Migraines and APAP

gailzee · Post by **gailzee** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:25 pm

Besides sleep apnea, and 2 heart stents, am now into killer migraines.
Does anyone have any experience with using their device. The swift itself, is so lightweight, even that causes excruciating pain. Cannot take imitrex, so any tips on migraine use to actually use my apap again. Not sleeping well with the 420E on, and off I sleep, but worry with sleep apnea not being addressed.Am being tested on possible migraine use, so far, all negative, but 2 wks with a migraine is too long Any one have a migraine THAT long? Dr. said yes, but we all know from our cpap stories, many times we're not sure what dr's say is 100% on the mark about anything.

Any ideas, comments, suggestions, thanks again.

Hope all is well, shout out hi to RG, Wading, and where is Liam?

rock and roll · Post by **rock and roll** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 8:03 pm

Yes, I used to get migrains like that but cpap helped get rid of them. Mine come and go tied to my blood pressure. You might get yours checked. For temp fix to slepp, I found the Vicks migraine pads really do help. For long term, they have some great medications now. Midraine is one that worked for me. Also, lot's of caffeine helped me. good luck, it is miserable. When you can't stand it anymore, tell them to give you a shot of Demerol. One shjot and you could care less

roysann · Post by **roysann** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 8:05 pm

Hi Gailzee,

I suffer from migraines, have for many years, before I was ever diagnosed with sleep apnea. I understand that migraines can be due to sleep apnea and be relieved with cpap. I have only been on my apap for about 7 or 8 weeks now and am not completely sure of an effect yet. I may not be awakening with them as often but I am still having about the same number a month. I am on preventative medication, verapamil, which has decreased them from 8 a month to 3 or 4 a month. I use Maxalt, which is in the same family of meds as Imitrex, so doubt you would be able to take it as well. I have never had a true migraine for 2 weeks, the longest I have had one is 96 hrs but that was long enough!!! Most of mine about 6-48 hrs or so depending on how fast I get on top of them with medications. I also increase my water intake, hot shower helps sometimes, even an ice pack on the back of my neck helps. It really depends on what has triggered it as well. Weather changes will almost always give me one, I also have some food allergies that I react to. Sometimes I have to just let it run its course despite all of my little tricks. I am anxious to see if I really improve from the APAP. I hope I have helped some. Good luck!

gracie97 · Post by **gracie97** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 3:35 am

Gailzee -

I've had lots of migraines longer than two weeks. But the better my sleep is and the more sleep I get, the less migraine I tend to have, so at times I think CPAP is helping.

Might be a good idea to see a headache specialist if you haven't done that yet.

Are your migraines frequent (e.g. 15 dayr or more/month)? If so, you may need preventative medication rather than bail-out drugs (which would include caffeine).

Are your migraines worse since starting APAP? If so, do you think it might have something to do with the interface, e.g. that it might be somehow increasing jaw or neck tension and that might be setting off or perpetuating your migraine?

Also wonder if for some reason (wrong pressure setting or interface discomfort) you are getting worse sleep on APAP at this point and that might be worsening your migraine situation.

My migraines are triggered by neck and shoulder tension, but I have not found the Swift makes that worse (although I'm not happy with the Swift for other reasons).

Have noticed that for me, the stress of living with a very long migraine seems to lock me into a vicious cycle of stress/migraine/tension/stress/migraine/tension. Often I've finally gotten relief when I'm finally just emotionally beaten to the point of sobbing in despair: That relieves the tension and with it the migraine. However I certainly don't recommend that route! It's certainly a better idea to choose some downtime and deliberately relax and get extra rest and sleep before reaching that point!

Grace

Sleepless on LI · Post by **Sleepless on LI** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 4:59 am

Gailzee,

Ex-migraine sufferer since cpap therapy. Amazing to say, but true. Now the only ones I get are at that time of the month, so they're hormonal. And sometimes I wouldn't even call them migraines, but headaches.

The best medicine I have ever taken for migraines is called Maxalt. The one I would take is a tiny pill you put under your tongue and it dissolves in seconds, so you can take it anywhere without water. They also make a regular type of pill that you swallow with water, too.

Unlike pain killers such as Fioricet and the like, it opens the blood vessels to eliminate the migraine, rather than mask the pain for a few hours if possible. If it doesn't help, which is rare, in two hours, you can take another. There is rarely a time I've had to do that.

Talk to your doctor about Maxalt. It was my lifesaver. And try your hardest to use the therapy. It took away lifelong migraines for me.

Sorry to hear you're suffering so badly. There is almost nothing worse than migraines as you can't sleep with them or be awake, no escape. Anyone who's ever suffered from them can relate.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 9:21 am

I used to get a fair number of migraine headaches (my sister gets alot as well -guess it runs in the family) and was well treated with Caffergot and/or Ergomar. These are both ergotamine/caffeine preparations that are effective, but kept me awake at night due to the caffeine.

I've switched to Maxalt (same drug that Sleepless is using) and it has been remarkably effective without the blast of caffeine that kept me from getting to sleep.

Further, I've noticed that since getting settled into CPAP treatment, the number of migraines has dropped dramatically. I get one migraine about every 2-3 months now.

I hope that you get this under control -migraines are some hateful!

WillSucceed · Post by **WillSucceed** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 9:22 am

You would think that I would pay attention! I forgot to login -that last post was mine.

gailzee · Post by **gailzee** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 7:17 pm

My apap sleep has been very fractured, and the more the headache wakes me up, the more the swifty comes off, so it's a vicious circle.
This "maxalt" drug people are mentioning, is it a triptan type drug? Since getting 2 stents in June in my heart, I cannot take any of the imitrex migraine type drugs. The fioricet/darvocet barely make a dent, and when the wear off, headache is NG again. So I take a xanax, and go to bed. Cold cloths do nothing. Have big MRI/MRA on Tues, so see what if anything that shows. But I've got to get back on the bandwagon for apap, this too, I'm very sure, doesn't help the headache.
Husband just had to have emergency heart surgery, so stress level is high in this household. A good shot of demerol would be nice, but that can't happen.

Interestingly enough, my stents are coated, and I'm wondering if the lousy TAXOL they're coated with has triggered off the headache. If I get anymore tests, I truly will turn into an xray.

I'll check out the maxalt. Going to use my old faithful ambien to knock myself into sleep with my swifty.

Also, is anyone noticing that their swift interface, seems to stretch out of shape and leak sooner than we'd like? Any thoughts on that t one? Txs WS for your good insight.

Gz

WillSucceed wrote:You would think that I would pay attention! I forgot to login -that last post was mine.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 7:26 pm

Gosh, Gail...you've had a load on your plate. Hope Bill is recovering smoothly. Gotta have him back on the job checking your pressure!!

Really am sorry to hear you're having such terrible migraines. I hope the doctors can do something for you very soon. Good to see you posting again!

L.

Sleepless on LI · Post by **Sleepless on LI** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 7:57 pm

Gail,

I wish your husband a speedy recovery. I feel so bad that you are going through so much right now and to deal with it through migraines? Sounds like the Big Guy is testing you for sainthood. If you can keep your cool through this all, maybe it will be Saint Gail one day.

I am giving you a link to Maxalt http://www.maxalt.com/rizatriptan_benzo ... /index.jsp. It is what they call rizatriptan benzoate so I don't think it's something you can use . I was not an Imitrex liker. Used the injections and then the tablets. Made me feel a bit weird. Didn't like it. The Maxalt MLT melts in your mouth in seconds so you can carry it in your pocket (they come individually wrapped in foil) and take it anywhere you are as no water is necessary. I've had a lot of luck with it totally taking away my migraines. But therapy has helped me so much with them that I rarely need to take anything anymore for headaches.

I used to use Fioricet, too, but that only numbs you temporarily and I had to take two at a time, so the prescription didn't last long. And they are highly addictive. Some people, like my sister, get good results with Verapamil, which is a calcium channel blocker that you take daily http://www.affacts.org/Medications/verapamil.html. It is also used for some heart conditions and works on high BP, too. Maybe you could check into that for your headaches? Only thing is, it's a preventative, not something you take when you get your headache or feel it coming on.

I was put on Topamax this spring and it was working, but when they upped my dosage, it gave me tightening in the chest that was pretty bad. Before they finally figured out that was what it was and that I wasn't having heart-related problems again, I got so scared that it became my wakeup call to get healthy. It made me realize that my grandfather died at 54 from a massive heart attack, our family makes cholesterol for no reason and I already had high cholesterol and high BP, so it was time to get serious and start exercising and eating right, which I have been doing since. It was like it happened for a reason. But some people swear by Topamax as far as a preventative for migraines. You can check into that, too. Here is a link for that http://www.topamax.com/.

Again, I hope your husband is feeling better real soon. Try to hang in there. Sometimes it just gets dished out in waves and you must have hit a temporary tsunami. This, too, shall pass. You are in my thoughts and prayers...

gracie97 · Post by **gracie97** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 9:57 pm

Also, is anyone noticing that their swift interface, seems to stretch out of shape and leak sooner than we'd like? Any thoughts on that t one?

Gailzee, Maxalt is a triptan.

Now that you mention tje Swift getting stretched out of shape, I'm wondering not only if it is hitting or pushing against some migraine-triggering spot you have but also if perhaps you are over-tightening the headgear.

I think Swift headgear is supposed to be just barely snug, not at all tight.

I've only had my Swift for about 6 weeks, but have not noticed that it is stretched out at all.

(I also haven't had any problems with barrel leaks with Swift.)

Another Swift user, BTW, told me that a chin strap put on over the Swift really helps stabilize it and prevent slips/leakage better than tightening the straps more. Haven't tried this yet.

Grace[/quote]

rock and roll · Post by **rock and roll** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 10:01 pm

Stretching out, the Swift? All you have to do is tighten it.

Migraines and APAP

Migraines and APAP

Maxalt? Migraines......etc.

Re: Maxalt? Migraines......etc.