Anyone with effective HA remedies?

Nurses General Nursing

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I have been getting more and more headaches lately (a few a day), and I'm running out of options.

Imitrex doesn't work, because they aren't migraines.

I've eliminated caffeine, exercising more, taking ibuprofen, recently switched to Ultram, which isn't really helping either. I'm talking pounding, nauseating, really painful frontal/occipital headaches (strangely the temporal area is unaffected).

So if anyone has any miraculous non-narcotic remedies, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks........:D

Wait a minute. Aren't you the person who said a few months ago that you had brain mets??

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well......

i had a HA this am, and took an ultram...didn't work..

Had sex...... guess what? HA is gone.

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I have been living with HAs for a LONG time.... So long that many of the pain meds mentioned above I cannot take because my poor stomach just cannot handle them. I have done the Inderal..... and the Imitrex.... and Vioxx and Flexeril, Ultram, Naproxin, Tylenol #3, etc... I even had a Doc. try me on Celexa, with the theory that SSRIs were beneficial in migraine prevention. There was also a "slim chance" that they could become worse. Just call me "slim" shady... I was a MESS. Well, about a year ago my neurologist prescribed Topamax for me. I gradually worked up to a therapeutic level, (200 mg BID) and I was doing really well on it until about December. So, we have decided to change, and I am titrating back down. Now I am starting on Depakote ER 250mg qd. I was feeling really bogged down with all the Topamax, so this is a welcomed change. So far, so good. My advice to you is an echo of those before me. Get checked out. Consult a neurologist. Maybe a Cat scan is all you need, maybe this HA problem you're dealing with is coming from your neck. That's where many of mine originate. Were you ever injured? Even many years ago?? Any kind of misalignment in your spine could be putting undue pressure on nerves in your neck etc. What have you got to lose? Besides the Pain in your head, right?? Good luck to you!

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Migraine victim as well. I use Fioricet for my HA's. Along with a cool, quiet, dim room. Maybe a movie that is relaxing for me. And a cup of hot green tea.

I have to agree with the others too...get checked out.

I am curious, as to whether or not you are on any BC pills. My HA's began when I started on BC. Same with my mom. My doc is aware of situation...I cont. with the BC for obvious reasons.

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I emphasize "effective".

I've had migraines for the past 30+ years, and have taken everything from Midrin to Sansert to Dolophine, not to mention all the evil concoctions that are loaded with ergotamine tartrate. I've seen more neurologists than I ever thought existed, had EEG's. brain scans, CTs, PETs, and MRIs; tried biofeedback, "talk" therapy, you name it:confused:

The only thing that consistently relieves a migraine is Maxalt MLT, 10 mg. The stuff is amazing!! I gave it a try just to get the doc off my back. It's way better than Imitrex or Zomig, plus it's an orally disintegrating drug. I often wonder how different my life would have been, had there been Maxalt back in 1971.

As far as other HA's: if my blood sugar is too low, I'll grab a Mountain Dew or some other caffeinated, sugar-loaded pop.:D

For sinus HA's: generic Sudafed with generic Benadryl and ibuprofen works great. I avoid Tylenol like the plague: I want to hang on to my liver.:chuckle

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WHAT HAVE YOU CHANGED IN YOUR ROUTINE BEFORE THE HEADACHES??? I GET THEM FOR WEEKS AT A TIME SOMETIMES TOO. STRANGE ENOUGH THE IMITREX HASN'T BEEN WORKING FOR MINE EITHER AND I GET MIGRAINES THAT USUALLY RESPOND. I WAS WONDERING IF IT ISN'T A BUG GOING AROUND. IN ANY CASE I WILL READ YOUR RESPONSES FOR IDEAS TOO AND I HOPE YOU ARE FEELING BETTER SOON!!! i TRIED mAXALT AND IT WORKS BUT DOESN'T LAST FOR ME, THE BLOOD SUGAR CAN BE A CULPRIT TOO. DHE IS A MINI BAG WE GIVE ON THE FLOOR BUT I DON'T THINK YOU WANT TO BE DOING THAT AT HOME OR WORK.

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chiropractic. works like a charm everytime.

Also, most headaches, when they aren't migraines are tension headaches. A combo of meds work really well, they are Inderal and elavil. been taking them for about 4 years and they work wonders. Both in low doses. 25-50 of elavil and 10 mg of inderal 1-2 times a day. The miracle cure..

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I was taking Inderal but had to stop because of a bronchospastic episode. I'm asthmatic.

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Specializes in med/surg, cardiac/telemetry, hospice.
Originally posted by erdiane

ok...here's the number one remedy known to man. go to the nearest er. Tell them this is the worst headache you have ever had. Tell them you are allergic to asa, toradol,haldol,morphine, tylenol,phenergan, vistaril,motrin. then say, "but that drug that sounds like dem....demer....demerol? I can take that! and they usually give me 150 mg IM !" then see what the er nurses face looks like.

ROFLMAO!!! :roll :roll :roll

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Specializes in med/surg, cardiac/telemetry, hospice.

Barring other underlying conditions (I agree with the rest, "get checked!") my pharmacology professor gave us a formula to get rid of H/A's: 2 Tylenol, 2 aspirin, and a cup of coffee.

I forget its method of action, but the caffeine potentiates the effects of the aspirin, and ASA and APAP work in different ways. He guaranteed it worked better than "the hair of the dog" for hang-overs, LOL!

It worked for my friend's chronic back pain, too.

Good luck!

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