Migraine ‘First-Aid’

Suggestions for people faced with migraines:

This is a list of things that I’ve come up with after 40 years of migraines. I keep this on my computer, as I find that when I have a migraine I can’t think clearly enough to remember what works best at each stage. It may or may not work for you, but might be worth trying. (Be sure to consult with your doctor or a pharmacist to ascertain how long you need to wait after each medication before adding another.)

Tension headache > Migraine:
1-2 Excedrin Tension OR >

Serious Migraine:
1 Ex Tension + 1 Ex Migraine OR >
2 Excedrin Migraine for more severe headache

Combination Sinus/Migraine, ADD AS NEEDED:
warm damp cloth over nose/eyes
6,000 mg garlic caps
1-2 probiotic caps
bromelain
Fluticasone nose spray

*cucumber / yogurt drink
Perrier water, room temperature, over a glass full of ice

Severe Migraine, ADD:
½ Butalbital

AS A LAST RESORT > Maxalt (this melts under your tongue, so can be tolerated even when you're too sick to swallow pills) - follow directions carefully, as this is a strong medication.

I’ve also found the following to be foods that I can usually tolerate when I have a migraine, or at least when I’m starting to come down off of it enough to be able to eat:

o Cream of Wheat, with a little plain live culture yogurt and/or milk (NO sugar!)
o Vegetable broth (no salt)
o Sour dough toast (no butter)
o Buttermilk

If I’m not too sick to do it, it also helps me to walk a little after I take the meds. It seems that this gets my circulation going enough to get the meds into my system and working. I believe it also helps to flush them out when they’re no longer needed which helps to avoid a ‘hangover’ from all the meds.

I try not to take medication unless I feel like I really have to, but as most migraine sufferers know, if you wait too long the migraine progresses to a point where you get too nauseated to take anything. So, it’s a delicate balance and a risk either way, due to the side-effects (over time) of medication.

After about 30 years, it seemed that my migraines started to leave me with a sinus-type of headache after the severe migraine pain left, which wasn’t helped by pain meds. About 5 years after that, most all of my migraines seemed to start as combination migraine/sinus headache. I had the feeling that it was kind of like an allergic reaction to all the migraine meds.

I’ve recently come to the conclusion (from both reading and trying candidiasis remedies) that the sinus headache, if not the entire migraine, is related to candidiasis. I won’t go into a discussion of candida here, but you can look it up on the internet (I may post a simple explanation later.) Hint: If you’ve ever had antibiotics, steroids, or oral birth control pills, and crave sweets and/or simple carbs, you’re a likely candidate.

Please feel free to comment, sharing what works for YOU. I think we’re all open to ideas!

*Cucumber/Yogurt drink: Liquefy in blender ½ c. chopped, peeled cucumber; 1/3 cup plain live culture yogurt, 1/3 cup milk; 12 fresh mint leaves; squeeze of fresh lime juice. Pour over a glass full of ice cubes.