Ok - this will be long - my migraine story. I'm 57 and a male. For me they started when I was 21. They used to be really horrible. Before the triptans, I tried cafergot which did nothing. Then about 25 years ago I went on an inderal and elavil daily regimen. As I recall this helped a bit in reducing the frequency. I was down to maybe 6 per year. Then the triptans came out and imitrex was a godsend. I was down to maybe 4 per year at this time - I was in my 40's. But then about 3 years ago the frequence went sky high for me to a dozen a year. It's still like this and I had 3 this week!!!! I thought things were supposed to get better (fewer headaches) as you got older. I'm totally perplexed and going nuts trying to figure out what's different in causing these headaches. The only thing I can point to (maybe) is my use of viagra and now levitra. I don't see a direct correlation but there may be one. Anyway, I just started on Inderal la 80 mg, one alleve per day and B-6 and Magnesium supplements 2 days ago to try and reduce the frequency. Do you guys have any experience with how long it takes the inderal to kick in? I can't recall from years ago. I wish the Dr. had put me on the elavil (amitripyline) too because I think that was helpful too. As I recall it was 25mg once per day of that. I think way back that they had me on more than 80 mg of the inderal also. I can't stand these stupid classic migraines. I use relpax these days which works pretty well as long as I take it at the first sign of the visual disturbance.

I've cut out all artificial sweeteners, all msg, sodium nitrites, etc. Cutting out all alcohol (miss the glass of wine occasionaly). I take a pile of vitamins; omega 3, red yeast rice, co-Q-10, saw palmetto, vitamin c, b-6, magnesium, multiple, alleve, cosamin ds, calcium and one other prescription drug, uroxatral for my BPH, which is an alpha blocker.

I asked the Dr. if the cardiac ultrasound showed a pfo (patent foramen ovale), which it didn't.

So why do we get these stupid things?! It sure is a curse. And why did I go for so many years when they weren't so frequent? I have one more hypothesis. During those years I was doing a ton of bike riding for exercise. I peaked at 3000 miles per year. During the past 2 years or so, the mileage is down to maybe 1000 miles for a variety of reasons, sore knee, other things getting in the way, working later at work. So maybe it's a stress release issue.

Comments?????

Thanks so much for reading.

Tom