migraine upon waking up.

[DeniseR7]

I was wondering if any one has any solution to this problem? I get a morning migraine most mornings. It seems to has gotten worse because I asked to have my beta-blocker changed to a different Blood Pressure med; so I can start walking. Of course the weather here in New England has been stormy and changeable.

I use my CPAP machine every night and it seems like the mask fits well. My old pressure was 8 and my new pressure is 11. this was changed at least 6 months ago. I need to check and change the settings in my profile.

Just looking for ideas.

[OkyDoky]

It could very well be related to the switch from your Beta Blocker medication as this type of medication is also used in the prevention of migraines. Also how long has it been since the switch? Beta Blockers are usually tapered down and not stopped suddenly. You may want to talk with your doctor about your increase after the switch.
I would also, want to look at my data to see if my cpap therapy was effective. Do you have software, a Data card and reader for your machine? What has your AHI been running? Why was the pressure increased?

[MamaGeek]

Hi, Denise! I'm sorry to hear about your migraines. And I really hear you. I get migraines, too, and I often wake up with them. One important thing to know about migraine is that every migraine patient presents differently, so what works to help one person may not help you, and what triggers migraines in one person may not trigger them in you.

There are many different migraine triggers. One thing you should do is keep a headache journal. Note the time of day and intensity of your headaches (on a scale of 1-10), weather changes, foods, drinks (including alcohol and caffeine), sleep habits, sun exposure, strong smell or loud noise exposure, dehydration, medication, stress, and menstruation. All of those things can trigger migraine. Keeping a journal will help you recognize your own personal triggers. Once you know them, you can make a plan. Often it is not just one trigger that will give you a migraine, but a combination of them. We all know that some triggers are unavoidable, especially the monthly hormonal fluctuations we women go through. But if that is a big trigger for you (and it is for most female migraineurs), then you can be forewarned to be especially careful about avoiding other triggers during that time. So even if PMS gives you a terrible craving for chocolate, if you know that is a trigger for you, stay away from it then especially. You can then relax a bit when the "danger" is past.

Prevention is really the best thing, but sometimes a migraine is unavoidable, and no prevention plan is 100% effective. So you need a plan for treating migraines once you have them. A neurologist can prescribe a triptan drug like Imitrex that is very effective during the early stage of a migraine. Once it gets really bad, though, they don't tend to work, and you really need to just go to bed in a dark, quiet room with an ice pack on your head, a bottle of water on your nightstand, and maybe an NSAID to take the edge off the pain, as you wait for it to go away.

Finally, I recommend reading the book The Keeler Migraine Method. It is very eye-opening, and has some very useful advice.

[DeniseR7]

I wondered about the change over from the beta blocker to the regular BP meds. Dropping one and starting the new one seemed "harsh" to me too.
It has been maybe a week since the change over.

I am taking another med for migraines too. I am still taking Amitriptyline. I think I may have to check in with my neurologist on this. I actually feel better off the beta blocker, except for those darned morning migraines. I don't want to go back on them.

I had a sleep study done earlier this year that showed the pressure was not enough, as I suspected. It took me almost a year to get another sleep study to get the pressure changed and I had to change doctors too. So at least I am staying awake during the day now!

[SewTired]

I was wondering if any one has any solution to this problem? I get a morning migraine most mornings. It seems to has gotten worse because I asked to have my beta-blocker changed to a different Blood Pressure med; so I can start walking. Of course the weather here in New England has been stormy and changeable.

I use my CPAP machine every night and it seems like the mask fits well. My old pressure was 8 and my new pressure is 11. this was changed at least 6 months ago. I need to check and change the settings in my profile.

Just looking for ideas.

Denise, a beta blocker can lower your heart rate, which in turn, lowers your oxygen level when you sleep (not so much during the day). I take beta-blocker glaucoma drops and that is one of the concerns. So sorry you have migraines. I know they are grueling.

[Goofproof]

I'd get a recording pulse ox, with software, and make sure oxygen levels weren't getting too low. Jim

[Wulfman...]

I don't have any specific answers for you, but you might go up to the Search line and do a forum search on "migraine", and do some reading. I know there have been quite a few discussions in the past. I took note of some of them years ago because I have a friend who has had a history of migraines.


Den

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[MamaGeek]

I had a sleep study done earlier this year that showed the pressure was not enough, as I suspected. It took me almost a year to get another sleep study to get the pressure changed and I had to change doctors too. So at least I am staying awake during the day now!

By "another sleep study", do you mean a titration study, to determine the correct pressure? If you need an adjustment again, you can self-titrate. You have an APAP, so just set your upper limit higher and let the machine do its thing. Here's a video on how to access the clinical menu on your machine and what all of the settings mean: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFllqmbu_7E. It's not as good as a lab study, so it's good to still a good idea to schedule one, but a year is a long time to wait. Your self-titration will serve you in the meantime much better than just waiting.

[DeniseR7]

I had a sleep study done earlier this year that showed the pressure was not enough, as I suspected. It took me almost a year to get another sleep study to get the pressure changed and I had to change doctors too. So at least I am staying awake during the day now!

By "another sleep study", do you mean a titration study, to determine the correct pressure? If you need an adjustment again, you can self-titrate. You have an APAP, so just set your upper limit higher and let the machine do its thing. Here's a video on how to access the clinical menu on your machine and what all of the settings mean: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFllqmbu_7E. It's not as good as a lab study, so it's good to still a good idea to schedule one, but a year is a long time to wait. Your self-titration will serve you in the meantime much better than just waiting.

My fault - for a poor explanation. In 2014, I felt I needed more pressure and I managed to get a sleep study which showed that I went from a pressure of 8 to 11. So insurance-wise, in Jan 2015, I was able to get a new machine ( a newer Res Med) and get my pressure increased. I believe the pressure is fine now.
and for me, getting my pressure increased has been a long time thing. No quick moves around here! Frustrating, but I kept after it.

I will also take a look at that video and see how to do the self-study. Fortunately, I will be seeing my sleep doctor sometime in the next month or two.
I want to look into getting my oxygen checked as suggested above. I will also search on migraines in this board too. that was a good suggestion.
thanks!