Migraine Medicine?

Discussion in Product Reviews started by kana_marie • Apr 7, 2015.

  1. kana_marie

    kana_marieActive Member

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    I have suffered migraines for years. They aren't very often, thankfully. I don't want to spend money I can't afford to spend to go to the doctor since I only get them like 4 times a year. I have taken Excedrin. It takes care of the migraine, but makes me sick to my stomach. Anybody have any suggestions?
     
  2. IcyFirefly

    IcyFireflyActive Member

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    When I get headache, I usually lie down in a dark place with a wet towel on my head or take a warm shower. I don't like pill of any kind, so I opt for natural things to do. Have you tried Tylenol for migraine? My friend also has this condition, and she cooks most of her meal with turmeric, and she said it helps her prevent migraine attack. Maybe you can try this?
     
  3. Megan888

    Megan888Member

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    Have you ever tried Goody's Headache Powder? I am not big on taking pills so when the occasional migraine hits, this is perfect for me! It comes in little powder packets that you can take with water. I have bought it at several different chain stores including Walmart, Walgreens, and CVS.
     
  4. clairebeautiful

    clairebeautifulActive Member

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    A couple things: Excedrin Migraine and Extra Strength Excedrin are THE EXACT SAME THING. So go with the cheaper option. Getting an upset stomach with Excedrin? Are you taking it on an empty stomach? Any chance you can take it at night and go to bed?

    Excedrin always works best for me. That said, even better is preventing the migraines in the first place. Mine are triggered by lack of food, or too much sugar. I just have to make sure I eat protein every 2-3 hours and I can prevent them.
     
  5. TommyVercetti

    TommyVercettiActive Member

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    Tylenol comes to mind. Coffee can also lessen the pain. Also, just drink plenty of water and make sure you get enough to eat and enough sleep.
     
  6. ohiotom76

    ohiotom76Well-Known Member

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    Excedrin is just a combination of acetaminophen and aspirin, with some added caffiene to stimulate blood flow and get the other two ingredients working in your system faster. You could try eating before taking them, but I am guessing that will also slow down how fast they kick in and start working if they are getting more slowly digested with the rest of the food you just consumed.

    Have you ever tried "Head On" per chance. It's a firm wax/gel in a stick form, that you rub on your head. They were notorious for their silly commercials a few years ago, but the stuff actually does work rather well. It cools your forehead and is like having an invisible ice pack on your head. The Wikipedia page on it skewers it as having no beneficial active ingredients and being nothing more than a placebo effect, but I can personally tell you from using it, it does provide a cooling sensation which did help me with my headaches.
     
  7. Zyni

    ZyniWell-Known Member

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    Oh, those "Head On" commercials were horrible! They gave me a headache. lol I never did try the stuff, but Exedrin works for me. It's the only thing that takes the edge off. I just buy the extra strength package. I've never had it make me sick to my stomach, thankfully. I wonder if a little glass of milk to coat the stomach first would help.

    I usually lie down in a dark, quiet room, take Excedrin, and maybe put an ice pack on my head if the headache is so bad it makes me nauseous. Hmmmm.. that got me thinking... OP are you sure it's the Excedrin making you nauseous and not the headache itself?
     
  8. JosieP

    JosiePWell-Known Member

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    I used to pop tylenol like it was going out of business.. used it for any pain and it worked well depending on the strength. It was my headache go to. Since getting off the processed foods, I haven't had one headache and all my aches and pains are gone.. a few years now I guess. I threw away my stash.
     
  9. DrRipley

    DrRipleyExpert

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    I used to experiment with brands until I found one that I liked. I don't get too many headaches these days anymore thankfully but whenever I do I just go for the brand I found that works for me. I used to get a fair amount of headaches some time back though and some brands just didn't work fast enough so I suggest just trying out different names until you find one you like.
     
  10. isabbbela

    isabbbelaWell-Known Member

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    Excedrin for me is the best. Tylenol also helps, specially if the pain is not so harsh.
    I find that if I drink a bit caffeine with Tylenol it also helps. Many headache medicines have caffeine in the formulation so it's proven to be a good weapon against that terrible pain that blinds us sometimes.
     
  11. Clairelouise84

    Clairelouise84Member

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    My OH got them all the time, at least once a week until she went to the hospital and had a brain scan to see why they were happening so often, long story short, she takes a medicine called pizotifen, it is prescribed, and that has taken them right down to once every two or three months.
     
  12. kana_marie

    kana_marieActive Member

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    Ive never tried it for a migraine. I have used it, and bc powder for toothaches, though. It's definitely worth a shot. Thank you!!
    Is it similar to imitrax or topimax (so?)? I have considered those but never did take them. I always think its fine and I don't really need it until I get another one. Lol
    Thank you!!
     
  13. Clairelouise84

    Clairelouise84Member

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    I am not sure to be honest, she takes to a day though and she barely gets them any more unless she is under a great deal of stress or hormones (periods make hers worse) But it could be worth asking a pharmacist about them?
     
  14. kana_marie

    kana_marieActive Member

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    I have a doctors appointment Thursday. I'm going to have to ask about it while I'm there. When I get them I can't do anything but lay in bed and whine. You can imagine how much fun that is. Imatrax and topamax didn't do anything a sugar pill wouldn't have done, lol. Thank you the tip. I really am going to have to look into it!
     
  15. Rosyrain

    RosyrainActive Member

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    When I get a migraine I take 2 extra strength Morin and it usually does the trick for me. I have had Exedrin and it works too. The best thing to do is to take medicine and then lay down in a cool dark room until it goes away. I used to get migraines so bad that I would vomit but the doctor and I figured out that the birth control I was on at the time was way too strong. I got off of it and barely have migraines now.
     
  16. Winnie

    WinnieActive Member

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    I'm thinking along the same lines as the person who asked are you taking them with food, or on an empty stomach. Maybe taking the pills with food would help. I used to get really bad headaches, so bad that I would have to have complete silence, or I would go crazy. I once had to take the battery out of a clock on my wall because it was ticking too loud for my headache.

    I've used up my share of Extra strength Tylenol, and I have gotten prescriptions for 800 mil. pain pills (non-narcotic), these days though, my go-to is a generic brand from Rite Aid. Has acetaminophen, aspirin and caffeine in it, works like a charm. Generic Excedrin kind of.
     
  17. xTinx

    xTinxWell-Known Member

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    Advil (ibuprofen) is all right, although I personally don't use it often. I take medicines for migraine relief only when I have to. Most of the time, I tolerate the pain until it's over. There's also Advil Migraine, a variant specially manufactured to address migraine problems. It works well and one pack containing 24 tablets is only $4.
     
  18. Diane Lane

    Diane LaneWell-Known Member

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    The most effective medicine I've taken for Migraines is Relpax. It's a prescription medicine. I don't currently have a prescription for it, but plan to ask my Neurologist for one next time I go. The last time I was there, there was an incident with a patient who'd been cut off his pain pills, so I totally forgot to ask about it, grrr. As far as OTC, I have tried Excedrin Migraine, but it tears up my stomach. Advil Migraine is effective for me, unless it's the most severe sort of Migraine, where I lose peripheral vision. Also, if your budget is tight (and this a forum about paying less, after all), Dollar Tree sells Tension Headache medicine that sometimes helps with my Migraines. Actually, I believe Advil also sells a Tension Headache pill that helps me also, but the one at Dollar Tree is a little less expensive.

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    (quoting isabbbela)
    Excedrin for me is the best. Tylenol also helps, specially if the pain is not so harsh.
    I find that if I drink a bit caffeine with Tylenol it also helps. Many headache medicines have caffeine in the formulation so it's proven to be a good weapon against that terrible pain that blinds us sometimes.
    I've found that a little caffeine tends to help with mine, as well. It helps to know what causes your Migraines. Some are triggered by hormones, food sensitivities, tension, flashing lights, etc. Mine have multiple causes, and I have cervical disk issues as well, so the caffeine helps by constricting blood vessels. I also use ice packs in various spots...side of head where the pain is, back of neck, sometimes jaw, as well as other body parts, because my Migraines tend to trigger my Fibromyalgia, or vice versa.
     
    #18Apr 22, 2015
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2015
  19. kana_marie

    kana_marieActive Member

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    I have the exact same issue with excedrin. It absolutely kills my stomach! I have never tried the tension headache medicine, though. I'm addicted to the Dollar Tree so I'll have to check it out. I have been know to stock my entire medicine cabinet through them. There's really no telling how I missed the headache medicine, though.
     
  20. Diane Lane

    Diane LaneWell-Known Member

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    I buy several of my medications there. A friend's brother was a psychiatrist, and he recommended it, said they work the same, and are much cheaper, so I started buying them there. I just checked, and the product is: ASSURED Tension Headache Relief. the bottle is white, the label is green, white, and purple, with ASSURED in red. It's got 500 mg of Acetaminophen and 65 mg of Caffeine. It helps me with my inflammation and pain, and works better than just the Arthritis Tylenol (or generic version), which is what I buy. There are 24 caplets in the bottle. I love caplets, they seem to go down easier than pills, especially pills that are uncoated.

    Good luck, I hope they help you. It says on the bottle that it's comparable to Excedrin Tension Headache, but this doesn't bother my stomach the way the Excedrin Migraine does, so maybe their tension formula is less severe than their migraine medicine.