I get a lot of headaches and sometimes really bad migraines . I usually take Excedrin at least 3-4 times a week . I’ve been trying to wear my glasses more often because I stare at a computer screen for 8 hours a day at my job and then I’m on my phone . What are some suggestions I can do to alleviate the pain without taking medications ? I heard tea might help but I’m not a tea drinker .

You definitely won’t be able to take excedrin post-op being that it’s an NSAID. Only Tylenol. You should work out that kink prior to surgery. My bariatric nurse even told me they can compound nsaids into ointments to be used topically post op. You have quite a few options. Good luck!

I am prone to migraines and tried many non-medication remedies but found immediate relief with Triptan. When I feel a migraine coming on, I take 50 mg of Sumatriptan and within 20-30 minutes, the migraine is gone. I know you stated that you'd prefer a non-medication route, and I hope you find one. But if the migraines become intolerable and are compromising your daily living, you may want to ask your physician about medication alternatives.

And just an interesting aside, I found that when my sinuses were dry, the incidence of my migraines increased. So I flush my sinuses every morning with a saline spray and then apply Triple Antibiotic Ointment (OTC) just before bedtime. These treatments were suggested by my ENT and have cut my migraine frequency by about 75%.

I do neck stretches and lie down on the floor for a few minutes with a rolled up towel under just my neck. In my case my head hurts because my neck is pinched. An ice pack to the temples helps too.

However I think this is one of those cases of an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If you start tracking things like foods, sleep, and stress levels you might be able to find and eliminate the cause.

@loain- I don’t really sleep well . I never have and my stress level is through the roof .

12 hours ago, marissaroth90 said:

@loain- I don’t really sleep well . I never have and my stress level is through the roof .

Have you been tested for sleep apnea? And if you have it do you use a CPAP? My sister would get a couple of headaches a week until she got diagnosed and started using one. Thinking of her I'm reminded that when she would visit her boyfriend in the city she would get headaches from the air pollution alone.

I talked to my pcp prior to surgery and she put me on Imitrex to take when I get a migraine.
I actually had my yearly checkup with her Monday and she wasn't happy that I'm still having quite a few migraines a month so she she also put me on Topamax for prevention of migraines.. There are quite a few options nowadays, so it is worth talking to your doctor before your surgery since you won't be able to take NSAIDS.

I've had chronic headaches most of my life. The only thing that helps me is regular chiropractic care as mine are caused by issues with my neck. As long as I get regular adjustments I am much better. Worth looking into!

homeopathic remedies and/or chiropractic care could help. But you might need to investigate the root of the problem - Dehydration or leaky gut syndrome is tied to chronic migraines, stress will amplify that.

So I actually just brought this eye messager.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SM61FCT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glc_fabc_GJ3JH99E3M1BCZ3MJ680

I like it a lot. It helps with headaches and It's pretty relaxing before bed. It messages your temples which can provide relief and the heat feels nice. I only wish I could increase the pressure and heat.

See a headache specialist or at least your PCP. I have migraines and I have since I was in college (I'm 41 now). I was started on a preventative medication back then (topamax) which actually causes weight loss in some people and also sumatriptan (imitrex) for immediate relief when I get a migraine. It made a huge difference. Also, getting a bite guard from the dentist because I grind my teeth during the day (during the pandemic it got so much worse!) and that causes migraines too. Now when I find my migraines getting more frequent I wear my bite guard for a few days to retrain myself and also limit my TV (that makes me grind my teeth and the lights can give me migraines too!). The imitrex works 100% if I do get a migraine, which I got this morning from crying (I had a panic attack trying to deal with my health insurance company.).

TL:DR - See a neurologist who specializes in migraines!!! You have to figure out what is causing your migraines and how to stop them

On 3/18/2021 at 4:59 AM, Loain said:

I do neck stretches and lie down on the floor for a few minutes with a rolled up towel under just my neck. In my case my head hurts because my neck is pinched. An ice pack to the temples helps too.

However I think this is one of those cases of an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If you start tracking things like foods, sleep, and stress levels you might be able to find and eliminate the cause.

Tracking triggers is great advice! I used a journal to track mine and could easily see patterns in frequency and intensity. I'd typically get them after having ham, red wine, and the week before my period.

I recommend the app called Migraine Buddy - it helps to track all sorts of things like what medication you took and frequency of migraines/headaches, also has a lot of information on it as well.

You say you use Excedrin 3-4 times a week : this could lead to medication overuse headaches. ?Unfortunately a lot of people who suffer from headaches/migraines end up with this at one time or another.. I did too and it sucked ☹️ 

You get headaches and can’t function so you take meds, and they happen often so you end up having even more headaches from taking too much medicine! I forced myself to go cold turkey (except triptan if I had a migraine), but there are other ways to go about combating this with your doctor’s help. Of course not saying you definitely have it, but there’s a possibility, and a risk of getting it if you don’t ☹️ I’d rather let you know so you don’t walk around just suffering through it like so many of us do because ‘everyone has headaches’ (very unhelpful comment I’ve heard too often, and that friends with the same predicament also heard too often).

Other than that one of the most important things you can do to avoid all this pain is live by a schedule.. Go to bed at the same time every day, wake up at the same time every day (no more than 30 mins variation). Eat at roughly the same times and never ever drink loads of caffeine one day and none the next.. Your body likes predictability. Turn on Night shift on your phone in the evening and see if you can find glasses with a blue light filter to protect your eyes. Stay hydrated!

Regarding non-medicinal pain relief, there are so many different methods and they don’t always work for everyone, and sometimes something that worked before doesn’t seem to work anymore. Some of the most helpful ones I’ve tried are the following:
1. CBD oil (kinda medicinal but I doubt a doctor is going to prescribe it)
2. Sitting in a bathtub and spraying hot Water over my head and shoulders with the shower head
3. Lying on a ‘ramp’ of pillows, elevating my head, shoulders and back in bed
4. A spa mask with beads in that covers 3/4 of my face, I keep it in the fridge
5. Running cold(ish) water over my feet for a good long while
6. A hot cherry pit ‘pillow’ that looks like a sort of collar that drapes over my shoulders and goes all the way up to the beginning of my hairline in my neck (bought it on Amazon)

If you get that app, you can see what tools others have used to deal with the pain as well! It’s used by hundreds of thousands of people.
It helped me not feel so crazy after I had a migraine after my second vaccine this year because almost 200k users had listed it too.

I hope this information helps - definitely do try to see a specialist too! ?

I used to have headaches daily and like you pretty much lived on Excedrine. My doctor put me on meds, and once we got the right dosage I did see a decrease but was still getting them a couple times a week, less severe. In preparation for my surgery I stopped taking the birth control pills and got an IUD. I haven’t had a headache in 2-3 weeks. Unfortunately I spent the last 20 years living with daily headaches that were likely caused by the birth control pills. I’m only a couple weeks post op so crossing my fingers I stay this way because Tylenol does absolutely nothing for a headache for me. Good luck!

Excedrine migraine can actually cause rebound headaches if you take it too often (caffeine withdrawal). Recommend you go to a good neurologist who specializes in Migraines. I go to Georgetown University’s Headache Center and they do treatments nowhere else did. Currently I do a Vyepti infusion every three months and it does wonders. I take Relpax when I do get a migraine. Good luck!

On 9/27/2021 at 3:18 AM, drauschnot said:

I used to have headaches daily and like you pretty much lived on Excedrine. My doctor put me on meds, and once we got the right dosage I did see a decrease but was still getting them a couple times a week, less severe. In preparation for my surgery I stopped taking the birth control pills and got an IUD. I haven’t had a headache in 2-3 weeks. Unfortunately I spent the last 20 years living with daily headaches that were likely caused by the birth control pills. I’m only a couple weeks post op so crossing my fingers I stay this way because Tylenol does absolutely nothing for a headache for me. Good luck!

I also haven't had a headache since I stopped Birth control pills, which is weird, since I went on them in part to control the terrible migraines I would get when I go my period. Of course, I haven't had my period in the 12 weeks since I stopped them (I used to take them continuous cycling so I haven't had my period in over a decade, no surprise that my period is a bit messed up now!).