What Is The Migraine Cycle?
“Disruption between migraine attacks often is marked by worry and anticipation of the next attack.”
In a recent survey, 45% of patients with frequent migraines admitted that the thought of another attack is always at the backs of their minds.
Do you think about your migraines between attacks? Do you make contingency plans to cover yourself if a migraine strikes? Do you bring medications with you everywhere you go?
Migraines can distract you from the things you want – or need – to do, even when you're not having one.
This is sometimes called the Migraine Cycle: you experience a migraine, treating it with whatever medicine you're using at the time, then when it finally goes away, you immediately start worrying about the next one. Suffer, treat, worry.
The Migraine Cycle: Suffering-Treating-Worrying
- Am I getting a migraine?
- Did I catch it in time?
- How long will this pain last
- When will the next one strike?
Treating frequent migraines with over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen, aspirin, or acetaminophen may lessen your pain, but can sometimes lead to more headaches.
Some migraine medications are taken at the start of a migraine. They work one migraine at a time. TOPAMAX works differently. It's a daily prescription medication that you take for as long as you and your healthcare professional decide you need it. Migraines can't be completely eliminated, but TOPAMAX can help stop them before they start, so you can get fewer of them to think about.
