Safe preventatives for migraine
Hii lovely community!
I’m scheduled for a consult with a headache specialist soon. Eager to find out what preventatives are safe (with zero to minimal side effects). Preventative meds that would have worked for members in this community to get back to a normal life.
I know there isn’t a one size fit all when it comes to any treatment. But I want to create some awareness for myself in order to have a holistic and well informed conversation with my healthcare provider as so far my past attempts with the neuros haven’t been fruitful.
Hi
- welcome to our community! Great question! This article can help you understand migraine preventatives vs abortives, etc. Hope it helps. Education has no boundaries. 😁 https://migraine.com/migraine-treatment/prevention-medications Best of health and wellness always ~ Rebecca (Comm advc) Thank you for sharing this with me. Great resource and quite detailed. Will have to give it few reads to understand better (thanks to my migraine brain).
But I’m so glad I am able to gain so much knowledge every day because of this community. Thankful to you all.
Warmly, Sunshine 😊
- Thanks for reaching out to us! It's true that everyone reacts differently to medications. I have found that finding a preventive is sort of a trial and error process. It is good to go to your provider knowledgeable about the different classes of meds he or she may want you to try. Rebecca sent you a link to an article with some good information. I hope you can get some relief soon!
Peggy (Migraine.com team)Hi! Thank you for writing to me and sorry I couldn’t respond earlier. Migraines are making life miserable! I was going through the article Rebecca shared and it’s so helpful and informative!
Appreciate the knowledge I’m gaining here.
Warmly, Sunshine
Hello there! It sounds like you have a good idea of what you want from a potential therapy regimen. I can't stress how important it is to go into a visit armed with information and a list of anything you want to cover with your doctor regarding what you are experiencing and your hopes/expectations moving forward. I suspect you are detail-oriented and meticulous in life 😀. An essential tool we've used with my husband is to keep detailed documentation of what he experiences during his attack cycles and how it impacts his life. You can use many migraine impact tests as tools during a visit, like the MIDAS or the HIT-6 questionnaire that will give your doctor another lens to see what you experience. Having minimal side effects is a plus, but often you will have to weigh potential side effects with the benefits and efficacy of a therapy. There are also several non-drug therapies to explore, like biofeedback, massage, acupuncture/acupressure, mindfulness, meditation, and chiropractic care. I know there are more out there too. This is your journey, so trust yourself and listen to what your body is telling you. We will be here to support you! Warmly, Cheryl migraine.com team 
Hi there! so glad to hear you have an appt scheduled and upcoming soon! That's great to hear, I'm relieved about that. I wanted to also send you this link to natural remedies for migraine, in case you haven't seen it yet, in case it's of interest to you: https://migraine.com/migraine-treatment/natural-remedies.
Warmly- Holly -migraine.com team.My migraine specialist prescribed vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and magnesium as migraine preventives. I wonder if doctors where you live are not as up-to-date on the research on migraine. There are studies that have been done on these two supplements with positive effects (for some people).
Also, if you have recently been prescribed topiramate, it can take up to three months for you to know whether it is going to work or not. This is true for any preventive medication. Maybe give the topiramate a little time unless you have intolerable side effects?
Wishing you a low pain day!
Peggy (Migraine.com team)Very exciting to hear you may be coming to the US where you may have some more options. And yes, I agree with the other team members here that the Topamax can take a bit to work. I'm sorry the doctor brushed off the more holistic ideas. Thankfully, these are things you can experiment with on your own as long as you do your careful research and are careful with the amounts you take. Both magnesium and vitamin B are among the supplements I take. Let us know how things continue to unfold for you on your journey. We are with you. Warmly- Holly -migraine.com team.
