Migraine Questions

Having suffered from migraines for a number of years, I have recently started to become really interested in symptoms, causes etc. Even now the scientists don’t all agree on the causes, but think they are probably due to the sudden expansion of a blood vessel(s) in the brain.
I find it facinating how varied people’s experience of migraine can be, so I have put together a series of questions which cover a number of aspects of migraines (which I have populated with my own answers for starters :smile: ). If there are any migraine sufferers out there, I would be grateful for to see your answers/opinions :grin:

Are you male or female?
Female

Approximately how old were you when you had your first migraine attack?
13

How frequently do you get migraines?
Approx. every 2 months

Do you have any pre-migraine warning symptoms e.g. mood changes, altered sense of smell, food cravings etc.
I become oversensitive to smells and feel extremely tired for the few hours leading to an attack

Where do you experience the pain?
95% of the time it affects the right side of my head, just above my ear. The rest of the time it may be above my right eye, or above my left ear.

How long does a typical attack last?
It depends on how quickly I can get medication/sleep. The pain attack is generally 6-8 hours if I take a standard painkillers. I feel tired for at least a day afterwards.

Do you have visual disturbances/cognitive problems?
If yes, briefly describe what you see/don’t see:
I always find it hard to read and understand writing immediately before or at the start of an attack. I have had visual disturbances three times. The last two have been flashing ziz-zags spreading out from a point, followed by a blind spot on the right side of my field of vision.

Is there a family history of a)migraine or b)epilepsy?
My dad has epilepsy. My mum possibly suffered from migraines when she was younger.

Which senses are primarily affected e.g. oversensitive to lights, sounds, smell etc.
I become oversensitive to smells - a strong smell can make me physically sick. Bright lights also.

Do you know what triggers your attack?
There doesn’t seem to be one specific cause, but I know that vigorous exercise when I haven’t eaten properly can trigger an attack. Sometimes I just wake up with one in the middle of the night with no explanation.

What medication do you take and how effective is it?
Standard painkillers e.g. Ibruprofen or Paracetomol have little to no effect, other than to take the edge off the pain. Migraleve is effective if I can catch the migraine early enough. Imigran is my latest discovery. It was prescribed by my doctor and has so far been 100% effective at getting rid of the pain within 2-3 hours.
The most important thing I do to get rid of a migraine is to lie down in a darkened room and sleep!

Do you experience digestive problems e.g. vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea?
Most of the time I have nausea and mild diarrhoea. I do get vomiting if the pain is particularly bad.

and finally have do you think there is any connection between your migraines and lucid dreams?
This is what I am interested in finding out. Doctors think that the blood vessel’s sudden expansion + digestive upsets could be caused by seretonin imbalances in the brain which definitely can also affect sleep (and therefore dreams). One or two of my migraines a year have closely followed lucid dreams. It may well be a coincidence, but this is why I want to find out more.

Are you male or female?
Male

Approximately how old were you when you had your first migraine attack?
Somewhere around 10. Keep in mind that these were’nt full blown attack but just weak jolts of pain shooting from my spine to my brain for a short period of time.
How frequently do you get migraines?
I hav’nt had one in at least 6 months, but I’ve had times when I got them daily.

Do you have any pre-migraine warning symptoms e.g. mood changes, altered sense of smell, food cravings etc.
I become very short tempered, usually have the feeling of my brain putting huge pressure against my skull(which might cause headaches).

Where do you experience the pain?
Usually it’s these or both, jolts of pain from my spine to my brain or the pain focussing in my brain.
The left side of my face numbed once in an airplane and after about half an hour it started hurting like hell, I’m still not really sure if this was a migraine attack actually.

How long does a typical attack last?
From a minute up to an hour.

Do you have visual disturbances/cognitive problems?
If yes, briefly describe what you see/don’t see:
Sorta looks like I’m watching life through a tv with bad reception, but the snow sorta changes color, if I keep focussing on one point the snow starts to surround my entire vision.

Is there a family history of a)migraine or b)epilepsy?
Grandma had migraine, alot worse than mine.
Which senses are primarily affected e.g. oversensitive to lights, sounds, smell etc.
I can’t stand too fast or loud music, which is quite relative since I have no problem listening to Iron Maiden or Judas Priest but Vital Remains or Deeds of Flesh would really get to my nerves.
Because of the snow it’s also harder to see in places without an abundance of light.

Do you know what triggers your attack?
I’m still clueless. Altough I do seem to get them mostly when I’m outside.

What medication do you take and how effective is it?
Painkillers don’t do anything for me, and since mine usually don’t last more than 20 minutes I’ve learned how to live with them.

Do you experience digestive problems e.g. vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea?
Nah.

and finally have do you think there is any connection between your migraines and lucid dreams?
Don’t think so, I’ve had LD’s before migraines.

Are you male or female?
male

Approximately how old were you when you had your first migraine attack?
13

How frequently do you get migraines?
I haven’t had a full on attack for about 5yrs, but they seemed to be every 2 months or so.

Do you have any pre-migraine warning symptoms e.g. mood changes, altered sense of smell, food cravings etc.

A regular headache like symptom, usually in a specific place, like at the right temple, the pain also feels different kind of shallow. I could always tell what would become a migraine.

Sometimes my eye would be painful looking in specific directions prior to an attack.

Where do you experience the pain?

Above my right eye and around to the temple.

How long does a typical attack last?
Two days. Although I may have a regular type headache one day either side of the migraine.

Do you have visual disturbances/cognitive problems?
Not really. Although the pain is sometimes to the point where thinking is painful and a challenge.

Is there a family history of a)migraine or b)epilepsy?
My mum possibly suffered from migraines when she was younger.

Which senses are primarily affected e.g. oversensitive to lights, sounds, smell etc.
Photosensitivity and general noise can be uncomfortable.

Do you know what triggers your attack?
No clue.

What medication do you take and how effective is it?
Standard painkillers. Although I will not use anything for regular headaches so that if needed the painkillers work better when I do need them.

Do you experience digestive problems e.g. vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea?
Not really, although sometimes I can become so dizzy it makes me feel nauseous.

and finally have do you think there is any connection between your migraines and lucid dreams?
I’d have to say no. I’ve had less attacks since I started actively LDing.

Inquisitor Bob, Mohegan,

Thanks for your replies :content: