Q. A few weeks ago you answered a question from someone who was desperate for Excedrin. I too had noticed that there was no Excedrin on the shelves.
It really wasn’t a problem for me, though. I bought the store brand, usually Walmart’s Equate Migraine Relief. It has the same formula (250 mg acetaminophen, 250 mg of aspirin and 65 mg caffeine) and works just as well for me.
A. Other readers have also found that Equate Migraine Relief is a good substitute for Excedrin. Some have found other house brands that work just as well, as this reader writes: “Other companies are now making similar formulations. I have found store-brand versions with the same ingredients.”
Just be sure to read the ingredients on the label to make sure you are getting the combination you desire. Excedrin Migraine should be back on the market in October, according to the manufacturer. It was pulled temporarily while the company addressed quality control problems.
There are quite a few other options for headache relief. You will find both medications and non-drug approaches discussed in our Guide to Headaches & Migraines. Some people have found that eating something spicy when a migraine starts can stop it in its tracks. Here’s one reader’s report: “I read about taking cayenne and I tried it with much success! I suffer(ed) from 2-3 migraines a week and was desperate so I thought why not? I also was on the highest dose of Topamax to no effect. I take 2-3 cayenne pepper pills a day and have been migraine free for 2 months now.”
Others find that inducing brain freeze is a good way to cut a migraine headache short. One reader shared this experience: “I’ve used the ‘brain freeze’ method of treating headaches for multiple decades. I stumbled upon it while I was in college and had a really massive hangover. I stopped at a 7-Eleven for a Slurpee, and I took way too big a mouthful. I tried to swallow it quickly, as it was too cold for my mouth, and next came the dreaded ‘brain freeze.’ I was waiting for the ‘brain freeze’ to wear off, but I discovered that my bad headache had abated greatly.
“I’ve used this technique on migraines with pretty good results. I find that if I catch a migraine early, then a ‘brain freeze’ works very well. The longer I let the migraine go on, though, the less effective the ‘brain freeze’ is.
“Now that I’m 32 years out of college, and not given to creating hangovers anymore, I’ve tried the ‘brain freeze’ technique on my headaches that are caused by trigeminal neuralgia. I was recently diagnosed. I’m very sorry to report no relief from brain freeze for my trigeminal neuralgia headaches and head-pains.”
There are many other suggestions for preventing or overcoming headaches at PeoplesPharmacy.com.
