OT: Super scary migraine issue this weekend

I had one of the scariest health experiences of my life this weekend. I've had headaches my entire life and I've had some bad headaches before, but I've never had one this bad. I got the headache Saturday, it got really bad Saturday evening. I took Aleve and later took Tramadol and neither worked. It was so painful Saturday night, all day Sunday and Sunday night and most of Monday that I could barely open my eyes or get out of bed to walk to the bathroom without feeling like I was going to puke. I had dry heaves at one point but nothing came up. I couldn't eat and I felt like I had a fever (chills and felt feverish but my temp. was normal).

I was so nauseous and in so much pain all weekend that I should have probably gone to the ER but I had no one to drive me and it's a 40-min. drive and I knew I would probably either throw up or pass out on the way if I tried to drive myself. The few friends I had all live 30-60 min. away and I feel like I'm not close enough to them to ask them to drive me to the ER but maybe I just should have. Today, on day 4 of this, I still have a mild headache and some mild nausea. And I lost 8.5 pounds from this in 2 days! I never lose any weight from my UC, so that makes no sense to me because I had no diarrhea and I didn't even throw anything up. I barely ate for 2 days but still.

I'm seeing a doctor later today to see if they can give me anything to take if this happens again. I feel like I could have stopped it in its tracks if I had had a stronger painkiller (hydrocodone has worked in the past a few times when I had some leftover from being in the hospital). Anyway, I'm freaked out and scared that now I might have another health issue. I really can't take another thing. I'm also worried if this could be a Humira side effect? I Googled it and other people said it was, but I've been on Humira 9 weeks now, so I doubt it's related. That completely took me out of commission for 3 days though. I was wishing I had UC symptoms instead, that's how much pain I was in.

Anyway, thanks for listening.

Wow that is really scary, sounds like an awful experience. I also would like to know what the doctor says.

Hopefully somebody who has been through this will weigh in, but to me it sounds like a very severe migraine attack. Ask the nurse about Sumatriptan. It's a migraine med used specifically to stop migraine attacks.

Been there! Migraines are awful. I get so sick I cannot function or get out of bed.

Sumatriptan (Generic for imitrex) always works for me and it’s not a painkiller so you can function. It is slow acting— takes about 1-2 hours to work. I think there are newer ones out that might work better/faster but they were too expensive for me.

If you’re too nauseous to keep the medication down you can ask for anti nausea med like ondansetron (Zofran generic?).

My migraines lessened in severity with time but increased in frequency and length so now I’m taking monthly injections of Aimovig which is one of the new preventatives on the market and it has completely erased my migraines.

Let me know if you have any more questions

One more thing ... I was wondering if mesalamine was contributing to the increase in frequency of my migraines (headaches are listed as a side effect) but I’ve quit taking mine and it didn’t make a difference. So there’s that.

Once you find a med that works for you it’s ok — just never go anywhere without it. Sumatriptan will work after thee migraine starts but they say it’s better to take it sooner than later. I always wait too long trying to make sure it’s not just a “regular” headache. When I get to the point that I can’t hold my head up I know it’s time

Please ask for further testing based on all your symptoms. If this is abnormal, have more done than only pain relief.

q

If you are having migraines you should see a neurologist for care, they are more qualified to handle them than a gp. There are so many different types of migraines & symptoms. It's not a one size fits all. I have a great gp, but see a neuro, same with both of my kids. Son first started having them at the age of 8! My daughter gets them when it's close to her monthly.

Most drs will not rx pain meds for migraines because they can cause rebound headaches. A real catch 22. Regardless, there is so many different medications available today to treat than when my son & myself first started having them. With him being so young the pediatric neuros offered zero meds. Told me to keep him away from chocolate, morons! My neuro agreed to treat him even though he did not see children that young. He was put on Midrin, which is nearly all caffeine. You will find with a lot of the meds you have to catch them early.

Good luck with your visit, maybe it will be a one time deal only, who knows. Btw, never had fever or chills with a migraine.

Pain relief is fine....I'm meaning from their response. Good on the tests and the Imitrex. Did you have blood pressure checked?
q

Imitrex really is better than pain meds for migraines. And once it takes effect the pain is gone and I can function normally.

I do get chills with my migraines. I mainly notice my feet are ice cold. I also get really tired right before one comes on.

I agree with flowers. Migraine medication is much more effective for me than pain meds. I hope you find something that works well for you. When you're in that pain, you just want it to go away, whether with a pain med or a migraine pill, sometimes you just suck it up and take an NSAID.

You can take imitrex after the migraine has already started. If you’re still feeling pain then use take one now. Did they give you 50 or 100 mg? If you take one and the pain is not gone in 2 hours you can take another

I don’t know if I get feverish but I do get hot and cold. I also feel really stupid — literally — carrying one a conversation is hard because I’m scattered and stumble on words and lose my train of thought. Plus just being so tired it’s hard to think at all

What's the fun in only one crisis???
Good to hear the headache is gone.
q

Yeah...the pay-off vs sides, sometimes not so great. Headaches I have most daily. Much is from my neck so chiro helps a lot.
But a baaad day/days is horrific. I've had migraines but it's not a norm for mine thankfully.
q