Source
r/migraine•
AustinBN

I think I had my first migraine last night

Last night, I went to bed with a little pain in my head, but I figured that it would pass once I fell asleep. I woke up sometime after midnight with some of the worst pain I'd ever felt. It was pitch dark in my room, and I took 2 Excedrin, but nothing seemed to work. This was very strange to me because usually headaches will subside once I lay down and close my eyes, but the pain was very persistent.

Was this really a migraine? If so, does this mean I'm going to continue having them? I'm sort of scared.

Posted Apr 23, 2014, 6:59 PM UTC

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hbktommy4031•

Where was the pain? Migraine pain is typically right above or around the eye socket, on the left or right side. Also usually accompanied by other symptoms like nausea and light sensitivity.

1
AustinBNOP•

Yep, there was pain in the eyes, above it, and in the ears as well

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hbktommy4031•

Was it concentrated above one eye? If so then yeah, it was probably a migraine. I got my first one when I was a kid, I was pretty freaked out but luckily I have only had to deal with anywhere from 3-5 attacks in a given year. I have had it pretty good compared to many people on this sub. If you start getting them frequently then talk to your doctor, otherwise don't worry about it too much.

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AustinBNOP•

IIRC it was in both eyes, but a little more on the left.

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angryherbivore•

Migraines are usually characterized by pain on one side of the head, nausea or vomiting (or diarrhea), light and sound sensitivity. If you had one or more of these symptoms, it may have been a migraine.

If this is a one-time thing for you, I wouldn't worry too much about it. If it happens again, go see a neurologist. Pro-tip for managing head pain -- if you feel a headache coming on, take ibuprofen, naproxin or excedrin right away, don't wait until it gets bad.

Hope this was just a one-off thing. Can I ask your age and sex? If you are a young woman, the chances of suffering from a migraine disorder are substantially higher than if you're older or a man.

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AustinBNOP•

16/m

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angryherbivore•

Huh, the fact that you're so young is a little alarming. How often do you get headaches? How often do you take medicine for them? You could be exacerbating your headaches by over-treating (I did that as a kid). If it happens again, tell your parents about it, and ask them to take you to see a neurologist.

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AustinBNOP•

I get a headache usually about once every few weeks, but all I do is take 2 excedrin and I'm fine.

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angryherbivore•

Then I wouldn't be too worried about last night's headache. If you get another one, go see a doc. Until then, don't fret.

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nerdle17•

I had my first migraine at 13 or 14 (I'm female, for the record). Like yours, OP, mine are usually bilateral but more intense one side or the other. My eyes actually hurt and the lids feel droopy even though they don't actually look abnormal at all.

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