Migraine NEWS - latest research, on last page

I had a custom mouthguard made through the dentist years ago to try to reduce clenching the jaw at night. It led to jaw pain and headaches so bad that I missed quite a few mornings of school and no prescription pain killers helped. I didn't feel it made any difference - after maybe 6 months it all let up and I haven't had that jaw pain since. The mouthguard was highly uncomfortable so I don't wear it. I'd say try the kind you get at the drugstore and boil to shape it first - the custom one was really expensive. I still get the migraines but not the accompanying jaw pain.

That seems to back up the migraine info I've read online. The TMJ info indicates it'll work; the serious migraine info says, nup not so much and might actually make things worse. (Or create bigger dental/orthodontic issues)

In one case the TMJ issue was due to arthritis, so no mouthguard would ever help yet they kept trying to fit one!!! Took a rheumatologist to explain to the supposedly expert dental person that merely by looking at the xrays you'd see what was going on...
So I think that for me at least the question is answered: I know I have arthritis there, so won't try it.

Saw the new neurologist today, after my sister spent the morning trying to convince I should ask him about Botox. He seemed to agree that since my primary symptoms aren't pain, and since so much of my face is already 'frozen', Botox is prob not recommended. Did the right checks for stroke, injury, various traumas & viruses, etc.

He has ordered an MRI and an EEG within the next two weeks, and said he thinks we can get on top of whatever is going on.

I hope it works and they find something (in a good way, of course!).

my first reaction was, well it's over the top. But of course it's proper procedure, and the last set of pics was several years ago.

Apparently this man is known as a really good diagnostician. He's quiet and a thoughtful observer, and very reassuring. Has an understated suite of rooms (spacious, really nicely decorated) with a small staff, so the focus is on each patient, and the attention is reassuring and personal. A place where big words don't count, but people do.

The fact that it's next-door to FIL's psycho-geriatrician just makes me laugh!

I remember reading somewhere that people like us who feel pain more, or have frequent migraines, have brains with more folds and crevices. Maybe that's all that's happening with me. Anyway, all my colleagues are joking about now we'll see if I really do have a brain at all!

Ack, unprecedented migraine event. I am seeing my aura now after six hours of pain controlled by Fioricet. Does that mean it's about to get worse? What would you do/take right now? I can hardly see through the dancing rainbows.

Adele, so sorry. That sucks.
My teen was home with one earlier in the week when the weather was changing.
Are you under stress? I usually hydrate and have a glass of wine. The "turbo boost" of relaxants seem to knock out the migraine for me.

For some ungodly reason, I have no wine. Fioricet, Marinol, and Advil have been swallowed. Don't believe a word I say about anything else for like 12 hours. Please.

ETA: hydrating too, thank you. I always need that reminder.

The alcohol in wine etc makes my meds take on bizarre effects (or is that the other way around??)...can't mix the two.

I take a cup of really good coffee when the aura hits, put on some really good, cool and mellow music (soothing jazz etc) and try to relax. If the shakes or pounding is too bad, try for dim lighting and a MigraPatch thingy on the head (a cool compress if you have one?) - but you'll need to lie down for that. And get someone to gently rub your feet or hands in a reflexology massage, if they know what they're doing.

I really hope you're feeling better, really quickly!

Thanks, Joanne.

What is a Migrapatch? It sounds like I need one. I just made it through a very bright and loud event at my kid's school by the skin of my teeth (and with the help of all the medicines. ALL the medicines). The normally sweet little voices of the children were like 100 dentists' drills in my head. AaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaAAaaaaoooooooooow.

Ooh. Hope it has gotten better.

I buy these over the counter, as I need them (always have a box in the cupboard). You may need to order online. They usually help for several hours, when I can lie down.
http://www.koolnsoothe.com.au/kool_n_soothe_for_migraines

When I got the prolonged auras I would lie in the dark with a cool wet compress.

I landed up in Emergency two days ago; it was mid-morning, my signs and symptoms were in an unusual for me pattern, and my doc decided they should call an ambulance. I mean, I know why, but talk about overkill...!

Anyway, after close to 9 1/2 hours later I was discharged, learning that Largactil (chlorpromazine, I think is the chemical name; yes it's scary, and yes it's an older use of this medication) will be added to my arsenal, administered by IV drip, along with fluids; and that now I have had one ED visit, my future holds more.

(Good to know it wasn't a stroke!!!)

Oh @joanne, so sorry! Glad you're okay. Unusual migraines are so scary. What is the Largactil supposed to do?

ETA: oh, it's the same as Thorazine. I bet that will help, and will have the side effect of being relaxing! It is used for severe migraines, and it alleviates nausea. I hope it proves to be a powerful weapon for you.

The consultant doc who suggested it, actually apologised for having to go to this strategy. my allergies make it difficult to work with many drugs, lingering effects from old illnesses and injuries compound the probs with diagnosing the beginnings of a stroke, so he needed to hit the migraine hard and fast. Said this was 'dirty' in that it was pretty broad-hitting but also feels weird and has side effects.

Having read up afterwards, I think part of how it works is through relaxing the jaw/neck/lower scalp tension, as well as the anti-nausea. The anti-anxiety part kinda worked, except I was really short-tempered because I couldn't think or talk. LOL

Anyway, MRI on Sunday.

Eek. Good luck Sunday,,

Ta! doing the mental countdown now...! (it's 3.30pm the day before; working hard to stay calm)

No big deal. Seriously.

Nah - the calm is for other (not related) stuff that gets everything else out of whack.

Joanne, between this and the "other stuff," it's a wonder you can still function at all. Good luck with the MRI. I'm so sorry...

Went ok - including the asthma attack mid-test! Not quite danceable nor trance beats, and enough to actually give me a migraine, but really only 20 mins in the tube, with earplugs and eye mask.

joanne said:

I can do the caffeine part, JGM, but am allergic to the acetaminophen. Rats!

How about Aspirin or some other NSAID plus caffeine?

Hi sac. Aspirins etc will kill me

(It was fun in Emergency this week, trying to remember what happens when I have them since it's over 30yrs, and that was really severe! )

I'm going to double-post this link, because it's so important!
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_145912.html

And THIS is why socialisation is so important for people who have memory loss and serious illness, later in life, and/or who feel challenged in leaving their homes - THIS is why we need to better use interactive technologies to help break down barriers so people can't wall themselves away. We already have the research that demonstrates better healing and better/faster response to pain management when the brain is working well...

OK - off for that EEG now. :-D They said 'come with freshly shampoo'd dry hair - no conditioner or hair products': they have NO IDEA what they will be confronted with, as I have thick long unruly curly hair that frizzes!

So it's more than 14 hours post-EEG, and the worst of that migraine is mostly over.
I went in with one; the EEG made it worse, but I'm not sure the tech could actually see it in her results (going on her feedback). If you ever need to have this test done, be warned that there will be a series of intensley bright, intensely fast flashing lights directed directly into your eyes both open and shut - and if like me, you have a problem adjusting to lights it will be nails driven into your skull. I also am one those people for whom the after-image of lights hangs on the visual memory for a long time, so for many minutes post-test I was very badly affected - sufficiently to trigger severe pain and vertigo when the test was officially over and she was no longer going to record any new reactions. (It was so bad that I I couldn't stand, and felt as if I had been pole-axed)

Other than that, the test was OK, Left me with lots of goop in my hair! And it's possible that I may that kind of migraine that's a mix of seizure and migraine, because several hours later at home I had a repetition of some of the symptoms that sent me to Emergency and I noticed a very slight tremour as well. But I was unable to call for help or do anything, and was on the bed anyway. Just as well I get results on Friday!!

(I'm documenting stuff here, partly so others have a reference, and partly so I don't forget)

WOO-HOO! I not only have a verified working brain, it's apparently in pretty good nick! :-D
Good news: no epilepsy or variant they could find. Or anything else.
Not-so-good news: it's 'just' migraines. 'with some extras', as he put it, 'so let's work on better prevention'.

I'm now trialling verapamil hydrochloride.

Really bizarre symptom has emerged in the last couple of weeks. I've just seen the neurologist; he's being reassuring, but doesn't know what it is yet. I'm wondering if maybe it's migraine related, wondering if any of you have something similar?

You know how sometimes with the aura-type symptoms you can lose vision or hearing? Or lose your balance? Well, lately it seems as if suddenly part of one of my feet just doesn't exist. My brain can't find it in my body map, I can't get messages to it, I can't get it to what I want it to and it won't bear my weight even if sitting (and driving). It just flickers out. Then later pops back again. It might be 30 mins or an hour or two.

No pain, cramping or other sensation, no injury; all other tests seem to be ok.

I'm pleased to hear you have no seizure activity they can find, but "just" migraines doesn't sound very satisfactory. Then again, the doctors (three different areas of specialization) never did figure out why I had that episode of aphasia a couple of years ago.

Your new symptoms are very disturbing. Are they going to put you through any more tests, or did the doctor just throw up his hands and say "don't worry about it"?

he didn't just give up. It's possible that I've become aware of a 'wear and tear' situation on a chunk of nerve, that will repair itself in a routine way. Just happened that it affected a moveable bit of body when it needed to move.

It appears that my immune system is over reactive anyway, hence the allergies and the psoriasis. Migraines seem to be another part of that jigsaw, for me, and I need to work on smoothing all the automatic reactions down.

Meanwhile, Adams is a keen observer and researcher. I'm sure he'll be thinking about the puzzle, and may ask more questions when we meet again at end of the month.