Posted by Donna Louise on June 27, 2006, at 19:22:44
In reply to Re: migraines, caffeine » Donna Louise, posted by zeugma on June 27, 2006, at 6:50:52
> I think most ergot drugs add belladonna, another poison in overdose. Not sure how that is helpful for migraines.. I would need to explore that. But apparantly this ergot constricts blood vessels and has been used by midwives for centuries. Maybe that is the route by which modern science stumbled on to its other benefits.>>
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> The active chemical in belladonna is atropine, which does indeed constrict the blood vessels, as well as dilate the pupils (hence the name 'belladonna,' from its use by Renaissance Italian women). Amitriptyline is possibly the most effective antidepressant of all, and it is also the most atropine-like (causes dry mouth, constricted blood vessels). I think constriction of blood vessels helps migraine, not sure why. many narcoleptics have migraines, and migraine responds to stimulants (caffeine), I think maybe migraine is related to the partial arousal of the brainstem. (Serotonin itself got its name from its propensity to constrict the blood vessels.) The blood vessels constrict when danger is present (fight or flight response), and this is the result of the activated brainstem.
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> I think belladonna was the plant referred to in "Macbeth" when Banquo asks "have we eaten on the insane root That takes the reason prisoner?"
> Besides being an antidote for certain kinds of nerve gas, it produces hallucinations in dosages above cosmetic/antidepressant levels (and is quite toxic as well).
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> Ergot hallucinogens also produce extreme pupil dilation. LSD stimulates the serotonin system that normally is operative in wakefulness while also stimulating whatever systems are responsible for dreams, producing a state not dissimilar to hypnagogic hallucinations during sleep paralysis.
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> The headaches I get are occipital and dull, and invariably provoked by sleep paralysis. I also feel overstimulated- during the sleep paralysis itself, I can hear sounds from the outside world, but amplified/distorted- the refrigerator hum becomes deafening, and once a truck passed outside and the noise left me shattered. I think a change in routine, plus Provigil itself (it can cause cataplexy) has caused a great increase in the frequency of attacks. I have a bad headache right now, which explains the careless nature of this post.
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> -z
>I guess the reason caffeine helps is it constricts the blood vessels also. I know the worse migraines I get are if I quit drinking it and the vessels have a rebound dilation. And the triptan medications all involve the serotonin angle too.
That sleep paralysis sounds just awful. Is there anything that can prevent it from happening? It makes my trying to open my eyes while I am asleep sound like nothing at all. But the struggle just doing that is exhausting. I can't imagine what those defining noises must be like.
I had two headaches this week. The axert took care of the headache but I continue to feel very run down for a couple of days.
There has to be a connection with the serotonin and depression as you say. But I am sure that is just a part of it. I imagine there is a disproprortionate number of people with depression and migraines as opposed to those that just get migraines. Those would be interesting figures to know, which of course I don't, I am just musing.
poster:Donna Louise
thread:657909
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060623/msgs/661944.html