Optical Migraines

I swear by Maxalt. My migranes are few and far between but real doozies when they hit. As long as I take it at the first sign of the big one coming I'm functional. Migranes are horrible - hang in there!

Imitrex worked very well for me. Ask your doctor for another med... maybe Topamax? I have also read studies about using Ginger to help with migraines.

The important thing about using Imitrex is to take it at the first sign of your migraine. If you wait too long, the migraine itself can cause nausea and vomiting (this was the case with me).

Migraines can be so terrible... hopefully you find your triggers and can avoid those things...

I also needed glasses for reading at the computer... eye strain would sometimes trigger a migraine for me. my period also was a trigger (though i would love to avoid that...i couldnt). I only use my Imitrex now about 2-3 times a year. EDIT: another trigger... low pressure weather systems - storms moving into the area always gives me head pain... my head is practically a barometer :)

Good luck to you. there are alternative meds to try. See what your doctor thinks.

hey T.! I also have migraines and tried Imitrex and a number of others with no luck. I finally got Orphen CPD (generic name) which is a combination of pain killer and something else, but it definitely lessens the intensity of them. I didn't think anything would work, but this really helps. I've had them for 30 years now and it's nice to finally find something that at least lessens the pain and makes them go away within a couple hours. Good luck!

Hi T.-
My husband also gets terrible migraines. Imitrex didn't make him sick, like you, but it didn't work as far as dulling the pain. Relpax seemed to work best for him. Real point of my message is- last year when he had his last episode, his best friend (an ER doctor) asked him if he had ever tried oxygen. Yes, oxygen. Of course, both of us had never even thought of it and my husband's doctor had never even mentioned it. To make a long story short, we had a tank of oxygen delivered to our house and it was the miracle tank that I wanted to decorate with streamers. When my husband felt a migraine coming on, he put on his little mask and turned on the tank. His headache was completly gone in less than 15 minutes. I will never forget the look on his face the first time it worked. He had been getting migraines for pretty much his entire life. It's especially great, b/c now he's not putting all of those drugs in his body. He'd go through packs & packs of Relpax. Oxygen might work for you, might not. It's defintely worth a try. It's funny that our insurance company only covered a certain amount of pills and then we had to pay the rest out-of-pocket...the oxygen tank, fully covered. Talk to your doctor about it.

I get these every once in a while, and it is always the blurry vision with no headache... but those follow sometimes if I don't take an aspirin right away. I find they always come after working on the computer. I usually will lay down for 1/2 hour in the dark, and they usually go away. It is scary when you get them while driving. I am not certain what causes them, probably stress like everything else.

Hi, I strongly reccomend Topomax. I took it for 6 months and my headaches were almost gone. I got pregnant adn had a baby, so now I can't go back on it until I'm done nursing, so only a year to go! I treally helped me, in fact it's the only thing in the last 25 yrs. I've been getting migraines that has helped. Imitrex also made me sick and my headaches sometimes got worse with it. Hope this helps.

My Mother had this. This may sound off beat but my Mother and Father went to an alternative hospital somewhere on the west coast when my Father was trying to beat Mesothelinoma (type of lung cancer). My Mother was talking to someone there who had the optical migraines too. They told her she should see the acupunturist there at the clinic. My Mother said he took these glass straw type needles and inserted them into the back of her head. A little blood became visible in each one. She claims that it cured her. Maybe you could try talking to an acupunturist. Just make sure they have all the proper credentials. Hope this helps!

Hi there, I've only had 2 of these episodes, usually after typing a long time or if i'm very tense in my neck. I did talk to dr. and she said Imitrex works best. Because the two I've had have only been mild, lasting maybe 45 mins w/ a mild headache afterward, I don't take anything, just drink lot of water and lay down for a while if I can. Maybe your doctor can prescribe another med to try out, if your episodes are bad. I'd give dr a call...

I suffered for years with horrid migraines. Initrex made me sick as well. What worked for me is "an old timey remedy" as my doctor put it...Inderal. The medicine is usually for high blood pressure but has been found to help people with migraines. It has been a God send! I went from having them every few weeks (the literally bed ridden can't stand light throwing up kind of migraines) to now I have had 2 in almost 2 years!! I take it every day and I wouldn't quit Inderal for a million dollars...and when I start to get a headache or my eye starts to hurt I can actually take a Tylenol and it works!! Good Luck!

Hi T.! I also suffer from the dreaded optical migraines! It's nice to know you're out there - if you don't have 'em, you can't understand them! Mine will begin with my vision growing very cloudy; it's like looking through dirty fog. Shortly after this begins I begin to see the "rainbows" around all lights. These are so vivid that it's hard to believe that no one else can see them! I usually spend a full day like this and go to bed knowing that tomorrow everything will be clear again, but that the actual headache pain will arrive at some point. My opthalmologist has given me motrin 800. Everytime this happens I wait as long as I can before I take it, thinking maybe it'll just go away. Not too bright but there it is. The doc tells me mine are stress induced. Let's see...I have four kids, a husband, an ex-husband, way involved in-laws, and my baby brother recently died. Stress. Duh. I guess this won't help too much; I just wanted to let you know you're not alone! Best of luck to you!

Have you tried seeing a chiropractor. Getting adjusted with a lot of soft tissue massage done as well as acupuncture if the headaches really bad helps alot. This typically works if the migraine is being triggered by stress and tension built up in your neck and shoulders. There are muscles at the base of your skull that when tight can cause headaches that feel like someone is sticking a pen in your eye. I've seen this alot in my office and have completely eliminated the headaches for many women. Tell me more about the headaches and maybe I could help more.

Susie B