migraines affect individuals in very distinct & different ways...this is not meant to be inclusive of the feelings of everyone, just my observations & notes on what i've personally tried for relief.
what "works": (and by works i mean delays the occurance of pain or reduces pain during attack)
imitrex (although slow acting, quickly recurrent migraines & 'rebound' headaches when you cease imitrex for only a few hours/days)
ice packs on the head & neck while in a hot bath
'cool headed' essential oil on the temples (a mix of mint & eucalyptus, avail. at fruits and passions. although it sounds cheesy it opens up your airways and helps)
acupuncture (traditional chinese, not the kind your physio guy claims he can do with western medicine)
amitriptyline 20mg - seems to be doing okay so far, but contraindicated with cocurrent imitrex or other triptan use due to the danger of 'seratonin syndrome'
what doesn't (and some rediculous things people have made me do):
feeling sorry for yourself
topomax
beta blockers (i've tried both propranolol & metoprolol) - these have actually now been published as ineffective migraine prophylactics
zomig
staying away from the 'danger foods' (aged cheese, red wine, chocolate)
reducing stress
exercise
changes in the weather
chiropractic
osteopathic cranial-sacral adjustments
imitrex nasal spray
pulling the adult teeth down from your upper palette because your crack dentist assumes that's putting pressure on your brain
getting xrays of your skull to be told that your head sits to far forward
naproxin
exedrin migraine
tylenol
advil (including the one they market for "migraine")
combining your meds taken with alka-seltzer (as a form of a liquid NSAID) to 'jump start' your other meds into action (the citrony taste almost made me puke just from drinking it)
maxalt
axert (they go but then come back)
ginger
codeine-containing drugs
some weird over-the-counter migraine pills i got while in england
