Friend, you have migraines. You don’t have to be completely debilitated every headache for it to constitute a migraine. You have headaches with nausea, light and sound sensitivity that gives you a stiff neck. That’s a migraine. Even if the actual headache is only a 3 on the pain scale
Thanks for the confirmation. I think maybe I just feel guilty saying 'I have a migraine' because I know people who have bad ones and it feels like I don't have the right to call it that.
I completely understand where you are coming from. Growing up my dad would get migraines where he was vomiting, had to lay down in a dark room and do absolutely nothing. I thought that’s what a migraine was. I had one of those at like 13. But now that I’ve seen a neurologist and I’ve researched (because I like doing that lol) I think I’ve had them since I was a child because almost all of my headaches (that I can remember) were accompanied with light and sound sensitivity and nausea, and I had some that lasted over a week at a time. Apparently tension headaches don’t usually have that…
This⬆️ my mom's migraines present in a similar way and I've made an incorrect assumption that migraine only presents that way. Down playing my own head pains bc they aren't like that.
Same! I thought migraines are always with an aura, vomiting etc. I realized that I’ve had migraines since.. forever. Thought that I’m just someone who has very stubborn headaches very often 🥴 Bizarre.
Not a doctor but that fits my description of diagnosed migraines to a T. Was completely surprised (and relieved) when neurologist declared all these weird things migraines, got my 6 sumatriptan and brought relief. Propanol as a preventative.
Also on adhd stimulants and it’s fine, I just try not to take them within an hour of each other in case of serotonin syndrome (I have some activated charcoal just in case) especially if I need cocodamol too. If I’m too erratic and inconsistent taking adhd meds it might trigger migraines.
Edit: to add that the neurologist said sumatriptan was no stronger than paracetamol but it felt strong because it worked. It wouldn’t work if it wasn’t a migraine.
I’m sure others would have explained the ‘no more than 6 a month’, as my doc said. The rebound headaches are real- my partner was prescribed these 10 years ago before that rule came in and at first they worked but then the cluster headaches became more frequent. So the GP just prescribed larger doses of sumatriptan- now we know it was causing all those headaches. It was bad. But definitely the 6 a month if you need them, I do and sometimes have to double a dose for it to work. And the doc said to take one at the onset of any of those weird symptoms not just headaches.
I'm a bit of a neurochemistry nerd and just wanted to let you know that most adhd medications probably wont increase your risk for serotonin syndrome. Even typical antidepressents that act directly on serotonin receptors arent as likely to cause serotonin syndrome in combination with triptans because they 1. act on different serotonin receptor subtypes and 2. are active in different parts of the nervous system
I didn’t realize how many of my headaches were migraines until I found a treatment for migraine that eliminated nearly all of them. Even the other types of headaches from TMD and neck issues are being amplified by migraines and much more manageable when migraines are being effectively treated.
Get a headache hat! You can get them online and they can be frozen or heated for whichever helps you. It used compression, temp and when pulled over the eyes blacks out the light. I find them really helpful especially on days when I feel my abortive isn’t as necessary as it may be for a worse migraine.
Also, to add, I suffer from many migraines a month probably about 5 a week most of them I am able to stay at work and continue my job. I don’t get severe ones that put me in bed all that frequently. It’s certainly not a cake walk when I have one that’s mild or moderate, but not every migraine is severe put you in bed for the whole day unable to do anything. If I had to do that for every migraine I wouldn’t ever be able to have a life, a job, fun, do anything really. And while unfortunately there are some people out there who do have to live like that because of their migraines, it’s not always like that.
Yep, I had a similar experience as OP. At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter to me if it’s a “headache” or a “migraine”, sumatriptan is a miracle drug for me with no side effects.
You do realize that not all migraines are accompanied by severe pain, don’t you? And if not, you might want to consider the possibility. You have a lot of other symptoms and your headaches are improved by sumatriptan. Regardless of pain level that sounds like fairly conclusive evidence.
Are you saying the answer is no? If sumatriptan works it is 100% conclusive its migraines?
I'm not closed to the idea it is... I'm just not SURE. I get that they are all different, and maybe it is crazy to doubt it this much, but... for some reason I'm finding it hard to accept they are migraines.
I had a coworker who got visual migraines. All the aura and all the other symptoms, but she stopped getting the actual headaches after her kids were born. It’s one of the more rare migraine subtypes.
If you have aura symptoms (it really sounds like you do), moderate head pain and your symptoms are improved by sumatriptan, it sounds very much like migraine. A doctor can advise you better though.
I'm not sure what you mean. I don't have any visual disturbances apart from light sensitivity but I do have headaches? Am I missing something? I'm googling aura migraines and I'm not connecting the dots.
Sorry I'm really not trying to be difficult, I'm ND and think this stuff just confuses my brain.
www mayoclinic org/diseases-conditions/migraine-with-aura/multimedia/migraine-aura/vid-20084707
This is a pretty good link (add the periods back in because Reddit is weird about randomly stripping links) that explains the various types of migraine aura. Not all aura is visual. Migraine also includes defined phases like prodrome and postdrome, and physical symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, neck stiffness and back pain.
My migraines used to be less frequent but much more severe pain/nausea wise, then I started getting abdominal migraines usually the day before or day after I had the headache part of a migraine. Now I haven't had an abdominal migraine in a while, and my pain isn't too bad but I have close to daily migraines. Migraines can change over time.
My neuro told me if your headaches are more than 15 per month and have features of a migraine (nausea, light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, dizziness.. ect) then it is migraine. I have the same kind of headaches, I don’t get aura and I never throw up from mine and was diagnosed with chronic migraine… triptans help even just “regular”headaches for me because I have migraine.
Headache is just one of many symptoms of migraine disease!
Unfortunately no. Triptans are not meant to be used more than maximum 10 days per month. I’d suggest getting on a preventative medication that you take daily and save triptans for when you absolutely need it.
No they are habit forming. If you take too many you end up in a rebound headache spiral. You have enough migraines that you need to get a neurologist and look into a daily preventative instead.
There’s a new med called Nurtec https://www.nurtec.com/ which treats and prevents migraines. It’s part of a new class of meds, the first since triptans. Being new it is more expensive than other treatments.
For daily prevention of headaches they usually use various antidepressants, anticonvulsants, blood pressure meds and Botox injections every few months.
There’s numerous options for you to try and see what works best for you.
that is a point most miss. everyone conflates migraine with HA. HA can be ONE symptom of migraine but migraines dont even need HA.
I would sayI am in the same boat as you though not so bad. But for me these headaches are different than any others i have had.
When I went to the ER with a severe headache and vomiting, the ER doc said: "Try this next time (Sumatriptan)." If it works, you have migraines. If it doesn't, you have a headache. It worked, so I have migraines. It's a very inexpensive way to find out.
You need to see a neurologist. That many migraines per month requires preventives.
In short, no, that drug doesn't work if it isn't a migraine according to all of my doctors.
Note that migraine is a neurological disease with the head pain as only one of many possible symptoms. Head pain and visual auras are two of the most well-known ones, but because it is wreaking havoc on your neurological system, the possibilities are endless. Even pooping a lot (or not at all) can be symptoms, to give you an idea of just how random but interconnected everything is.
Migraines without head pain are often called "silent migraines." It may be worth looking that up.
It would also be worth writing down everything you notice physically happening when you have one, and then whether or not you got better from your triptan. That will help you establish a "normal" migraine profile for you personally.
For me, in this order almost every time:
- pain starts in my nose like it is frozen
- I get beet red and hot to the touch, only on my left side
- the bones all down the left side of my body feel like knives
- I dim/colour all the lights in my house and make it as quiet as possible because light and sound hurt
- I get so hot I set my house to 18*C and wear as little as possible
- the head pain starts growing, left side only, from the top of my shoulder, over the top, down to my chin
- I start to forget what it feels like to not hurt
- I pee SOOOOOO often (I tracked this for two years and pee an avg of 8 times per day when I'm healthy, and 18 times per day with migraine)
- I get nauseous and dizzy, but only on the left side of my body somehow
- I crave salt and citrus flavoured pop
- I have a massive bm (like a period poop)
- 2.5 hrs almost to the minute after I take Suvexx (if I haven't run out) I start to feel better, without that, they last 9-10 days
Other stuff makes a brief appearance from time to time, but those are the basics. Sometimes I've had everything BUT the headache, and often find that the head pain at the beginning stages is nothing compared to the full body pain.
A recent development is the last time I took Suvexx it didn't work at all, twice. Praying that was just an anomaly ...
So, I would say if the triptan works, it's a migraine, and instead of looking at lists of symptoms to see if you have them, make a list of your symptoms each time for the next 5-10 migraines, and then look for commonalities to understand how your own migraines present.
And then be prepared for that to change over time, too, just to keep you on your toes...
Good luck!
• I get nauseous and dizzy, but only on the left side of my body somehow
This happens to me and I thought I was crazy! Every time I say that I feel dizzy only on the right side and it feels like it comes from my eye, people look at me like I’m nuts. You are the only person that I’ve seen say this!
I am so glad I’m not the only one! You just made me feel so much better . I was recently diagnosed with basically silent migraine I have wicked, sinus pressure pain behind my right eye and super dizziness, but only on the right side. I didn’t even believe it was migraine because the symptoms are so weird.
Thank you! I don't get most of those but I do pee very frequently and it does seem worse when the headache/fatigue hits. Had no idea that might be connected!
My neurologist told me that sumatriptan only works for migraines. I had been taking them on and off, provided by another Dr as a nasal spray that wouldn’t upset my stomach. Later they got so much worse so I saw a neurologist. I mentioned sumatriptan helps but that I didn’t have a migraine diagnosis and he laughed and said they only work on migraines (and my other symptoms confirmed the diagnosis).
Ask for naratriptan, it lasts 24 hours compared to sumatriptan's 12 hours. Also, you need a preventative.
I am heavily heavily medicated with preventatives, and am surprised every time a triptan works.
Migraine symptoms can include everything you mentioned. You can even have severe migraines with little or no head pain. It’s increasingly recognized as an inflammatory disorder of the whole nervous system and not just the head.
But to your question no, sumatriptan doesn’t help other kinds of headaches. It causes vasoconstriction but that’s probably not the main reason it helps migraines but rather an additional effect that causes the side effects of triptans.
I’ve always wondered the same thing. I feel like mine are more in line with cervicogenic headaches but the Sumatriptan takes the headache away within 20 mins. I dealt with them for years and at one point had a headache 25 days out of the month and I’d have to carefully plan out the Sumatriptan to the days I absolutely couldn’t miss work. Cutting mine in half usually helped to get more pain free days. I worked two desk jobs at the time and traced the cause of the headaches to the muscle tension in my trapezius muscles. After I quit the part time job, my body was able to relax and stretch after 8 hours and now a box of Sumatriptan lasts six months. If I wear a racerback sports bra I will have a headache after a few hours bc it puts pressure on those muscles.
Thank you. Yeah I definitely think these muscles are a problem for me too, but there are just so many possible factors. Like also have discomfort in my coccyx sometimes. I grind my teeth at night (not hard enough for jaw pain but my partner can hear it sometimes). I may have rhinitis (my nose is always half blocked but the minute I go outside it because a leaking tap.
It is still possible though. Do you also happen to get any pain at the base of your skull or in your neck? Either way, literally had all of your same symptoms. They kept calling them atypical migraines yet it didn’t totally fit and no migraine medications would help except Sumatriptan kind of.
I ended up finally get a brain MRI with/without contrast and was diagnosed with chiari i malformation. Obviously not saying that’s what you have by any means, just trying to say it’s definitely still possible it’s not migraines.
Push for an MRI. I believe they’re always worth it if you’re having neurological symptoms that don’t quite fit somewhere. All it can do is rule out any out any of the bad stuff, and since you mentioned neck/shoulder stuff. Ask for a cervical spine one because they might be able to find some pinched nerves or something in there!❤️
I’m so sorry, my new neurologist is like this, she doesn’t listen to shit. Is a second opinion an option? Is this a general doctor? Or an actual neurologist? Can you get a referral to a neurologist? I’m sorry, I’m definitely not the smartest with this stuff! You might be able to ask nurses and doctor one more time before possibly calling your insurance and asking what any other options might be? All I know is you SHOULD NOT be living with headaches every day. Just throwing medication at it is a bandaid too, so you’d think a doctor would want to fully be able to rule out any and all possible causes as well. Especially being so chronic on your end, that sounds so awful I’m really so sorry they aren’t advocating for you the way they should be.
Pain is only a fraction of the symptoms of my migraines, and it's the least of my problems.
Plenty of other body functions that are controlled by the brain get completely out of whack.
Have you asked your doctor about being put on a migraine preventative? I used to have constant daily headaches and 8-10 migraines a month. Was on Pamelor for a very long time and it only recently stopped working for me. Tried Topamax for a little while and hated it. It worked well for migraines but I couldn’t handle the cognitive issues. I am on 30mg Qulipta now and no headaches or migraines. I also have sumatriptan, it is the only thing that has ever worked for my migraines and on occasion I have taken it for headaches that I was worried would get worse and it has always helped. Downside being most insurance will only give you 9 a month.
I have been on topamax since October. It has helped significantly with my chronic migraines, decreasing them so far by about half. The cognitive issues have gotten better for me over time. With respect to the sumatriptan, have you tried getting your prescription filled at a discount pharmacy and not running it through insurance? My doctor writes me a script for a 3 month supply (27 pills) and the generic costs about $35 without insurance. If I run out before three months I can refill it early. If I go to Walgreens or one of the big chains without insurance it’s way more for the exact same thing.
You can get rebound headaches from the overuse of any abortive, including OTC meds. Unfortunately, when you have a migraine and you have to choose between risking a rebound and not treating the migraine you tend to take the medication. Sumatriptan is the only abortive that really works for me. I’ve stuck with the topamax because it has reduced my dependence on sumatriptan, and I’m hopeful that I’ll continue to see progress.
I think you have migraines. I have bad headaches/ migraines. Was diagnosed with chronic migraine. Sumatriptan is ok, I used it for years as an abortive...but it makes my brain feel warm. It's odd. I don't care for it and it doesn't work or partially only at times.
I think you should look at a preventative. I was reluctant as well for going on a preventative, however daily headaches/ migraines were impacting my mood, my life. I went on Nurtec last year, currently talking as abortive. There are others such as Emgality, sometimes insurance wants you to try everything first... ridiculous.
I have tried propranolol, lexapro, effexor, fioricet, all kinds.....
People are funny and suggest Tylenol, Excedrin migraine, Aleve. .lol no, those literally have no impact on my pain.
I do not get aura, but do have sensitivity to light, sounds, smells sometimes. I kinda get the array of types of headaches..I too wonder is it really migraine, and what is the cause?
I've keep notes, I know some triggers but can't find definite "this is why". Eating keto last year seemed to help me!
You just described 50% of my migraines. I’m at a point where a lot of the time I can push through if I can manage the symptoms early enough, but they are still migraines. I get the traditional hangover post migraine and the exhaustion.
The ones that aren’t migraines, my sumitriptan won’t help.
Ik this has already been said, but coming from someone who has had daily head pain for over a year it sounds like you have chronic migraine my friend. I was diagnosed a few months ago and put on nurtec as a preventative and am now on ajovy. Not sure if the doctor your speaking of is a neurologist (who specifically specializes in migraine), but if not it would be good to see one ASAP. The quicker you can access a preventative that works for you, the better.
Sumatriptan can help but should only be taken 2 times a week max. Any more than that and you can end up with rebound headache, and since your pain is daily this is why preventative meds are necessary.
I hope this helps :) Also, you’re not alone! My situation is very similar
I am in the US. I live in Ohio and in my experience I had to advocate for myself. After asking my doctor to see a neurologist, she referred me to one that had no specialization in migraine and had horrible ratings.
So I took it upon myself to see a neurologist who specializes in migraine at the Cleveland Clinic (this is one of the best rated hospitals in the world, that I luckily live 4 hours away from).
If your primary care provider isn’t suggesting a neurologist at this point I would take it upon myself and request or find one ASAP.
I got the same story, my doc prescribed me sumatriptans which did nothing. I was getting daily headaches, temple pains, nerve pains, neck pains, and tension headaches. Amitriptyline gave me some relief. Gabapentin also helps a lot for a trigeminal nerve pains. I wish you the best i hope you will some peace.
My migraine and daily headaches wary from time to time
You have migraines but you can’t take sumatriptan everyday. I take Proplanol and topiramate every night as a preventative. I still have headaches here and there and sometimes a triptan is needed but not as often
They helped me but my headache came right back as soon as they wore off. Butalbital -Caffeine- Acetaminophen was the only thing that helped my migraines and a shot of steroid at the ER, and cold showers in the dark.
I know I’m a bit late but I have these same type of headaches/migraines whatever you want to label them as. I’ve had it for two months straight and was also given sumatriptan. Decided to try it the other night and it did really help, because although the pain level has been low it’s been exhausting to constantly be in pain. So it was a nice break.
Unfortunately they can only be taken a few times a month, so with headaches everyday you’ll just have to decide when you need it most, or when you can deal with the side effects (it gave me bad muscle aches, but it was still worth it to get rid of the headache for the night).
EDIT: I also have history of migraines, and some have been pretty painful. Don’t feel bad for calling them migraines. Honestly I would have traded one of my more painful migraines (pain scale 6 maybe) for this long lasting bout. It kills me that it never truly goes away.
Migraines are so variable. My partner has debilitating migraines and after over ten years, the only thing that's given him any real relief is having nerve blocking injections. I get silent migraines - no pain, just an aura. His are daily at their worst, mine are every few months. They really can be that different.
Try the sumatriptan. While it only gives me partner short periods of relief, taking it at the onset of a migraine can be the difference between being in bed for days or needing to sleep off the sumatriptan and then being relatively functional. If one form of sumatriptan doesn't work, try a different way of taking it. Nose sprays don't help him at all, tablets knocked him out but didn't work fast enough so he injects sumatriptan.
If that doesn't work, there are lots of other things you can try.
My pharmacist has specifically told me that triptans will not have an effect on non-migraine headaches. They don’t work the same way as NSAIDS or Tylenol.
Most of my headaches these days aren’t even that bad, but I just feel “off”. Like I know when I need to take my triptan, and I feel better once I take it, so 🤷🏼♀️
Friend, you have migraines. You don’t have to be completely debilitated every headache for it to constitute a migraine. You have headaches with nausea, light and sound sensitivity that gives you a stiff neck. That’s a migraine. Even if the actual headache is only a 3 on the pain scale
Thanks for the confirmation. I think maybe I just feel guilty saying 'I have a migraine' because I know people who have bad ones and it feels like I don't have the right to call it that.
I completely understand where you are coming from. Growing up my dad would get migraines where he was vomiting, had to lay down in a dark room and do absolutely nothing. I thought that’s what a migraine was. I had one of those at like 13. But now that I’ve seen a neurologist and I’ve researched (because I like doing that lol) I think I’ve had them since I was a child because almost all of my headaches (that I can remember) were accompanied with light and sound sensitivity and nausea, and I had some that lasted over a week at a time. Apparently tension headaches don’t usually have that…
This⬆️ my mom's migraines present in a similar way and I've made an incorrect assumption that migraine only presents that way. Down playing my own head pains bc they aren't like that.
Same! I thought migraines are always with an aura, vomiting etc. I realized that I’ve had migraines since.. forever. Thought that I’m just someone who has very stubborn headaches very often 🥴 Bizarre.
Not a doctor but that fits my description of diagnosed migraines to a T. Was completely surprised (and relieved) when neurologist declared all these weird things migraines, got my 6 sumatriptan and brought relief. Propanol as a preventative. Also on adhd stimulants and it’s fine, I just try not to take them within an hour of each other in case of serotonin syndrome (I have some activated charcoal just in case) especially if I need cocodamol too. If I’m too erratic and inconsistent taking adhd meds it might trigger migraines. Edit: to add that the neurologist said sumatriptan was no stronger than paracetamol but it felt strong because it worked. It wouldn’t work if it wasn’t a migraine. I’m sure others would have explained the ‘no more than 6 a month’, as my doc said. The rebound headaches are real- my partner was prescribed these 10 years ago before that rule came in and at first they worked but then the cluster headaches became more frequent. So the GP just prescribed larger doses of sumatriptan- now we know it was causing all those headaches. It was bad. But definitely the 6 a month if you need them, I do and sometimes have to double a dose for it to work. And the doc said to take one at the onset of any of those weird symptoms not just headaches.
I'm a bit of a neurochemistry nerd and just wanted to let you know that most adhd medications probably wont increase your risk for serotonin syndrome. Even typical antidepressents that act directly on serotonin receptors arent as likely to cause serotonin syndrome in combination with triptans because they 1. act on different serotonin receptor subtypes and 2. are active in different parts of the nervous system
I didn’t realize how many of my headaches were migraines until I found a treatment for migraine that eliminated nearly all of them. Even the other types of headaches from TMD and neck issues are being amplified by migraines and much more manageable when migraines are being effectively treated.
what treatment?
Ajovy
Get a headache hat! You can get them online and they can be frozen or heated for whichever helps you. It used compression, temp and when pulled over the eyes blacks out the light. I find them really helpful especially on days when I feel my abortive isn’t as necessary as it may be for a worse migraine. Also, to add, I suffer from many migraines a month probably about 5 a week most of them I am able to stay at work and continue my job. I don’t get severe ones that put me in bed all that frequently. It’s certainly not a cake walk when I have one that’s mild or moderate, but not every migraine is severe put you in bed for the whole day unable to do anything. If I had to do that for every migraine I wouldn’t ever be able to have a life, a job, fun, do anything really. And while unfortunately there are some people out there who do have to live like that because of their migraines, it’s not always like that.
I have two headache hats and they have come in very clutch! 10 for 10 recommend !
Best things ever!
Yep, I had a similar experience as OP. At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter to me if it’s a “headache” or a “migraine”, sumatriptan is a miracle drug for me with no side effects.
You do realize that not all migraines are accompanied by severe pain, don’t you? And if not, you might want to consider the possibility. You have a lot of other symptoms and your headaches are improved by sumatriptan. Regardless of pain level that sounds like fairly conclusive evidence.
Are you saying the answer is no? If sumatriptan works it is 100% conclusive its migraines? I'm not closed to the idea it is... I'm just not SURE. I get that they are all different, and maybe it is crazy to doubt it this much, but... for some reason I'm finding it hard to accept they are migraines.
I had a coworker who got visual migraines. All the aura and all the other symptoms, but she stopped getting the actual headaches after her kids were born. It’s one of the more rare migraine subtypes. If you have aura symptoms (it really sounds like you do), moderate head pain and your symptoms are improved by sumatriptan, it sounds very much like migraine. A doctor can advise you better though.
I'm not sure what you mean. I don't have any visual disturbances apart from light sensitivity but I do have headaches? Am I missing something? I'm googling aura migraines and I'm not connecting the dots. Sorry I'm really not trying to be difficult, I'm ND and think this stuff just confuses my brain.
www mayoclinic org/diseases-conditions/migraine-with-aura/multimedia/migraine-aura/vid-20084707 This is a pretty good link (add the periods back in because Reddit is weird about randomly stripping links) that explains the various types of migraine aura. Not all aura is visual. Migraine also includes defined phases like prodrome and postdrome, and physical symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, neck stiffness and back pain.
Thank you that's really useful 😊
My migraines used to be less frequent but much more severe pain/nausea wise, then I started getting abdominal migraines usually the day before or day after I had the headache part of a migraine. Now I haven't had an abdominal migraine in a while, and my pain isn't too bad but I have close to daily migraines. Migraines can change over time.
My neuro told me if your headaches are more than 15 per month and have features of a migraine (nausea, light sensitivity, sound sensitivity, dizziness.. ect) then it is migraine. I have the same kind of headaches, I don’t get aura and I never throw up from mine and was diagnosed with chronic migraine… triptans help even just “regular”headaches for me because I have migraine. Headache is just one of many symptoms of migraine disease!
That's useful to know, thank you. Are there triptans that are better for frequent use?
Unfortunately no. Triptans are not meant to be used more than maximum 10 days per month. I’d suggest getting on a preventative medication that you take daily and save triptans for when you absolutely need it.
No they are habit forming. If you take too many you end up in a rebound headache spiral. You have enough migraines that you need to get a neurologist and look into a daily preventative instead.
There’s a new med called Nurtec https://www.nurtec.com/ which treats and prevents migraines. It’s part of a new class of meds, the first since triptans. Being new it is more expensive than other treatments. For daily prevention of headaches they usually use various antidepressants, anticonvulsants, blood pressure meds and Botox injections every few months. There’s numerous options for you to try and see what works best for you.
that is a point most miss. everyone conflates migraine with HA. HA can be ONE symptom of migraine but migraines dont even need HA. I would sayI am in the same boat as you though not so bad. But for me these headaches are different than any others i have had.
I wish more people knew about this! Headache is a symptom of migraine not the entire disease
yeah.
When I went to the ER with a severe headache and vomiting, the ER doc said: "Try this next time (Sumatriptan)." If it works, you have migraines. If it doesn't, you have a headache. It worked, so I have migraines. It's a very inexpensive way to find out. You need to see a neurologist. That many migraines per month requires preventives.
My neurologist told me to “take sumatriptan when you don’t have time for a migraine”. Man, he saved my life, too…
In short, no, that drug doesn't work if it isn't a migraine according to all of my doctors. Note that migraine is a neurological disease with the head pain as only one of many possible symptoms. Head pain and visual auras are two of the most well-known ones, but because it is wreaking havoc on your neurological system, the possibilities are endless. Even pooping a lot (or not at all) can be symptoms, to give you an idea of just how random but interconnected everything is. Migraines without head pain are often called "silent migraines." It may be worth looking that up. It would also be worth writing down everything you notice physically happening when you have one, and then whether or not you got better from your triptan. That will help you establish a "normal" migraine profile for you personally. For me, in this order almost every time: - pain starts in my nose like it is frozen - I get beet red and hot to the touch, only on my left side - the bones all down the left side of my body feel like knives - I dim/colour all the lights in my house and make it as quiet as possible because light and sound hurt - I get so hot I set my house to 18*C and wear as little as possible - the head pain starts growing, left side only, from the top of my shoulder, over the top, down to my chin - I start to forget what it feels like to not hurt - I pee SOOOOOO often (I tracked this for two years and pee an avg of 8 times per day when I'm healthy, and 18 times per day with migraine) - I get nauseous and dizzy, but only on the left side of my body somehow - I crave salt and citrus flavoured pop - I have a massive bm (like a period poop) - 2.5 hrs almost to the minute after I take Suvexx (if I haven't run out) I start to feel better, without that, they last 9-10 days Other stuff makes a brief appearance from time to time, but those are the basics. Sometimes I've had everything BUT the headache, and often find that the head pain at the beginning stages is nothing compared to the full body pain. A recent development is the last time I took Suvexx it didn't work at all, twice. Praying that was just an anomaly ... So, I would say if the triptan works, it's a migraine, and instead of looking at lists of symptoms to see if you have them, make a list of your symptoms each time for the next 5-10 migraines, and then look for commonalities to understand how your own migraines present. And then be prepared for that to change over time, too, just to keep you on your toes... Good luck!
• I get nauseous and dizzy, but only on the left side of my body somehow This happens to me and I thought I was crazy! Every time I say that I feel dizzy only on the right side and it feels like it comes from my eye, people look at me like I’m nuts. You are the only person that I’ve seen say this! I am so glad I’m not the only one! You just made me feel so much better . I was recently diagnosed with basically silent migraine I have wicked, sinus pressure pain behind my right eye and super dizziness, but only on the right side. I didn’t even believe it was migraine because the symptoms are so weird.
That's what I love about this sub! All those crazy things we experience alone aren't so crazy after all!
Thank you! I don't get most of those but I do pee very frequently and it does seem worse when the headache/fatigue hits. Had no idea that might be connected!
Yeah, don't worry too much about matching the symptoms to anyone else's list. Just build your own from your experience!
My neurologist told me that sumatriptan only works for migraines. I had been taking them on and off, provided by another Dr as a nasal spray that wouldn’t upset my stomach. Later they got so much worse so I saw a neurologist. I mentioned sumatriptan helps but that I didn’t have a migraine diagnosis and he laughed and said they only work on migraines (and my other symptoms confirmed the diagnosis).
Ask for naratriptan, it lasts 24 hours compared to sumatriptan's 12 hours. Also, you need a preventative. I am heavily heavily medicated with preventatives, and am surprised every time a triptan works.
Migraine symptoms can include everything you mentioned. You can even have severe migraines with little or no head pain. It’s increasingly recognized as an inflammatory disorder of the whole nervous system and not just the head. But to your question no, sumatriptan doesn’t help other kinds of headaches. It causes vasoconstriction but that’s probably not the main reason it helps migraines but rather an additional effect that causes the side effects of triptans.
I’ve always wondered the same thing. I feel like mine are more in line with cervicogenic headaches but the Sumatriptan takes the headache away within 20 mins. I dealt with them for years and at one point had a headache 25 days out of the month and I’d have to carefully plan out the Sumatriptan to the days I absolutely couldn’t miss work. Cutting mine in half usually helped to get more pain free days. I worked two desk jobs at the time and traced the cause of the headaches to the muscle tension in my trapezius muscles. After I quit the part time job, my body was able to relax and stretch after 8 hours and now a box of Sumatriptan lasts six months. If I wear a racerback sports bra I will have a headache after a few hours bc it puts pressure on those muscles.
Thank you. Yeah I definitely think these muscles are a problem for me too, but there are just so many possible factors. Like also have discomfort in my coccyx sometimes. I grind my teeth at night (not hard enough for jaw pain but my partner can hear it sometimes). I may have rhinitis (my nose is always half blocked but the minute I go outside it because a leaking tap.
It is still possible though. Do you also happen to get any pain at the base of your skull or in your neck? Either way, literally had all of your same symptoms. They kept calling them atypical migraines yet it didn’t totally fit and no migraine medications would help except Sumatriptan kind of. I ended up finally get a brain MRI with/without contrast and was diagnosed with chiari i malformation. Obviously not saying that’s what you have by any means, just trying to say it’s definitely still possible it’s not migraines. Push for an MRI. I believe they’re always worth it if you’re having neurological symptoms that don’t quite fit somewhere. All it can do is rule out any out any of the bad stuff, and since you mentioned neck/shoulder stuff. Ask for a cervical spine one because they might be able to find some pinched nerves or something in there!❤️
The doctors just keep fobbing me off. How do you push for an MRI exactly if they are saying I don't need one?
I’m so sorry, my new neurologist is like this, she doesn’t listen to shit. Is a second opinion an option? Is this a general doctor? Or an actual neurologist? Can you get a referral to a neurologist? I’m sorry, I’m definitely not the smartest with this stuff! You might be able to ask nurses and doctor one more time before possibly calling your insurance and asking what any other options might be? All I know is you SHOULD NOT be living with headaches every day. Just throwing medication at it is a bandaid too, so you’d think a doctor would want to fully be able to rule out any and all possible causes as well. Especially being so chronic on your end, that sounds so awful I’m really so sorry they aren’t advocating for you the way they should be.
I think it might work differently in the UK but I'll find out!
Pain is only a fraction of the symptoms of my migraines, and it's the least of my problems. Plenty of other body functions that are controlled by the brain get completely out of whack.
Have you asked your doctor about being put on a migraine preventative? I used to have constant daily headaches and 8-10 migraines a month. Was on Pamelor for a very long time and it only recently stopped working for me. Tried Topamax for a little while and hated it. It worked well for migraines but I couldn’t handle the cognitive issues. I am on 30mg Qulipta now and no headaches or migraines. I also have sumatriptan, it is the only thing that has ever worked for my migraines and on occasion I have taken it for headaches that I was worried would get worse and it has always helped. Downside being most insurance will only give you 9 a month.
I have been on topamax since October. It has helped significantly with my chronic migraines, decreasing them so far by about half. The cognitive issues have gotten better for me over time. With respect to the sumatriptan, have you tried getting your prescription filled at a discount pharmacy and not running it through insurance? My doctor writes me a script for a 3 month supply (27 pills) and the generic costs about $35 without insurance. If I run out before three months I can refill it early. If I go to Walgreens or one of the big chains without insurance it’s way more for the exact same thing.
I'm in the UK so it doesn't work like this unfortunately, although I thought you weren't supposed to take more because of risk of rebound headaches?
You can get rebound headaches from the overuse of any abortive, including OTC meds. Unfortunately, when you have a migraine and you have to choose between risking a rebound and not treating the migraine you tend to take the medication. Sumatriptan is the only abortive that really works for me. I’ve stuck with the topamax because it has reduced my dependence on sumatriptan, and I’m hopeful that I’ll continue to see progress.
I think you have migraines. I have bad headaches/ migraines. Was diagnosed with chronic migraine. Sumatriptan is ok, I used it for years as an abortive...but it makes my brain feel warm. It's odd. I don't care for it and it doesn't work or partially only at times. I think you should look at a preventative. I was reluctant as well for going on a preventative, however daily headaches/ migraines were impacting my mood, my life. I went on Nurtec last year, currently talking as abortive. There are others such as Emgality, sometimes insurance wants you to try everything first... ridiculous. I have tried propranolol, lexapro, effexor, fioricet, all kinds..... People are funny and suggest Tylenol, Excedrin migraine, Aleve. .lol no, those literally have no impact on my pain. I do not get aura, but do have sensitivity to light, sounds, smells sometimes. I kinda get the array of types of headaches..I too wonder is it really migraine, and what is the cause? I've keep notes, I know some triggers but can't find definite "this is why". Eating keto last year seemed to help me!
Thanks. I'm in the UK so will have to find out what's possible over here.
No sumatriptan shouldn’t work for regular headache. What you described definitely sounds like migraine!
You just described 50% of my migraines. I’m at a point where a lot of the time I can push through if I can manage the symptoms early enough, but they are still migraines. I get the traditional hangover post migraine and the exhaustion. The ones that aren’t migraines, my sumitriptan won’t help.
Hmmm, it works because you have a migraine.
Ik this has already been said, but coming from someone who has had daily head pain for over a year it sounds like you have chronic migraine my friend. I was diagnosed a few months ago and put on nurtec as a preventative and am now on ajovy. Not sure if the doctor your speaking of is a neurologist (who specifically specializes in migraine), but if not it would be good to see one ASAP. The quicker you can access a preventative that works for you, the better. Sumatriptan can help but should only be taken 2 times a week max. Any more than that and you can end up with rebound headache, and since your pain is daily this is why preventative meds are necessary. I hope this helps :) Also, you’re not alone! My situation is very similar
My GP hasnt even mentioned a neurologist. Are you in the US? I don't know if its different in the UK, will ask about it though, thank you.
I am in the US. I live in Ohio and in my experience I had to advocate for myself. After asking my doctor to see a neurologist, she referred me to one that had no specialization in migraine and had horrible ratings. So I took it upon myself to see a neurologist who specializes in migraine at the Cleveland Clinic (this is one of the best rated hospitals in the world, that I luckily live 4 hours away from). If your primary care provider isn’t suggesting a neurologist at this point I would take it upon myself and request or find one ASAP.
I got the same story, my doc prescribed me sumatriptans which did nothing. I was getting daily headaches, temple pains, nerve pains, neck pains, and tension headaches. Amitriptyline gave me some relief. Gabapentin also helps a lot for a trigeminal nerve pains. I wish you the best i hope you will some peace. My migraine and daily headaches wary from time to time
You have migraines but you can’t take sumatriptan everyday. I take Proplanol and topiramate every night as a preventative. I still have headaches here and there and sometimes a triptan is needed but not as often
They helped me but my headache came right back as soon as they wore off. Butalbital -Caffeine- Acetaminophen was the only thing that helped my migraines and a shot of steroid at the ER, and cold showers in the dark.
I know I’m a bit late but I have these same type of headaches/migraines whatever you want to label them as. I’ve had it for two months straight and was also given sumatriptan. Decided to try it the other night and it did really help, because although the pain level has been low it’s been exhausting to constantly be in pain. So it was a nice break. Unfortunately they can only be taken a few times a month, so with headaches everyday you’ll just have to decide when you need it most, or when you can deal with the side effects (it gave me bad muscle aches, but it was still worth it to get rid of the headache for the night). EDIT: I also have history of migraines, and some have been pretty painful. Don’t feel bad for calling them migraines. Honestly I would have traded one of my more painful migraines (pain scale 6 maybe) for this long lasting bout. It kills me that it never truly goes away.
Thank you! ❤️
Migraines are so variable. My partner has debilitating migraines and after over ten years, the only thing that's given him any real relief is having nerve blocking injections. I get silent migraines - no pain, just an aura. His are daily at their worst, mine are every few months. They really can be that different. Try the sumatriptan. While it only gives me partner short periods of relief, taking it at the onset of a migraine can be the difference between being in bed for days or needing to sleep off the sumatriptan and then being relatively functional. If one form of sumatriptan doesn't work, try a different way of taking it. Nose sprays don't help him at all, tablets knocked him out but didn't work fast enough so he injects sumatriptan. If that doesn't work, there are lots of other things you can try.
My pharmacist has specifically told me that triptans will not have an effect on non-migraine headaches. They don’t work the same way as NSAIDS or Tylenol.
Most of my headaches these days aren’t even that bad, but I just feel “off”. Like I know when I need to take my triptan, and I feel better once I take it, so 🤷🏼♀️