iPain Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 So I am really not complaining here. This is my worst time of year (Nov-Feb) historically, and I haven't had anything above a kip 5 and have had strings of 2-3 weeks PF thanks to busting. However, I also get migraines from time to time. I happen to have had several over the past week (including a doosey today) in addition to some managable, but very annoying shadows. I plan to bust this weekend. Has anyone with migraines and CH noticed that busting helps with the former as well? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bejeeber Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 I personally haven't had a migraine for decades, but there are definitely chronic CH'ers here (such as MoxieGirl) who have reported busting to be very effective for migraine prevention - in fact it has been MORE effective with migraines for them than it has for CH, with it practically wiping out the migraines for some. [smiley=vrolijk_1.gif] I'm surprised and disappointed to hear it hasn't done more for your migraines so far , here's hoping the next bust will tip the scales in that dept. and get you PF for both CH and migraine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iPain Posted January 24, 2014 Author Share Posted January 24, 2014 Thanks Bejeeber! The migraines are an annoyance for sure but do not compare to CH in any way. Just would be nice to be free from all of it! I'm hopeful. Thanks again for the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoxieGirl Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Hi iPain (great nickname btw) Yes, what Bejeeber says is true. Migraines run in my family and I've had them all my life. An average migraine for me can last 5-7 days if the triptans I have don't work, and they are a 50/50. The year before I busted I had 42 migraines. The year before that, 63. The year I started busting, I had 3 and six the following year. I've already had a handful this year, Jan and Feb are my worst months for headaches, migraines and clusters, and I haven't been busting regularly the last 6 months. Need to step it up again. Also, when I do get a migraine, a really bad one might last 3 days instead of the 5 or so. Granted, if it goes on that long I usually drown it with 5 to 6 shots of vodka. I've found that works better than triptans and doesn't conflict with busting. MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kika Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 My daughter has tried busting for her hemicraniaa continua and had good results. She is a wuss though, and complains long and loudly about the awful taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iPain Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 Moxie, thanks for your detailed response with personal experience. Unfortunately, I have not had quite as much luck thus far with busting for my migraines. Your migraines sound much worse than mine, however. I get an extreme sensitivity to light and a ton of nausea that lasts from a few hours to up to 24 hours. However, an oral triptan usually does the trick. Definitely can't do the alcohol trick you use unfortunately. If I'm anywhere near a cluster cycle, even a sip of any alcohol can get me dancing within seconds to no more than a couple minutes. Given that I only get migraines 1-2 times every other month or so, and they are nowhere near as severe (at least in terms of length of time) as yours, I'm not going to complain. The effect busting has had on my CH is nothing short of a miracle, and that's what really matters. If anyone else gets migraines on occasion as well and has any other suggestions, I'd be interested to hear them. Thanks all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bejeeber Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 If anyone else gets migraines on occasion as well and has any other suggestions, I'd be interested to hear them. I can tell ya that my wife has been able to pretty consistently abort migraines at onset with an energy shot. If you haven't tried this yet, always having an energy shot on you and ready to gulp at a moment's notice could be something to consider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iPain Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 Thanks Bejeeber, I do personally help keep Red Bull in business for cluster treatment (seriously, we clusterheads should buy stock in Red Bull), but I have never tried it or any other energy drink for a migraine. The biggest problem I foresee is the truly awful nausea I get during a migraine, which is something I do not get during a cluster. It is actually so strong that it is sometimes tough to even drink enough water to take an oral triptan. Nonetheless, if the major nausea hasn't kicked in yet, I will definitely strongly consider giving an energy shot a try. One other possible complication with that which I just realized is that usually my best migraine treatment is sleep. Energy drinks would make that a bit tougher. All advice is very very welcome though, and I may still give it a shot with my next migraine.....especially if I get it at work where sleep is not an option. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bejeeber Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Understood where you're coming from there iPain - FWIW, the wife seems to have had her success when the attack is still at her visual/aura stage, hasn't gotten to the pain/nausea point yet. Her triptan backup which she finds effective for anything an energy shot hasn't dispatched is Maxalt lozenges (no water required). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoxieGirl Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 I've not tried an energy drink for migraines either. But, with migraines, one of the first things to shut down is the stomach. This is why they say to take migraine pills as early as possible, at the very onset of a migraine. If you wait too long, the stomach stops processes food, and the pill is useless. I believe this is also some how connected with the nausea that is a common symptom of a migraines. They mess with the stomach as much as a cluster plays with the sinuses. iPain, might be worth asking your doctor about an injector for the triptans you take for your migraines. It should work faster, be easier to take and you won't struggle keeping it down. What I find works really well when my migraine won't go away for days, is to shut myself up in my room. I close all the curtains, and either have no lights on, or one dim one in the corner. Also, no noise, if at all possible. I used to live in the country, a lovely Hall built in 1908 with no neighbours for miles. It was so very peaceful and quiet, the perfect place to recover from a migraine. - But I digress - On my laptop, I have a display setting where the wallpaper is black, and everything that is normally white, is set to a light grey. I find playing on the laptop, chatting with friends, or watching a film with the volume low gives me something to focus on and I can ignore the migraine, to a degree. It also means I don't have to move around, or turn my head or eyes, which is very painful. I can often reach a point where I almost forget I have a migraine, until I get up for a drink or something and have to leave my room. MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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