What works for your migraine pain?

Waiting for the Kaiser doctor to call me..given another med for the pain yesterday..grr..it's not working.

I've tried so many..allergic to triptans , DHE, Toradol, Morphine, Inapsine..what's left?

Any advice would be appreciated..what works for you? Or has worked for you in the past?

Thanks
greeneyes

hydrocodone is the only drug that cuts the pain down for me.........my only problem with it is that my doc wants to limit me to 2 a week.

10 mg of oxycodone. It takes the edge off, but doesn't really get rid of it. It does make me itchy, so I suppose I'm somewhat allergic, but it's the only thing that works.

also oxycodone but only if taken together with tryptan, 5mg or 10mg depending on the severity of the episode.

I am also on Topamax 125mg daily which ... so far so good, knock knock knock!!!

Risa

Went to the ER yesterday for a pain injection Dilaudid.

I've taken quite a few pain meds: Vicodin, Dilaudid, ...etc..just really frustrated I'm allergic to too many migraine medications...grr.

Thanks guys..love you my Migraine Angels

hmm...good question.

a variety of meds. most of my daily "maintenance" meds help with migraines.

but with bad ones, benadryl, nucynta, dilaudid and some others help.

and the odd--a couple beers, vodka, rum, or bourbon can help--of course, not taken with pain meds.

i think beer is a heck of a lot safer than some of the other meds out there. just my opinion.

Guys, if you don't mind me asking, what do you exactly mean by "allergic"?

Like inappropriate immune response truly "allergic", or just sensitive to it by way of heart palpitations, stomach pains,
itchy skin - something like that?

Risa

I've argued with a nurse over allergy vs intolerance once. She told me that if my reaction to hydocodone is vomiting, I'm intolerant, not allergic. I said fine, make it an intolerance, but when they 'darn' things won't stay down, they won't relieve pain, and arguing about a word is 'freaking' stupid when I'm hurting.

Since I'd never raised my voice, ever, with her before that, the 'language' and my tone meant she actually hustled to get the doc to give me something I could take.

I get this Sara, that while in writhing pain it doesn't matter whether you are truly allergic or just intolerant, sensitive or whatever
'cuz what matters is that something helps- so true!!!!

However, what I wanted to get at is while one is truly allergic which mean something is really haywire with your immune system
and it can be as dangerous as deadly anaphylactic shock,
being merely intolerant or sensitive to any given medication means not all is lost.


I get it that vomiting from hydrocodone is not a desired nor helpful experience, but perhaps something taken earlier for nausea
and vomiting could help? and if yes, that would mean possibly the medication in the end would work, then isn't it far better
than being truly allergic to it when there is no way you could get around it.

Also, I am not sure but I think if you are allergic to opiates, then you are more likely to be allergic to most of them,
and that is worse than being intolerant to one or two opiate formula because by being allergic to opiates in general
is more restricting the range of meds that can be taken.

My daughter sometimes has to take stronger painkiller for her stomach pains, and we found out she can not tolerate codeine
like the T3, but she can tolerate Tramadol much better, whew.
That is important because it's comforting to know there IS something that she can take in case of very severe pain.
If she was truly allergic, chances are she might have not been able to take neither of these.


Now my question is, have any of you ladies been actually tested if you are truly allergic or not
because maybe some of the medications could still be taken by you in combination with other anti-nausea
or something drugs, and this is worth checking out?

I really SO hate seeing you ladies suffering that bad without much help available!

Risa

Sara I have to agree. If you have a bad enough migraine that you are at the hospital, you really shouldn't be having to debate the meaning of words with the nurses. At that point one is lucky to be able to get out any words at all. Or you could just vomit on her shoes. That pretty much solves the argument.

Risa, I do understand your point. I just wish that the medical professionals would bring it up on a routine office visit, not a 'I'm here with a 9+, HALP!' visit.

I am thrilled that the codeine class of med isn't an immunological response, I have that to a class of antibiotics, and so I have to watch out, or hope I only swell up like a puffer fish, and not have my throat swell closed. However, I've had codeine tried with many types of anti-emetics, and they never keep me from actually getting ill, so I have it listed as an allergy, and my doctor knows why and agrees. I just got to where I would rather deal with the pain from non-narcotic pain relief, than to try a codeine relative and be violently ill on top of the original pain.

Truthfully I learnt this lesson post surgical, from both my wisdom teeth removal, and my sinus surgery. Both times I was given a codeine, and was ill. Then I had my back surgery, and I told them that all I wanted was Darvocept (which was still on the market then). This surprised the doctor and all my nurses, as most people want the codeine and a pain pump, while I was doing everything I could to get the IV out and get myself sent home.

Sorry, I'm writing a novel, when a few sentences were all that was needed, but everyone who has said that the way the doctor treat our pain, and treat us as if we were members of the team, rather than just a problem to solve. In some cases, we have as much knowledge about the medicines and the treatment of our conditions as they do. Grrrr sorry. /end rant

Hives and anaphalytic shock..pretty scary..an ambulance has been called before after receiving an injection in the ER..then driven home..mouthed out to Erik to call 911 ..then was completely out...and my boys saw this when they were little..