I sympathize completely. I get them as well. I recently saw a Neurologist as my Aura's expanded to include slurred speech, unilateral pupil dilation and disorientation. Luckily i only get 3-4/ year. I used to manage with Caffeine and Advil Migraine as it would leave me with a dull ache and minor Nausea only. It stopped working so I went onto a Triptan which so far has been effective at killing the majority of the headache/Nausea phase. I still get the "migraine Hangover" for 48hrs or so after.
I found my trigger to be primarily dehydration. I have really reduced the frequency by always having a water bottle with me at home and making frequent trips to the water cooler.
Here is a great write-up on Migraines and their mechanism of action:
http://www.americanheadachesociety.o...f_Migraine.pdf
Key points:
1) Migraines have been described since Antiquity
2) Migraines are very genetic -
Quote:
De Fusco and colleagues (5) show that the gene ATP1A2, which encodes the alpha2 subunit of the Na+/K+ pump, is
associated with familial hemiplegic migraine type 2 (FHM2) and is linked to chromosome 1q23. This mutation
results in a loss of function of a single allele of ATP1A2. This is the first report that associates a mutation in the
Na+/K+ pump to the genetics involved in migraine.
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3) ONly 15% of people exhibit the classic Aura's (eg visual) before a migraine
4) The Headache is likely a result of Neuronal changes, not ischemic vascular ones. Which changes the possible treatments for it. Although not all migraines could be like this.
5) More and more research points to abnormal functioning in the Trigeminal system as the cause of the migraine (not Vascular in nature). However, The Trigeminal system could be acting abnormally because of a problem with the Brainstem. This would also cause Vasodilation (hence some of the symptoms).
6) It is thought that many exhibit even earlier signs of a migraine in the secondary nervous system (eg. Pain thresholds on various points on the skin). Potentially this can lead to being able to stop it before the Central nervous system really gets involved (ie. take Triptan much earlier). Specifically the Forehead and Forearm's could be the first places affected.
