Splitting migraine in left hemisphere

Grundbegriff · Post by **Grundbegriff** » Tue Nov 13, 2012 10:06 pm

Splitting migraine in left hemisphere. Starts at top center of skull, sweeps forward through forehead, eye, and upper-left teeth, and descends along the side behind left ear and halfway down neck. Piercing pain when eyes look through corrective lenses or toward light. Mild nausea. Stabbing sensations intermittent and horrifying.

Who's with me?

malichai11 · Post by **malichai11** » Tue Nov 13, 2012 10:07 pm

I'm recovering from a migraine that hit me at 1AM last night and I was wake up 7AM. Slept until 4pm today. Truly horrifying shit. I have felt your pain and empathize with you.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Tue Nov 13, 2012 10:35 pm

The summer and early fall were terrible for my migraines. I hope this one passes quickly for you!

Mine arrive over the left eye--the lid twitch is the first sign--but then the actual pain sets in and moves to the right and I get the stabbing eyeball needles. Other people have migraine headaches, but for me the worst pain feels like it's in the eyeball itself. This adds an extra "I am going blind" creepiness factor.

I take Imitrex, which has its own characteristic nausea. When the Imitrex nausea (drier, higher in the belly) starts to supplant the migraine nausea (queasier and deep in the bowels), I know that I'm going to feel better (though drained and wasted) in about an hour. Sometimes Imitrex doesn't work.

Migraines are no fun!

RLMullen · Post by **RLMullen** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 7:49 am

I get migraines on the right side, and they always start behind my right eye. When the headache is at its worst my balance and perception are affected enough that driving is impossible, and a bright sunny day worsens this effect. I have a one hour commute, and there have been several occasions where I've left work at the first signs of a migraine just so I wouldn't get caught half-way home when the full effect of the migraine set in.

The odd thing about migraines is that pain medication simply does not work at all! The only thing that helps is a dark room and at least four hours of sleep. It's the getting to sleep part that can be a real bitch though.

JSHAW · Post by **JSHAW** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 8:43 am

I lived with migraines for a majority of my life. Always used cold compress or ice pack on head. I had to be in a room
with no noise at all.

I had some major dental surgery done in 2006 and by some miracle I don't get them anymore.

When I feel a headache developing I take 3 ibuprofen and it does the trick.

I've had eye glasses since 3rd grade, most of my migraines were caused by eye strain, and stress. Mine would get so
bad that they would cause me to vomit. After this would happen I would feel relief arrive.

I feel for anyone with migraines.

McNutt · Post by **McNutt** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 10:47 am

My migraines started getting really bad about five years ago. I was getting them every week or so and popping Advil migraine, which did the trick. I went to a neurologist after they started increasing to every other day. The neurologist told me to avoid taking over-the-counter migraine medicine because it can cause a cycle of rebound headaches. I stopped taking the medicine about two months ago and my headaches got worse. More frequent and more severe. Last month I got 17 bad ones. For the past month I've been on an every day preventative medicine that has really made a difference. I've only had two migraines in the past month, which is much better. The downside of this medicine is that it causes a tingly sensation in your fingers and toes that intensifies with physical activity. That sucks. The next option is botox. Not kidding.

silverjon · Post by **silverjon** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 11:34 am

McNutt wrote:The next option is botox. Not kidding.

Makes sense. It's a paralytic.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 11:39 am

On the plus side, you could go to one of those botox parties that I heard about awhile back.

redrun · Post by **redrun** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 12:32 pm

Grundbegriff wrote:Splitting migraine in left hemisphere. Starts at top center of skull, sweeps forward through forehead, eye, and upper-left teeth, and descends along the side behind left ear and halfway down neck. Piercing pain when eyes look through corrective lenses or toward light. Mild nausea. Stabbing sensations intermittent and horrifying.

Who's with me?

BTDT. Some time ago I had a perscription for Neosodium Anaprox (sp?), the only painkiller that works for me - currently available over the counter as Aleve. If I take two at the start of a migrane it may reduce it to a minor headache. So, if you've not tried Aleve for migraines I recommend giving it a try.

malichai11 · Post by **malichai11** » Thu Nov 15, 2012 2:46 am

And here I go again tonight. This time I'm not fucking around and doped myself up quickly with some maxalt, oxycodone, and zofran (for the nausea). I feel like I'm teetering between the pain going away completely and plunging into horrific pain. So that's it for me looking at the computer screen for the rest of the evening, I think.

Grundbegriff · Post by **Grundbegriff** » Thu Nov 15, 2012 10:18 am

I've seen good results with Relpax (eletriptan), but my supply is empty, and I'm trying to find a new PCP, and every office I call says they're no longer taking new patients. :/

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Mar 02, 2015 5:51 pm

Up your nose with a lidocaine hose.

Those suffering from perpetual and acute migraines can now hope to get well from a preliminary study that suggests delivering the anesthetic lidocaine (Xylocaine) directly to a mass of nerves behind the nasal cavity provides considerable relief to sufferers, but it remains to be seen if the procedure would provide a significant cure that lasts for several months and applicable to a larger group of patients.
...
For the study, the researchers recruited 112 patients aged around 45 years – but all diagnosed with migraines or some other intensely painful and cyclically occurring headache, known as cluster headaches.

The participants were asked to indicate their pain levels on a standardized scale of 1-10, and then they underwent an “image-guided therapy” session where a spaghetti-sized catheter was inserted into the nostril and through the nasal passage to deliver a dose of lidocaine to the nerve center called the – sphenopalatine ganglion. This was done for both nostrils.

According to Mandato, the participants did not need to undergo any sedation before the procedure is carried out, and that the target nerve bundle “resembles a complex highway crossing with many [nerve] signals and exits going in all directions.” The hope of the researchers was to directly deliver lidocaine into a nerve center that short-circuits the headache’s causing pathway.

Some patients reported a drop in their migraine levels the day after the procedure, and for some others, the pain actually rose marginally nearly a week after the procedure. This shows the treatment is not suitable for everyone. Seven of the participants or 6% of them reported they did not derive any relief or benefit from the procedure, but 88% stated they would actually be requiring less pain relievers to deal with their migraines following the procedure.

Mandato and his team admit the procedure delivers a temporary relief and would have to be repeated often for longer results. Dr. Richard Lipton, director of the Montefiore Headache Center in New York City, said he found the study “very dramatic.”

rshetts2 · Post by **rshetts2** » Mon Mar 02, 2015 6:46 pm

I cant say that they are migraines that I get but starting a few years ago Ive been getting left hemisphere headaches frequently. My doctor did some tests and believe them to be sinus related. Ive been treating them pharmaceutically but when they hit, really drugs dont make much of a dent in the pain. All that works is for me to lie down in a dark, quiet room with a cold compress and ride them out. They suck.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Mon Oct 17, 2016 7:29 am

My wife has always suffered from awful migraines. While mine usually involve a slow day of sickening headache, hers sometimes last 48-72 hours. Drugs and other treatments have helped some, but nothing has limited the frequency of occurrence.

This morning my wife is going in for Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery. A few months back a scan discovered that a deviated septum and some other bone were putting serious pressure on her sinuses. Correcting this has been known to reduce or even eliminate migraines.

Wish her luck! It's an easy procedure (up your nose with a rubber hose), but she'll be under anesthesia for little while. I truly hope this is a solution to most of her migraine problems.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Mon Oct 17, 2016 8:22 am

Good luck! The last few times I've had to deal with migraines they were triggered by adrenaline - I found that by doing less crazy shit, I could avoid them entirely. It's good they found a probable cause; many aren't so lucky.

Paingod · Post by **Paingod** » Mon Oct 17, 2016 2:40 pm

Fingers crossed!

I've had maybe 5 migraines in my life, two of them in the last month. I fixed that by crippling the lights over my desk and I've felt much better since. The company owner wanted to experiment on me by replacing the bulbs with different kinds - full spectrum or more 'natural' light but I declined. I'd rather work in a dimly lit corner for 5 years than have another episode of wanting to die just to satisfy his curiosity.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Mon Oct 17, 2016 4:15 pm

Home from surgery. It all went great, and there wasn't even much bleeding. It's amazing that you can be in and out of the hospital in 3.5 hours even when they do work inside your skull.

There will be a few days of post-care (saline washing, etc.), but already my wife says breathing is a marvelous experience.

pr0ner · Post by **pr0ner** » Mon Oct 17, 2016 5:22 pm

Holman wrote:Home from surgery. It all went great, and there wasn't even much bleeding. It's amazing that you can be in and out of the hospital in 3.5 hours even when they do work inside your skull.

There will be a few days of post-care (saline washing, etc.), but already my wife says breathing is a marvelous experience.

How did she manage to have endoscopic sinus surgery without all sorts of stuff packed up her nostrils after?!

hitbyambulance · Post by **hitbyambulance** » Mon Oct 17, 2016 5:29 pm

Holman wrote:Home from surgery. It all went great, and there wasn't even much bleeding. It's amazing that you can be in and out of the hospital in 3.5 hours even when they do work inside your skull.

There will be a few days of post-care (saline washing, etc.), but already my wife says breathing is a marvelous experience.

i had this done - twice. once to try to fix up the results of a bad road accident, and the second time 12 years later to correct the botched initial surgery.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Mon Oct 17, 2016 7:39 pm

pr0ner wrote:
Holman wrote:Home from surgery. It all went great, and there wasn't even much bleeding. It's amazing that you can be in and out of the hospital in 3.5 hours even when they do work inside your skull.

There will be a few days of post-care (saline washing, etc.), but already my wife says breathing is a marvelous experience.
How did she manage to have endoscopic sinus surgery without all sorts of stuff packed up her nostrils after?!

They corrected a deviated septum and ground down some bone, but the doc says there was very little bleeding. Rather than leaving wads of bandages up there, it's just stitches that will eventually dissolve.

There will be a little nosebleeding off and on for a few days, and in the coming weeks there might be some especially nasty mucus to sneeze out, but there's no physical gear up the nose.

I was worried that she would be left with visible bruising, but there's not even that.

Grundbegriff · Post by **Grundbegriff** » Mon Oct 17, 2016 10:31 pm

Glad to hear it! Hope she finds relief in it for her intolerable migraines.

It's amazing what they can accomplish nowadays with non- (or minimally-) invasive surgery.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Oct 19, 2016 4:50 pm

Mouthy migraines

People with migraines have higher levels of certain microbes, or germs, in their mouths and digestive systems, new research suggests.

Specifically, the analysis of data from the American Gut Project found that migraine sufferers had significantly higher amounts of nitrate-reducing microbes than those without migraines. The project included over 170 oral samples and almost 2,000 fecal samples, the researchers said.

"There is this idea out there that certain foods trigger migraines -- chocolate, wine, and especially foods containing nitrates," said lead author Antonio Gonzalez, of the University of California, San Diego.

"We thought that perhaps there was a connection between someone's microbiome and what they were eating," he explained.

Although the researchers found a link, they didn't prove a cause-and-effect relationship. Further research is needed to learn more about the association between microbes and migraine, the study authors said. It's possible that the results of such research might lead to new migraine treatments, they added.

The study was published Oct. 18 in the journal mSystems, a journal from the American Society for Microbiology.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 5:48 pm

Been thinking about migraines lately, and I believe this is the thread for it...

I used to get pretty regular migraines, often two a month, some of them lasting a full day and leaving me nauseous from pain. I know many people have them even worse. Migraines are skull-puking nightmares.

About a year ago, though, I went on a relatively low dose of Lexapro for depression reasons, and recently I've realized that I've had maybe three pretty minor migraines in all of that time. The drug has been good for my emotional state, but it has been an absolute miracle for my headaches.

Has anyone else had this experience?

Zenn7 · Post by **Zenn7** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 11:37 pm

Pretty much every time I get a headache, if I don't take some pain killers (pretty much anything, Tylenol, Advil, whatever) fast enough, I vomit. Sometimes, I can't take them fast enough if it's a rapid onset of major pain. Most time I don't, it's because I do sometimes just feel minor pain and it goes away or I think I don't really have one (or I'm just stupid and keep doing whatever I'm doing...).

This has been a problem since I was a teen at least.

The plus side is relief is usually not far away after the vomiting if it gets to that point.

The down side is in the last few years, I usually vomit 3 times in short order.

Fortunately I tend not to get headaches nearly as much after being diagnosed with sleep apnea about 12 years ago and using a CPAP machine. Don't know how much direct effect that is and how much it's the reduction in caffeine (still drinking it if I'm going into the office, usually Mon-Thur (wfh on Friday) and when I'm driving long distance (more than an hour), but don't drink it generally if I'm just at home.

I don't know if these are technically migraines, they never last for days. Doc says she thinks they sound like migraines to her.

Summarily, headaches SUCK!

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Tue Jul 31, 2018 8:48 am

Splitting migraine in left hemisphere

Every time I see the thread title, I imagine the Earth saying this.

Jaymon · Post by **Jaymon** » Tue May 14, 2019 4:49 pm

McNutt wrote: ↑Wed Nov 14, 2012 10:47 am My migraines started getting really bad about five years ago. I was getting them every week or so and popping Advil migraine, which did the trick. I went to a neurologist after they started increasing to every other day. The neurologist told me to avoid taking over-the-counter migraine medicine because it can cause a cycle of rebound headaches. I stopped taking the medicine about two months ago and my headaches got worse. More frequent and more severe. Last month I got 17 bad ones. For the past month I've been on an every day preventative medicine that has really made a difference. I've only had two migraines in the past month, which is much better. The downside of this medicine is that it causes a tingly sensation in your fingers and toes that intensifies with physical activity. That sucks. The next option is botox. Not kidding.

I have a similar experience. have had headaches and migraines for many many years, since I was a teenager. The doctor suggested Analgesic Rebound headache, meaning I was addicted to overthecounter headache pills, and suffer withdrawals coming off them. Almost but not exactly like caffeine addiction. So after that, I went cold turkey (almost) and its been horrible. That was two months ago. My headache journal says I only have 9 headache free days in the past 2 months. 5 migraines and counting, and missed about 8 days worth of work. My quality of life has significantly degraded.

McNutt, how long did it take you to stop suffering after coming off the OTC medications?

next step in treatment is a sleep study, perhaps lack of oxygen during the night is causing a hangover linke headache every morning.

em2nought · Post by **em2nought** » Tue May 14, 2019 7:31 pm

Jaymon wrote: ↑Tue May 14, 2019 4:49 pm McNutt, how long did it take you to stop suffering after coming off the OTC medications?

If you reread that he didn't stop suffering from going cold turkey. He had two terrible months, and then saw a doctor who placed him on a prescription medication without the side effects of the over the counter medicines. It was then that he found relief. At least that's the way I read it. Good luck.

Zenn7 · Post by **Zenn7** » Tue May 14, 2019 7:38 pm

Jaymon wrote: ↑Tue May 14, 2019 4:49 pm
McNutt wrote: ↑Wed Nov 14, 2012 10:47 am My migraines started getting really bad about five years ago. I was getting them every week or so and popping Advil migraine, which did the trick. I went to a neurologist after they started increasing to every other day. The neurologist told me to avoid taking over-the-counter migraine medicine because it can cause a cycle of rebound headaches. I stopped taking the medicine about two months ago and my headaches got worse. More frequent and more severe. Last month I got 17 bad ones. For the past month I've been on an every day preventative medicine that has really made a difference. I've only had two migraines in the past month, which is much better. The downside of this medicine is that it causes a tingly sensation in your fingers and toes that intensifies with physical activity. That sucks. The next option is botox. Not kidding.
I have a similar experience. have had headaches and migraines for many many years, since I was a teenager. The doctor suggested Analgesic Rebound headache, meaning I was addicted to overthecounter headache pills, and suffer withdrawals coming off them. Almost but not exactly like caffeine addiction. So after that, I went cold turkey (almost) and its been horrible. That was two months ago. My headache journal says I only have 9 headache free days in the past 2 months. 5 migraines and counting, and missed about 8 days worth of work. My quality of life has significantly degraded.

McNutt, how long did it take you to stop suffering after coming off the OTC medications?

next step in treatment is a sleep study, perhaps lack of oxygen during the night is causing a hangover linke headache every morning.

Sleep Apnea - you stop breathing in the middle of the night (more common in heavy people with thick necks). I got a CPAP machine and it greatly reduced my number of headaches (not to mention the drifting off (that just for a moment and jerk awake repeatedly thing) at inappropriate times - like while reading, watching TV, playing games, working, weddings, funerals, driving, the birth of my child - where I was holding my wife's hand during the C-section...).

hitbyambulance · Post by **hitbyambulance** » Tue May 14, 2019 8:08 pm

since my concussion two weeks ago, i've had two 'optical migraines' (the label given to this phenomenon by my doctor). what happens is that i'll stand up from sitting, feel what seems to be an upper back/neck ache, then i'll get a major, huge 'head rush' - to the point where the blood flow drowns out sound to the heartbeat and it feels like i'm experiencing an atmospheric pressure differential - then sometimes about 10 minutes later my vision goes all wavery/sparkly. no pain, lasts for about 10-20 minutes.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Tue May 14, 2019 8:19 pm

Holman wrote: ↑Mon Jul 30, 2018 5:48 pm Been thinking about migraines lately, and I believe this is the thread for it...

I used to get pretty regular migraines, often two a month, some of them lasting a full day and leaving me nauseous from pain. I know many people have them even worse. Migraines are skull-puking nightmares.

About a year ago, though, I went on a relatively low dose of Lexapro for depression reasons, and recently I've realized that I've had maybe three pretty minor migraines in all of that time. The drug has been good for my emotional state, but it has been an absolute miracle for my headaches.

Has anyone else had this experience?

Since it's been some time, I'll re-post and re-attest to this. Lexapro (even at a low dose) has done amazing things for my migraines. I used to get them regularly and heavily, and now I get them infrequently and lightly.

Jaymon · Post by **Jaymon** » Mon Jul 29, 2019 12:23 pm

So I have a CPAP machine now.

It was an unpleasant experience. The entire journey through testing and diagnosis and prescription, I spent less than 10 minutes with an actual doctor, and now I have a machine I am supposed to strap to my face for 8 hours a day for the rest of my life. I strongly disagree with the process and the diagnosis. It seems like sleep apnea is the new bogeyman and cure-all, and there is an entire industry built around making sure people get diagnosed so the machine makers can make money.

So why did I agree?

I am desperate for literally anything to solve my headache issue. I keep a journal, and I get a lot of headaches. A LOT. If I don't see any improvement for headaches form this machine,

If this doesn't work, and I assume it won't based on the data so far, my next desperate grasp will be an earing. More specifically, a piercing in the tragas? The flap that covers the ear hole.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Jul 29, 2019 12:26 pm

*Tragus

My GP is supposed to be setting me up for a sleep study. I get about 9-10 hours into my day before I'm hit with crushing fatigue. Makes the drive home more of an adventure than it needs to be.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Mon Jul 29, 2019 12:36 pm

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Mon Jul 29, 2019 12:26 pm My GP is supposed to be setting me up for a sleep study. I get about 9-10 hours into my day before I'm hit with crushing fatigue. Makes the drive home more of an adventure than it needs to be.

Anecdotal evidence, but I personally found that weight loss was more desirable than wearing a CPAP machine. Once I dropped ~20lbs, the sleep apnea stopped and the dreaming came back. I also had incapacitating exhaustion around 3pm every day (like if I sat down, I'd fall asleep), but now that I'm sleeping better at night, it's no longer an issue. Can't help with migraines but both my cardiologist and sleep doctor indicated losing weight was almost always a better alternative (assuming it's possible) than meds or machines or surgeries. YMMV.

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Mon Jul 29, 2019 12:47 pm

MMDV, I am not overweight but was diagnosed with sleep apnea and was snoring like a buzz saw. I am used to the CPAP now and almost feel naked without it. Sometimes I will pull it off for the last hour or so.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Mon Jul 29, 2019 1:05 pm

I'm sensitive to some chemicals, particularly frangrances. I stated having massive headaches a few months ago. Like I had to close one eye and bite down just to be able to see. After a lot of narrowing it down, determined it was a new hair product. I eliminated it and the headaches went away. A few weeks ago I tried using it again for confirmation and sure enough, the headaches came back almost immediately.

Probably not of use to anyone but just pointing out that there are a lot of environmental factors and triggers, many invisible.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Jul 29, 2019 1:07 pm

Weight loss is on the agenda. However, there's no indication that it's apnea. My tonsils are gone, and my wife says that I rarely snore, and quietly even then.

It's more likely that my allergies fill me with so much snot that I can't breathe well.

TheMix · Post by **TheMix** » Mon Jul 29, 2019 1:17 pm

I had a recurring cough for months. The doctor suggested trying Benadryl. It actually helped. Apparently I have/had just enough nasal drip during the night to be irritating my lungs. So I've been taking 1-2 most nights. Kind of a pain, but definitely better than coughing. Maybe something worth trying? (For Issie, obviously.)

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Jul 29, 2019 1:35 pm

Doc just put me on Xyzal and Singulair, so those may help.

Jaymon · Post by **Jaymon** » Mon Jul 29, 2019 3:29 pm

I have a long list of triggers, and chemical smells is on that list.
I, like many folks, am struggling with weight loss, I know I need it.