My mom suffered from them really badly as well. Had to be admitted to the hospital a couple times in the past years. She has tried some of the medication, but I second (or third) the seeing a dietician or checking food allergies. It can’t hurt and I know that has helped her more then the drugs (i.e. it seems to have reduced them but if they come she needs to still take the drugs)
Good luck. I’ve had them and they suck!
My lifelong migraines have all but disappeared since I began taking a beta blocker (metaprolol) for high blood pressure.
I have reached a frustrating point of acceptance with my migraines. I have had them, quite frequently, for 15 years. I have been under the care of several neurologists, had brain MRIs, various cocktails of meds, botox and accupuncture.
Topamax DID help me for a while… (several years)… and then the effectiveness just tapered off. Daily NSAID also was helpful for a while (Flurbiprofen).
As for rescue meds: Relpax is amazing… but easy to overuse. ‘Medication overuse headache’ is a very real thing… and happened to me as a result of the frequent use of triptan meds.
I have been able to take myself off of the meds that were most expensive and had scary side effects. I am currently on Amitriptyline and Gabapentin for a seperate medical condition and they do help the headaches as well.
Best of luck… find a great neurologist that really listens to you.
There’s another really good thread from the past few years somewhere on here about migraines. It give the CoQ10, mag, vit B2, butterbur info.
[QUOTE=Laurierace;7481987]
I can see how pretty much any drug can be abused but the doctor should be able to tell if there is a potential problem by your refill pattern rather than rationing them. I went through a ton of them in December and January until I had sinus surgery where they found and removed a benign tumor. I would have spent a lot of time in the ER without those. Not only did my Dr not refuse to refill my script, she gave me dilatud too. I have taken maybe three since the surgery.[/QUOTE]
Most docs don’t have the time to track how often you refill an Rx.
The pharmacist might.
Don’t forget the ins co too. They keep an eye on that stuff too since people use more then one pharmacy at times
My daughter takes clonazepam and cyproheptadine every night. She went from having 5-6 cluster headaches per week to maybe one. She had two full blown migraines before she started on the meds; luckily no recurrence.
It is hit or miss with the medications. She took another one that made her turn into a zombie – she was so tired she could barely go to school. Her neurologist was surprised because this was on the loading dose. So, you have to see what works for you.
I started getting migraines when I was about 20, and still have them now (will be 35 in a couple weeks).
Mine generally “climb” from the back of my neck and are more painful on one side than the other. Like a burning ice pick in an eye socket and the base of my skull, at the same time. I experience extreme sensitivity to light, sound, and smell, and then will start projectile vomiting at any one of those triggers if I don’t have treatment in time.
I took propranalol (sp?) for several years, with little measurable improvement, and then began taking Topamax maybe about 4 years ago. It has definitely helped, although I have (and still do) experience those moments of words being taken right off the tip of my tongue. The tingling/numbness was limited, and only occurred for a few weeks when I started taking it, and again when my dosage was increased. At one point I tried the nasal spray (I’ve forgotten what it IS, exactly) but it didn’t do anything to help.
“Heat-of-the-moment”/ER/clinic treatments have included Demerol, Toredol, Zofran/phenergan/IV Benadryl…which obviously leave a person more or less incoherent but hopefully in less pain than where you started.
About 2 1/2 years ago, I got the Imitrex injections. Those are a LIFESAVER. The first one doesn’t always get rid of the migraine completely - sometimes it might take 2 or 3 injections before it’s fully resolved - but it’s a hell of a lot better than having to go to the ER/clinic/doctor on an emergent basis. Especially if you are out of town, or it’s after-hours. Migraine sufferers are often treated like drug-seekers…and I get it. It’s hard to “prove”. But still very frustrating.
Something new this year that I’m trying is trigger point injections in my trapezius muscles - my doctors feel the referred pain from extreme tension/tightness may be causing/exascerbating my migraine issues. I had them injected in late January and just again about 2 weeks ago. I can’t yet say how much of a difference this will make.
Good luck.
asb_own_me, is botox not an option?
There was an article in the April Real Simple Magazine re:migraine that had some interesting points made in it… I’ll try to post them tomorrow when I get a mo’
I’m not really “sold” on Botox as a migraine treatment, and haven’t investigated whether or not my insurance would cover it. They’ve covered everything else (including OMM and the trigger point injections), so right now I’m sticking with treatment options that don’t make me nervous 
The daughter of a friend has CP and has had botox to leg muscles to reduce rigidity, and it really helped. I also understand if the migraines are from muscle tension Botox can be indicated… but I also ‘get’ the nervous-ness about it too 
[QUOTE=Angela Freda;7520597]
The daughter of a friend has CP and has had botox to leg muscles to reduce rigidity, and it really helped. I also understand if the migraines are from muscle tension Botox can be indicated… but I also ‘get’ the nervous-ness about it too :D[/QUOTE]
Botox is only FDA approved for use in Chronic Migraine (>=15 days of headache per month for more than 3 months, with 8 or more headaches per month having migraine features). Botox does not work in episodic migraine <15 days of migraine per month), mainly because there is a different pathology between chronic vs episodic migraine. Botox has acceptable tolerability/safety too in chronic migraine.
FWIW, it is not migraines from muscle tension that is for Botox. As it is there is no classification of migraines caused by muscle tension in the official headache classification guidelines. Now if you have chronic migraine and muscle/neck pain during the headache, Botox may be a good drug.
[QUOTE=Edgewood;7520860]
Botox is only FDA approved for use in Chronic Migraine (>=15 days of headache per month for more than 3 months, with 8 or more headaches per month having migraine features). Botox does not work in episodic migraine <15 days of migraine per month), mainly because there is a different pathology between chronic vs episodic migraine. Botox has acceptable tolerability/safety too in chronic migraine. [/QUOTE]
You really know alot about Botox, that reads almost like the Patient Information Brochure!
Yes and no.
Muscle tension, tension headaches and Migraine are quite intertwined, and the whole cascade of physiological events is not thoroughly understood. Even now.
My point was that IF there is any muscle tension in relation to her migraines, Botox might offer some relief… clearly asb has also thought that the use of Botox and it’s ‘indications’ fit her type of migraine, per her response that she has looked into it.
Yes and no.
Muscle tension, tension headaches and Migraine are quite intertwined, and the whole cascade of physiological events is not thoroughly understood. Even now.
Yes! Migraines are ALWAYS a hot topic, especially in progressive medicine.
I’m being treated on an ongoing basis at Des Moines University, a medical school known for its well-regarded osteopathic medicine program. I get regular OMM treatments (osteopathic manual manipulation) as well as just beginning to try the trigger point injections. I’ve also worked with the physical therapy team there, in conjuntion with my OMM treatments.
Here’s a link that some might find helpful/interesting, if you happen to be intrigued by OMM. This is my doctor at DMU: http://www.dmu.edu/dose/2014/04/provider-profile-meet-dr-drew-lewis/
I went back to my dr yesterday about my headaches since the topamax isn’t working. The headaches are getting stronger thru the meds. They still insist that it’s migraines even though I told them I’ve had 3 migraines on top of this headache. I’ve also developed numbness in half of my face and my right arm. They think it might be from the topamax, then they were thinking bells palsy. They decided to take me off of topamax and try me on imitrex and verapamil. They gave me a shot of imitrex and I’m glad it was only a 10 minute drive home. That stuff made the tingling on my right side worse, then I started tingling all over! It wore off a couple hours later and my headache came back full force like someone took an axe to the top of my head. The verapamil wasn’t any better. I was surprised they put me on that med since it’s mainly for angina and hypertension. My b.p. yesterday was down to 116/78. I’m getting tired of being a guinnea pig with some serious side effects. Who would be the best doc to call? Neuro?
[QUOTE=Angela Freda;7518680]
Most docs don’t have the time to track how often you refill an Rx.
The pharmacist might.[/QUOTE]
If it’s a narcotic and you live in NY, the doc will keep track of your meds.
One keystroke on a computer, will bring up all narcs you have been prescribed in the last six months.
I would definitely work with a neurologist rather than a GP. My daughter was referred almost immediately and it’s been very helpful.
[QUOTE=spotted draft x filly;7530407]
I went back to my dr yesterday about my headaches since the topamax isn’t working. The headaches are getting stronger thru the meds. They still insist that it’s migraines even though I told them I’ve had 3 migraines on top of this headache. I’ve also developed numbness in half of my face and my right arm. They think it might be from the topamax, then they were thinking bells palsy. They decided to take me off of topamax and try me on imitrex and verapamil. They gave me a shot of imitrex and I’m glad it was only a 10 minute drive home. That stuff made the tingling on my right side worse, then I started tingling all over! It wore off a couple hours later and my headache came back full force like someone took an axe to the top of my head. The verapamil wasn’t any better. I was surprised they put me on that med since it’s mainly for angina and hypertension. My b.p. yesterday was down to 116/78. I’m getting tired of being a guinnea pig with some serious side effects. Who would be the best doc to call? Neuro?[/QUOTE]
I just wanted to point out that verapamil isn’t experimental for migraine treatment. It’s just an older drug that can work very well for some migraine sufferers. I’ve been on it for at least twenty years now; it was the first medication that gave me any significant relief from them. 
Kim
Pretty much all medications make us “guinea pigs” as even well studied medications affect people differently. The doctor makes an educated guess as to which med is best/safest and goes from there.
My neurologist tried Topamax on me. I felt very strange and “disconnected” when I took it, that I called the dr and he said to stop. I use Imitrex with great success, but have tried a lot of other things too. Imitrex and other triptans work the best, in my opinion.
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