I haven't had a migraine in almost 2 years since being on CPAP. I used to get them whenever the pressure changed outside or just from waking up sometimes. I also had alot of regular headaches too. Since being on CPAP I've had maybe 2 or 3 headaches, but no migrains at all.
Lynne (in Ottawa)
Headaches ... am I alone?
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sleeplesssue
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2005 5:17 pm
Yes, I get relief from a medication called Frova. It is a medication that causes those dilated blood vessels to constrict and so relieve the headache. Imitrex is another medication for that. It makes me feel like an elephant is sitting on my chest however. Frova works best for me and I can take it any time after the migraine starts. Many people experience an aura before a migraine where they feel strange and see zigzaging lights and such things. Before a migraine is about to happen the blood vessels temporarily spasm for up to a half hour. This begins a cascade of chemical signals that brings on the migraine. The vessels then dilate and the headache is full blown. Once started this chemical cascade is hard to interrupt and most sufferers are ill, need to go to bed, can't bear bright light and are sensitive to sounds, even the Tv in the next room makes them feel more pain and more ill. But these vasoconstricting medications really help a lot of people. they relieve the headache and make it go away most times, and so they don't have to spend a day or two in bed, and they can get back to life and avoid having to get injections of narcotics to survive these headaches. In the past this is how many people managed them, and some still have to, when the vasoconstrictors can't be used for some reason. The strange thing is that it used to be that if i could get to sleep that the chemical exchange going on in my brain would "reset" itself, and the headache would go away. With the onset of sleep apnea, this all changed, and a whole new kind of migraine, a much worse one, became the norm for me, with no way for me to control it with conservative means. (I usually just went to bed with an ice pack,drew the shades and tried to sleep) It took a while to get a handle on this, until we found that I now have sleep apnea, and we discovered this medication I take will work for me. I'm not so sick now.
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sleeplesssue
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2005 5:17 pm
But what do I do about the SINUS headaches I wake up with from the CPAP therapy. It feels like I'm pressurized and can't decompress for half the day. My eyes are all puffy looking. I also can't scuba dive, I can't equalize pressure in my sinuses as I go deeper. 5 feet under water is about all I ever manage before my head hurts too bad to stay under. Even the salt sea air doesn't clear me. It helps me feel better at sea level, but I still can't equalize pressure under water. I've also developed a problem with my vocal cords. My voice box hurts all the time and I can't sing anymore. plus my voice is changing. (um...as you can see, i'm a middle aged woman) I wonder if this can have anything to do with Multiple Sclerosis?
Migraines, headaches and Sinus headaches
sleeplesssue -
I'm going to ask what is most likely a silly question, but having migraines myself as well as sinus headaches and pressure... have you talked to your doctor about something like Guaifenesin? Its a pretty benign (and now over the counter) decongestant that has really helped me with symptoms you are talking about in your post. You're fortunate... I can't take the triptan drugs (like Frova or Immitrex) because I had a blood clot in my head last year, so if a vicodin and heading to bed or accupuncture don't take the migraine away, I pretty much endure until it is emergency room level pain and can get something to hopefully knock it down. I'm still waiting for the CPAP to make a difference with headaches, however, it HAS made a huge difference in my vocal cords and I no longer wake up coughing and choking in the night which then induced asthma.
I talk for a living, and regardless what you do, as ladies, we need our voices!
Good luck on your diving!
I'm going to ask what is most likely a silly question, but having migraines myself as well as sinus headaches and pressure... have you talked to your doctor about something like Guaifenesin? Its a pretty benign (and now over the counter) decongestant that has really helped me with symptoms you are talking about in your post. You're fortunate... I can't take the triptan drugs (like Frova or Immitrex) because I had a blood clot in my head last year, so if a vicodin and heading to bed or accupuncture don't take the migraine away, I pretty much endure until it is emergency room level pain and can get something to hopefully knock it down. I'm still waiting for the CPAP to make a difference with headaches, however, it HAS made a huge difference in my vocal cords and I no longer wake up coughing and choking in the night which then induced asthma.
I talk for a living, and regardless what you do, as ladies, we need our voices!
Good luck on your diving!
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Re: Migraines, headaches and Sinus headaches
[quote="FYRKRKR"]sleeplesssue -
I'm going to ask what is most likely a silly question, but having migraines myself as well as sinus headaches and pressure... have you talked to your doctor about something like Guaifenesin? Its a pretty benign (and now over the counter) decongestant that has really helped me with symptoms you are talking about in your post. You're fortunate... I can't take the triptan drugs (like Frova or Immitrex) because I had a blood clot in my head last year, so if a vicodin and heading to bed or accupuncture don't take the migraine away, I pretty much endure until it is emergency room level pain and can get something to hopefully knock it down. I'm still waiting for the CPAP to make a difference with headaches, however, it HAS made a huge difference in my vocal cords and I no longer wake up coughing and choking in the night which then induced asthma.
I talk for a living, and regardless what you do, as ladies, we need our voices!
Good luck on your diving!
I'm going to ask what is most likely a silly question, but having migraines myself as well as sinus headaches and pressure... have you talked to your doctor about something like Guaifenesin? Its a pretty benign (and now over the counter) decongestant that has really helped me with symptoms you are talking about in your post. You're fortunate... I can't take the triptan drugs (like Frova or Immitrex) because I had a blood clot in my head last year, so if a vicodin and heading to bed or accupuncture don't take the migraine away, I pretty much endure until it is emergency room level pain and can get something to hopefully knock it down. I'm still waiting for the CPAP to make a difference with headaches, however, it HAS made a huge difference in my vocal cords and I no longer wake up coughing and choking in the night which then induced asthma.
I talk for a living, and regardless what you do, as ladies, we need our voices!
Good luck on your diving!
I used to have headache experience as described by co-members in this board. My cardiologist has advised me to use Resperate in conjunction with my auto CPAP, and the headaches went away like magic. With the use of Resperate machine for at least 15 minutes, 4x times a week, the muscles surrounding the small blood vessels in your body relax, blood flows more freely, and your blood pressure is significantly reduced. (see resperate.com)
[quote="alsarnac"]I used to have headache experience as described by co-members in this board. My cardiologist has advised me to use Resperate in conjunction with my auto CPAP, and the headaches went away like magic. With the use of Resperate machine for at least 15 minutes, 4x times a week, the muscles surrounding the small blood vessels in your body relax, blood flows more freely, and your blood pressure is significantly reduced. (see resperate.com)