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Health Poll: Have You Ever Had a Migraine?

Have You Ever Had a Migraine?

April 11, 2008

Migraines are one of the worst things a person can feel. Your head is pounding, you have excruciating pain behind your eyes, and bright lights are to you like kryptonite is to Superman. Migraines make you dizzy and nauseous, and the pain can get so bad that it can even make you sick.

I always thought that these agonizing headaches were pretty uncommon, but lately, many people I know have been suffering from them. So tell me . . .

Source

78 Comments

Steven2680614 1 year 2 weeks

Never had a migraine but just had a headache after a stressful phone conversation, the thought crossed my mind and so I would like to know how I have managed to evade this common type of headache.

Austin Pisces 4 years 38 weeks

About 35 years ago European doctors discovered that migraines are passed from parent to child through a gene in the blood, and part of the throbbing pain is a result of swelling of the brain. I’ve been able to trace my migraines through 7 generations. I sympathize with anyone having severe headaches, but Excedrin Migraine meds contain only Tylenol, aspirin & caffeine,,,check the label. Real migraines require serious meds. Sorry. My doctor also thought I had a brain tumor, but after all the tests, x-rays & CT scans, he said I was lucky they were only chronic, classic & cluster vascular migraines!

behemoth_the_cat 5 years 5 weeks

never had one and glad of it! tfu tfu tfu...

aimeeb 5 years 5 weeks

Very rare but once or twice a yr is enough for me.

tmmkitten 5 years 5 weeks

i had a migraine for a solid month when i had mono years ago. worst sickness ever.

Imabeliever 5 years 6 weeks

Migraines seem to run in my family. My grandfather on my mother's side, my mom and I suffer from them. I have been having them since I was about 10 years old.. nothing over the counter works.. the only thing that helps is a dark room, a heating pad and Fioricet. Though I gave up using any medication for it years ago and have just tried to work my way through them.. though even with the medication I could still feel it.. I just referred to it as the sleeping dragon.. I can usually tell its coming about a day or two ahead of time and pro actively start stretching and using the heating and aromatherapy pillows to attempt to lessen the effects or just surrender to it.. such is life.. At this point I am almost more afraid of the prescription drugs and becoming dependent on them then the pain itself.

melissabritt 5 years 6 weeks

I used to get them weekly & after over a year of trying to figure out triggers & being a mother to TWO babies... I finally got put on twice a day Topamax & my life a completely changed. I have had 1 migraine in about a year & I am no longer afraid to leave a 20 min distance of my house in fear of having a migraine. I don't know about anyone else but my vision would get terribly effected & I would typically throw up. Prior to Topamax I tried everything! Change of diet & every other medication on the market. This is the only one that has worked for me. Yay!

melissabritt 5 years 6 weeks

Tabloid 5 years 6 weeks

I do... even worst but that's because I have a health issue which cause me having painful headache quite sometimes.

yamagrl 5 years 6 weeks

No, I consider myself very fortunate that I've never had one - a few bad headaches but not a migraine.

JaimeLeah526 5 years 6 weeks

I have had a few major migraines and then one constant one for about 3 months when I was sick. It was not pretty but I really haven't had one in such a long time. Exederin Migraine works for me most of the time if I can be in a dark room with no sound and just try to sleep.

Ikandy 5 years 6 weeks

i have severe headaches due to acid reflux and soy allergies...i never made a connection between my headaches and acid reflux until i read my EXACT symptoms on a box of "alka seltzer" (headache, body aches, sour stomach...)and then a lightbulb came on in my head...after some internet searches...i realized it was due to a highly acidic diet. adding alot more alkaline foods into my diet has really helped my severe headaches.

Ikandy 5 years 6 weeks

i have severe headaches due to acid reflux and soy allergies... i never made a connection between my headaches and acid reflux until i read my EXACT symptoms on a box of "alka seltzer" (headache, body aches, sour stomach...)and then a lightbulb came on in my head... after some internet searches...i realized it was due to a highly acidic diet. adding alot more alkaline foods into my diet has really helped my severe headaches.

yellowshoe 5 years 6 weeks

I started getting severe headaches in high school. All migraine symptoms, but my dr. told me I was too young to get migraines. He tried prescription after prescription. When I moved away for college, they went away. BUT right after graduation, once I entered the real world, my migraine symptoms are back. I wake up nearly every morning with awful throbbing in my head, and the symptoms just get worse throughout the day. I've seen different doctors, tried many prescriptions, and nothing gets rid of the symptoms. Once I found a two-prescription mix that lessened the symptoms, but my doctor wasn't sure about continuing it- she said it should have rid me entirely. So, I just try to get through each day with all the pain. Awful!

wackdoodle 5 years 6 weeks

Actually MandyJoBo that's not a very complete medical definition of migraine. That's more of a layman's simplified definition. The medical definition is far more extensive and varies by whether it is a Neurological association providing the definition or a General Practioner's group providing the definition.Example - for GP's the definition of Migraine is:Migraine: Usually, periodic attacks of headaches on one or both sides of the head. These may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity of the eyes to light (photophobia), increased sensitivity to sound (phonophobia), dizziness, blurred vision, cognitive disturbances, and other symptoms. Some migraines do not include headache, and migraines may or may not be preceded by an aura.For some clinicians studying the causes of migraine the definition is:<disease> An often familial symptom complex of periodic attacks of vascular headache, usually temporal and unilateral in onset, commonly associated with irritability, nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea and often photophobia, attacks are preceded by constriction of the cranial arteries, usually with resultant prodromal sensory (especially ocular) symptoms and commence with the vasodilation that follows.And for Neurologists is definition is:Migraine headache: The most common type of vascular headache involving abnormal sensitivity of arteries in the brain to various triggers resulting in rapid changes in the artery size due to spasm (constriction). Other arteries in the brain and scalp then open (dilate), and throbbing pain is perceived in the head. The tendency to migraine is inherited and appears to involve serotonin, a chemical in the brain involved in the transmission of nerve impulses that trigger the release of substances in the blood vessels that in turn cause the pain of the migraine. These nerve impulses cause the flashing lights and other sensory phenomena known as an aura that may accompany a migraine. Not all severe headaches are migraines and not all migraines are severe.As you can see - the definition varies according to how involved the group is in the treatment and care of migrainuers. Note the general medical definition never mentions that migraine disease is a vascular disease, instead it implies that it's simply a really bad headache with some really unpleasant side effects. Well that's known not to be the case with regard to the disease. It is a vascular brain disease and that is known to be fact. The pain that people feel and the other symptom are the result of a series chemical processes occurring in the brain and dilating the blood vessels to the maximum and over-stimulating the nerves in the brain. Some migraine attacks do not involve any headache or head pain whatsoever. As Scully has told us and I know personally this disease for some goes beyond just head pain into other disturbing realms - all of them are part of having the disease and the brains functions. It's absolutely frightening to be driving and suddenly everything goes blank and your brain just shuts off. Unfortunately, its happened to me at work and in case I didn't say it I drive a bus for SF public bus system - MUNI. I have blacked out behind the wheel of my 40,000+ lb bus while the bus was moving but no one got hurt, no vehicles were damaged - only my peace of mind was destroyed by the "what ifs". As I've said before MUNI does not care if I have this disease or that it's potentially life-threatening to the general public. Inside MUNI migraine disease is not a disease it's just a headache and just an excuse used by many drivers. But when I went beyond MUNI and informed the City itself of my health issue - they understand the gravity of the situation and want to see if they can transition me to a position where it will not be a life-threatening hazard. They cannot understand why MUNI has never pushed for me to get off the road and why they've never reported that I have a chronic health issue to the City.Anyway, the thing right now (at this moment) I know I am still suffering from a major attack BUT I have no head pain (headache) at all. Instead I'm having severe vertigo, slurred speech, my nose is running but only one nostril, I'm overly loquacious and I'm hypersensitive to smells and touch. The BF is not happy because I cannot bear to be in the same room with him, so I asked him to leave. This is a dangerous situation because hey I can function right now but at any moment as has happened in the recent past my vision could go out and down I'll go. Hoping to miss any sharp or hard objects on the way down.To put it simply as my doctors have a migraine is not a headache. And a headache is not a migraine. However, a headache can be a symptom along with many other symptoms of the disease called migraine. The definition of migraine disease is a complex one, the result is easy to understand though - it just sucks.

wackdoodle 5 years 6 weeks

Actually MandyJoBo that's not a very complete medical definition of migraine. That's more of a layman's simplified definition. The medical definition is far more extensive and varies by whether it is a Neurological association providing the definition or a General Practioner's group providing the definition. Example - for GP's the definition of Migraine is: Migraine: Usually, periodic attacks of headaches on one or both sides of the head. These may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity of the eyes to light (photophobia), increased sensitivity to sound (phonophobia), dizziness, blurred vision, cognitive disturbances, and other symptoms. Some migraines do not include headache, and migraines may or may not be preceded by an aura. For some clinicians studying the causes of migraine the definition is: An often familial symptom complex of periodic attacks of vascular headache, usually temporal and unilateral in onset, commonly associated with irritability, nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea and often photophobia, attacks are preceded by constriction of the cranial arteries, usually with resultant prodromal sensory (especially ocular) symptoms and commence with the vasodilation that follows. And for Neurologists is definition is: Migraine headache: The most common type of vascular headache involving abnormal sensitivity of arteries in the brain to various triggers resulting in rapid changes in the artery size due to spasm (constriction). Other arteries in the brain and scalp then open (dilate), and throbbing pain is perceived in the head. The tendency to migraine is inherited and appears to involve serotonin, a chemical in the brain involved in the transmission of nerve impulses that trigger the release of substances in the blood vessels that in turn cause the pain of the migraine. These nerve impulses cause the flashing lights and other sensory phenomena known as an aura that may accompany a migraine. Not all severe headaches are migraines and not all migraines are severe. As you can see - the definition varies according to how involved the group is in the treatment and care of migrainuers. Note the general medical definition never mentions that migraine disease is a vascular disease, instead it implies that it's simply a really bad headache with some really unpleasant side effects. Well that's known not to be the case with regard to the disease. It is a vascular brain disease and that is known to be fact. The pain that people feel and the other symptom are the result of a series chemical processes occurring in the brain and dilating the blood vessels to the maximum and over-stimulating the nerves in the brain. Some migraine attacks do not involve any headache or head pain whatsoever. As Scully has told us and I know personally this disease for some goes beyond just head pain into other disturbing realms - all of them are part of having the disease and the brains functions. It's absolutely frightening to be driving and suddenly everything goes blank and your brain just shuts off. Unfortunately, its happened to me at work and in case I didn't say it I drive a bus for SF public bus system - MUNI. I have blacked out behind the wheel of my 40,000+ lb bus while the bus was moving but no one got hurt, no vehicles were damaged - only my peace of mind was destroyed by the "what ifs". As I've said before MUNI does not care if I have this disease or that it's potentially life-threatening to the general public. Inside MUNI migraine disease is not a disease it's just a headache and just an excuse used by many drivers. But when I went beyond MUNI and informed the City itself of my health issue - they understand the gravity of the situation and want to see if they can transition me to a position where it will not be a life-threatening hazard. They cannot understand why MUNI has never pushed for me to get off the road and why they've never reported that I have a chronic health issue to the City. Anyway, the thing right now (at this moment) I know I am still suffering from a major attack BUT I have no head pain (headache) at all. Instead I'm having severe vertigo, slurred speech, my nose is running but only one nostril, I'm overly loquacious and I'm hypersensitive to smells and touch. The BF is not happy because I cannot bear to be in the same room with him, so I asked him to leave. This is a dangerous situation because hey I can function right now but at any moment as has happened in the recent past my vision could go out and down I'll go. Hoping to miss any sharp or hard objects on the way down. To put it simply as my doctors have a migraine is not a headache. And a headache is not a migraine. However, a headache can be a symptom along with many other symptoms of the disease called migraine. The definition of migraine disease is a complex one, the result is easy to understand though - it just sucks.

MandyJoBo 5 years 6 weeks

This is the definition of migraine for those that don't know if their headaches are considered migraines: migraine (n) : a severe, disabling headache, usually affecting only one side of the head, and often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, photophobia and visual disturbances I've only had one REALLY bad migraine, to the point where I thought I was going to die and welcomed it to escape the pain. I get very mild migraines (in comparison) occasionally, but I can tell they are coming and I take something before it gets too bad. Luckily, OTC meds work for me.

MandyJoBo 5 years 6 weeks

susanec 5 years 6 weeks

Stress relief and healthy lifestyles can help, for certain, but as so many above examples have indicated there is no guarantee. I've been practicing yoga since before I started getting migraines, I get massage; I also use preventative meds and abortive meds. Every migraineur needs to find out what works for them. Spring and fall tend to be difficult when barometric pressure is a factor (in many parts of the country) because of the constant changes and storms. I've only had complete success with one triptan (Maxalt) and partial relief with another (Relpax) the rest were either worthless or caused rebounds. It all depends.

susanec 5 years 6 weeks

snowbunny11 5 years 6 weeks

Holy crap....only 15% of Americans get migraines, but according to this survey, only 16% of us are migraine-free! That is truly bizarre....

scully22 5 years 6 weeks

I've inherited my migraines genetically. I have been suffering with them for about 20 years. Every day I too have a headache that can develop into a Migraine. At first, my doctor would load me up with Vicodin and Fioricet with Codeine and several other narcotics. I then became tolerant which led to addiction. I checked myself into a well-known Headache Clinic and went through withdraw, it was a nightmare because while I was "getting clean" I was not able to have any abortives. I was violently ill for days and days. After a few weeks in the Treatment Center, I was placed on a myriad of abortives and preventatives. Mind you, I had (at the time) a toddler to attend to (she's 10 now) but I was also suffering from over medication - I didn't realize it of course because I was out of it. Literally. I would black out, very scary. My husbands very supportive family took care of me and my daughter and demanded answers from these doctors. I blacked out while driving and totalled our family car. My daugher was in the car and I don't remember anything other than waking up in the ER crying and confused! I thank God everyday that no one was hurt physically, the guilt I feel as a mother is overwhelming to me and I still get choked up about it. In my opinion, at that point, the doctors FINALLY realized they could be looking at a lawsuit waiting to happen and finally agreed I was overdosed. They have cut down my preventatives and abortives and I'm doing pretty good. I know what injections to administer and what point they are needed, etc. It definately has changed my life completely, I may not be able to go to concerts or other loud events, drink socially but I know it sure beats the alternative of not living life at all. I realize this is a long story but I just wanted to share because some people in my life don't understand what it's like to ne restricted from tyramine foods, chocolate, wines, etc. If they have a headache, they take 2 advils and they are fine. I wish I could say the same. I typically get one or two attacks a year that require a trip to the ER because my self induced injections do not work. So when I loose vision in my left eye, I know that's my clue to get to the ER for help. Lesson to be learned, be careful of that doctors give you, you can without realizing it - become addicted.

scully22 5 years 6 weeks

Cestlavie21 5 years 6 weeks

I go through phases with mine which leads me to believe they're seasonal. I have them just like what you described Hootie, where I am forced into a pitch black room with no sounds or smells. You have to hold back crying because it just makes it worse, and during these times anything I've eaten comes right back up. It's debilitating. I know once I get one, the rest of my day is shot because there's no going back from that point. I'll usually be alright once I wake up the next morning though. I just try to sleep through them. As for the cause, I live in a strange climate with rapid fluctuations this time of year (below freezing one day, 80 degrees the next LITERALLY) and I think that's the main culprit.I'm at the gym 4-5 days a week and I eat a very healthy diet. I don't take birth control and I don't drink alcohol often. Based on my lifestyle it makes it easy to identify triggers because my diet and exercise are so tightly controlled (I'm very disciplined). I've learned that lack of sleep can trigger regular headaches which develop into migraines within a few hours. Stress is a trigger for me as well.

Cestlavie21 5 years 6 weeks

I go through phases with mine which leads me to believe they're seasonal. I have them just like what you described Hootie, where I am forced into a pitch black room with no sounds or smells. You have to hold back crying because it just makes it worse, and during these times anything I've eaten comes right back up. It's debilitating. I know once I get one, the rest of my day is shot because there's no going back from that point. I'll usually be alright once I wake up the next morning though. I just try to sleep through them. As for the cause, I live in a strange climate with rapid fluctuations this time of year (below freezing one day, 80 degrees the next LITERALLY) and I think that's the main culprit. I'm at the gym 4-5 days a week and I eat a very healthy diet. I don't take birth control and I don't drink alcohol often. Based on my lifestyle it makes it easy to identify triggers because my diet and exercise are so tightly controlled (I'm very disciplined). I've learned that lack of sleep can trigger regular headaches which develop into migraines within a few hours. Stress is a trigger for me as well.

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