[gigascript]

I sometimes suffer from migraines at this time of year, especially in exam time (and i mean the proper migraines as in i have to be in a dark room lying down with my eyes closed and i cant even talk or move it hurts that much, not 'ooh ive got a migraine my head hurts' - those people are annoying)
anyway, as well as taking painkillers when i feel one coming on (a weird sparkly pattern appears in the corner of my eye) i drink lucosade which helps to ease it. has anybody got anything else they do that works for them that helps?

[OU Student]

A cold flannel? Also, are you eating enough? But not chocolate or cheese. However, that might just be me.

[sugar-n-spice]

you gettit in the summertime too?

[Picture~Perfect]

You can get rubs, that you put on, I have something called head sooth that I rub on my forehead if I feel a really bad headache or migraine coming on. That can ease it a bit.

[Azza919]

(Original post by gigascript)
I sometimes suffer from migraines at this time of year, especially in exam time (and i mean the proper migraines as in i have to be in a dark room lying down with my eyes closed and i cant even talk or move it hurts that much, not 'ooh ive got a migraine my head hurts' - those people are annoying)
anyway, as well as taking painkillers when i feel one coming on (a weird sparkly pattern appears in the corner of my eye) i drink lucosade which helps to ease it. has anybody got anything else they do that works for them that helps?

i used to take tablets called 'migraleve' or something similar. they were AMAZING.

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Ibuprofen will do it.

Or perhaps some sort of choline supplement.

[AlmostChicGeek]

Usually I just have to take lots of water and go to sleep - my body is immune to paracetamol/ibuprofen/migraleve/codine etc. Also sometimes if you feel it coming on having a coke sometimes helps.

[moya]

how often do you get them? what painkillers do you take?

[tweedletallie]

Have you been to your GP? Mine gave me codeine tablets to take with regular painkillers which are a big help but do make me really drowsy. I'm going back in a few weeks and he's going to switch the codeine for some different tablets that hopefully wont have the same side effects. Just go in and explain with exams coming up a bad migraine attack is the last thing you need, hopefully they'll be able to help!

[Cherriesxo]

I used to get migraines until I realised what my trigger was. When i got them I just used to go to sleep and when I woke up it had dramatically reduced. There was nothing much else I could do, mine were severe too - absolutely awful throbbing pain on one side of my head (once I had it on both sides, wow that was an experience), and I get that sparkly vision, but it goes in the centre of my vision then spreads out until I go blind, then it slowly goes back to normal. I couldn't take painkillers because I'd always sick 'em back up. This sounds REALLY strange, but when I had a really bad migraine, went to sleep, then woke up, I listened to my fave songs and it actually seemed to ease it a bit. It sounds really strange, but it really worked for me. I had big headphones, and sort of placed them near my forehead (not on my forehead though) I know it sounds crazy, and I seem weird for even saying it, but it 100% worked for me. It helped me whilst the sparkly things went away too as it stopped me panicking. Like I said it doesn't work when the migraine pain is severe but the 'after effects' it really helps with. It helped for me anyway.

[moya]

(Original post by Azza919)
i used to take tablets called 'migraleve' or something similar. they were AMAZING.

yes, but migraleve is just paracetamol and codeine (500/8mg) and it's quite easy to get a prescription from your doctor to get co-codamol which is 500/30mg, which is a lot more powerful.

and probably cheaper too!

[Kabloomybuzz]

I get a prescription for sumatriptan from my Dr, brand name immigran, you can get it over the counter, but cheaper/free to get it on prescription. It always works for me and is the only thing that gets rid of mine.

[emcero]

Migraleve, or any codeine works well for me. Often though it's just a case of laying down in a dark room and sleeping it off. I understand your pain though, I get them really badly. I had an awful one on the day of my drama AS practical, it was very physical, I could barely stand up or open my eyes properly by the end. HORRIBLE.

But painkillers, water, and sleeping it off in darkness always work the best for me. Although if sleeping isn't an option due to being busy, try and work out when you're getting one (seeing auras, sensitive to light) and pre-emptively take painkillers and drink a bit of water which should help

[Anoodles]

I find the best method is to take preventative measures before you get them - i.e. some people have different triggers, like chocolate or alcohol (mine are too much sunlight or not enough sleep! ) I know some girls get them around their periods as well - I have a friend who went on the pill and it put a stop to her "monthly migraines" as she put it lol. As a reliever the thing that works best for me is Maxalt (I don't think you can get them over the counter though) - they dissolve in your mouth, which is great as it helps prevent them from coming back up if you vomit during a migraine...they still only work about 60% of the time though - but if it works the migraine and all side-effects will completely go with an 1-2 hours.

[Gertrude73]

Migraleve, or any codeine works well for me. Often though it's just a case of laying down in a dark room and sleeping it off.

[OU Student]

The 4head stuff works for me; as does sleep. In my case, being sensitive to light makes it worse. I remember once getting it in year 9 - during a drama practical and we had bright lights on. I think that was my first one.

[Tabers]

Definatly a cold flannel/ice on your head. It helps a lot! Also sometimes at the same time putting something warm on your neck helps (Mum's rang NHS Direct several times when I've had very severe migraines). Open your windows when you are lying down to let fresh air in. Make sure that you don't keep taking the same painkillers e.g. paracetamol/ibuprofen as eventually they will stop easing the pain and do nothing. Don't take cocodamol too much either as that can be bad for headaches if you take too many. Keep a record of when you get them and any possible triggers and take that to the doctors as they may be able to help. I got them a lot and I was put on a mild dose of antidepressants to stop getting them so much and it has helped a lot.

Hope that you don't suffer too much!

[heidigirl]

I find a really hot shower helps if you stand with the water right on your head/neck where it hurts. My dad has migraines too and finds it really helpful.

Also, if you haven't already, try aspirin. It's a miracle drug for me, and I'd never have thought of trying it if my doctor hadn't recommended it (and tbh, I went away from the surgery thinking 'aspirin? That simple? As if that's going to work!'). I think most people think of it as being a bit obsolete and that paracetamol/ibuprofen etc are just as good, but none of the other basic otc painkillers do any good for me, while aspirin is just brilliant. If I take a couple of aspirin before a migraine comes on it completely goes away, and if I've already got a full blown one it helps moer than anything I've taken before.