Good Days have been with me

In the last 17 days I have only had 3 migraines. This is amazing to me and I hope that everyone on this board finds a medication for prevention that works. If I continue at this rate, the migraines are reduced to 5 or 6 a month in stead of 15-17 a month.

I don't need to tell you all what that means for me. I hope this continues to work.

777Trinity

Congrats Trinity! I'll keep my fingers crossed for more good days to come. B

Please, by all means, do keep at it, Trinity!!
In fact, I dare you to set a record

Risa

Cluelesskitty wrote:

Please, by all means, do keep at it, Trinity!!
In fact, I dare you to set a record

Risa

Record setting in process!!! 19 days only 3 migraines This is huge!!!!!

777Trinity

I know sometimes it's hard to tell, but do you have a reason for your recent success ?

Migrainegirl wrote:I know sometimes it's hard to tell, but do you have a reason for your recent success ?

Migrainegirl:

Yes I do know. It is the Lisinopril 10mg I am taking as a preventative. It's an "off label" use, normally this med is for high blood pressure which I do not have. It normally takes about 3 months to fully kick in.

A member of our congregation was having 3-4 migraines a week, his doctor put him on this medication, within 3 months his migraines were nearly totally gone. He has had 1 in 18 months

So I asked my PCP to let me try it. I was having around 12-17 migraines a month. in July I had 17 all in a row. I started Lisinopril on July 17th, since then only 3 migraines. It truly has been a miracle for me.

For me, the only side effect was some fatigue initially, so I started taking it around 5pm instead of in the morning, allowing that action to happen at night when I sleep Within 2 days the fatigue was gone.

This is truly amazing to me, it was not a Neurologist that prescribed for our congregation member, just a regular PCP...don't ya just love that!! I feel FREE for the first time in several years...really FREE. If these drop to even 5 a month and I am counting on LESS, I will have "A Life" again.

777Trinity

Such great news for you! Congrats!!!!

http://www.cmaj.ca/content/164/9/1337.full

Link to an article about a study on the med with migraine patients. (old from 2001)

milo wrote:http://www.cmaj.ca/content/164/9/1337.full

Link to an article about a study on the med with migraine patients. (old from 2001)

Milo:

I read the article but could not make any sense of the statistics on it.

Here are my statistics though I started 10mg of Lisinopril on July 17th and I am still on it, a total of 23 days.

I was in a seige of migraines daily from June 24th through July18th, a total of 24 days of migraine, considering suicide. Two days on Lisinopril and the days of migraine broke. The following 21 days I have had 4 migraines. This is a miracle for me. It is supposed to take about 3 months for it to kick in fully.

The one thing I did notice about the study you shared is that they upped the mgs from 10 to 20 of the Lisinopril. Personally I could never take that high a dose, the 10mgs did make me feel really tired until I switched it to late afternoon so I could sleep that aspect off. I imagine those who dropped out of the study or were non-compliant may have experienced at twice the level I did. Lisinopril needs to be taken at the end of the day, not the beginning

I haven't had any problems with this at all, only incredible change in my life. I actually did get around to joining the YMCA today Taking it slow, I've been bedridden for nearly 7 years, crippled by the monster. So I am doing an aquatics class starting Friday with the older folks...who cares if I am younger, my body has to pick up lost time now

This is worth trying, maybe it can help some of the rest of us. 777Trinity

Just a quick update.

As of today I have been on Lisinopril 10mg for 30 days. I have had 6 migraines during that time, which is a HUGE decrease in frequency. Normally 12-17 head cracking migraines of agony every month.

I will continue this medication for the rest of my life, unless an absolute cure is found. I am not noticing any side effects at all now. It is my hope that this will continue to work and perhaps knock out more of them. Again, the doctor said it takes about 3 months to kick in fully. I am hoping for more improvement over the next 2 months!

777Trinity

Trinity,

A 50% reduction is excellent! Good for you..

I'm so happy you've found something that works for you! The relief after such a rough spell is amazing, isn't it!?!

migrainegirl and sara79

It has been a blessing! I planted two flowering pear trees today, a rosebush and did some other lawn work here at home It was wonderful to be OUTSIDE in the SUN and in the LIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

777Trinity

Wow Trinity, you've had quite some luck with the ACE inhibitor....that's great!

Have you seen your doc yet to go over this? Reason why I ask is that it's pretty rare for an ACE to give the results you're getting if it's non-vascular related migraine or severe headache. If you've had such great luck with an ACE (which I'm glad to hear) maybe it is treating a problem which is not entirely migraine related. Just some insight I've picked up over the years.

I take an ARB called Atacand which helps with migraines, but it does a whole bunch of stuff, not unlike an ACE with what kidneys produce and vascular function.

Take care!

Porsche Fan wrote:Wow Trinity, you've had quite some luck with the ACE inhibitor....that's great!

Have you seen your doc yet to go over this? Reason why I ask is that it's pretty rare for an ACE to give the results you're getting if it's non-vascular related migraine or severe headache. If you've had such great luck with an ACE (which I'm glad to hear) maybe it is treating a problem which is not entirely migraine related. Just some insight I've picked up over the years.

I take an ARB called Atacand which helps with migraines, but it does a whole bunch of stuff, not unlike an ACE with what kidneys produce and vascular function.

Take care!

Hey PF:

I am thinking its a combination of vascular constriction and a narrowing of my spinal cord that doesn't allow proper cerebral fluid drainage, neck injury from a motor cycle accident. I don't know the specifics of how or why this medication works on migraine. I do know the person who recommended it to me had a cerebral fluid build up, his fontanels split apart just like mine did. Excrutiating pain over a 2 year period for me. My areas have been sealing back up over the last year, I only have two places in the back of my head that I can still put my finger down in. Prior, the front side fontanels were split open about 1/4 inch and I could lay my finger down longwise inside them both. ( Not doing a shunt).

Right now it appears I have a 50% improvement. About 2/3's of the migraines I am getting are much milder and easier to arrest. The other 1/3 are horrible monsters. However, I have on been on the Lisinopril 4 1/2 weeks and was told 3 months would place me at about the limit of what this med can do for me. I am staying with it and hoping for more good days! Thanks for checking in PF, I hope you are doing well too!

777Trinity

However it works, I am glad it worked (still do, and will do!!) wonders for you

Risa

Cluelesskitty wrote:However it works, I am glad it worked (still do, and will do!!) wonders for you

Risa

Thanks Risa!

777,

I really find it fanstatic that a med is working, and is continually working. ACE inhibitors do a ton of things to the body. From lessing the load on kidneys, to helping the vascular patients, and for helping in diagnostics.

make sure to talk with your docs.

i had a great experience in 2003 when my neurologist prescribed a beta blocker called Inderal LA. It help for a few days. After further review and landing in the ER, that where my heart and vasculature as a prime suspect.

my case is rare, but if i found a med, esp. where a heart med is concerned if a patient reponds so well from a medication. i'm glad you're having really good luck.

i can't really see a tie from how the issues caused by the accident and the brain, unless there's an inflammation product--which could be likely. or an impingement caused by a vertebrae (could include a lot of stuff) is nailing some blood flow up to the brain. a CT angio or MRI angio of your C-spine should show some important stuff.

good luck, and i hope things keep up!

PF