Anything new in the world of migraine meds?

It isn't a new drug- but a new approach with an old drug.... I can't take any triptans (like frova) and my neurologist wasn't crazy about me using midrin or fiorecet (my old school standby's) while breastfeeding. So he has me take HIGH dose naproxen- 1100 mg at the start of the headache and 550mg in an hour if needed. The normal Rx dose is 550mg.... So my pharmacy wouldn't fill it until they verified that it wasn't a mistake I was skeptical after 20+ years of trying it all, but it has worked really well. He explained how the naproxen targets the HA but I honestly don't remember now! Just happy it works. And I also have the option of adding phenergan to the mix if I need it and can afford to be drowsy. It isn't a regimen for frequent HA's by any means... So I wouldn't count out doing a daily preventative if needed. I have been through a couple rough patches over the years when we had to do that and it was life changing. I also used a lot of acupuncture when I was pregnant, and didn't have good medication options, with good results as well.

I've been having Botox every 12 weeks for over 3 years. I used to have a headache pretty much everyday with about 10 migraine days a month - after Botix I probably get one every 6 weeks. I've also found that when I do have them now they are less severe.

The "newest" thing I've added is 400mg of vitamin B2 daily as an additional preventative. I am not sure it helps much but it doesn't hurt. It was something I'd read about in a magazine last summer. My doctor was fine to add it. (I also take nortriptyline as a daily preventative.)

I've heard of women having luck with ongoing use of magnesium. Apparently most of us are deficient. I don't get migraines but it's worked wonders for my 'barometric pressure' horrible headaches. I'm also sleeping better.

It's not new, but Maxalt works really well for me. However, it doesn't help at all if I don't take it right at the onset. I have very consistent symptoms at the beginning of a migraine, so it works for me. Some people I know with migraines don't always recognize right when one is starting, so I imagine it wouldn't be as helpful for them.

I do the same as AmandaA does. It really does work well to keep my migraines to a low roar and keeps me functional when I need to be. I can't take a lot of the migraine meds out there because if there is a rare and "entertaining" side effect I will get it. Which usually leads to worse migraines and longer migraines. The Naproxen works the best and its cheap I just do mine over the counter, no prescription needed. My Doc told me to do it that way before anyone thinks Im self medicating.

Migraine World Summit

The Migraine World is going on right now. You can sign up for a link to watch the various seminars up to 24 hours after each speaker. There might be a seminar in there today or tomorrow that might help you. I will be watching the one on light sensitivity and migraine patients.

    I'm taking a magnesium supplement too as prescribed by my Integrative Medicine doctor to help prevent migraines. It's called "NeuroMag" and it's made by Designs for Health which can be ordered online. It has 144 mg. of magnesium per capsule and I take 3 capsules per day as prescribed by my doctor. It's helped a lot to reduce the frequency of my migraines. This doctor does annual blood work on me so he knows exactly what I am deficient in.

I've also been taking Topomax for many years for prevention of migraines and luckily for me I haven't had any of the side effects that other people report. 

When I get a migraine if it a very bad one I take Zomig in a nasal spray form. I take it right at the start of the migraine for best results. Usually I wake up with one, rather that having one just come upon me. If it's only a 2-3 on the pain scale I try to save the Zomig and start first with Excedrin Migraine to see if that will do the trick plus a cup of coffee. But I only take one dose. Taking too many can lead to a rebound effect. 

I've noticed since I've cleaned up my diet that I now must watch out for things like food dye (which will trigger a migraine) and artificial sweeteners. Perfumes are also a problem, actually any artificial scent even in laundry detergent or air fresheners. Natural scents never cause a problem. Trader Joe's makes a air freshener that uses orange oil and not only does it smell wonderful it doesn't cause migraines. This is why I like shopping at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. 

Debbie in MD.

Last year dh got a migraine that wouldn't go away for months. He actually had to take short term disability. It was so hard to treat that his doctor now gives him a triptan in a shot. Those help so much. He also has maxalt in meltable pills. 

We both used to take butorphanol--it's a low level opiate nasal spray. It's more that you don't care you have the migraine. We'd sit there and watch movies--the sudden barometric changes in the spring and fall in Chicago--it could be 80 during the day and get down into the 30s--would trigger them. It runs down your throat and tastes so bitter. The movie Original Sin is so cool when you're high--the med going into the blood brain barrier makes you really euphoric. Other opiates don't make me euphoric. That scene when Antonio Banderas goes into the bordello and the camera pans around and up the stairs is so weird. 

Dh's doctor here wouldn't give him burtorphanol. Not sure why, but it took him forever to give dh anything that worked. 

My migraines get bad when my neck muscles tense up--it's from the MS. Dh's is when his head muscles tense up. He's had 5 bad concussions, and the optic nerves get compressed. We've wondered if he actually has that CTE--the concussion disease that NFL and boxers get. He has a lot of the symptoms. Opiates like Dilaudid, etc. don't work at all, so it's not like he can go to the ER for relief. That works for me. I rarely get a migraine that bad--maybe once every couple of years. Because of my stroke, my neurologists told me if my migraine lasts more than 3 days, I have to go. Migraines are a stroke risk. The last thing you want to do with a migraine is go to the hospital.


I once thought I had a super bad migraine, but it was a teensy tiny blood clot. I was in the hospital for 4 days and for the first 2 couldn't even sit up to watch TV or talk. I was also on a crap ton of Dilaudid--2 mg every hour for the first 12 hours then 2 every 2. My liver processes opiates so well that they don't work well. Because of the stroke, I can't have most migraine meds--and the others like Depakote take so long to built up that they didn't help. All you can do with a clot is take pain meds and heparin--oh, and my doctors figured out, heparin makes me clot more... They say that I have a blood clot disorder they know exists, but the National Health Institute hasn't been able to classify it yet.

So if you have a migraine that makes you paralyzed on one side, so numb in your face that your smile droops, then go to the ER. The sooner you go, the better your chances of a full recovery if it's a stroke.

Wow, that's impressive improvement.  I have struggled with daily headaches for much of my adult life. Often they turn into migraines and my day is ruined. Cutting out all grains and sugar has helped with severity. I literally have two or three headache-free days a year.  I may ask about this.
Thanks!

I'm taking NatureMade Magnesium Oxide 500 mg, 1 tablet at bedtime.