year or two years now because I can avoid the triggers (up to the point of wearing sunglasses indoors in my last job in a very brightly lit office). Main symptons are visual aura, blindspots, zigzags etc and pain.

I once tried to push through one because I had a deadline and ended up not being to read or speak properly, scared the hell out me so I treat with respect now and just drop everything and find a dark room.

Good luck sorting them out, hope you find something that helps,

In reply to blanchie14c:

Used to get them a lot in my late teens and early 20s. Turned out they seemed to be caused mostly by Mars bars. I didn't always get them after eating a Mars bar but every time I had a migraine, I'd had a Mars bar within 4 hours before the onset. I could eat any amount of other chocolate bars with no trouble, it was just Mars that appeared to cause the problem. They were classic migraines, light flashes and zig zags in my peripheral vision, particularly on the left, followed by splitting headache behind the eyes that lasted for a couple of hours before vomiting. I've had a couple over the last 20 years, due to fatigue I think.

In reply to blanchie14c: Magic mushrooms and LSD are known to alleviate the pain and prevent the migraines for days/weeks/months. I'm sure even a bad trip is better than a migraine.