Need support

I had ocular migraines a few times a week for nearly 15 years. Ocular (visual) migraines usually occur in the occipital lobe of the brain, near the back of your head. Migraines are believed to be caused by vasoconstriction which produce aura, including visual, auditory, numbness, cognitive, etc., followed by dilation, which is believed to cause the pain. My ocular migraines were evidently caused by vasoconstriction. After years of having frequent ocular migraines, one doctor prescribed Ergotrate. The pharmacy wouldn't even fill the prescription until they spoke with the doctor, it's usually used for other things. After being on this medication, it was the first relief I had in over 12 years, with a drastic reduction in the numbers, perhaps one every 10 days.

Over the years, one doctor tried Cafergot, but it contains caffeine as well. Caffeine causes vasoconstriction, so when I took the medication I had the worst visual aura I had ever had. Ergotrate doesn't have the caffeine. I was also on Inderal (Beta Blocker) at the time. I asked the doctor to increase the dose of Inderal and discontinue the Ergotrate, which he did and it worked, keeping the migraines down from a few times a week originally to a few times a month.

I later discovered I had seizures, though the aura never occurred with the seizures, so I suspect they were actually migraines, not part of the seizures. My neurologist said that seizures and migraines can be closely related. I started on Dilantin (Phenytoin) and my migraines went away completely. They can use anti-Seizure medications to treat migraines.

Oliver Sax, a noted neurologist, wrote a book on migraines for lay people, like us.

www.goodreads.com/book/show/66720.Migraine

"This link contains multiple resources for obtaining the book, including libraries."


Also, YouTube, simulating a visual migraine and a story of migraine induced cognitive issue.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=fo139jYAFzA

m.youtube.com/watch?v=BVGlvGHHU3o

This is the reporter they are discussing in the previous link.

Be sure to avoid triggers, get enough sleep, avoid diet and some cold medications, energy drinks, etc.


I'm more than happy to discuss these things with you, I've been through a lot with them.

JungRulz said...
I had ocular migraines a few times a week for nearly 15 years. Ocular (visual) migraines usually occur in the occipital lobe of the brain, near the back of your head. Migraines are believed to be caused by vasoconstriction which produce aura, including visual, auditory, numbness, cognitive, etc., followed by dilation, which is believed to cause the pain. My ocular migraines were evidently caused by vasoconstriction. After years of having frequent ocular migraines, one doctor prescribed Ergotrate. The pharmacy wouldn't even fill the prescription until they spoke with the doctor, it's usually used for other things. After being on this medication, it was the first relief I had in over 12 years, with a drastic reduction in the numbers, perhaps one every 10 days.

Over the years, one doctor tried Cafergot, but it contains caffeine as well. Caffeine causes vasoconstriction, so when I took the medication I had the worst visual aura I had ever had. Ergotrate doesn't have the caffeine. I was also on Inderal (Beta Blocker) at the time. I asked the doctor to increase the dose of Inderal and discontinue the Ergotrate, which he did and it worked, keeping the migraines down from a few times a week originally to a few times a month.

I later discovered I had seizures, though the aura never occurred with the seizures, so I suspect they were actually migraines, not part of the seizures. My neurologist said that seizures and migraines can be closely related. I started on Dilantin (Phenytoin) and my migraines went away completely. They can use anti-Seizure medications to treat migraines.

Oliver Sax, a noted neurologist, wrote a book on migraines for lay people, like us.

www.goodreads.com/book/show/66720.Migraine

"This link contains multiple resources for obtaining the book, including libraries."


Also, YouTube, simulating a visual migraine and a story of migraine induced cognitive issue.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=fo139jYAFzA

m.youtube.com/watch?v=BVGlvGHHU3o

This is the reporter they are discussing in the previous link.

Be sure to avoid triggers, get enough sleep, avoid diet and some cold medications, energy drinks, etc.


I'm more than happy to discuss these things with you, I've been through a lot with them.

Thank you so much. This was very helpful. I watched all of the video links.

As a migraine sufferer since a teenager I am sadly getting worse instead of better. At the age of 59 I had hoped they would be getting less instead of more. Mostly wake up at 5 or 6am with one so having to work at 8am take a triptan which enables me to work then have to come home and lie down unable to do anything. Then this drags on for days and my gp says only one triptan per migraine so I take Ibuprofen for pain then - I have missed so many family occasions due to this as almost always I am ill over weekends. I am feeling so fed up all the time as my life seems to revolve round migraines now.
I am on 30mg Amitriptyline for prevention which seems to lessen the severity but does not stop them.
Where do I go from here - so sad.