I’m in a aura migraine support group and the question often comes up, “What helps? What can I do?” What follows is what works for me.

This was me today, feeling insane while driving and getting a migraine. Hard to explain if you don’t get migraines with auras. Colors and disorientation. I couldn’t get my hat down low enough and couldn’t find my migraine shades for the first 5 minutes of the onset. Pulled over and found them and took this.

At the onset, to prevent it from escalating

Imitrex 25 or 50mg

For the anxiety

Immediately take nervines, hypnotics and sedatives in tincture form. Usually a combo of passiflora, lactuca, kava kava, pedicularis densiflora, California poppy and vervain.

I also take 3000 mg of glycine (amino acid) very effective in relieving anxiety and panic.

Drink 8 ounces of water mixed with Calm (Magnesium) and electrolytes.

1 mg Lorazepam

For light sensitivity

Immediately put on shades.

Close eyes or go in a dark room.

Put on migraine helmet and ice on the carotid artery in the neck (base of the skull) This helped to reduce the inflammation in the brain.

Reduce stimulation all of all kinds.

If the headache part makes it though (despite imitrex) I have a cup of black unsweetened strong coffee (vasoconstrictive) to constrict blood vessels in brain.

Postdrome care (which can last 3 weeks for me)

Migraine helmet, electrolytes, hydration and continued magnesium. Cold nettle infusion. Lots of rooibos tea. Lots of sleep, stay out of the sun. Wear migraine glasses inside as well as outside. Apply Icy Hot from top of shoulders all the way up to the bad of the head. Avoid movies with flashing lights and busy scenes. Avoid bright screens of all kinds, computer, smart phones etc. Keep lights dim. Take luke warm or cool showers.

Prevention

Above all, avoid all high histamine foods. 25mg amitriptylin each night before bed. 50g quercertin capsules each night. 15g CoQ10 to lower levels of the pain-related protein CGRP. Drink rooibos tea daily, drink cold nettle infusions or chilled nettle tea often.

~ migraineur of 41 years