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I talk a lot about various general techniques for coping with and medications for treating a migraine attack. I thought it might be helpful to take you through the specifics of what I do when I have an attack. This information should not substitute for your doctor's advice, but hopefully you'll take away some ideas to discuss with your treatment providers.
(1) Decide which, if any, meds to take.
I'm supposed to take a cocktail of medication at the onset of a migraine attack, so ideally I have everything I need at hand and can get it all in my system immediately.
The cocktail consists of a triptan, a muscle relaxer (Zanaflex), an antiemetic (Reglan) and pain medication (Tramadol). Depending on what I have on hand, I either take an Imitrex injection, a Zomig nasal spray or a Zomig orally disintegrating tablet.
I always have a dose or two of a triptan with me, so at a minimum I take that as soon as I realize an attack is coming on and add the rest of my cocktail in as soon as possible.
Though it's not been an issue lately, sometimes I avoid taking medication to avoid medication overuse headache. You can read more about that condition here: Medication Overuse Headache: When the Remedy Backfires.
(2) Take control of my environment.
Once I've taken my medication, I get down to the business of making my surroundings as friendly as possible. I'm lucky that I'm at home most days, which makes it easy to control my environment. But even if you find yourself stuck at work with a migraine you can still put most of these ideas into practice to make your space as pleasant as possible.
- Close blinds and curtains
- Put on comfy clothes
- Close bedroom door
- Turn on fan
(3) Get as comfortable as possible.
Finally, there are a few things I try to do to get myself settled and help myself cope while I ride out the attack.
- Ice pack or cold, wet washcloth
- Arrange pillows & blankets
- Relaxation breathing
- Glass of cold ice water
- Aromatherapy with Origins Peace of Mind products
Technorati Tags: coping, treatment, medication, meditation, depression, migraines, chronic illness, health, somebody heal me
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Content by Diana E. Lee.
3 comments:
Great thoughts here, Diana. I hope you get some comments - it would be interesting to hear what other people do.
I often try to get more to eat/drink than just ice water. It depends on how bad it is, but if I'm able to eat something it can help. Otherwise, it usually doesn't hurt to just have it sitting there.
If I can I also try to get something to listen to. I might, for example, have my MP3 player or a CD player handy. Granted, it often just sits there unused! But if I'm well enough to listen to something, and not well enough to get up, it does help pass the time.
It's a great idea to have a "list" like this in mind, so you're prepared and not stuck in bed without something you wish you had (been there).
I put a hot water bottle at my feet to keep the circulation going-it's comforting. Does the zomig nasal spray give you a nasty backwash? I take it too and although it works on stopping the migraine the aftertaste is pretty bad. Also, I cannot sleep if I take it. I wonder if it's the zomig or the migraine. Insomnia has been an additional problem for me and I've tried bunches of ways to tackle it to no avail.
Hi Diana,
My routine sounds very similar to yours... and I'm also a big fan of the Origins Peace of Mind products (I keep the diffuser in my purse at all times in case I'm in a place where there are bad smells (smoke, potpourri, etc).
This may sounds silly, but I actually "pre-prepare." Every night before I go to bed, I always either prepare an ice bag, or grab one of those frozen gel packs. Then if I wake up in the night with a migraine, I have my cold, and then keep meds right by the bed.
I take a cocktail too. Mine is Imitrex (I do pretty good with the pills, but will inject when needed) and hydrocodone for pain relief. That's been working really well for me for a long time now, so I'm a happy camper. I do have maybe 1-2 migraines a month that won't go away with the traditional solutions, but in general... the routine of cold with meds... quiet, dark place with no strange smells, and relaxation breathing, etc... is very helpful!
Wishing you no more migraines!!
Kelli :)
http://www.migrainedaily.com
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