S.,
I've had migraines since I was 17 and I'm almost 53 now. Mine were always the worst the day before my period started but I would get them several times a week.Here is a link that should help:http://www.painaction.com/painaction/Article.aspx?channel...
I tried everything that was available, they started me with Fiorinal, Migraine, Inderal, Tylenol #2,and nothing helped but ice packs or gel packs. I did find a few things that helped sometimes if I was lucky, (1)Putting your feet in warm/hot water and a ice pack on the back of your neck. Sometimes it will draw the blood away from your head and reduce the pain. What happens with migraines is that the blood vessels expand and then contract trapping the blood in your head.2)Listening to a relaxation/meditation CD or(3)Trying acupuncture or acupressure points.
They often prescribe vascular dilators to open the blood vessels back up. My headaches were so severe most of the time I would have to go to the emergency room. They would try a lot of things that didn't work instead of just asking me what did work. They would start with Benadryl and then Ultram, nothing helped until they finally invented Imitrex. Even Imitrex didn't always get rid of it completely but I found that if I couldn't relieve it with 100mg of Imitrex, about 5mg - 20mg of Prednisone would get rid of the pain and any remaining symptoms.
You have my sympathy and I hope you can find something that helps you. I could kiss the person that invented Imitrex since I had suffered severely before that and now I rarely need to go to the emergency room anymore. I can't tell you how many different medications I tried and how long I suffered before I was able to get relief from Imitrex.
No one in my family understood and I always had problems at work because I would end up having to call in sick or go home sick so often. I hope you feel better very soon.
M. K