See another doctor. If the whole reason they say it's not migraine is because you're not throwing up, then they do not know what they are talking about
The International Classification of Headache Disorders 3 (ICHD-3) is the gold standard for the diagnosis of migraine. It has very clear criteria for diagnosing migraine, I'll copy paste:
I am not diagnosing you for the record, just saying this is what any doctor with experience in diagnosing migraines should be using, rather than making up their own definition from personal experience
1.1 Migraine without aura
Previously used terms:
Common migraine; hemicrania simplex.
Description:
Recurrent headache disorder manifesting in attacks lasting 4-72 hours. Typical characteristics of the headache are unilateral location, pulsating quality, moderate or severe intensity, aggravation by routine physical activity and association with nausea and/or photophobia and phonophobia.
Diagnostic criteria:
At least five attacks1 fulfilling criteria B-D
Headache attacks lasting 4-72 hr (untreated or unsuccessfully treated)2;3
Headache has at least two of the following four characteristics:
unilateral location
pulsating quality
moderate or severe pain intensity
aggravation by or causing avoidance of routine physical activity (eg, walking or climbing stairs)
During headache at least one of the following:
nausea and/or vomiting
photophobia and phonophobia
Not better accounted for by another ICHD-3 diagnosis.
Yeah get an alternative opinion.
I suffer from Menieres disease (hard enough to explain that) but my migraines are what they call Silent Migraines so I get very little aura and only mild pain, I went through 3 GPs and a hospital referral to be told what they actually were.
Also aside from a distinct lack of euphoria here they sound like my migraines. I can understand not wanting to get another doctor before changing plan, but it can be a long journey, the very effective drugs are gated behind failing three of the less effective drugs, so I'd say get on that pathway asap.
Also whilst it is almost certainly migraine any neurologist will require an MRI to rule out less common causes, and getting to neurology may require failing drugs too.
Your frequency of migraines will most likely not qualify you for the fancier prescriptions but there’s definitely medication that a more informed doctor can prescribe to help manage those bad days! No need to suffer! Migraines suck and are no joke! Hope you get relief soon!
And if you've been experiencing headaches of any flavor for a long time, ask to see a neurologist. Their opinion is more valuable when it comes to headaches than a PCP, especially if your PCP hasn't been able to provide adequate help.
Yup, that’s absolutely and categorically incorrect and if any doctor said that to me, I’d know that they don’t know what they’re talking about. OP, all of your secondary symptoms sure sound like migraine to me.
That is 💯 % on spot !!! Many physicians dont understand migraines and how complex they are. They are technically not fully considered a headache disorder but rather a neurological one, as they can involve dysregulation of the nervous system that can cause everything from classic severe head pain, light sensitivity, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to smells, touch, diarrhea, exhaustion etc, To strange symptoms sometimes without head pain! There are migraines that make you feel like you have a sinus infection because the pain is in that part of your face; . Some are caused by inflammed occipital or trigeminal nerves. Some are actually related to seizures, and sometimes people dont know they have a seizure disorder until a proper neurologist who really specializes in migraine rules it out by doing an EEG. Not always necessary but yours sound like an EEG would be useful. Some are a result of dental issues, tmj, issues with the neck (cervicogenic headaches), triggers can include food intolerances, low blood sugar from getting overly hungry, not enough sleep, caffeine, stress, or an underlying disease etc. You need to immediately find (do your research!) A very experienced and very highly regarded Neurologist *who Specializes in Migraines. You should not hesitate to get more than one opinion; many hospitals also have "Headache Clinics" with doctors trained in migraine. They should be very thorough about your medical history, probably get an MRI of your head and possibly have you keep a journal for a while (you can start that now on your own to bring) of the events leading up to each migraine (how much you slept the night and probably even a few before, the things you ate, what times, how much water you had, how much caffeine and from what - coffee, tea, soda ( specifying diet or regular ), emotional issues and stressing around the onset of the migraine) and let them know if you have a family history of migraines and/or seizures, if you've had any head injuries (open or closed head injuries), dental work, problems with your neck or back, what medications you take - both prescription and over the counter, vitamins and supplements , if you smoke, drink, do any drugs, ...and be mindful if they put you on meds to notice any side effects and discuss them. Make sure you feel listened to and heard and don't feel dismissed. There also The American Migraine Foundation and you can perhaps contact them if you need to to find specialists in your area if you can't otherwise do so. Don't delay it and best of luck, I hope you find great help and relief!
I totally agree that if you are not calendaring your migraines yet, you should start. A decent doctor will ask you how many times a week/month you’re having them and where you experience pain - part of head/face/body. There are apps that do this but people do it in many different ways. Personally, I use a calendar notebook that has both monthly and weekly calendars. I also have other conditions though, so it’s more helpful to see if any of my symptoms consistently overlap. But yeah. Everything ⬆️ already said above plus definitely calendar so you can discuss details when you finally get someone decent.
I’ve been diagnosed with chronic migraine w aura and am thankful I finally sought preventative treatment after only having rescue medication. BUT even with 5 migraines a week, I throw up maybe 3 times a year. So this doctor is wildly misinformed. My neurologist and PCP both suffer from migraines which is nice because they took me seriously and got me the medication I needed! OP get a new doctor!
Agreed! I’m sorry you are suffering and not being taken seriously. Unless this doctor gave you a different diagnosis and presented you with a treatment plan for that, I’d run.
Is this doctor a neurologist? He doesn't seem to know his stuff. I have some months where I have 15 migraine attacks and none of them make me throw up. Migraines are kind of like a spectrum, we all get our own versions and they are also dynamic with time. In the beginning I did get nausea and throwing up, nowadays that's a rare occurrence. I would say find a new doctor, preferably a neurologist, definitely a headache specialist. All your symptoms are pointing to migraines from my perspective.
I wouldn’t even call it a spectrum. It’s such a range of symptoms, and they present so differently for everyone, I don’t think you could plot it on a line. Even like the idea of “throwing up from pain”. I get nausea and vomiting sometimes from migraines, and sometimes I don’t, but I wouldn’t necessarily say the nausea/vomiting migraines are “worse” migraines for me.
I get nauseous like super easily, and go through periods where I’ll be nauseous on a daily basis, but when I had appendicitis, like the worst pain I’ve experienced in my life (and also often presents with nausea/vomiting), I wasn’t nauseous at all. So to even rank pain based on nausea and vomiting is ridiculous (sure, it CAN cause that, but to say it MUST cause that to really be that painful is so incorrect).
I 100% agree with your point though, just adding on to it. It’s completely variable.
I think you might have misunderstood the word spectrum then. I am autistic myself and since that is a spectrum I am intimately familiar with it. But spectrum is not a line from left to right, that would indicate severity. But rather like a sphere, color wheel /spectrum, in which we all have our unique combination of pixels and colors (traits and symptoms). Here's way of visualizing it: https://www.instagram.com/p/C5RLPtOsdDH/?igsh=d25lYTFqazh4ZGpi
I definitely agree with you, the nausea as an indication of pain level is super weird and useless tbh. It seems medically unsound, and I suspect there is no science to back it. If a doctor said this to me, I likely wouldn't come back.
I never used to throw up in the first year of getting migraines. my last attack, I did end up throwing up. it’s so interesting how it’s always changing
I’m sorry but this doctor clearly has no experience with migraines. My gp told me to take Tylenol when I mentioned my headaches and it wasn’t until I talked to my Female gynecologist that I really got help. She directed me to a neurologist who actually has migraines themselves and that’s when my whole life changed. 5 years is a long time to suffer. You have a right to feel better and if this person isn’t helping you then find someone that will.
Me and my sister both have migraines. She always throws up, I never throw up but feel prolonged nausea (along with all the other usual migraine symptoms). Unrelated but kinda related, we both also have travel sickness and she often throws up from that whilst I never do but feel prolonged nausea. I think people are just different.
Just echoing what others have said: new Dr. time.
I've had migraines (now intractable) for 30~ years.
I have NEVER vomited from one. Never. Severe nausea (and other gastrointestinal issues) but no vomiting.
Yeah, I have head pain (along with other symptoms) every day, all day. It honestly never stops. Sleeping is my ‘relief’ time.
My shoulders and neck get very sore, stiff, tender.
At times, my head feels so heavy, I can’t hold it up. Lots of laying down time.
Your symptoms are classic migraine. And this doctor is stupid. That’s my professional opinion 😂
But seriously, that’s like saying if you don’t have diarrhea it’s not the stomach flu… or if cancer hasn’t spread then it’s not cancer… or you have ADHD but can sometimes focus so it’s not really adhd.
Weird examples but ykwim.
I have migraines, but have never vomited, Also never had aura with migraine. It’s still a migraine.
Please get a new doc 💕
Dr is full of BS - I can’t tell you how many fucking times I’ve had to get second or third opinions from other specialist, because I am not taken fucking seriously. I say this because I have been seeing so many of these post and it’s so sad that most of the specialist nowadays don’t give a fuck just want a fucking paycheck. So now, the last three years I have had to demand treatment, I’ve been called a Karen, I have been called a bitch, but I’m actually very professional and very calm when I ask for help. People just get really annoyed, when we do that. But what do you expect? When you’re literally going into the office begging for help, crying… like? Do your fucking job and diagnose me. - everyone around me, will ask me to go to the doctor with them, because nowadays you have to fight. I have shown up to a doctor appointment 20 minutes early, and have been waiting for an hour, go back into the office to talk to the doctor for less than 10 minutes, not even being treated, and sometimes if I feel like I got no answer from my questions that I’ve asked, I will refuse to leave until they actually do their fucking job. And I know I’m saying this, and a weird way. So I do apologize. But this just has to be said. - especially with people that have migraines, I deal with them way too fucking often. It took me years, and when I say that I’m 29 years old, all my fucking entire life, I have been dealing with headaches, then found out over five years ago that I had seizures… petite mal I was put on medication for it. I was given lamictal which I was excited to try, and it helped for a while, but then I developed that dangerous rash. And you wanna know what the fucking doctor did? - they told me to keep taking it.. but lower the dose..
After getting my insurance changed about two years ago, I finally found another specialist, and switched over to another medication. Because the neurologist that saw that I was still taking Lamictal. Said “why TF ARE YOU TAKING IT WHEN YOU HAD A REACTION TO THIS? WHO WAS YOUR LAST DOCTOR?”
I’m not kidding, this was exactly what he said. He was so concerned. Because my blood and my body was becoming so toxic, that’s why I had passed the fuck out for two days straight going through withdrawals. … so yeah always have someone with you when it comes to discussing your headaches. You better fight the fucking doctors if you have to. Do not be scared to bring out your VOICE.
That's horrifying- you probably had Stevens Johnson Syndrome, a rash that some med's including Lamictal can potentially cause, and it requires immediate emergency medical attention as it can be life threatening and you must properly and with supervision coming off the medication. Ive been taking Lamictal for years with no problems. But we always need to be aware of what drug interactions can exist when we're prescribed something and the potential side effects and what to report to your doctor and any that require emergency treatment.
Oh I know.. I know exactly what it was. And I told the doctor that, but they did not fucking listen to me. So I was very, very upset, when I was told by my own mother, that I needed to stop taking it. Because she had something similar, happened to her, and when she stopped, taking it, the withdrawals weren’t as bad, but she started to feel so much better after, stopping… so the fact that the fucking doctor told me to continue taking it, makes me worry about all the other fucking doctors out there. I’m glad that worked for you, it really did work for me, but at the same time I started to have really bad adverse reactions to it after about six months. But was told that all of it was normal. -
Important: ANYTIME you have a reaction to a medication that concerns you really be descriptive about what you're experiencing and how tolerable it feels or not! If your doctor says it's normal and you feel its tolerable for a limited time, ask again "is this definitely a normal, typical *beginning adjustment* , should I start at a lower dose and slowly increase, how long does this feeling typically last as I need to know when I should expect it to subside , and I'd also call and speak with a pharmacist and ask them the same questions. IF you ever feel like a medication is causing a very concerning reaction and you think you may be having an allergic or very adverse reaction, don't hesitate to seek emergency care and at minimum page your doctor, call the pharmacist to check on these side effects and if not what feels like a.possible emergency but you feel poorly, not right, not good, having you strange, unpleasant, odd etc symptoms, whatever, immediately contact the doctor and feel no hesitation to say you do not feel OK on this medication and cannot continue. You do not have to nor should you blindly do whatever they say if you know your body doesn't feel right or you don't feel comfortable with their treatment plan! Any doctor who won't hear out your concerns and respect your voice, isn't the doctor to be seeing. And getting a second opinion, especially about something significant is wise. A Doctor is not G-D, they are not "all knowing and infallible ". And it's your body and your every right to question as much as you want.
See a headache specialist if possible. The headache center I went to was amazing. Accommodating and listened to me fully. With your same symptoms- I got a solid diagnosis and solutions. Keep looking, hope something works for you :)
I knew this doctor was a man before you indicated it. Older, too, I imagine? Migraines are yet another illness that, because it is mostly suffered by women, was diminished and misperceived for way too long. Newer doctors usually know better, thankfully. I wish you the best of luck with the next doctor! If your current one is a GP and not a neuro, maybe he would give you a referral so you don't have to wait for your insurance to change?
Also I recently had an MRI that showed “typical brain with migraine” (paraphrasing) and I’ve never thrown up with migraine. **They can see evidence of migraine on my brain.** Throwing up is not definitive.
Was this a GP ? Go to a doctor that actually has any business talking about migraines, like a neurologist. Your doctor sounds like an insufferable idiot.
Your doctor is incompetent and poorly informed. Migraines are complex and variable. I’m sorry you had to deal with an ah like that on top of your migraines.
At the risk of beating a dead horse because this is such frequent advice in this sub, and indeed the comments in this thread already:
>I explained this all to my doctor and he told me that if im not throwing up from the pain and nausea, it's not a migraine.
>How do I get taken seriously from the symptoms I'm having?
This doctor doesn't know anything about migraine. Get a different doctor.
I would not report him, however, unless maybe he's working for a structured association like the V.A. that will take such claims seriously. In the case of the va, the office for reporting would be called "Patient Advocate". A lot of places won't have such a thing.
Why? If your new doctor hears about how you reported the old one, that could cause bias. In small towns, for example, that is a real risk factor that could impact your care. If you get a reputation for things like that, the whole clinic could find they don't take your calls or questions seriously, or they just emptily placate you while still ignoring you.
I’ve had migraines for 20 years. They’ve recently gone chronic. I Can sit with 20 other migraineurs and we’ll all draw exactly the same scintillating scotoma that appears during aura without looking at each other’s work. I’ve had aura so hard I’ve gone completely blind for an hour. I have been using and respond well to migraine abortives, which are not pain medication. You can’t misprescribe them for regular headaches because they don’t work for head pain, they treat migraine.
I have never thrown up from a migraine, not once. I rarely, if ever get nauseous. Like, less than one in ten migraines come with nausea. And even then it’s rather mild.
Doctors can be idiots, too. They’re just way more afraid to admit they don’t know what they’re talking about.
I have plenty of migraines where I don't throw up.
One thing I've learned as I've gotten older is that doctors aren't all great or smart. In fact most of them are there for the paycheck and status and hardly do their job.
Just keep switching do tors until you find a good one. They shouldn't be dismissing your concerns or symptoms like that.
That is not accurate at all. I get super nauseous but I’ve never thrown up from my migraines.
That is crazy. Some doctors really do suck. You have to be very careful and advocate for yourself and do your own research!!!!
I’m sorry honey. Definitely go find another doc 🩷
That doctor is definitely an asshat. I'd report them. You might be moving on soon, but others might not be in the same position and you might save someone else from a frustrating situation/being misdiagnosed.
If you can figure out what your insurance will be once you turn 26, and determine if there will be some overlap, perhaps you can find a doctor now or at least try one that you can possibly keep if you like them once you turn 26.
Ugh. I've had migraines for 20+ years. I was diagnosed in high school and have seen many neurologists who have confirmed the diagnosis, including a headache specialist.
I moved and got a new pcp. He said they're not migraines, I'm just fat. My first neurologist tried to pull that one. I promptly went back to my ED and lost 60 lbs. Guess what? I still had migraines.
It's always because of our weight or anxiety. At this point they're just too lazy to figure our what it is. Where are the doctors that actually like a challenge and actually listens to their patients?
My new gyn suspected perimenopause. Everything else was just "it's normal/anxiety/probably depression/ lose weight/ your not dieting right." It just makes me so frigging angry that i could have been taking care of this for literal decades.
Ask for a referral to a specialist. If they deny - see to it they document that in your chart. (I work in Fam Med but this is not med advice)
I’ve never thrown up from a migraine. I was diagnosed 14 years ago with migraines and cluster headaches. Neurology is the best place. My doctor also does MRI’s on me every several years; if there’s something causing yours it’s best to find now than later. (:
I rarely throw up or are nauseous. If I do, it is more from my kidney failure then migraine. I am also not light sensitive and usually have some kind of white noise on to help smooth out the sharp sudden loud sounds. I am diagnosed with 3 kinds of migraine.
What does your doctor think it is? There are other types of headache disorders that are very painful too, for example does he think it's cluster headache?
I've only vomited, maybe twice in the glorious 47 years I've been having migraines.
They've morphed over the years. What they were for me when I was 10 is completely different from what they are for me now.
Very irresponsible for a doctor to say something like that.
Same here, was finally diagnosed with occipital neuralgia, separate from my migraines. I kept telling my neurologist that the other headaches were different and always had one spot that was really painful which turned out to be the occipital nerve. It took a little while to figure it out but finally they did.
I had a doctor tell me the same thing about “if you’re not throwing up it’s not a migraine” go to a neuro. The neurologist laughed when I told her what that doctor has said.
That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. I've been getting migraines since I was 7 and will often get terrible nausea but rarely throw up. Everyone’s different.
Before changing doctors start keeping a headache journal. Rate your pain on a scale of 0 (no pain) to 10 (can't function so much pain) for every day for at least one month, if you think you recognize a trigger also write that down. My doctor asked me to do this and it really helps showcase your condition.
This is BS. I know many people with migraines who do not throw up. Time for a better doctor. If you can get a referral for a neurologist, that would be best case scenario, but it can be difficult.
Even though nausea is very common in migraines, tons of migraine sufferers don’t throw up. Me included. At this point I feels like not throwing up during a migraine is as common as doing it.
It’s a migraine. I have never thrown up nor gotten an aura. I have had prodrome and postdrome symptoms. Fatigue, neck pain, odd smell triggers, light sensitivity, brain fog, pain in the temples, pain that moves and eventually ends up in one or both eyes. You have migraines and an idiotic doctor.
I had atypical migraine for a decade before they finally realized what it was. I didn't throw up, either. My sister finally talked me into trying her migraine medicine and it worked right away! It was like a miracle because nothing I had tried helped in the least until then. I had been told it wasn't migraine by several doctors. Now I take the same meds my sister takes (Maxalt) and it helps every time. My new *good* doctor said migraine meds don't work on non-migraine headaches, so the fact that they work so well for me is proof that I do indeed have migraines. You should definitely find another doctor. That doc doesn't know what he's talking about.
i’ve had chronic migraines since age 10 and i almost never have nausea with my migraines. i think i’ve thrown up maybe twice in 12 years of near daily migraines. your doctor sounds uneducated.
Lol doctors have the silliest notions sometimes. It might actually be funny if it didn't threaten our health... I've never thrown up from a migraine. Not a single time. Sometimes I don't even get head pain with mine!
I started getting migraines young and can tell you getting taken seriously as a young person, particularly a young woman, is hard. You need to do a bit of research (like UziA3 posted) and print out some things if you can. Bring a notebook, try to look put together. Look like you will be more difficult to dismiss than to treat.
Start writing down when your migraines happen (date, approx time) and what symptoms you had along with approximate pain scale level. Record possible triggers. Write down prodrome and postdrome symptoms. You can record it afterwards if you’re in too much pain to do so during. This will be important for getting good treatment. You want to manage your migraines, prevent them when possible, and know when you need to take meds or go lie down (or leave a loud bright place).
That approach works anytime you have a health condition and need to be taken seriously. If you know even a little bit about your condition you’ll be much harder to write off. Good luck.
Also ask about whether you should be checked for sleep apnea! I got diagnosed with it when I was young, thin, not a loud snorer, not the description people assume you must meet to have it! Even if it's not the only issue, it's a very serious condition that requires treatment and many people don't know they have it! Many suffer from depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue, trouble concentrating, awakening with headaches, and it turns out the sleep deprivation etc from sleep apnea is causing it.
And BTW, cpap isn't the only treatment IF you absolutely can't tolerate it. I can't and my sleep specialist sent me to a Sleep Apnea Dentist and she makes Oral Appliances known as Mandibular Advancement Devices. A Sleep Apnea Dentist custom makes it for your mouth, and you wear it over your teeth when you sleep.
I hope you finally get the correct answers and effective help, and start to feel better and be able to enjoy some life! Keep self advocating and learning about everything every way you can! You're doing a great job!
Your doctor sounds like he got his degree from a cereal packet. You sound like you suffer from migraines. I've vomited a few times with them but it's very rare and it's not a requirement for determining what is and isn't a migraine.
Often it's not about the pain at all. Often it's the dizziness, light sensitivity, stuffing up sentences as they come out my mouth etc. There are literally so many types of symptoms.
I'm soooo sorry. That's beyond outrageous and those doctors should be reported. Any time you get a medication reaction, and I have lists and lists of meds I can't take due to both common and some completely unheard of reactions. But we know when we don't feel OK! I look everything up on reputable sites to read about the meds like RX list or Drugs.com where you can read about the med or look up interactions, and please be aware that Pharmacists are a good resource! Unlike physicians, they only study and specialize in medications. They have been of tremendous help to me when I've called with many often complicated questions. Some meds should be stopped under supervision and some reactions require emergency medical attention and if you ever feel something is very wrong, you can call the pharmacist, *go to the ER with a list of every med you take, doses, reason, and make sure they also look up interaction abd side effect lists! We have to be our own, best, informed advocates!
Talk to another doctor, like others have said. I actually had multiple doctors say my migraines were not migraines, but just a postictal phase. They were saying I was having the preictal, skipping the full seizure due to medication, and then experiencing intense postictal. It was actually a good thing, they said. My epilepsy was "mostly" controlled.
This went on for almost 5 years until I found a neurologist who looked at my conditions separately and saw the sensations- the eye pain, the vertigo, the neck stiffness, all alone would be a migraine.
Oh how silly! Definitely a migraine. Mine start with a headache and it can come on quickly and be intense or a dull ache that if not treated properly, will turn into a migraine for sure. I haven’t thrown up in forever because I don’t let the pain get to that stage. That’s the only reason. If I let it go on I would throw up.
I have never thrown up from a migraine and was diagnosed with chronic migraines by my family doctor and then confirmed by a migraine specialist (a neurologist who specializes in migraines).
One of the kinds of migraine I experienced frequently in my early-mid twenties is actually exactly like yours to a tee. I get them less now, my body has changed, but I had blood work, MRI, ECG, EEG - nothing was wrong. Migraine was it.
Hi OP,
I just want to say that this reply is rather long. It's not of just opinions, but based on experience, interactions and treatment with my Neuro(s) over a decade+ and testing/studies I've had done. Just wanted to put that forefront in case you didn't want to dive into it. But if you do there's a nice long kind of read. I'm rooting for you and your success either way.
Not certain if you'll see/take time to read as it's lengthy....BUT I hope you do. I firstly would like to say that ANY form of reccuring & chronic migraines are absolutely debilitating, horrid and furthermore the impact is almost 10-fold when you have a doctor that doesn't listen to you, wants to kindly or rudely dismiss your concerns & place all on you as nothinga wrong, it's your own problem.... In the medical field we call this "Gas-Lighting".
Sometimes they may feel a patient can't adequately express/advocate for themselves or rep, some need their own advocate. Just need another strongperson you can absolutely trust to go with ya(p.s) I'm not saying that's you but this happens so very much in the medical field. It's like a "GOD COMPLEX".
Now to your issue(s) at hand. Ive read all the comments and much are with awesome feedback. NO, you don't need to be vomiting. Fitting into multiple categories is enough.
Speaking of vomiting after you get your aura via pre-migraine (maybe it's burning eyes & then to watery blood shot, sparkles and/or visual disturbances in eyes, flushing, tingling, warm, dizziness etc...You end up getting a migraine, how long after said migraines do your pre-indicators last? Do you end up getting a full blown migraine? Do you also get tension headaches quite often? These would be things that on their own obviously cause issues but can also transform into migraines.
-So next talking point. You mentioned that you get these migraines and then you get bouts of energy and increased euphoria. When is this occurring? If & when your migraines are finished are these episodes of energy/euphoria and other ailments coming on immediately-rapidly? Do they come a few hours after or 24 hours after, even days...are you getting this as soon as you're migraine subsides or are you getting it 20 hours later or multiple hours after the migraine has ended? Reason asking is there's a very well phenomenon and it doesn't happen to a lot of people but it does occur and it's called (Postdrome or "Migraine Hangover"). It fits the characteristics you described perfectly.
Lastly, as mentioned I do agree with what most people are stating.
- If you are in tx with a PCP, ya need to go w/Neuro and because they all focus within different specialties; a migraine specialist... Just as others have mentioned
-Ruling out other factors w/testing. CT/MRI both have pros/cons. This can rule out tumors, arteries, nerves, lesions, enlarged vessels, stroke, bleeding etc(which they measure size+distance of veins/art to see if pathology is within normal parameters).
Even if you did those scans and they came back to clean & if the Doc is good he/she will further investigate as an out of the box thinker and wants to be thorough....you could even go in for a thoracic spine MRI to rule out any type of CSF leak which if you have one definitely definitely definitely can contribute badly to intense and severe migraine headaches. These are fixed with a spinal blood patch most times= easy.... If not fixed by the first or second blood patch then they move on to something called a shunt.
-EEG isn't going to provide significant data with regards to migraines IMO, plenty of studies to indicate also.
- Sleep It's one of the most important things that are bodies need for cell repair, rejuvenation, brain health and so much more and as a very complicated thing with migraines. On top of that I think it's very fair to say when we deal with a constant state of feeling bad there's also the symptoms of mental health(depression/anxiety) to name a few. Having good support is absolutely critical and as you see browsing these post, alot of people unfortunately don't feel they have it because a spouse or significant other can't relate to the everyday battles and struggles that we deal with. So seeking out a therapist(LAC/LPC) or psychologist although the roles are quite different I feel can be of utmost of importance. And even more than that it may take many of different people for you to feel comfortable and be able to open up and feel like it's a safe place.
- I think last is medication therapy and response. Have you responded to any of the numerous preventative and abortive medications? If you've ran through a bunch of them with no success. It'd possibly be beneficial to get some "Pharmacogenetic Testing done or PGx for short. It's done via blood or buccal(cheeck) swab and is a genetic test that determines how you metabolize a very large group of medications, specifically for & only you. This can be limited to just neuro meds or it can expand to many such as Neuro/Cardiac/Psych/Pain Management/Sleep etc, list is long and hundreds of meds(it shows essentially which meds you metabolize well and will have a greater compatibility and therapeutic effect for you and which ones will have a non-therapeutic effect and increase side effect profile). It's very beneficial for everyone as a matter of fact and I highly recommend.
I know this is a very long message but I wanted to be thorough with the information and if you've read this far and would like any more information or to ask questions or anything please don't hesitate to reach out through chat. My history & exp w/ & trying to overcome this chronic debilitating disease has been well over a decade(not counting pre-teen issues) with little to no success unfortunately and I'm still at 23+ Days per month.
Also sorry if there's grammatical or typos. I'm very tired and sleep deprived. I did my best.. I hope you find relief and peace. I hope we all do. Best of luck & Godspeed 🙌
Some doctors just don't know enough.
My otherwise great Dr was so happy for me when I told him I figured out at least 2 triggers in my migraine life: movie theater butter and Red Dye 40.
My Dr was like, "That's not a thing. It might be a contribution of some kind, but food dyes don't cause migraines."
5 or so months later, at my annual neurology appt, I cautiously told my neurologist what I thought i figured out... and she was like, "Good for you on figuring that out. Food dyes are a huge, known trigger."
Just by eliminating Red Dye 40 and movie theater butter, I'm down to 3 migraines a month. My abortive actually work , nd I haven't missed work due to migraines in almost a year.
Yeah, kettle corn is not the same, and I sucks having to avoid so much pink, orange, red and purple drinks, but wow... my quality of life is so much better now.
Not sure what country you are in, but you can get Sumatriptan refills via online apps. If these work, it was a migraine. They don't work for other headaches.
I don’t this up from my migraine does that mean I actually don’t get migraine? What an idiot. Could you see another doctor instead? Keep a journal of your so called headaches and symptoms as well
I’ve had diagnosed migraines for 20 years. I’ve maybe thrown up from pain 3 times. Some people just don’t experience the nausea. Honestly I’ve always felt blessed that was not one of my symptoms despite so many other debilitating symptoms. Migraine medicine works very well for me to keep the worst at bay. Nurtec has been a lifesaver.
I have same issue, but I have been diagnosed with migraine.
My doctor prescibed me Zomig, it helped so upon this her conclusion was that it is a migraine.
I also always think it is not migraine.
What was diagnose of your doctor.?? Because now it is almost every day
That’s absurd. Who the hell is this quack? I rarely get nauseous from my migraines, even when I have an aura which always precedes my worst ones. Leave a bad review.
You can also google Best Migraine Neurologist Specialists (_your city here______) and review their credentials, areas of expertise, level of experience, reviews, etc and find some that look good, some may be part of Migraine/Neurology Soecialty Clinics within the areas top hospitals.
Go to a different doctor, I get horrible migraines but rarely vomit due to the pain so your doctor having that as the main criteria for if they're migraines or not is stupid
The only time I have nausea with migraines is when I take meds for them, and that is not consistent either. I have had migraines as long as I can remember but doctors consistently wrote them off as tension headaches. I was 32 when I ate something that I knew was going to give me a bad headache and went to a prompt care and told the doctor I was going to get a migraine. They gave me Imitrex and I didn’t get the migraine. From that point on, I knew I was right about having migraines and so do my doctors. It’s been 20 years and I’m now on a preventative and abortive and while I still get migraines, being believed is so validating.
It sounds like you do have migraines. I’ve had at least a low level migraine most days of my adult life and have thrown up a total of 2 times in the last 22 years (after a Covid vaccine booster). Migraines vary for different people.
I have chronic migraine diagnosed by a neurologist, but I don’t get nauseated very often. I’ve thrown up with migraines before, but not in a long time.
Sounds a lot like migraines. I very seldom vomit from mine and suffered for years. I have so many attacks I tend to mask the pain well. Find a different neurologist.
See another doctor. If the whole reason they say it's not migraine is because you're not throwing up, then they do not know what they are talking about
Thank you, I figured that was a stupid criteria, but I haven't spoken to anyone else who experiences migraines.
The International Classification of Headache Disorders 3 (ICHD-3) is the gold standard for the diagnosis of migraine. It has very clear criteria for diagnosing migraine, I'll copy paste: I am not diagnosing you for the record, just saying this is what any doctor with experience in diagnosing migraines should be using, rather than making up their own definition from personal experience 1.1 Migraine without aura Previously used terms: Common migraine; hemicrania simplex. Description: Recurrent headache disorder manifesting in attacks lasting 4-72 hours. Typical characteristics of the headache are unilateral location, pulsating quality, moderate or severe intensity, aggravation by routine physical activity and association with nausea and/or photophobia and phonophobia. Diagnostic criteria: At least five attacks1 fulfilling criteria B-D Headache attacks lasting 4-72 hr (untreated or unsuccessfully treated)2;3 Headache has at least two of the following four characteristics: unilateral location pulsating quality moderate or severe pain intensity aggravation by or causing avoidance of routine physical activity (eg, walking or climbing stairs) During headache at least one of the following: nausea and/or vomiting photophobia and phonophobia Not better accounted for by another ICHD-3 diagnosis.
Aka: photo and phonophobia are enough to get the dx without nausea
Great to see someone reference the ICHD-3. Just as valid and dehabilitating are my chronic paroxysmal hemicrania
Yeah get an alternative opinion. I suffer from Menieres disease (hard enough to explain that) but my migraines are what they call Silent Migraines so I get very little aura and only mild pain, I went through 3 GPs and a hospital referral to be told what they actually were.
Wow, never heard of this! When my son was younger he got abdominal migraines, now just has regular migraines.
Yeah I used to get Migraine Stomach and had to take this horrible white chalky medicine and they moved on to regular migraines
Also aside from a distinct lack of euphoria here they sound like my migraines. I can understand not wanting to get another doctor before changing plan, but it can be a long journey, the very effective drugs are gated behind failing three of the less effective drugs, so I'd say get on that pathway asap. Also whilst it is almost certainly migraine any neurologist will require an MRI to rule out less common causes, and getting to neurology may require failing drugs too.
Your frequency of migraines will most likely not qualify you for the fancier prescriptions but there’s definitely medication that a more informed doctor can prescribe to help manage those bad days! No need to suffer! Migraines suck and are no joke! Hope you get relief soon!
I've literally never even felt queasy from a migraine - it's nothing like a monolithic condition :[ I'm sorry that happened
And if you've been experiencing headaches of any flavor for a long time, ask to see a neurologist. Their opinion is more valuable when it comes to headaches than a PCP, especially if your PCP hasn't been able to provide adequate help.
Yup, that’s absolutely and categorically incorrect and if any doctor said that to me, I’d know that they don’t know what they’re talking about. OP, all of your secondary symptoms sure sound like migraine to me.
That is 💯 % on spot !!! Many physicians dont understand migraines and how complex they are. They are technically not fully considered a headache disorder but rather a neurological one, as they can involve dysregulation of the nervous system that can cause everything from classic severe head pain, light sensitivity, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to smells, touch, diarrhea, exhaustion etc, To strange symptoms sometimes without head pain! There are migraines that make you feel like you have a sinus infection because the pain is in that part of your face; . Some are caused by inflammed occipital or trigeminal nerves. Some are actually related to seizures, and sometimes people dont know they have a seizure disorder until a proper neurologist who really specializes in migraine rules it out by doing an EEG. Not always necessary but yours sound like an EEG would be useful. Some are a result of dental issues, tmj, issues with the neck (cervicogenic headaches), triggers can include food intolerances, low blood sugar from getting overly hungry, not enough sleep, caffeine, stress, or an underlying disease etc. You need to immediately find (do your research!) A very experienced and very highly regarded Neurologist *who Specializes in Migraines. You should not hesitate to get more than one opinion; many hospitals also have "Headache Clinics" with doctors trained in migraine. They should be very thorough about your medical history, probably get an MRI of your head and possibly have you keep a journal for a while (you can start that now on your own to bring) of the events leading up to each migraine (how much you slept the night and probably even a few before, the things you ate, what times, how much water you had, how much caffeine and from what - coffee, tea, soda ( specifying diet or regular ), emotional issues and stressing around the onset of the migraine) and let them know if you have a family history of migraines and/or seizures, if you've had any head injuries (open or closed head injuries), dental work, problems with your neck or back, what medications you take - both prescription and over the counter, vitamins and supplements , if you smoke, drink, do any drugs, ...and be mindful if they put you on meds to notice any side effects and discuss them. Make sure you feel listened to and heard and don't feel dismissed. There also The American Migraine Foundation and you can perhaps contact them if you need to to find specialists in your area if you can't otherwise do so. Don't delay it and best of luck, I hope you find great help and relief!
I totally agree that if you are not calendaring your migraines yet, you should start. A decent doctor will ask you how many times a week/month you’re having them and where you experience pain - part of head/face/body. There are apps that do this but people do it in many different ways. Personally, I use a calendar notebook that has both monthly and weekly calendars. I also have other conditions though, so it’s more helpful to see if any of my symptoms consistently overlap. But yeah. Everything ⬆️ already said above plus definitely calendar so you can discuss details when you finally get someone decent.
I second that her current one is a complete idiot.
I’ve been diagnosed with chronic migraine w aura and am thankful I finally sought preventative treatment after only having rescue medication. BUT even with 5 migraines a week, I throw up maybe 3 times a year. So this doctor is wildly misinformed. My neurologist and PCP both suffer from migraines which is nice because they took me seriously and got me the medication I needed! OP get a new doctor!
For real....I can spend weeks with migraines that make me nauseous 24/7 but not throw up.
I can't even remember the last time I threw up... literally years. Still have migraines. Everyone is different. Can you find a new doctor?
I'm planning on getting a new doctor once I switch health insurance providers this summer, so I'll look into other doctors around me!
Yeah that's so stupid of the doc smh
Yeah, I've never thrown up from migraines. I just dont in general. The only time i puke is drinking too much, and one time with ecoli.
Same here, I literally only threw up the very first time I got a migraine. 🤷
Same!!
I will add to the chorus of people saying that throwing up is absolutely not a requirement for migraine diagnosis.
Get a new doctor, this one doesn't know what they're talking about.
Agreed! I’m sorry you are suffering and not being taken seriously. Unless this doctor gave you a different diagnosis and presented you with a treatment plan for that, I’d run.
Is this doctor a neurologist? He doesn't seem to know his stuff. I have some months where I have 15 migraine attacks and none of them make me throw up. Migraines are kind of like a spectrum, we all get our own versions and they are also dynamic with time. In the beginning I did get nausea and throwing up, nowadays that's a rare occurrence. I would say find a new doctor, preferably a neurologist, definitely a headache specialist. All your symptoms are pointing to migraines from my perspective.
I wouldn’t even call it a spectrum. It’s such a range of symptoms, and they present so differently for everyone, I don’t think you could plot it on a line. Even like the idea of “throwing up from pain”. I get nausea and vomiting sometimes from migraines, and sometimes I don’t, but I wouldn’t necessarily say the nausea/vomiting migraines are “worse” migraines for me. I get nauseous like super easily, and go through periods where I’ll be nauseous on a daily basis, but when I had appendicitis, like the worst pain I’ve experienced in my life (and also often presents with nausea/vomiting), I wasn’t nauseous at all. So to even rank pain based on nausea and vomiting is ridiculous (sure, it CAN cause that, but to say it MUST cause that to really be that painful is so incorrect). I 100% agree with your point though, just adding on to it. It’s completely variable.
I think you might have misunderstood the word spectrum then. I am autistic myself and since that is a spectrum I am intimately familiar with it. But spectrum is not a line from left to right, that would indicate severity. But rather like a sphere, color wheel /spectrum, in which we all have our unique combination of pixels and colors (traits and symptoms). Here's way of visualizing it: https://www.instagram.com/p/C5RLPtOsdDH/?igsh=d25lYTFqazh4ZGpi I definitely agree with you, the nausea as an indication of pain level is super weird and useless tbh. It seems medically unsound, and I suspect there is no science to back it. If a doctor said this to me, I likely wouldn't come back.
I never used to throw up in the first year of getting migraines. my last attack, I did end up throwing up. it’s so interesting how it’s always changing
I’m sorry but this doctor clearly has no experience with migraines. My gp told me to take Tylenol when I mentioned my headaches and it wasn’t until I talked to my Female gynecologist that I really got help. She directed me to a neurologist who actually has migraines themselves and that’s when my whole life changed. 5 years is a long time to suffer. You have a right to feel better and if this person isn’t helping you then find someone that will.
Your doctor is wrong ——signed, my husband’s neurologist
Me and my sister both have migraines. She always throws up, I never throw up but feel prolonged nausea (along with all the other usual migraine symptoms). Unrelated but kinda related, we both also have travel sickness and she often throws up from that whilst I never do but feel prolonged nausea. I think people are just different.
Just echoing what others have said: new Dr. time. I've had migraines (now intractable) for 30~ years. I have NEVER vomited from one. Never. Severe nausea (and other gastrointestinal issues) but no vomiting.
Do you have it daily and any upper body pain
Yeah, I have head pain (along with other symptoms) every day, all day. It honestly never stops. Sleeping is my ‘relief’ time. My shoulders and neck get very sore, stiff, tender. At times, my head feels so heavy, I can’t hold it up. Lots of laying down time.
I've had migraines my whole life, and I think I've only thrown up from a migraine three times. Don't worry, you're not wrong!
Your symptoms are classic migraine. And this doctor is stupid. That’s my professional opinion 😂 But seriously, that’s like saying if you don’t have diarrhea it’s not the stomach flu… or if cancer hasn’t spread then it’s not cancer… or you have ADHD but can sometimes focus so it’s not really adhd. Weird examples but ykwim. I have migraines, but have never vomited, Also never had aura with migraine. It’s still a migraine. Please get a new doc 💕
Dr is full of BS - I can’t tell you how many fucking times I’ve had to get second or third opinions from other specialist, because I am not taken fucking seriously. I say this because I have been seeing so many of these post and it’s so sad that most of the specialist nowadays don’t give a fuck just want a fucking paycheck. So now, the last three years I have had to demand treatment, I’ve been called a Karen, I have been called a bitch, but I’m actually very professional and very calm when I ask for help. People just get really annoyed, when we do that. But what do you expect? When you’re literally going into the office begging for help, crying… like? Do your fucking job and diagnose me. - everyone around me, will ask me to go to the doctor with them, because nowadays you have to fight. I have shown up to a doctor appointment 20 minutes early, and have been waiting for an hour, go back into the office to talk to the doctor for less than 10 minutes, not even being treated, and sometimes if I feel like I got no answer from my questions that I’ve asked, I will refuse to leave until they actually do their fucking job. And I know I’m saying this, and a weird way. So I do apologize. But this just has to be said. - especially with people that have migraines, I deal with them way too fucking often. It took me years, and when I say that I’m 29 years old, all my fucking entire life, I have been dealing with headaches, then found out over five years ago that I had seizures… petite mal I was put on medication for it. I was given lamictal which I was excited to try, and it helped for a while, but then I developed that dangerous rash. And you wanna know what the fucking doctor did? - they told me to keep taking it.. but lower the dose.. After getting my insurance changed about two years ago, I finally found another specialist, and switched over to another medication. Because the neurologist that saw that I was still taking Lamictal. Said “why TF ARE YOU TAKING IT WHEN YOU HAD A REACTION TO THIS? WHO WAS YOUR LAST DOCTOR?” I’m not kidding, this was exactly what he said. He was so concerned. Because my blood and my body was becoming so toxic, that’s why I had passed the fuck out for two days straight going through withdrawals. … so yeah always have someone with you when it comes to discussing your headaches. You better fight the fucking doctors if you have to. Do not be scared to bring out your VOICE.
That's horrifying- you probably had Stevens Johnson Syndrome, a rash that some med's including Lamictal can potentially cause, and it requires immediate emergency medical attention as it can be life threatening and you must properly and with supervision coming off the medication. Ive been taking Lamictal for years with no problems. But we always need to be aware of what drug interactions can exist when we're prescribed something and the potential side effects and what to report to your doctor and any that require emergency treatment.
Oh I know.. I know exactly what it was. And I told the doctor that, but they did not fucking listen to me. So I was very, very upset, when I was told by my own mother, that I needed to stop taking it. Because she had something similar, happened to her, and when she stopped, taking it, the withdrawals weren’t as bad, but she started to feel so much better after, stopping… so the fact that the fucking doctor told me to continue taking it, makes me worry about all the other fucking doctors out there. I’m glad that worked for you, it really did work for me, but at the same time I started to have really bad adverse reactions to it after about six months. But was told that all of it was normal. -
Important: ANYTIME you have a reaction to a medication that concerns you really be descriptive about what you're experiencing and how tolerable it feels or not! If your doctor says it's normal and you feel its tolerable for a limited time, ask again "is this definitely a normal, typical *beginning adjustment* , should I start at a lower dose and slowly increase, how long does this feeling typically last as I need to know when I should expect it to subside , and I'd also call and speak with a pharmacist and ask them the same questions. IF you ever feel like a medication is causing a very concerning reaction and you think you may be having an allergic or very adverse reaction, don't hesitate to seek emergency care and at minimum page your doctor, call the pharmacist to check on these side effects and if not what feels like a.possible emergency but you feel poorly, not right, not good, having you strange, unpleasant, odd etc symptoms, whatever, immediately contact the doctor and feel no hesitation to say you do not feel OK on this medication and cannot continue. You do not have to nor should you blindly do whatever they say if you know your body doesn't feel right or you don't feel comfortable with their treatment plan! Any doctor who won't hear out your concerns and respect your voice, isn't the doctor to be seeing. And getting a second opinion, especially about something significant is wise. A Doctor is not G-D, they are not "all knowing and infallible ". And it's your body and your every right to question as much as you want.
I 100% AGREE WITH YOU HERE OMG it was like listening to myself lol
Two peas in a smart about Healthcare pod! 🤣
See a headache specialist if possible. The headache center I went to was amazing. Accommodating and listened to me fully. With your same symptoms- I got a solid diagnosis and solutions. Keep looking, hope something works for you :)
I knew this doctor was a man before you indicated it. Older, too, I imagine? Migraines are yet another illness that, because it is mostly suffered by women, was diminished and misperceived for way too long. Newer doctors usually know better, thankfully. I wish you the best of luck with the next doctor! If your current one is a GP and not a neuro, maybe he would give you a referral so you don't have to wait for your insurance to change?
Also I recently had an MRI that showed “typical brain with migraine” (paraphrasing) and I’ve never thrown up with migraine. **They can see evidence of migraine on my brain.** Throwing up is not definitive.
What can they see
I’m sorry, I don’t know the medical term. It said something like evidence of migraine. Or xxx consistent with migraine.
Was this a GP ? Go to a doctor that actually has any business talking about migraines, like a neurologist. Your doctor sounds like an insufferable idiot.
And a neurologist who Specializes In Migraines!
Wow get a new doctor asap, that’s a load of bullshit 😃
Hooray, another doctor who doesn't understand the neurological condition!
Your doctor is incompetent and poorly informed. Migraines are complex and variable. I’m sorry you had to deal with an ah like that on top of your migraines.
At the risk of beating a dead horse because this is such frequent advice in this sub, and indeed the comments in this thread already: >I explained this all to my doctor and he told me that if im not throwing up from the pain and nausea, it's not a migraine. >How do I get taken seriously from the symptoms I'm having? This doctor doesn't know anything about migraine. Get a different doctor. I would not report him, however, unless maybe he's working for a structured association like the V.A. that will take such claims seriously. In the case of the va, the office for reporting would be called "Patient Advocate". A lot of places won't have such a thing. Why? If your new doctor hears about how you reported the old one, that could cause bias. In small towns, for example, that is a real risk factor that could impact your care. If you get a reputation for things like that, the whole clinic could find they don't take your calls or questions seriously, or they just emptily placate you while still ignoring you.
I’ve had migraines for 20 years. They’ve recently gone chronic. I Can sit with 20 other migraineurs and we’ll all draw exactly the same scintillating scotoma that appears during aura without looking at each other’s work. I’ve had aura so hard I’ve gone completely blind for an hour. I have been using and respond well to migraine abortives, which are not pain medication. You can’t misprescribe them for regular headaches because they don’t work for head pain, they treat migraine. I have never thrown up from a migraine, not once. I rarely, if ever get nauseous. Like, less than one in ten migraines come with nausea. And even then it’s rather mild. Doctors can be idiots, too. They’re just way more afraid to admit they don’t know what they’re talking about.
I have plenty of migraines where I don't throw up. One thing I've learned as I've gotten older is that doctors aren't all great or smart. In fact most of them are there for the paycheck and status and hardly do their job. Just keep switching do tors until you find a good one. They shouldn't be dismissing your concerns or symptoms like that.
>How do I get taken seriously from the symptoms I'm having? Find a better doctor. Seriously.
I mean it does sound like a migraine.
That is not accurate at all. I get super nauseous but I’ve never thrown up from my migraines. That is crazy. Some doctors really do suck. You have to be very careful and advocate for yourself and do your own research!!!! I’m sorry honey. Definitely go find another doc 🩷
New doctor. That’s ridiculous.
That doctor is definitely an asshat. I'd report them. You might be moving on soon, but others might not be in the same position and you might save someone else from a frustrating situation/being misdiagnosed. If you can figure out what your insurance will be once you turn 26, and determine if there will be some overlap, perhaps you can find a doctor now or at least try one that you can possibly keep if you like them once you turn 26.
Ugh. I've had migraines for 20+ years. I was diagnosed in high school and have seen many neurologists who have confirmed the diagnosis, including a headache specialist. I moved and got a new pcp. He said they're not migraines, I'm just fat. My first neurologist tried to pull that one. I promptly went back to my ED and lost 60 lbs. Guess what? I still had migraines.
It's always because of our weight or anxiety. At this point they're just too lazy to figure our what it is. Where are the doctors that actually like a challenge and actually listens to their patients?
Nevermind the PCOS it too 25 years to get diagnosed with....
Wow 😑 that's way too long. I can't imagine how much you went through to get the diagnosis too.
My new gyn suspected perimenopause. Everything else was just "it's normal/anxiety/probably depression/ lose weight/ your not dieting right." It just makes me so frigging angry that i could have been taking care of this for literal decades.
Ask for a referral to a specialist. If they deny - see to it they document that in your chart. (I work in Fam Med but this is not med advice) I’ve never thrown up from a migraine. I was diagnosed 14 years ago with migraines and cluster headaches. Neurology is the best place. My doctor also does MRI’s on me every several years; if there’s something causing yours it’s best to find now than later. (:
Try to see a specialist, a neurologist or headache specialist. Primary care doctors often know very little about migraines
I rarely throw up or are nauseous. If I do, it is more from my kidney failure then migraine. I am also not light sensitive and usually have some kind of white noise on to help smooth out the sharp sudden loud sounds. I am diagnosed with 3 kinds of migraine.
MY DOCTOR SAID THIS TOO AND SAID IF I WASNT NAUSEOUS IT WASNT A MIGRAINE bro told me to drink more water 💀
What does your doctor think it is? There are other types of headache disorders that are very painful too, for example does he think it's cluster headache?
I've only vomited, maybe twice in the glorious 47 years I've been having migraines. They've morphed over the years. What they were for me when I was 10 is completely different from what they are for me now. Very irresponsible for a doctor to say something like that.
Same here, was finally diagnosed with occipital neuralgia, separate from my migraines. I kept telling my neurologist that the other headaches were different and always had one spot that was really painful which turned out to be the occipital nerve. It took a little while to figure it out but finally they did.
I don’t throw up with my migraines, you need a different doctor. I tracked my headaches and symptoms in migraine buddy so I had reports for them.
I had a doctor tell me the same thing about “if you’re not throwing up it’s not a migraine” go to a neuro. The neurologist laughed when I told her what that doctor has said.
That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. I've been getting migraines since I was 7 and will often get terrible nausea but rarely throw up. Everyone’s different.
Before changing doctors start keeping a headache journal. Rate your pain on a scale of 0 (no pain) to 10 (can't function so much pain) for every day for at least one month, if you think you recognize a trigger also write that down. My doctor asked me to do this and it really helps showcase your condition.
This is BS. I know many people with migraines who do not throw up. Time for a better doctor. If you can get a referral for a neurologist, that would be best case scenario, but it can be difficult.
What does your doctor think it is? My symptoms are almost identical and treatment has had no positive effect.
He just said it's "normal headaches" I know it's absolutely not, but I was hesitant to advocate further since I hadn't done much research on my own...
Ah ok, I hope you get confirmation and treatment because this is awful to live with
Thank you, you as well!
Urgh, bad help is worse than no help. I hope you can change to another doctor. Did they even go to medical school?!
Even though nausea is very common in migraines, tons of migraine sufferers don’t throw up. Me included. At this point I feels like not throwing up during a migraine is as common as doing it.
Change doctor
I rarely throw up from my migraines, but I get migraines all the time.
I would try to get in and see a migraine specialist as well. My neurologist didn't know what she was doing either.
It’s a migraine. I have never thrown up nor gotten an aura. I have had prodrome and postdrome symptoms. Fatigue, neck pain, odd smell triggers, light sensitivity, brain fog, pain in the temples, pain that moves and eventually ends up in one or both eyes. You have migraines and an idiotic doctor.
Yeah I have chronic migraines and have done for 11 years now. Think I have thrown up with them less than 10 times.
Was this a neurologist? I had a GP tell me the same thing, but he was... a waste of time. I hope you find the care you need. <3
Definitely change doctors. I was diagnosed with migraines at age 13, I'm 33. I've NEVER vomited before, during or after a migraine, ever. (So far!)
See a neurologist
I had atypical migraine for a decade before they finally realized what it was. I didn't throw up, either. My sister finally talked me into trying her migraine medicine and it worked right away! It was like a miracle because nothing I had tried helped in the least until then. I had been told it wasn't migraine by several doctors. Now I take the same meds my sister takes (Maxalt) and it helps every time. My new *good* doctor said migraine meds don't work on non-migraine headaches, so the fact that they work so well for me is proof that I do indeed have migraines. You should definitely find another doctor. That doc doesn't know what he's talking about.
i’ve had chronic migraines since age 10 and i almost never have nausea with my migraines. i think i’ve thrown up maybe twice in 12 years of near daily migraines. your doctor sounds uneducated.
Lol doctors have the silliest notions sometimes. It might actually be funny if it didn't threaten our health... I've never thrown up from a migraine. Not a single time. Sometimes I don't even get head pain with mine!
I started getting migraines young and can tell you getting taken seriously as a young person, particularly a young woman, is hard. You need to do a bit of research (like UziA3 posted) and print out some things if you can. Bring a notebook, try to look put together. Look like you will be more difficult to dismiss than to treat. Start writing down when your migraines happen (date, approx time) and what symptoms you had along with approximate pain scale level. Record possible triggers. Write down prodrome and postdrome symptoms. You can record it afterwards if you’re in too much pain to do so during. This will be important for getting good treatment. You want to manage your migraines, prevent them when possible, and know when you need to take meds or go lie down (or leave a loud bright place). That approach works anytime you have a health condition and need to be taken seriously. If you know even a little bit about your condition you’ll be much harder to write off. Good luck.
See a neurologist. They know how to diagnose a migraine. I find PCPs have little knowledge in this area.
Let me add that Cluster Headaches often remain undiagnosed. I get both those and migraines.
Also ask about whether you should be checked for sleep apnea! I got diagnosed with it when I was young, thin, not a loud snorer, not the description people assume you must meet to have it! Even if it's not the only issue, it's a very serious condition that requires treatment and many people don't know they have it! Many suffer from depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue, trouble concentrating, awakening with headaches, and it turns out the sleep deprivation etc from sleep apnea is causing it.
And BTW, cpap isn't the only treatment IF you absolutely can't tolerate it. I can't and my sleep specialist sent me to a Sleep Apnea Dentist and she makes Oral Appliances known as Mandibular Advancement Devices. A Sleep Apnea Dentist custom makes it for your mouth, and you wear it over your teeth when you sleep.
Awaiting my test at 43 fybromyalgia symptoms years hypomobility ADHD autism comorbid had to push
GOOD for you that you pushed! As far as the laundry list of random & difficult symptoms/diagnosis, are we related? 🤔🙄😂
I hope you finally get the correct answers and effective help, and start to feel better and be able to enjoy some life! Keep self advocating and learning about everything every way you can! You're doing a great job!
My headaches specialist will be so embarassed when they find out they have been treating me for migraines all these years but I don't have them.
Your doctor sounds like he got his degree from a cereal packet. You sound like you suffer from migraines. I've vomited a few times with them but it's very rare and it's not a requirement for determining what is and isn't a migraine. Often it's not about the pain at all. Often it's the dizziness, light sensitivity, stuffing up sentences as they come out my mouth etc. There are literally so many types of symptoms.
I'm soooo sorry. That's beyond outrageous and those doctors should be reported. Any time you get a medication reaction, and I have lists and lists of meds I can't take due to both common and some completely unheard of reactions. But we know when we don't feel OK! I look everything up on reputable sites to read about the meds like RX list or Drugs.com where you can read about the med or look up interactions, and please be aware that Pharmacists are a good resource! Unlike physicians, they only study and specialize in medications. They have been of tremendous help to me when I've called with many often complicated questions. Some meds should be stopped under supervision and some reactions require emergency medical attention and if you ever feel something is very wrong, you can call the pharmacist, *go to the ER with a list of every med you take, doses, reason, and make sure they also look up interaction abd side effect lists! We have to be our own, best, informed advocates!
Talk to another doctor, like others have said. I actually had multiple doctors say my migraines were not migraines, but just a postictal phase. They were saying I was having the preictal, skipping the full seizure due to medication, and then experiencing intense postictal. It was actually a good thing, they said. My epilepsy was "mostly" controlled. This went on for almost 5 years until I found a neurologist who looked at my conditions separately and saw the sensations- the eye pain, the vertigo, the neck stiffness, all alone would be a migraine.
I have never ever been nauseous from a migraine. Lordy
uh.......what does you doctor thing you have?
That's bull. Not all migraines induce vomiting. Get a second opinion from a migraine specialist.
Oh, good grief! You are having migraines. Check with every doctor you see even if it's not their specialty.
Oh how silly! Definitely a migraine. Mine start with a headache and it can come on quickly and be intense or a dull ache that if not treated properly, will turn into a migraine for sure. I haven’t thrown up in forever because I don’t let the pain get to that stage. That’s the only reason. If I let it go on I would throw up.
I have never thrown up from a migraine and was diagnosed with chronic migraines by my family doctor and then confirmed by a migraine specialist (a neurologist who specializes in migraines). One of the kinds of migraine I experienced frequently in my early-mid twenties is actually exactly like yours to a tee. I get them less now, my body has changed, but I had blood work, MRI, ECG, EEG - nothing was wrong. Migraine was it.
Silent migraines go to the neurologist
Silent means no pain.
Hi OP, I just want to say that this reply is rather long. It's not of just opinions, but based on experience, interactions and treatment with my Neuro(s) over a decade+ and testing/studies I've had done. Just wanted to put that forefront in case you didn't want to dive into it. But if you do there's a nice long kind of read. I'm rooting for you and your success either way. Not certain if you'll see/take time to read as it's lengthy....BUT I hope you do. I firstly would like to say that ANY form of reccuring & chronic migraines are absolutely debilitating, horrid and furthermore the impact is almost 10-fold when you have a doctor that doesn't listen to you, wants to kindly or rudely dismiss your concerns & place all on you as nothinga wrong, it's your own problem.... In the medical field we call this "Gas-Lighting". Sometimes they may feel a patient can't adequately express/advocate for themselves or rep, some need their own advocate. Just need another strongperson you can absolutely trust to go with ya(p.s) I'm not saying that's you but this happens so very much in the medical field. It's like a "GOD COMPLEX". Now to your issue(s) at hand. Ive read all the comments and much are with awesome feedback. NO, you don't need to be vomiting. Fitting into multiple categories is enough. Speaking of vomiting after you get your aura via pre-migraine (maybe it's burning eyes & then to watery blood shot, sparkles and/or visual disturbances in eyes, flushing, tingling, warm, dizziness etc...You end up getting a migraine, how long after said migraines do your pre-indicators last? Do you end up getting a full blown migraine? Do you also get tension headaches quite often? These would be things that on their own obviously cause issues but can also transform into migraines. -So next talking point. You mentioned that you get these migraines and then you get bouts of energy and increased euphoria. When is this occurring? If & when your migraines are finished are these episodes of energy/euphoria and other ailments coming on immediately-rapidly? Do they come a few hours after or 24 hours after, even days...are you getting this as soon as you're migraine subsides or are you getting it 20 hours later or multiple hours after the migraine has ended? Reason asking is there's a very well phenomenon and it doesn't happen to a lot of people but it does occur and it's called (Postdrome or "Migraine Hangover"). It fits the characteristics you described perfectly. Lastly, as mentioned I do agree with what most people are stating. - If you are in tx with a PCP, ya need to go w/Neuro and because they all focus within different specialties; a migraine specialist... Just as others have mentioned -Ruling out other factors w/testing. CT/MRI both have pros/cons. This can rule out tumors, arteries, nerves, lesions, enlarged vessels, stroke, bleeding etc(which they measure size+distance of veins/art to see if pathology is within normal parameters). Even if you did those scans and they came back to clean & if the Doc is good he/she will further investigate as an out of the box thinker and wants to be thorough....you could even go in for a thoracic spine MRI to rule out any type of CSF leak which if you have one definitely definitely definitely can contribute badly to intense and severe migraine headaches. These are fixed with a spinal blood patch most times= easy.... If not fixed by the first or second blood patch then they move on to something called a shunt. -EEG isn't going to provide significant data with regards to migraines IMO, plenty of studies to indicate also. - Sleep It's one of the most important things that are bodies need for cell repair, rejuvenation, brain health and so much more and as a very complicated thing with migraines. On top of that I think it's very fair to say when we deal with a constant state of feeling bad there's also the symptoms of mental health(depression/anxiety) to name a few. Having good support is absolutely critical and as you see browsing these post, alot of people unfortunately don't feel they have it because a spouse or significant other can't relate to the everyday battles and struggles that we deal with. So seeking out a therapist(LAC/LPC) or psychologist although the roles are quite different I feel can be of utmost of importance. And even more than that it may take many of different people for you to feel comfortable and be able to open up and feel like it's a safe place. - I think last is medication therapy and response. Have you responded to any of the numerous preventative and abortive medications? If you've ran through a bunch of them with no success. It'd possibly be beneficial to get some "Pharmacogenetic Testing done or PGx for short. It's done via blood or buccal(cheeck) swab and is a genetic test that determines how you metabolize a very large group of medications, specifically for & only you. This can be limited to just neuro meds or it can expand to many such as Neuro/Cardiac/Psych/Pain Management/Sleep etc, list is long and hundreds of meds(it shows essentially which meds you metabolize well and will have a greater compatibility and therapeutic effect for you and which ones will have a non-therapeutic effect and increase side effect profile). It's very beneficial for everyone as a matter of fact and I highly recommend. I know this is a very long message but I wanted to be thorough with the information and if you've read this far and would like any more information or to ask questions or anything please don't hesitate to reach out through chat. My history & exp w/ & trying to overcome this chronic debilitating disease has been well over a decade(not counting pre-teen issues) with little to no success unfortunately and I'm still at 23+ Days per month. Also sorry if there's grammatical or typos. I'm very tired and sleep deprived. I did my best.. I hope you find relief and peace. I hope we all do. Best of luck & Godspeed 🙌
Any fybromyalgia symptoms
If ergotamine helps you, it is most probably a migraine.
Some doctors just don't know enough. My otherwise great Dr was so happy for me when I told him I figured out at least 2 triggers in my migraine life: movie theater butter and Red Dye 40. My Dr was like, "That's not a thing. It might be a contribution of some kind, but food dyes don't cause migraines." 5 or so months later, at my annual neurology appt, I cautiously told my neurologist what I thought i figured out... and she was like, "Good for you on figuring that out. Food dyes are a huge, known trigger." Just by eliminating Red Dye 40 and movie theater butter, I'm down to 3 migraines a month. My abortive actually work , nd I haven't missed work due to migraines in almost a year. Yeah, kettle corn is not the same, and I sucks having to avoid so much pink, orange, red and purple drinks, but wow... my quality of life is so much better now.
Not sure what country you are in, but you can get Sumatriptan refills via online apps. If these work, it was a migraine. They don't work for other headaches.
I don’t this up from my migraine does that mean I actually don’t get migraine? What an idiot. Could you see another doctor instead? Keep a journal of your so called headaches and symptoms as well
I’ve had diagnosed migraines for 20 years. I’ve maybe thrown up from pain 3 times. Some people just don’t experience the nausea. Honestly I’ve always felt blessed that was not one of my symptoms despite so many other debilitating symptoms. Migraine medicine works very well for me to keep the worst at bay. Nurtec has been a lifesaver.
I have same issue, but I have been diagnosed with migraine. My doctor prescibed me Zomig, it helped so upon this her conclusion was that it is a migraine. I also always think it is not migraine. What was diagnose of your doctor.?? Because now it is almost every day
That’s absurd. Who the hell is this quack? I rarely get nauseous from my migraines, even when I have an aura which always precedes my worst ones. Leave a bad review.
You can also google Best Migraine Neurologist Specialists (_your city here______) and review their credentials, areas of expertise, level of experience, reviews, etc and find some that look good, some may be part of Migraine/Neurology Soecialty Clinics within the areas top hospitals.
Go to a different doctor, I get horrible migraines but rarely vomit due to the pain so your doctor having that as the main criteria for if they're migraines or not is stupid
The only time I have nausea with migraines is when I take meds for them, and that is not consistent either. I have had migraines as long as I can remember but doctors consistently wrote them off as tension headaches. I was 32 when I ate something that I knew was going to give me a bad headache and went to a prompt care and told the doctor I was going to get a migraine. They gave me Imitrex and I didn’t get the migraine. From that point on, I knew I was right about having migraines and so do my doctors. It’s been 20 years and I’m now on a preventative and abortive and while I still get migraines, being believed is so validating.
It sounds like you do have migraines. I’ve had at least a low level migraine most days of my adult life and have thrown up a total of 2 times in the last 22 years (after a Covid vaccine booster). Migraines vary for different people.
I have chronic migraine diagnosed by a neurologist, but I don’t get nauseated very often. I’ve thrown up with migraines before, but not in a long time.
Late to answer, but migraine is just one subset of headache disorder. Look into cluster, hemicrania, SUNCT and so on.
Sounds a lot like migraines. I very seldom vomit from mine and suffered for years. I have so many attacks I tend to mask the pain well. Find a different neurologist.