Hey Migrainers....

Artful Dodger

Artful Dodger

13th Floor Elevator
I read an article that large doses of Magnesium per day (10,000 units), helps many because it says that Migrainers have been found to have lower Mag in their system.

Has anyone tried it? If so, how did it go with you??? Mine have been coming back with a vengeance, and would like to try it if anyone says that it helped theirs. Gotta do something cuz almost all of my time coming up towards last couple months is spent in bed now with an icebag on my damn head...:kendo2:
I ask because cost....Went broke last month, and probably will this month too.....car power steering is out and need to take to Ford dealership to repair, new tire needed, specialist Dr $225 coming this month, gas every 2 weeks for 4 hour round trips every 2 weeks for skin cancers removals, etc, etc, and still will need some to eat and pay for my meds....bad time $-wise for me these months, and I don't want to spend even more on something that may not help me. If I get good feedback about the Magnesium, I can not pay a utility bill or two and pay them next month so I can buy it......head keeps getting worse and worse.

Thanks....

From Hell,
Arty
 
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Although I have not used it, I have read many times where mag is very very helpful. Good luck with it, Arty. I know how awful they can be!
 
Mag wont cure it, but has reduced the symptoms somewhat dramatically in some cases.



5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP, 400 - 600 mg per day) -- Your body makes the amino acid 5-HTP and converts it into serotonin, an important brain chemical. Researchers think abnormal serotonin function in blood vessels may be related to migraines, and some of the drugs used to treat migraines work by affecting serotonin. Several studies indicate that 5-HTP may be about as effective as some prescription migraine medications, reducing the intensity and frequency of attacks. But not all studies agree. One study found that 5-HTP was less effective than the beta-blocker Inderal. More studies are needed to be sure that 5-HTP is helpful in treating migraines. If you take an antidepressant, or supplements such as St. John's wort or SAMe, you should not take 5-HTP except under your doctor's supervision. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, do not take 5-HTP without first asking your doctor.

Magnesium (200 - 600 mg per day) -- People with migraines often have lower levels of magnesium than people who do not have migraines, and several studies suggest that magnesium may reduce the frequency of migraine attacks in people with low levels of magnesium. In one study, people who took magnesium reduce the frequency of attacks by 41.6%, compared to 15.8% in those who took placebo. Some studies also suggest that magnesium may be helpful for women whose migraines are triggered by their periods. Side effects from magnesium can include lower blood pressure and diarrhea. Magnesium can interact with medications including heart medications, diuretics or water pills, some antibiotics, and muscle relaxers.

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin, 400 mg per day) -- A few studies indicate that riboflavin may reduce the frequency and duration of migraines. In one study, people who took riboflavin had more than a 50% decrease in the number of attacks. Not all studies have found riboflavin to be effective, however. More research is needed. Vitamin B2 can interact with some medications, including tricyclic antidepressants, medications called anticholergenic drugs that are used to treat a variety of conditions, the antiseizure drug phenobarbital, and probenecid, used to treat gout.

Preliminary research indicates that these supplements may also help prevent migraines, although more research is needed to say for sure:

Coenzyme Q10 (100 mg 3 times per day). CoQ10 can interact with several medications including blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin), some cancer medications, and medications for high blood pressure.

Melatonin (3 mg per day, taken before bedtime). Melatonin can interact with a number of medications, so ask your doctor before taking it.
 
I was thinking the same thing big that epsom salts is a cheap source of magnesium.
I also heard about the b vitamins supposedly helping but haven't tried either myself, but do get my share of migraines. Smoking weed is the best cure and preventative for me. Mine are mostly triggered by bright lights, changes in lighting, or stress. I've heard that sativas are supposedly more helpful than indicas but not sure of that myself.
 
Thank Ya', Sark...I seem to recall ya' mentionin' before that you get 'em too. Ain't we got fun?? Thanks for the thoughts and support, Brotha!

HighBurn8...wow, good info! Thank you for diggin' that research up for me!! :) I've heard about the CoQ10 when Dr.s started recommending it to their migraine patients, and tried it years ago because of it. Of course, I wasn't told the possible interactions....particularly my Hypertension meds. *ack* Same with the melatonin...
Out of the others, I have only heard of the Mag possibly helping, and never read of the others. I'll jot 'em down and ask my Dr about those. Thanks again!!

Ahhhh Big.....yup, we be partners in the noggin' department!! I'll hit the store later today and try the Epsom baths while I wait for my appt date, and walk in wrinkled as a Prune!! :)

NocG...didn't know you get these bastards too....sorry man!!!
That's true....a cheap thing that I can try in the interim! I'll ask about the B's and see what he says. Man, I've had these beasts since I was about 21 and am now 57, but have run the gambit on trying to find triggers too, but never found anything. It sounds weird, but I wish I've found a/some triggers, so I could get them outta my life if possible. Yours are things that must be so hard to stay away from....like walking into any store and they have all the Flouro lighting. Alot of people I've talked to, say that was always a big cause for them, too. I'd say most of those people, wear sunglasses wherever they went, inside & out, when they would leave their house....
Yessss......Over the years in the community, I've seem 99% of fellow migrainers say Sats work better for head pain than Indys, and looking back on my younger years and all the great Sats that were prevalent then, and have always wondered in my own case if they had something to do with the fact I didn't get any headaches or migraines during that time! Something to look into for sure.....

Here's to all the fellow sufferers of these damn things, and may you find permanent relief, someway/someday, for yourselves and/or your Loved ones!!

Arty
 
Yeah artful my first migraine I can remember ever getting was walking into a lionel toy store when I was a little kid and the fluro lighting setting me off hardcore. When I smoke all the time I don't get them. The last year or so when I've had to quit for a while I have them come back up again. Sometimes I have to use sun glasses to use the computer. Even this site I have to have on the dark blue background setting with yellow letters so I can be on it without any problems. The webpages that are all white background are the worst for computer usage. Usally they come from artificial lighting but have had them also sometimes from bright sunlight or a change from sun light to dark room inside real quick.
Not having known triggers definitely seems to make it harder to know what to avoid. Have you kept a food diary to see if they are related to what you eat or anything? Hopefully one of the things listed here will help you out with them.
 
my girl was just perscribed topomax and midrin ...

any thoughts on those (she is not handle n on them)

she has the visual migraine she goes blind ...

gets them daily
 
Yeah NocG....been thru the foods looking for triggers, but never found any. But here in the (relatively) short past, I may be onto sugars as at least a part in kicking them up. So, I've recently switched to local Honey, and am trying to get off the sugar addiction. Weird that if that is the cause, or one cause, that it never bothered my head before!
But, I'm starting to pay more attention to food ingredients and trying to steer clear of all the nasty additives & dyes, etc that are in foods as much as I can.

Man, I feel for ya'.....kids getting these things irk me to no end. They are hard enough to deal with as adults, ya' know?

I hope you can get some relief till you can get back to the Plant, Bro!!! I generally wait to partake in the evenings after I finish my day (I'm a lightweight...lol) and it does knock it way down. The times I have smoked during the day (for a number of days at a time) seems to act as a preventative, which is great. I just have to day-smoke when I know I won't have to get out and drive anywhere. I'll restart doing that again.

Arty

My pain levels had been much lower for quite some time, so I'm pretty befuddled by it. I'm going to set an appt with my headache specialist as soon as I can, and hope to be able to afford a couple of his clinical trials of IV Ketamine. Kinda puts ya' on a very light hallucinogenic trip to boot, that knocked it down for a good amount of weeks.

I used to be one of the Hosts on (at the time) the largest online forum of its kind Migraine/headache Forum and gained boo-koos of knowledge, but it shut down before my hearing about the Low-Mag factor....hence my post question.

I bought some Epsom Salts yesterday evening, but forgot to buy a plastic tub....I want to try soaking my feet in it while sitting at my comp, and also the bath. Cheap Mag intake certainly fits my bill!!! I'll be sure to let you n' Big know how that goes after giving it some time. :)
 
Hiya Zoe.....hate to hear about your daughter!!! Give her a hug for me!
Mine are daily too....

Topomax and Midrin are "old school" meds......Topomax is an Epilileptic they try as a preventative. Generally, Epilileptic medications are tried first, but if after taking it for a minimum 3 months, if it doesn't help then it's time to try another approach. BUT! DO NOT just stop taking it! That class of meds, you have to taper off of. If she just started, then she could most likely just stop them, but Consult the Doctor first. The Midrin is a very light pain reliever, and from my years as Host on the forum I mentioned to NocG, not one person that I recall got relief from it. It's more for sprained ankles, stumped toes, and other pains that are far less painful than Migraine.

If she is having bad side effects from the meds she is currently on, or in the future, she needs to be off of them. If as you said, she has just started them, she may not have to taper off....depends on just how long she's been taking them.

What kind of Doctor does she see? If you don't have a Migraine/headache specialist in your area, the first kind recommended are Neurologists. Although they treat many types of disorders, they generally do know more about treating Migraines that a GP. You may even have to try different Neurologists to find one that knows more about them, and the treatments & medications that are available these days. Beyond that, next step could/would be a Pain Center/Clinic. The ultimate being a Specialist.

It's usually a long, hard road to finding both a knowledgeable Doctor and the right combination of medications.....so be prepared.

May I ask how old she is? At what age did they start? I can't imagine how she must feel.....and going blind with the aura on top of the pain?!?! Poor sweetheart. Does she vomit with them very often?
Has she been tried on any of the Triptan class of Meds? There are about 7 or 8 different ones on the market, each one a little different. Some people get crummy side effects from all, some to one or more, and some get no side effects at all. BigSur gets side effects from them, whereas when I was being tried on them I had no side effects whatsoever. It just depends on the individual, ya' know? They are taken at the very onset of a Migraine and basically "abort" it. Also, if one Triptan does not work, then another may. It's trial & error when it comes to Triptans, but if he Doctor tries them for her and it doesn't work or if it gives he bad side effects, then ask to try them all one after the other, since (again) it depends on the individual....I've known too many people that whittled thru them until they found one/a couple/few/or none that worked for them.

I'll keep my eye on this thread and try to help you as I can, or we can do it via PMs....whichever you'd be more comfortable with, ok?
You might also try what BigSur & NocG said with the Epsom Salt foot soak and/or bath. It sure won't hurt!!! In my online research on Magnesium being low in people with Migraine, I hadn't read that that was even an option.....but, it's so safe and cheap, not to mention it makes sense that it soaks into your skin, et al.

All my best to you both,
Arty
 
I lived in a near constant state of migraine for a while. Sumatriptan and Naratriptan were great for dealing with acute symptoms, but not good everyday like I was taking them. Tried severAl epileptic drugs and some beta blockers. All were horrible and did nothing. I now get Botox injections in my neck face and back, they have worked wonders. 60% decrease in frequency. Lifesaver.

outwest
 
Apparently, I've lost touch with oral Migraine meds that are being used now.....hence the Magnesium question! :p

Yeah, the Imitrex wasn't for you....at least with the side effects, tho it did help your head go down, didn't it?
Like I was tellin' Zoe, each of the Triptans are different and act different on different folks. Have you tried any of the other Triptans besides Imetrex? Or ya' just want offa the Pharma's...

The only new ones that I'm currently aware of are a few that my Doc has me via his clinical trials, so unavailable from a pharmacy. :(

The things NocG recommended sounds good to me....sure can't hurt! :)

Arty
 
My mom was telling me she heard that eating pumkin seeds daily can help you to keep the migraines away but I only tried them for a short time. Guess what the nutrition facts say:
Nutrition Facts
Pumpkin seeds, dried
Amount Per 1 cup (129 g)
Calories 721
% Daily Value*
Total fat 63 g 96%
Saturated fat 11 g 55%
Polyunsaturated fat 27 g
Monounsaturated fat 21 g
Trans fat 0.1 g
Cholesterol 0 mg 0%
Sodium 9 mg 0%
Potassium 1,044 mg 29%
Total Carbohydrate 14 g 4%
Dietary fiber 8 g 32%
Sugar 1.8 g
Protein 39 g 78%
Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 4%
Calcium 5% Iron 63%
Vitamin B-6 10% Vitamin B-12 0%
Magnesium 191%

Lots of magnesium for sure. So if that's true about your magnesium helping AD, seems to make sense if the pumpkin seeds are high in it and supposed to help. Not sure how expensive they are as I have not purchased any myself.

I hate taking the pharmies when I don't have to as well. Imitrex makes me feel weird in a way that is really hard to describe. Can lessen the headaches but definitely not make them going away fully. Some of the triptans gave me side effects like irritability and stuff but I did not try them all.
 
Well, I have been taking baths with Epsom Salts since ya' last heard from me. Since I was already in a bad cycle, I don't know if that had anything to do with it or if I wasn't adding enough Epsom or not, but I'm just starting to come outta the cycle. So, how much Epsom do ya'll put in your bath? I may need to use more.....I dunno. But, I'll continue and see how it goes as soon as my pain levels get back to it's normal ranges.
Thank Ya'll again for the heads-up on the Epsoms!!!

Big, if the shrooms helped ya', and I recall ya' telling me that in years gone by, then try 'em again! You mentioning them again reminded me of a research article I had read years ago that were studying them for different ailments, and they showed great results with Migraines & other types of headache disorders. One of the old members at CW and earlier on the Island here, swore by a certain one, but I can't recall the name of it, but will try to find out for ya' and shoot it to ya' in a PM. Also, read down about food garbage to try. You still have a garden goin'???

NocG....good info on the Pumpkin seeds!! Yeah, I was surprised at how much Mag they have!!! Another member told me awhile back that he munches on 'em, but I don't recall if for health reasons or he just liked 'em. I'll find out n' let ya' know...for some reason, it's poppin' in my head that they aid, along with other dietary foods, in helping his Hypertension, tho I could be wrong! :hmm:
Yeah, Triptans can either be a Godsend or Hell-on-wheels with side effects! I've always been extremely lucky with almost all Pharm meds when I was runnin' the gambit trying everything the Drs threw at me, by not having side effects. I dunno how I'd handle 'em now tho...

Speaking of dietary foods, I'm beginning to wonder if some "foods" are starting to become triggers for me as I age. Sugars, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, additives, food colorings, and all the garbage they put into our foods. I've always known many people are triggered by those things, and so I went thru my diet looking for any triggers for my own head, but found none back then. Maybe some are now tho in my advancin' age, so I'll be watching what I eat and take note of any changes in my pain levels, and go from there. I know there are a couple of farms near me that raise animals that are range fed, no growth hormones, etc, etc that I want to check the prices of their meats. Sweet Meat!!! :applause:

Arty
 
diet soda gives me headaches for sure. Not quite migraines but not pleasant. I think it's the aspertane or however you spell it. I try to stay away from artificial sweeteners when possible.
 
I suffer from horrible medication resistant migraines thanks everyone for sharing all this info I will have to try the MG and maybe a couple others. Arty keep your chin up man I'm saying a prayer for you for your health. Sending healing vibes!
 
Thanks for sharing your experience Big I have had chronic migraines since I was 5. A year with out ending up in the ER sounds like heaven. Thanks Brutha I'll have to look into some oil. I got hit be a drunk driver and broke my neck in two places was a tough recovery. Sending some healing vibes in hopes you make a full recovery!
 
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bigsur51 said:
the last migraine attacks I had were in July 2012 and put me in the hospital twice that month. The 20 mile ambulance ride cost $1003.00 bux. Not quite as bad as last February's $33,000.00 helicopter ride.

So one whole year and NO MIGRAINE ATTACKS!....no fvcking shots of Imitrex!..no 1200mg Ibuprofins!..no Percosets with acetometophin!...no puking my guts out, pounding head, no sleepless days/nights!...for a fvcking year!......

Did this before, the 1 Year Clean Run. But that was over 10 yrs ago. Until last year. Why the change?

Cannabis Oil. I have been taking lots of oil, orally, since the broken neck, for pain management and sleep. Well it works and one of the side effects of taking the oil is less migraines!.......

My goal is another year of ZERO migraines!....

Good luck everyone! I have suffered with these all my life, saw my mom in pain, 3 siblings and countless friends suffer. Blessings my friends.
Click to expand...

How are you preparing it and how you are dosing yourself and how frequently? Just popped an imitrex and will follow with a naratriptan once that takes effect.

outwest
 
read the link below then read the book also below that

i had massive knee dropping migraines in the early and mid 90s by 1997 they always came creepin in at 2pm,,believe it or not,,, it would take me to my knees man the pain ,,,always left side of my head and eye,,,i thought in my quest and pointing fingers why ,,, thought it could have been because of the large multi light indoor grows and not weaing protective glasses or the 02 machines and the constant enviroment,,,that feeble desperate conclusion was after every diet change and a whole list of failed excuses and attempts

one afternoon i was standing in line at sauls delicatessen in Berkeley must have been the spring of 1997,, i started talking to a woman who was the owner of chez panisse,,, she introduced herself as alice she was very nice,,, and then she asked what was wrong i informed her that my migraine was kickin in and the other person was taking over and it was not gonna be very pleasant and i needed my corned beef sandwich and soup on rye now haha

from her carry bag purse she gave me a small bag of paudarco shredded bark,,, told me to slow simmer boil it in clean water for 15 minutes cool and drink the tea 4 teacups a day for 3 weeks,,,i drank it for 4 weeks

had a small bout with the migraines again maybe in 2007 drank the tea again for 3 or 4 weeks

never had them again after the first time drinking the tea in 97 only had them in 2007 for that short time,,, depending on the cause it may or may not work on everyone

buy it in bulk good herb stores carry it in bulk buy a quarter pound

take care


http://books.google.com/books?id=wP...EwAw#v=onepage&q=pau d'arco migraines&f=false

http://www.rain-tree.com/paudarco.htm#.UjXol39hBF9
 
Wow! Alice WAters!!! How great is that! She rocks it, and was a forerunner in the back to local nature in the cuisine world years and years ago. First chef growing her own herbs etc!! Surely was your lucky day, mate!
Not heard of the bark, no big surprise, but have heard that a magnesium shortage can bring on migraines....
Best of luck to all you plagued with those miserable things!!
Peace,
Sark
 
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