What a Day :-(

Interesting! I read somewhere that caffine is suspected to be a trigger for migraines and yet they add it to their "migraine" tablets? What's with that?

Caffeine...Interesting about this. Evidently it helps the body absorb medicine more effeciently. Here's some interesting reading: http://www.headaches.org/consumer/educationalmodules/caffeine/fast.html

Thanks for the link GW. It does make sense then for them to use it.

Caffeine is odd- helps asthmatics too? V. odd.

But back to the headaches- what about computer use? Does that make them worse for ya'll?

It can be a culprit, you bet! Good ergonomics are important, like how far to be from the monitor and how level it is with your line of sight.

Also, you should have the monitor's refresh rate set at the highest one possible for your monitor. Why? Because the flicker produced by a low refresh rate causes many people eye fatigue and headaches.

For more information, this article explains screen refresh rates very well: http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/employmentarticles/41_relief_computer_headaches.html


This message was edited Jul 14, 2004 1:25 AM

TY GW-guys! (hugs)

YES- computer use does make them worse. It is a major strain on your eyes.
Light hurts as well as loud noises.

light hurts as well as loud noises.

when you are having them or causes them?

When I have migraines - the bad ones - I have to lie down with a pillow over my head. Putting pressure on it over my forehead helps, too. I can relate to the light and noise sensitivity, Tsavo!

That sounds exactly like what I used to get when I was a teenager. Grateful I haven't had them since.

Wish so much that ya'll didn't get them either.

(I can quietly stand on foreheads at no charge) ;P

Be well.

I have the bad ones about 1-2 times a year. I get zigzag lines in triplicate in one eye, a heavy-headed feeling and when the lines disappear, pain hits hard. I take 222s (tylenol 2 -over the counter in Canada and I keep myself plus a few friends supplied -it's tylenol plus codeine) and do the gw thing -pillow under head, pillow over head, no light, no noise and count slowly from 1-10, imagining movement from the inner eye to outer eye 1,2,3,4,5 on the left eye, then inner eye to outer eye 6,7,8,9,10 on the right eye. Repeating until I fall asleep. If I don't count, all I think about is the pain and counting takes my mind off the pain.

Years ago doc gave me a prescription that had tylenol and caffeine and something that started with a b. Can't remember the name. Said most times it's enlarged blood vessels that cause the pain and caffeine constricts blood vessels. That also explains why too much caffeine on normal blood vessels can cause pain! Read somewhere too that it's very important to take pain relievers when you first feel the migraine coming on, not when it is full blown, and you may be able to head off the full blown. It's sure worth a try!

That's the truth - take it immediately! I take medicine when I first start seeing the visual disturbances like blank spots in my field of vision, usually right in the area where I'm focusing.

Daisy, after you stand on my forehead, you can walk on Howie's back. ;)

Another thing that can trigger them is bad lighting. I used to work in a place that had this flourescent lighting. It made my computer screen look like it had wavy lines. Noone else had that problem there but me. I mentioned it to my eye doctor and he said it was the lighting - the type of bulbs they were using. He said that about 1 out of 100 people can see those wavy lines - and to ask them to change the bulb out. Well, when I returned to work and told them, they thought I was crazy and making it up, lol! Needless to say, their lack of support (even when I broke my foot) made me decide to not work for them anymore. The working conditions and the sour people just didn't do it for me!

ooooo- has Howie ever tried a foam roll? My Dave used to do PT and we have one. It is so wonderful.

Its really high density foam- like a bolster shape- and you kind of do a roll on it on your back while you are lying on the floor. Instant chiropactor. There are lots of other stretches and excises on it too.

My best friend growing up was a nationally ranked junior tennis player and she used to make me stand on her BARE feet. She swore it felt good. She would brush my hair in exchange.

No, we've not tried one of those. He had fusion surgery on his lumbar spine in 1996 following a 1994 fall that broke some vertebrae. He might really like that - I'll tell him about them. Any particular brands better than others?

Ouch SUPER ouch. Poor guy!

I don't think that they have brands really. I will ask my Dave.

Tsavo, You didn't really tell us that you had been to a Doctor so did you go to a Doctor for a diagnosis or did you just say you have migranes to allow these people to quit worrying about you so much? Hugs and if you havn't been to the doc get there RIGHT NOW!!!!! This is nothing to mess around with. It could be a headache or it could be something like an anurisim which could be deadly.

Daisyavenue, I would also be interested in this foam roll and seeing what it looks like because we have a huge foam store in Boise that I can make my own if I see what it is.

Oooh, Lani's right. Tsavo, you can't escape Lani's eagle eye.

Grins

This is some of my observations over the many years that I had migranes...thankfullly, they have mostly gone away with the onset of menapause. I now only get the ziz-zaggie effects in my eyes...and the light....a Doctor told me it was migraines with out the pain.

There are two kinds of pain from blood supply to the brain....one is TOO MUCH blood..the other not enough. My Grandmother had the too much blood...so she would tie a cloth around her head...from the back of the neck to the top of the head....therefore slowing the blood flow..(??)

I discovered what worked for me by accident. I had a Baby Hot Water bottle...one day I just put it on the back of my neck and it helped a lot (my reasoning was that it relaxed the muscles around the blood vessels and let the blood flow more freely.

Also, I found that lying flat was more painful...so I always had to put a couple of pillows under my head and shoulders. Since I could not get better with out throwing up, and being allergic to coffee...I would take a drink of coffee to induce vomiting so I could be on the road to recovery faster.

Then I would go in the darkest bedroom...put a cold ice cap on my forehead...the hot water bottle on my neck...threaten any of the family that made the slighest sound with instant death....and try to get over it!

I have one DD that has to be taken to the ER often for her headaches. Jo

Here is am example of some excercises:

http://gymball.com/posture.html

We both do the one under our back almost daily. Wonderful when we have been bent over the garden or woodwork all day.

This is some PT info and at the bottom it explains the kind of foam

http://www.performbetter.com/catalog/matriarch/MultiPiecePage.asp_Q_PageID_E_91_A_PageName_E_ArticleMyofacialRelease

And here you can see that they are pretty cheap but I bet you could find one cheaper.

http://www.onlinefit.com/health/index.cfm/Category/126

Basically they need to be 6" x36" and the right density as explained in the second article. There are loads of excercise online too.

Thank you for that info, Daisyavenue. That's really good stuff to know!

Jo, I must have the headaches your grandma had; the constriction of the pillow on my forehead, coupled with a roll behind my neck, is what I must do when those headaches come. I can't have my head flat on the bed, either.

Kimberley...when I have one NOTHING can touch my head....not even a bobby pin or head band.

I hope all of you that suffer with migranes will find something that works FOR YOU...not everyone is alike and what works for one may not work for another.....Jo

Crimson, if truth be told, my migraines went away when I drank a pint of whiskey a day. I am not a doctor,And I don't play one on TV, My advice is pointless, I just wish you the best of health, and as Spock said, "Live long and prosper" Frank

I cant drink whiskey. :((
Ya know- alot of people say they use whiskey to cure things. I wonder whats in it that has healing properties?

LOL..Frankay, after a pint of whiskey a day, I dont think I would feel any pain either..

I'm seeing a physical therapist right now for my back and he gave me a great exercise. You take two tennis balls and wrap them in an old orphan sock, so that they are secured, side by side. You place it so it the split of them is on your spine and the balls are on both sides of the spine. You go up and down a wall with them. It's also a killer work out for your thighs. It really helps to loosen up sore muscles in your back.

That sounds wonderful.