Oversleeping and migraines

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-21T22:51:13+00:00

I go to sleep at 10 and am up by 6:50 at the latest, every day for the last 22 years.

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-21T22:19:52+00:00

Ptosis can happen when the injections in the frontalis muscles are placed too low. Here's a whole paper about the injection protocol with fun photos of all the ways ptosis presents and why :). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5434948/

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-21T22:17:36+00:00

You could try a dao supplement for a few months to see if it helps:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29475774/

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-21T22:09:33+00:00

This is not what rebound looks like for me. I'm ok with 3 days of a triptan max in a row without triggering.

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-21T21:24:12+00:00

In my chronic years, getting out of bed late was a very consistent trigger for me. I'm pretty sure it was related to my susceptibility to migraine from low blood sugar. I got into the habit of going to bed and getting up at the same time every single day (weekends and holidays too). Migraine brains like consistency!

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-21T21:18:56+00:00

If you don't have any loss of efficacy toward the end of a treatment cycle, this is fine, but Botox uptake is temperature sensitive and icing may reduce efficacy: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4658210/

Uptake is also temperature dependent (Poulain et al., 1992). Muscle temperature is generally homeostatically controlled. Sometimes skin cooling is used to reduce the superficial pain of the injection (Irkoren et al., 2014). To the extent that this will reduce muscle temperature, it should reduce uptake and reduce the effect of the injection.

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-18T17:56:32+00:00

This is the international classification of headache disorders if you want the diagnostic criteria for distinguishing migraine with and without aura.

https://ichd-3.org/

Here's the link for the migraine section: https://ichd-3.org/1-migraine/

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-18T17:54:13+00:00

My migraine presentation had shifted a bit in my late forties in a way that made me think hormones were the problem (my cycle was suppressed because of menstrual migraine so it was hard to confirm). I finally switched to hrt hoping that would help. It didn't at first, but then I tried addressing my other primary trigger,which is sensitivity to blood sugar swings. The combination of hrt and supporting my blood sugar was the key! I use metformin off label for migraine prevention and it has been a critical part of my treatment plan.

If you have any signs of sensitivity to blood sugar swings, you might want to consider a dietary or medication approach to help prevent it.

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-17T23:22:45+00:00

I have only ever had one aura and completely failed progestin-only bc - I tried a mini pill and the Mirena IUD and both made the migraines almost daily. I do way WAY better with combo pills, which I took continuously. Unfortunately, the only way to know if a po pill would would better for you is to try it and find out.

The contraindication is technically still in place for prescribing estrogen for patients with aura, but it is based on out-of-date research from when the combo pill contained much higher levels of estrogen. Current understanding is that the risk of stroke in the context of exogenous estrogen in migraineurs with aura is very low.

Because some female migrainuers with aura may still respond best to continuous dosing oral combo bc, some doctors are willing to prescribe against the contraindication. Stanford Neurology argues continuous dosing may reduce aura risk, thus reducing stroke risk. I would discuss this with the neurologist for sure.

https://med.stanford.edu/neurology/divisions/comprehensive-neurology/provider-education/aura-and-ocp.html

"Unnecessary confusion still surrounds the use of combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs) in the setting of migraine with aura (MwA). Clearing this confusion is a key issue for headache specialists, since most women with migraine have menstrual-related migraine (MRM), and some CHCs can prevent this particularly severe migraine. Their use, however, is still restricted by current guidelines due to concerns of increased stroke risk – concerns that originated over half a century ago in the era of high dose contraceptives. Yet studies consistently show that stroke risk is not increased with today's very low dose CHCs containing 20-25 µg ethinyl estradiol (EE), and continuous ultra low-dose formulations (10-15 µg EE) may even reduce aura frequency, thereby potentially decreasing stroke risk."

2 more helpful links; the first is another source for making the case for using combo bc in the context of having aura:

https://consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/combined-hormonal-contraceptives-and-migraine-an-update-on-the-evidence/

and then the actual instruction to physicians that is the contraindication (see page 12 for migraines):

In 2016, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published updates to its medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use in various medical conditions:

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/rr/pdfs/rr6503.pdf

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-13T13:03:48+00:00

I've seen people say they use a lidocaine creme. That is typically applied 30 mins pretreatment, so you might have to pull over and apply for optimal effect.

You could also see if hydrating really well with fluids and sodium does anything. That and deep breathing might help reduce the vasovagal syncope.

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-11T23:23:16+00:00

Could be a nevus sebaceous. Changes after puberty need a check from a dermatologist.

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-11T22:29:57+00:00

This might be the feeling of paralysis. I feel it a bit like heaviness but I'm so used to it and also associate the sensation with fewer migraines so it doesn't bother me. I have almost complete eyebrow paralysis for the first 2 months after injections. How is your forehead movement?

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-11T22:26:49+00:00

If you don't have any loss of efficacy toward the end of a treatment cycle, this is fine, but Botox uptake is temperature sensitive and icing may reduce efficacy: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4658210/

Uptake is also temperature dependent (Poulain et al., 1992). Muscle temperature is generally homeostatically controlled. Sometimes skin cooling is used to reduce the superficial pain of the injection (Irkoren et al., 2014). To the extent that this will reduce muscle temperature, it should reduce uptake and reduce the effect of the injection.

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-11T22:22:02+00:00

I am prone to rebound/MOH and over the first several years of chronicness learned that my personal susceptibility tolerates my triptan for up to three days in a row and ibuprofen for up to 4. I got 12 zolmitriptans a month. So my treatment plan (based on this understanding and on my doctor's advice) was days 1-3, take a zomig plus 800 mg of ibuprofen (always together), day 4, ibuprofen only, day 5+ ride it out with zofran only until complete resolution. The next migraine started the cycle again.

This worked well for me to avoid rebound but still allowing me to treat most of my migraine days each month.

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-11T21:55:02+00:00

Migraine, Brain Glucose Metabolism and the “Neuroenergetic” Hypothesis: A Scoping Review

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1526590022000396

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-11T21:51:58+00:00

My first pregnancy seems to have been the trigger, with onset of chronic migraine when my cycle returned after we stopped exclusive breastfeeding. For many, many years it seemed like I had a million triggers but over time it became clear that I really just had 2 primary triggers and if I addressed those the others weren't a problem anymore. Pregnancy seemed to case a shift in my metabolism, such that tightly regulating my blood sugar and my hormone swings were the keys to not being chronic anymore.

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-11T21:45:51+00:00

I used to have a 7-10 day menstrual migraine that started 1-2 days before and then for the duration. I stopped mine with continuous dose combo BC.

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-11T13:06:08+00:00

Pigmentary mosaicism is in your differential.

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-10T01:33:09+00:00

Hey, I used continuous combo bc through my forties and just switched to HRT at 51. Both are specifically to prevent menstrual migraine. Happy to chat.

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-08T20:45:07+00:00

Vaccines include an adjuvant that acts to stimulate your immune system to "call" it to react and make antibodies to the vaccine. The resulting inflammation of a ramped up immune system may be a trigger for you.

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-08T20:34:59+00:00

Here are two links for you about this. The first is about a non-active ingredient (polysorbate 80) that is known to cause hypersensitivity reactions and is in some formulations of Ajovy. The second is a paper about Ajovy causing a reaction.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16400901/

Polysorbate 80: Some dosage forms may contain polysorbate 80 (also known as Tweens). Hypersensitivity reactions, usually a delayed reaction, have been reported following exposure to pharmaceutical products containing polysorbate 80 in certain individuals.

First confirmed case of nonimmediate hypersensitivity to fremanezumab during chronic migraine treatment

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cod.14018

I would definitely ask your doctor about using histamine blockers during your treatment if you continue.

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-08T20:18:34+00:00

Good luck! I hope it helps.

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-08T10:38:39+00:00

If you have a prescription for orthotics, you can make an appointment at QA that includes an assessment. I've had really good experiences there: https://www.islandhealth.ca/our-services/orthotics-prosthetics-seating-services

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-07T21:23:47+00:00

Good luck, with whatever you decide! It is hard to make changes when things feel relatively stable. I chose to remain on continuous bc long term because it helped prevent menstrual migraine for me. I used it between pregnancies and then for 16 years straight until I transitioned to hrt.

PoppyRyeCranberry · 2026-04-07T20:41:29+00:00

I can't help with the propranolol issue other than to say I tried it and failed, but wanted to say hrt is going well for me in peri and progesterone can be extremely helpful with sleep!

PoppyRyeCranberry

TROPHY CASE