What can I do for a migraine?

[Nirinjan]

UGH! I feel so awful. Last night I took half of a hydrocodone that DH had because I pulled a muscle in my shoulder/neck and I wad in a lot of pain. I woke up about 4am with an awful pounding headache and really bad nausea. It's gotten worse since then. I don't know if it's a side effect from taking the drugs last night or what, but I have never had symptoms like this before. I haven't even been able to drink my normal morning coffee because I feel like I will throw up. It feels better to put an ice pack on the back of my neck, but what else can I do? I don't have time to be out of commission - we are supposed to be camping this weekend and I have so much to do. HELP!?!

[Anne]

Drink the coffee if you can or find some other way to get some caffeine. If you're used to having caffeine and you don't, your headache is likely to get worse.

Since you also have a neck/muscle thing going on, I'd try some ibuprofen to help with the muscle pain and any swelling.

I think it's possible that the hydrocodone made you feel icky.

Make sure you stay hydrated.

Ugh, migraine's suck. (((((Niri)))))

[Storymama]

Go to the chiropractor ASAP! I think this is likely a reaction to the narcotic (it's pretty classic) but you probably are way out of whack with the shoulder/neck thing and that alone can give you a migraine.

- Try some caffeine + tylenol, alternated with ibuprofen (which might feel good on the shoulder/neck too)

- Do you happen to have any rx anti-nausea medication on hand, like Phenergan or Compazine? I have a lot of luck aborting a migraine with those (but you'll be dopey and need a nap for a few hours, which you could probably use anyway.)

- Go to the ER and let them treat you if you can't get on top of it.

[Kari]

UGH! I feel so awful.

((((Niri))))

Here's a fully over-the-counter regimen you can try:

Excedrin (caffeine, aspirin, and acetomenephin all combined)
together with:
Meclizine (anti-nausea medication - you can find it on it's own in generic format or as the ingredient in some name-brand nausea meds)
followed two hours later with:
Advil/Motrin(ibuprofen)

I now have prescription migraine meds that work for me, but before I started those I took the combo I outlined above. The meclizine was KEY for me, because the nausea was just what pushed it over the top as far as making me totally unfunctional.

Hope you feel better soon!

[sarahrose]

ouch. I hate migraines. It's funny how people are different. Hydrocodone is really the only thing for me that will completely knock out a bad migraine. My prescription medication does a decent job ONLY if I catch it right away. If I wait too long it does nothing.

I'll second (or third) caffine and tylenol and then ibuprofen. And I'd try to drink a bunch of water.

I hope you feel better soon.

[Peggyann]

I agree with whoever said about the nausea.

If I can't get rid of a migraine on my own, I go to my Dr for a happy shot (demerol, phenerghan and valium)

~PA~

[Redhead]

I suffer from terrible migraines and I highly recommend Maxalt, it dissolves under you tongue and kicks in quite quickly! You can get a script form your GP.

[sarahrose]

I suffer from terrible migraines and I highly recommend Maxalt, it dissolves under you tongue and kicks in quite quickly! You can get a script form your GP.

Maxalt does not work well for me. If I take it right at the beginning of a migraine...maybe...but if it's not a migraine and just a headache I've wasted one of my $3 pills. If I wait too long it does nothing for me.

[Nirinjan]

Thank you all so much for the replies. I managed to drink my latte and then take some Advil and slowly felt better as the day went on. *SHUDDER* I hope that won't happen again, but just in case, I copied down the suggestions you all made. I think I will go get some Excedrin and the meclizine that Kari mentioned just in case. Thanks again!! Thank goodness I feel fine today but crazy busy since I lost a day getting ready for camping.

[aleutsi]

Thank you all so much for the replies. I managed to drink my latte and then take some Advil and slowly felt better as the day went on. *SHUDDER* I hope that won't happen again, but just in case, I copied down the suggestions you all made. I think I will go get some Excedrin and the meclizine that Kari mentioned just in case. Thanks again!! Thank goodness I feel fine today but crazy busy since I lost a day getting ready for camping.

{{{HUGS}}} I'm glad you are feeling better. Losing days to pain - especially migraine pain, stinks!

[Anne]

Thank you all so much for the replies. I managed to drink my latte and then take some Advil and slowly felt better as the day went on. *SHUDDER* I hope that won't happen again, but just in case, I copied down the suggestions you all made. I think I will go get some Excedrin and the meclizine that Kari mentioned just in case. Thanks again!! Thank goodness I feel fine today but crazy busy since I lost a day getting ready for camping.

I'm glad you're feeling better. Migraines suck so bad. :-( (((((Niri)))))

[hamamelis]

Thank you all so much for the replies. I managed to drink my latte and then take some Advil and slowly felt better as the day went on. *SHUDDER* I hope that won't happen again, but just in case, I copied down the suggestions you all made. I think I will go get some Excedrin and the meclizine that Kari mentioned just in case. Thanks again!! Thank goodness I feel fine today but crazy busy since I lost a day getting ready for camping.

((Niri)) migraines are so hard. I'm glad you're feeling better. I second the chiro and caffeine advice, and I also find that putting an ice pack on my neck and forehead can be helpful.

[Brenda]

Thank you all so much for the replies. I managed to drink my latte and then take some Advil and slowly felt better as the day went on. *SHUDDER* I hope that won't happen again, but just in case, I copied down the suggestions you all made. I think I will go get some Excedrin and the meclizine that Kari mentioned just in case. Thanks again!! Thank goodness I feel fine today but crazy busy since I lost a day getting ready for camping.

I'm glad you are better. Migraines are the worst.

[Bonny]

Glad you're feeling better. Excedrin Migraine has helped w the few times I've thought I was possibly having a migraine.