Originally Posted by nwaflygirl
I also get some pretty rough migraines. I've also had a few at work. This is the worst! I can't say whether the cabin pressure has affected them or not because I've been getting them long before I was flying for a living. I personally have found that plain aspirin, taken with coffee, works best for dulling the pain, taken as soon as the vision interference starts. About an hour later, I take two advils. I've learned that avoiding chocolate, for some strange reason, helps also. I remember hearing somewhere that this was a trigger for the headaches, and so far, so good. Also, sufficient sleep is essential. I've noticed that being tired triggers them also. So much for jumpseat medical advice, huh? LOL Take care
Chocolates are, for many people, migraine triggers. Other foods to watch out for:
Dairy products of any kind, but particularly cheese.
Nuts.
Red wine (the tannin is the problem).
Your mileage may vary.
For me lack of sleep can trigger one, as can too much sleep (go figure
). I don't get them from stress, but from a sudden release at stress, a phenomena which has been documented as "Saturday migraines".
Coffee contains caffeine, which is an abortive. This is why some people like analgesics which are compounded with caffeine (I think Excedrin may be one one).
You're lucky that Advil works for your. OTC analgesics don't touch mine. Imitrex, which is an abortive, not a painkiller, works 99% of the time for me, but when it doesn't I take oxycodone, which is the generic for Percodan -- and THAT barely works.
For anyone who hasn't read it, "Migraine" by British neurologist Oliver Sacks (author of "Awakenings" and "The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat") is compulsory reading. It's a little dated now, as it was written before triptans were discovered (Imitrex, etc.), but it's an entertaining explanation of the "aesthetics" of migraines. Though I have had migraines since I was a very young child, I learned a lot I never knew after reading the book, including what aura was and why I sometimes get . . . uh . . . what's the word? . . . oh, yeah, aphasic when I get a migraine.