Posted 6/7/2012 5:16 PM (GMT 0)
49ersfan,
Excedrin is generally the go-to over the counter headache medication. This is because it contains three drugs that help reduce head pain: Aspirin (for vasospastic events), Tylenol (as an anti-inflammatory) and caffeine (which, as a stimulant, helps many people's headaches). You should note, however, that regular Excedrin Extra Strength contains the exact same ingredients as Excedrin Migraine--you end up just paying more for the information packet.
That being said, it's good to have a medication that will stave off a bad migraine--so long as it's not used too frequently. If you're using Excedrin more than 2 or 3 times a week you risk perpetuating your headaches by going into rebound (search the forums or the the web for rebound headaches, there's plenty of information out there).
What it comes down to is that if these migraines are disrupting your life so much and Excedrin is your only recourse , then you should probably talk to your doctor about these problems (or even consider seeing a headache specialist). You might benefit from taking a preventative medication daily or have better luck with other migraine abortives like Triptans (Imitrex, Maxalt, Zomig, etc) or stronger NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).
Best wishes,
Ben