Aborting A Migraine

bradley

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Just got hit with a wicked migraine. Can barely type because of the visual distrubances. Any tips on how to abort or minimize the effects? I just took a bunch of aspirin and naproxen sodium (aleve). Also having some coffee with lots of sugar and some orange juice. Would really appreciate any other tricks.

Thanks. Uggh.
 

charlie

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Bradley, hope you feel better!
 

Birdie

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Bradley, my husband had one today too.. Still does have it. We are having storms here and think the pressure triggered it.

Ray does talk about migraines somewhere. I think he used to get them.
 
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bradley

bradley

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I was actually able to abort it by bag breathing. I read that if done right at onset it can be very effective, and it was. coffee with LOTS of sugar also helped, as well as sitting in the CO2 bag. First time I had the aura without the horrible headache after. Way to go CO2!
 

peatarian

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Bradley - sorry I only saw it now but I'm glad you're feeling better.
Thanks for link. I have been using my CO2 bottle just like that only not for a minute.
Bagbreathing, icecream, coffee with cream and sugar and ondansetrone usually abort migraines for me.
 

Logan-

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Found this:

Breathe Into a Brown Paper Bag for Migraines

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Myrtle (Fayetteville) on 02/06/2018:
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I get migraines on stressful days. I had one last week that lasted for 2 days and I tried so many natural remedies and couldn't shake it. I checked to see what I hadn't tried yet at Earth Clinic. "Breathe into a Brown Paper Bag."
That seemed rather a long shot. Way too simple. But I was desperate.

I got a brown paper bag and breathed into it (sealing it up around my mouth.) I did this for maybe 10-15 minutes. I also used an ice pack on my neck.

My migraine began to lift. The next day it tried to return and I used the brown paper bag for 15 minutes a couple of times a day. I dropped one drop of basil essential oil into the bag to breathe since that may help a migraine.

The next day my head was completely clear with no "it may start any minute feeling."

I am taking feverfew now to see if I can prevent them.

I wonder if I am hyperventilating, mildly, when stressed and this is bringing on the migraines, which is why the paper bag is helping to get my CO2 levels back to normal.



Carrie (California, US) on 10/19/2014:
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It works! My 12 year old daughter just tried this and shockingly IT WORKED! 10 minutes in and the pain was subsiding. 15 minutes in and the pain is nearly gone!

Brett (Los Angeles, Ca) on 10/23/2012:
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I have done this now for a few Months ever since my Doctor explain why it work. Migraines are a swelling of the brain. CO2 make the blood vesels constrict causing the flow of blood to slow down. It works almost every time if I do it soon enough.



Russ (Los Angeles, California, USA) on 01/10/2009:
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I myself do not suffer from migraine headaches, but I heard a lady on the radio who does. She said this method works every time for her. As soon as you feel a migraine coming on, take a brown paper bag and breathe into it (hold it against your face so that very little outside air gets in). Keep the bag in place for 10, 15 or even 20 minutes. If a paper bag is not available, you can use a plastic bag, but since it doesn't "breathe," you'll need to take a few breaths outside the bag periodically. She said it will seem like nothing is happening, but the migraine will not develop. By the way, her husband is an emergency room doctor and she learned this method from him.

From: Migraines
 
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Logan-

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In the above link, someone said : I have done this now for a few Months ever since my Doctor explain why it work. Migraines are a swelling of the brain. CO2 make the blood vesels constrict causing the flow of blood to slow down. It works almost every time if I do it soon enough.

Does CO2 have a vasoconstrictive effect? I thought it is a potent vasodilator.

The cerebrovascular response to carbon dioxide in humans
https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1113/jphysiol.2011.206052

Experimental and laboratory report: The local effect of carbon dioxide on human blood vessels
The local effect of carbon dioxide on human blood vessels - ScienceDirect

Metabolic Mechanisms of Vasodilation
CV Physiology | Metabolic Mechanisms of Vasodilation

https://www.normalbreathing.com/CO2-vasodilation.php

Does anyone know about this? It might have a vasoconstrictive effect through other mechanisms, like reducing serum lactic acid, or other mechanisms. I'd like to know.
 
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Peatful

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Bradley, my husband had one today too.. Still does have it. We are having storms here and think the pressure triggered it.

Ray does talk about migraines somewhere. I think he used to get them.
Ray said that he would rub progesterone on his temples IIRC, or take on his gums perhaps.
Does progesterone increase CO2 as well?
 

tara

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Does CO2 have a vasoconstrictive effect? I thought it is a potent vasodilator.
I too thought CO2 would tend to help constricted vessels relax (dilate).

Potentially positive mechanisms might involve
- increased CO2 > improved oxygen supply > reduced stress in various ways
- increased CO2 > directly more relaxed nerves

I know some people have found bag-breathing or other reduced-breathing techniques helpful to interrupt migraine, but I have so far not. At least as likely to exacerbate. I suspect retraining to improve CO2 levels might be be helpful preventatively, though, by helping keep the vascular and nervous systems more stable. I think Buteyko method recognises that training too fast can sometimes trigger migraines in susceptible people.
 
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bradley

bradley

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FWIW I now take a wack of progesterone at the onset of a migraine and it usually aborts. Thanks Ray :)
 

Logan-

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FWIW I now take a wack of progesterone at the onset of a migraine and it usually aborts. Thanks Ray :)

I wonder why progesterone works? By counteracting estrogen in the brain? Estrogen is known to be involved in migraines.
 
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bradley

bradley

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I think it's related to progesterone stabilizing blood sugar, which seems to plummet during a migraine. It may also help by reducing swelling in the brain.

I wonder why progesterone works? By counteracting estrogen in the brain? Estrogen is known to be involved in migraines.
 

tara

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I think it's related to progesterone stabilizing blood sugar, which seems to plummet during a migraine. It may also help by reducing swelling in the brain.
I felt as though I got some help from progesterone initially. It seemed to be able to interrupt or defer a migraine in early prodrome, though not once well underway. But it didn't overall reduce the overall number of migraines I was getting, and eventually it seemed to stop having any helpful effect at all.
When it had an effect, it felt as though it may have helped reduce swelling.
I suspect it's eventual lack of effect for me may have been related to my system/liver getting more efficient at eliminating it - this being one of the reasons Peat sometimes recommends cycling it.
 

Redshine

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A little late and your migraine is problaby long gone but sometimes magnesium will help. I have a little spraybottle of pure magnesium I spray preventually twice a week and if I feel migraine coming up I spray and lay down. Next to eating as clean possible this helped me a lot. I know that in my case it has to do with hormones.
 

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