NDRU said:

Well, I only take two Excedrin Migraines per month, at the most. That's not being hooked, is it? I'm pretty much a health freak and paranoid about taking any meds at all, so I try to keep it to a minimum. Also, I don't want to build up a resistance so that it stops working and I have to go on something worse. I also never drink coffee (except sometimes to medicate my migraine), almost never drink. Caffeine seems a lifesaver though when you need the blood vessels in your head to constrict. I also have low blood pressure. I sometimes can manage my migraines decently with the lesser amount of caffeine available in green tea.

I still wish I could find a way to make them stop altogether though.

I can't imagine 2 per month will hurt you! Though "what is addiction" is a tough question. If you need two every month then I suppose technically you're addicted

My mom takes them every day, just to prevent a headache. She's hooked on the caffeine, and probably psychologically.

I could, and often do, suffer through the migraines without it (as I am doing today).

heartbeatocean said:

I think you should take the excedrin!

I once took 6 excedrin in a day. the night I was going to see Red Hot Chili Peppers. Had awful, awful headache the whole day. It cleared right as the show started. Then about 5 minutes later, I had the worst stomachache EVER. I couldn't eat a thing for a few days. The doctor said I basically gave myself an ulcer with so much aspirin in my stomach.

moderation!!!!

NDRU said:

Well, I only take two Excedrin Migraines per month, at the most. That's not being hooked, is it? I'm pretty much a health freak and paranoid about taking any meds at all, so I try to keep it to a minimum. Also, I don't want to build up a resistance so that it stops working and I have to go on something worse. I also never drink coffee (except sometimes to medicate my migraine), almost never drink. Caffeine seems a lifesaver though when you need the blood vessels in your head to constrict. I also have low blood pressure. I sometimes can manage my migraines decently with the lesser amount of caffeine available in green tea.

I still wish I could find a way to make them stop altogether though.

heartbeatocean said:

Nah you're fine with 2 a month. I was taking them when I had a horrible job with tons of stress. I had a migraine for 14 days straight and I was taking them everyday to subside the pain. Then I had the caffeine withdrawals and had to ween myself off. But you're fine with just 2.

CarrieLee said:

that's not normal, is it?

ZombieKitten said:

No, it's not normal. I was working for 10 lawyers with little or no help and they would scream at me all day. I only lasted there 8 months. The main lawyer didn't even say hello to me for 3 months! Never again!

applekisses said:

Well, I'm lucky in the sense that Excedrin Migraine does the trick and keeps me functional. (I get migraines every two weeks on the clock) I haven't found any other over-the-counter medicine that has any effect, and it's powerful enough I don't have to get a prescrption.

But these other headaches are worrisome. I've been having massage and acupressure once a week and doing exercises, but I could do more.

I have a migraine right now.

I hate to pile it on you Carrie, but migraine has a hereditary aspect to it and you mentioned that your mother has it. There is no telling when it can show up in you so if you can't find any other explanation that might be it and then you can go see your GP and get a prescription. Good luck with it.

Oh, also, my doc told me that using heat on the head and ice on the face works -

even taking a hot shower and letting the hot water run on the back of your head is great.

applekisses said:

Is this at the same time? When I get desperate sometimes I put ice on the forehead.



Sounds soothing!

Thank god, my migraine has passed.

heartbeatocean said:

You can do it at the same time. I used to have a knit cap that I called my "migraine hat" (my niece thought that was funny ) and I'd wear it to keep my head warm during headaches.

I'm glad yours has passed!

Do you ever get those migraine "hangovers" where you feel all groggy afterwards?
[Edited 6/13/08 12:26pm]

applekisses said:

Interesting about keeping the head warm. My migraines last about 24 hours and are related to my menstrual cycle, so I tend to feel kind of groggy anyway when I'm having my period. They're so predictable, always just above my left eye...you'd think someone would have figured out how to prevent them by now.

heartbeatocean said:

I know.
My periods are one of my triggers too.

Teacher said:

or chop off your head, I know that must be tempting mid migraine
well I'm glad CarrieLee quit that job, it would probably have landed her in hospital.

ZombieKitten said:

Oh yeah, it is tempting but what stops me at least is that I can hardly move when it hits. I read further down in the thread and now I know why my head is hurting, my damn period. My birth control pills make my period appear infrequently but the side effect of headaches still remains like clockwork

I don't think it would've landed Carrie in the hospital, I think her boss would've ended up there from a severe ass-kicking

Extra-strength tylenol coupled with naproxen and I'm good if I catch it in time (which means always carry them with me), I take nothing else cos I've just cut down on the painkillers I take for the RLS.

Teacher said:

I did once get a prescription for naproxen, but the Excedrin worked well enough I never filled it.

Teacher said:

People told me hormonal birth control would help my migraines, but it didn't seem to make any difference. In fact, I started getting other headaches and that made the nurses nervous about my being on hormonal birth control. I have orders to see a neurologist next. But...hello? Who's gonna pay for that?

heartbeatocean said:

They told me to get off the pill because it was CAUSING my migraines

ZombieKitten said:

Did you do it and did they go away? I really find it amazing how there is so little information about this when it's such a big problem for people. All I get from the medical establishment is a big "I dunno!"