Daily Migraines - How do we function?

@njzmom fiorinol is the only medication that helps/works for me. I’ve tried them all over the past 35 years. My migraines are often a result of barometric pressure changes. I have read to stay indoors during major weather changes, wear sunglasses etc. this does not work, as even when I stay indoors, I can get a migraine from weather fluctuations. It’s tough, I lose too many days to migraine or recovering from meds.

@dd75 Have you tried preventatives such as propranolol or Vyepti, in addition to Botox? Both were life-changing for me when I was getting chronic daily migraines.

@lisalucier Botox has helped a lot and I have no side-effects. I still get migraines but less often and severity is reduced. Botox effects wear off, however, after about 2 months and the treatments are only every three months. I need triptans to manage bad migraines that still occur about 1-2 times per week. Triptans wipe me right out and I cannot really work or do anything due to brain fog, general aches, and exhaustion. They do usually address the pain, though. I find that the lifestyle restrictions/adjustments to avoid migraine triggers are so hard: early regular bedtimes, no long-distance flights, no drinking alcohol, no vigorous exercise, limited screen time..... it adds up to a life dominated by this illness

@dd75 - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. To not be able to work full-time, if you are wanting to, would be rough. Sorry to hear your migraines changed over to chronic.

How have the onabotulinumtoxin A (Botox) treatments gone for you? Do you feel they have helped? Do you have any side effects from that treatment or the triptans?

New to this forum. Migraines became chronic about 6 years ago, after having episodic migraines since age 20. Changes probably related to perimenopause? I get regular botox, started 3 years ago, but also rely on tryptans to get through the week. Jaw clenching at night worsens things. Have had some success with physio for TMJ. Have trouble working full time.

@richardfrancine
Good morning
It’s the Imitrex I cut up into 3s now. The last one I cut into 3s last month I’ve only taken one piece of that one still hav the other 2 pieces. Like I don’t like to take it. It’s the extra strength Excedrin I take a lot. So my doctor gave me a preventative to take nightly ti try to wean me off Excedrin. But it’s too much meds. I wake up dizzy from the preventative. I know maybe I should stick it out and continue to try

Good morning Heysie

I really feel for you. You say that you have Tylenol 4’s. Do you take them everyday? Could they be causing you rebound headaches? My neurologist told me that it is the number of days (should be no more than two per week) when you take the meds, and not the strength, that will worsen the situation - so cutting them in smaller doses to cover more days would not be an option. I had an accident and HAD to take my Tylenol 3’s daily over a period of a little more than a week. The headaches became absolutely vicious! Now, it certainly sounds like your migraines are way worse than mine, and cutting down to two days a week is a scary option. I REALLY GET IT! But what if it helped you? It’s something to think about. Take care and I hope you eventually find a solution.

@curme Good morning
I just read your post and hope I may have something interesting to contribute. I have had headaches 24/7 for the last 15 years. I allow myself two Tylenol 3’s per week, on two different days (anymore and the headaches’ intensity will increase). My neurologist told me to not cut the pills into smaller doses in order to cover more days as she says it is the NUMBER of days when you take the pills and NOT the STRENGTH of the pills that are the factor in the rebound/increased intensity. You say you cut your pills in three. Do you take a smaller dose everyday? If this is the case, perhaps you could try this different protocol. I hope it works for you. Take care.

@2penelope I have used imitrex also but I do get rebound and have had to cut my 200 mg pill into 3s because I need to function and I don’t like the feelings. I usually take extra strength Excedrin also. My doctor tried to give me an amitriptylene to take every night before bed to try to wean me off other meds but I would wake up dizzy and had to go to work so I stopped that one.

As soon as you said Vise Grips I was like YES! So I want to say the past 2 years my migraines have become pretty severe where I now have to use int fmla to try to survive for now. They last for days at a time where if any medication works it knocks me out where I can’t work or drive and that one is Imitrex. I try to hardly take it. I usually take extra strength Excedrin but half the time it only gives me few hours relief until the migraine is back. But the multiple day ones nothing works most of the time unless the med knocks me out. I’m actually going through one of those now it’s been 4 days. We are talking about slicing type stabbing pains, vise grip pains, I pretty much have no more words. I’m ready to go on disability maybe. I was hoping this was a phase of some sort of long Covid migraine. I have had eye surgeries. My last eye surgery was a lasik in office to repair a tear of my retina and later that year the worst attacks started. That same year in 2024 I got Covid. I’m looking for cures/ answers.