Waking up with migraines
My daughter wakes up with a migraine 2/3 times a week right now. Always with the aura first, then into the headache most times. The sumitripan doesn't always catch it. Sometimes with vomiting also. Why do they always come while she's asleep?
Hi
Thank you for reaching out to us with your question. I am sorry to hear your daughter is dealing with frequent morning migraine attacks.
As much as I wish I could tell you why she is waking with morning migraine, only a medical professional can do that. What I can tell you is many times when we wake with morning migraine it may be an indication of a sleep disorder, of which there are many in addition to sleep apnea. We have information on this here; https://migraine.com/living-with-migraine/migraine-and-sleep-disorders. Your daughter may want to discuss having a sleep study done to see if there is a sleep disorder that may be triggering these migraine attacks.
Another thing to consider is seeing a true expert who treats migraine and headache disease. When we have three or more attacks a month, it's time to discuss migraine prevention in addition to acute treatment. Sumatriptan doesn't prevent migraine, it stops the migraine process. Episodic migraine (14 or fewer migraine/headache days a month) can transform into chronic migraine (15 or more migraine/headache days a month) fairly quickly and no one wants that!
It may be time to see that expert doctor. These doctors are different from general neurologists as they are certified in headache medicine, all neurologists are not. General neurologists may be fine doctors but have a hard time being experts in one area because they treat many conditions such as stroke, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's and more. A true migraine/headache disease doctor treats migraine and headache all day, every day. Here is more information on how these doctors are different and how to find one;
https://migraine.com/blog/really-find-headache-specialist/
https://migraine.com/living-migraine/neurologist-vs-specialist
https://migraine.com/living-migraine/change-thoughts-new-carePhew!! That's a lot to go over. After you do, please let me know if you have questions, I'm here to help! Pain free wishes to you both, Nancy Harris Bonk, Patient Leader/Moderator Migraine.com Team
, I'm sorry to hear that your daughter is experiencing migraine disease like this. It's hard to see our children struggle. How old is she? I agree with Nancy. She has given you some great things to look at, and meeting with a headache/migraine specialist is a smart next step for you and your daughter. Migraine can take hold quickly and become a chronic condition if left unmanaged. Please let us know how we can support you and how your daughter is doing moving forward. Warmly, Cheryl migraine.com team 
When I get a migraine attack, I will do a trigger check and make sure that my known triggers were managed to the best of my abilities. If you are already doing that, chances are there is an unknown trigger to find and I would say it’s in her room.
Thank you for sharing your input with us. Triggers can be so frustrating as they are apt to change over time.
Managing the triggers we can may go a long way in helping reduce attack frequency and severity for some.
How are you doing today? Nancy Harris Bonk, Patient Leader/Moderator Migraine.com Team
My triggers just happen in the spring. So I love to garden. Most of that is in the spring. I'm dealing with this my adult life (after 40) since I've been gardening. So, I am interested in this thread. Just want to see if I can do something other than daith piercings, more than what I already do to avoid them at all costs.
What are some of your spring related triggers? I'm assuming that it might be related to humidity, brightness of the sun, or allergies? The only thing I can potentially think of is wearing the right protective gear for the weather, such as sunglasses and wide-brimmed hat to reduce the impact of the sun, or trying to garden at different times of day, such as in the morning before the sun becomes full-force, or in the evening when it's setting.
Looking forward to any details you might be able to add. - Cody (Team Member)
