Hi T -
Add me into the group that was not helped by Tramadol. It made me nauseated. I have had migraines for years. Did the whole gamut of 'what could it be from' - from elimination diaries in food, soaps, perfumes, to weather - daily for three months. Loads of fun. Then went in for that hot-dog in a tube test - where they don't tell you about the loud bang, bang, bang sound with the dye injection (MRI?), and then EEG? (the other one where you feel like you're in a 1/2 open dryer.
I have trialed so many because of crippling migraines - and the cost of going to the ER once a month to get the famous cocktail of morphine/delaudid and phenegrin was getting to be more than my insurance wanted to spend. I'm betting they had a talk with the neurologist /migraine doctor -
Finally they put me on a super high dose of Topamax - (I didn't start off that way, but worked my way up to quite a hot dose), and Relpax. Between the Topamax and Relpax? I've been able to stay away from the ER for nearly a year now. Well that and I lost my job - AND I pack my head in ice if I even get the little snow aura. Plus - I know now that 2 things will bring on my headaches that I can't do anything about and I never know when it's going to happen - 1.) Either hormones from before, during or after that time of the month - 2.) Sunshiney days all in a row without any rain. I live for overcast, rainey days. I'm moving North ASAP. Haven't been able to pinpoint a food trigger yet other than McDonalds hamburgers.
Hope this medication helps you though.