Migraine - advice?

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Ivostas66

Ivostas66

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
I had a long day at work yesterday. It was a 7:30am start and training session that finished at 6pm - with two very short breaks of 20 minutes each - the joys of teaching eh! Anyway, blood glucose was fine and in range, but when I picked my daughter up from childcare at 6pm, I could only see the right hand side of peoples faces when I looked at them. It freaked me out a bit, but stopped quite suddenly. About half an hour later I had flashing at the side of my vision and a great deal of pain behind my eyes. Again, the centre of my vision was 'missing'. Today I have felt dreadful with a bad headache and feeling run down; another full on day at work too.

Anyway, as someone who has probably only had two or three migraines in my entire life, I just wondered if anyone has any advice? I am guessing it was caused by the extremely busy day - one of many at the moment sadly as there are so many teachers absent with Covid.
 
I've had a very few of these where I have missing vision and /or "rippling" vision. As soon as it starts I take a couple of headache tablets and it usually stops quite quickly. If I don't take meds I'm wiped out and have to sleep it off. Usually it's because I'm stressed and haven't eaten. I try to always have painkillers on me even though it doesn't happen often, maybe 5 times in my life. It only happens on one side. Keep well 🙂
 
Did you check your Blood Sugar I have had this in the past I have had visual disturbance, accompanied by hypo and headache.
 
I used to get 25 migraine days a month. I'm down to 12 now with CGRP medication. Its tough. Keeping blood sugar level even will help - it was one of my triggers. GP could give you a preventative or an acute medicine - Sumitriptan works for many people. Chat to GP?

Sumitriptan is a great acute medication, if you take one as soon as you feel it coming on, it may prevent the migraine. But seek GP advice beforehand.
 
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Mine are triggered by stress, and bright lights/sunshine. Is stress a trigger for you as you're having to cover for absent colleagues?
I can sometimes head off the migraine if I take ibuprofen in time.
I used to get them regularly, but since I've been working from home due to the pandemic, I haven't had the bright office lights to set them off. It's one good thing about the pandemic I guess.
They are horrible. Hope you feel better soon.
 
My migraines stopped when I changed to a low carb way of eating. They were very severe and involved vomiting and passing out occasionally. I tried Sumatriptan but it didn't help me. The best thing for me was to get paracetamol into myself at the very earliest opportunity and then lie in a darkened room with a cover (flannel or tea towel) over my eyes and a sick bowl next to the bed and a glass of water to sip when I could manage it.

I was averaging one a month and not had a single one in the last 3 years since diagnosis of diabetes and change of diet. I can even drink red wine now, which was my only known trigger. Diabetes isn't all bad!! 😎
 
Christy said:
I've had a very few of these where I have missing vision and /or "rippling" vision. As soon as it starts I take a couple of headache tablets and it usually stops quite quickly. If I don't take meds I'm wiped out and have to sleep it off. Usually it's because I'm stressed and haven't eaten. I try to always have painkillers on me even though it doesn't happen often, maybe 5 times in my life. It only happens on one side. Keep well 🙂
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Thanks. I think I am pretty much the same. Can't remember the last migraine, but this one was pretty horrendous.
 
grovesy said:
Did you check your Blood Sugar I have had this in the past I have had visual disturbance, accompanied by hypo and headache.
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It was around 7 at the time and had been really stable throughout the day.
 
Mrs Mimoo said:
I used to get 25 migraine days a month. I'm down to 12 now with CGRP medication. Its tough. Keeping blood sugar level even will help - it was one of my triggers. GP could give you a preventative or an acute medicine - Sumitriptan works for many people. Chat to GP?

Sumitriptan is a great acute medication, if you take one as soon as you feel it coming on, it may prevent the migraine. But seek GP advice beforehand.
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Thanks for the advice. My sister had to see specialists when younger due to regular migraines. She switched to a vegetarian diet about 12 years ago and now lives in Spain. She has not had a migraine in all that time. She puts it down to an improved diet (as she lives on the coast she eats a lot of fish now too) and lack of stress.
 
Ivostas66 said:
It was around 7 at the time and had been really stable throughout the day.
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Only suggestion, but have you thought about going to opticians to have eyes examined, specsavers is one that do thorough examination of eyes & will discuss results with you, even writing to hospital clinic if need be.
 
Windy said:
Mine are triggered by stress, and bright lights/sunshine. Is stress a trigger for you as you're having to cover for absent colleagues?
I can sometimes head off the migraine if I take ibuprofen in time.
I used to get them regularly, but since I've been working from home due to the pandemic, I haven't had the bright office lights to set them off. It's one good thing about the pandemic I guess.
They are horrible. Hope you feel better soon.
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Thank you. I vented at my line manager today as things are ridiculous at the moment. I know of several other people in my position who have been in tears and complaining internally (but never upwards) about how bad things are.
 
nonethewiser said:
Only suggestion, but have you thought about going to opticians to have eyes examined, specsavers is one that do thorough examination of eyes & will discuss results with you, even writing to hospital clinic if need be.
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I had my eyes tested a month ago and new glasses arrived today (no change in prescription).
 
They always start my appointments at the opticians by asking about 'floaters' and migraines - I have had neither and the migraine the other day was the first for several years.
 
I've not had 'floaters' either but I do try to avoid flashing lights eg Xmas tree lights in close proximity.
 
Ivostas66 said:
Thank you. I vented at my line manager today as things are ridiculous at the moment. I know of several other people in my position who have been in tears and complaining internally (but never upwards) about how bad things are.
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Consider putting it in writing too (to the head teacher/your manager/board of governers?), and get your colleagues to do the same, perhaps as a joint letter, as it shows it's symptomatic of a larger problem, rather than just a few staff having difficulties.
If you're in a union, let your rep know that your workload is making you ill, and you and your colleagues are struggling. No one should be so overworked that they are in tears, having migraines and not coping. Management need to do something to support you and your colleagues, the pressure valve shouldn't be your and your colleagues' health and mental wellbeing.
I know that they can't magic up teachers if people are off with covid, but management should be finding ways to support you.
Sarah
 
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