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[memphisto]

My OH has suffered for years with migraines, he's had a lot of prescription drugs, alternative therapies etc but hasn't sought any treatment in the last 4 or 5 years as he felt he was getting nowehere.

 

Over the last month or so, the attacks have become more frequent, from every few weeks to every few days, this week he had one all day Sunday and has just gone to bed with another attack. This leaves me to look after the baby, being pregnant as well, trying to run the house, get everything done, it's leaving me exhausted at the end of the day.

 

So....I have told him he needs to see the GP to get this sorted, he is not confident they will do anything, but can anyone who had sought help from their GP please reassure me (so I can reassure him) they he will be taken seriously (he is scared they won't take him seriously) and there are treatments out there?

[Pipichick]

I work as an optometrist and often get people referred from their GP to further investigate headaches. If your husband feels he has exhausted all options with his GP why not send him to the opticians to further investigate. Given how severe and debilitating these attacks are becoming I would expect the optom to write to the GP suggesting your husband is referred to a neurologist, specialising in migraines. More often this approach works as all the GP has to do is book an appt. Fingers crossed your husband will get to see someone who knows how to help him get rid of these terrible attacks.

[Chicken shack]

Migraines have been a curse all my life. I started getting them when I was a child, I would be sick for no reason and needed to lie down. I now know they were abdominal migraines. Sorry but nothing really helps me. I have been on beater blockers for several years which is supposed to prevent them as I was so desperate. Mine last about 3 days, I am sick, I have blurred vision and speach. I am unable to do a thing and only drink water as I cannont face food. My migraines come on quite quickley and I need to get home as soon as possible as I am unable to funtion. I worked part time as a tutor however If I had had a full time job I don't think I would have been able to hold on to it. Migraines are very debilitating. I moved last summer and gave up my post of 21 years and have stopped taking the beater blockers as I hate long term medication. I had quite a few after we moved but I am able to rest now imeadiatly I feel unwell which helps. I do think mine are bought on by stress good or bad stress. I have a job interview on Thursday and can feel my tress levels going up already. DH said I shouldn't take the job if I don't want to but I like being independent, however I can't have it both way can I. Sorry this is such a long post but I belong to the migraine trust and research is ongoing and relief is not easy and what works for some will not work for others. Your DH has probably tried lots of different medication over the years and feels there isn't any point in going to his GP. I understand you need support but he also needs support, it is like a balancing act. I have to have complete rest to enable me to recover. This is probably not what you want to hear I know but he has little or no control over his Migraine.

[The Dogmother]

Might be worth checking to see if they are cluster headaches..... I recently started to get blinding one-sided headaches, having never suffered before. Was relating it to my aunt (retired medic) and she said 'oh, those are cluster headaches, I've had them for years; only Sumatriptan will get rid of them'. It seems that they don't respond to regular pain meds, and I have problems with being allergic to opiates, so only limited meds are available to me.

 

I had one when I last went to see the osteopath about my wonky neck and he cleared the headache within 10 minutes... I'm not holding my breath but I haven't had one since.

 

Good luck to your OH and I hope that he gets it sorted.

[Chickendoodle]

Would your OH consider trying acupuncture? Don't know if it would help him but I saw one after suffering repeated headaches and it helped considerably.

[WitchHazel]

The GP should be able to refer him to a MIgraine CLinic. Surely the relatively short discomfort of going to the GP is worth it, if it gets him on the path to being able to manage his migraines.

 

These are a list of specialist clinics. All except the London one (the National Migraine Centre) require a GP referral.

http://www.migraine.org.uk/media/documents/Clinics%20list.pdf

 

The London one (The National Migraine Centre) is not NHS funded so you have to pay for it. However, if your OH is having headaches this frequently and is out of action for so many days a month, it would be worth investing.

http://www.migraineclinic.org.uk/about-the-clinic/

 

Good luck.

[millie]

Chicken Shack my 14 yr DD is off school today because of migraine, her symptoms sound just like yours. Until around 12, she had the abdo migraines, since then they have gone to the head. Good and bad stress seem to set if off, today she should have been going on the train with friends and exchange students to the cinema then pizza hut (not done this before and was really looking forward)instead she is in dark room, being sick in great pain!!! We have tried tablets, but they didnt seem to work(carnt remember there name off hand)might see if the GP will send us to Chester (thanks for the list of referal places witchazel) as sometimes she can have 2-3PW, others she can go months, and is quite poorly for 1-2 days after.

[chickencam]

my mum has suffered with migraines ever since she was a small child, they got worse during the menopause and then became almost daily, she was diagnosed with very high blood pressure and put onto calcium channel blockers and ever since she has only had the odd mild headache or the starting aura of syptoms that haven't then developed into the migraine. She is a different woman 7 years on, so much happier.

 

I also have a friend who had migraines that suddenly got a lot worse, she traced it to a new yoghurt that she had been eating, it was the only change in her life and they went back to normal when she stopped eating it. It may be worth him having a look at his diet, some people are particularly sensitive to the nitrites in preserved meats and sausages, citrus fruit is another common trigger as are red wine, cheese and beer. I have found that I can no longer drink beer because it sets them off with me.

[memphisto]

Sorry for the late response to this, we've been without internet off and on for a few days, never been long enough to get here!

 

Firstly, thank you to all of you who have responded to my original post. Your experience have helped me and OH. He went to the GP last week armed with info.

 

Unfortunately, the GP wasn't willing to go for the referral strategy just yet, he has given him sleeping tablets to try to get OH into a proper sleeping routine as sometimes if he is tired, that kicks off a migraine, then he can't sleep, then the vicious cycle starts. So, he has got to take those for two weeks and go back just before they run out. In addition he has to keep a daily diary of activities, foods, moods and see if there are any additional triggers as well.

 

I think the GP will then give him something that eases the migraines, thats what I understand anyway, hopefully then we may begin to make some progress with treating them in the early stages.

 

He has also been for an eye test and no glasses needed, he has perfect vision (very jealous as mine is awful!) and he has been for Reiki as well and the lady doing the Reiki said she could feel he was very out of alignment around his head area (I told him that was a polite way of telling him he was bonkers!) and she worked on that and he is going again because he said he felt it did some good.

 

 

Thus far

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Memphisto, your hubby has my sympathy! Migraines at any level are a nightmare , fortunately I don't suffer as badly as your OH, but when I do they can be utterly debilitating........

 

Beyond the medical route, I would have recommended an osteopath as I have had experience with them, but if reiki helps, go with it......several people on here know, I always take and firmly recommend feverfew (tincture for preference but tablets will do ) at the first sign of a migraine, it doesn't seem to stop the attack, but does speed up the nasty symptoms and reduce the severity so normal service can be resumed ASAP, if a little slower and with more care. The doseage information says you should take it daily, however the tincture tastes like Jeyes Fluid & I'd rather do my route than theirs , luckily I haven't had a bad one for a few months, but at my worst I lost 36 hours, with 3 in a week....I now know most of my triggers and try to be sensible.....being overtired, lack of food, dehydration, very bright/flashing lights and stress being some of mine.

 

Hopefully something might show up in his diary , loads of good wishes in the meantime & {{{{{ hugs}}}}} for you too, it's miserable watching a loved one when they are ill

 

P.s. I also hope that your home life has settled so everyone can be happy & healthy together very soon

Edited March 7, 2012 by Guest

[Space Chick]

Hope the Reiki helps.

 

I have suffered with migraines on and off all my life, and they can be very debilitating

 

I find I tend to get mine when I'm working too hard, not getting enough sleep, and if I eat too much sugar.

 

I have reflexology every month, and have found this to be helpful