Is it normal to feel really tired/drained during and after a migraine?

hey,

ive never had a migraine before so i dont know how long they last or what happens exactly but im sure i suffered from one on sunday. i felt really tired on satuday night for no reason at all, had little energy and had a bit of a headache so took paracetamol and i went to bed earlier than usual.

i woke up sunday morning with a pounding headache right across the front of my head (felt roughly behind/around my eyes) but it was worse on my right side. it was 100 times worse than any headache id ever had before but i took 2 paracetamol again anyway hoping theyd help. but they didnt have any effect. come sunday afternoon i could barely stand it and i was dizzy, felt slightly sick and whenever i moved my head got even worse, couldnt even walk to my bathroom in (which is only a couple of metres away from my bed) without my head pounding and kind of had to hold on to things so i didnt fall over. i was also really sensitive to the light so i kept my curtains closed and lights off.

i got my friend to go get me migraleve and the chemist also gave them cocodomol t otake if symptoms persisted. but i slept most of the day on sunday, and most of monday as well, and most of today because its all i could do and i just constantly feel shattered.

i havent been able to stomach eating much, i tried eating soup when the headache eased off on sunday night but i could only eat half of it, i thought i was getting better but the headache came back monday afternoon until early this morning. so ive taken cocodomol hoping itll help. ive been drinking water though so i dont get dehydrated.

i dont understand how i can be so tired though when all ive done the last three days is sleep. is it normally to be this tired during/after a migraine?! help please :) thank you xx

ps. sorry for the long spiel, didnt realise id written that much but thought id better explain everything so you got the idea of what happened. dont need to read it all but if you did thanks and well done xD

can just read the question if you want, lol

It is quite common to be exhausted during and after a migraine, especially one that lasts for as long as yours has. If your symptoms do not improve by the end of the day, I suggest you make an appointment with your family doctor or go to the emergency room because there may be something else going on. While migraines can last for several days, it is uncommon, especially for someone who has never had one before. As far as relief, get some ear plugs to block out all the noise, place a cool, wet washcloth over your eyes and an ice pack on the back of your neck. Lay down again and try to sleep the rest of it off. This is what I do when I have a really bad migraine. Continue to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Do you regularly drink caffeine? If so, maybe you should try a cup of tea or a small glass of soda. The migraine may be continuing because you have not had any caffeine in the last couple of days.

Since you have now experienced a migraine, you should see your family doctor regarding a prescription for an abortive migraine medicine. There are several out there. I take Maxalt MLT because they melt in your mouth. You don't have to worry about throwing up a pill if you get nausea with your migraines like I do, and they work pretty fast. I take one of these and then follow the above with the earplugs, etc., and try to sleep through the worst of it. I usually wake up feeling groggy and a little hung over, but the headache is gone and I can go on with my day. One more piece of advice, stay away from narcotic pain relievers such as codeine and Vicodin for migraines. They cause rebound headaches that are often times worse than the headache you started out with and can start a vicious migraine cycle. Sometimes, that is all that can break one, but that is the last resort, not the first.
I am so sorry your first migraine has lasted for so long. They are miserable.

I have never heard of someone being that tired for so long, but I know migraines do take all of a person's energy so i would say it is normal. If your migraine was that serious then it could happen. But I would say go to see a doctor if your migraines are that serious because they might be able to help you prevent another one.

when i get one it takes about 4days before i feel human again

Yes, it's normal to feel tired after being in pain for days. I get migraines too, I've had them for 3-5 days in a row before. They hurt really bad by themselves, but then you add the nausea and vomiting, and light sensitivity to it, it makes it unbearable sometimes. After so many number of hours being in pain you just feel exhausted and groggy when the pain finally goes away. I think it's because your not stressing about the pain anymore and your finally able to let your body relax.

I hope I answered your question. :)