Chronic Migraines

[guest002]

I've been having headaches almost daily since I can remember. I've been on meds forever for migraines along w/ OTCs like Excedrin and Tylenol.

It had been almost 15 years since I've seen a Neurologist and I was tired of my PCM (primary care manager) trying to treat me. I felt like a guinea pig. Nothing worked long term and I'm just so tired physically all of the time.

At the end of March I finally hit my wall. I went into my PCM and cried in the office. I got a referral to the Neurologist. I should have done that forever ago instead of letting family or internal medicine Dr.'s. treat or try to treat me.

I had my appt. this AM. What a freaking eye opener.

According to my dr., "You're a mess!"

Nice to state the obvious, right? So, I'm not to take Excedrin, Tylenol, Aspirin, etc. ever again for headache. Never, never. I have to wean myself off caffeine over the next few weeks as well. Apparently I'm having constant rebound migraines. The meds I take to treat my headaches are giving me more headaches. I'm stuck in a horrid cycle. I'm now going to be on specific meds for "bridge" therapy for the next 30 days. It's going to be worse before better to break the cycle. If that doesn't work I have to have a 3 day inpatient hospital stay w/ IV meds.

Also, I've been ordered to take 3 vitamines (B2, Magnesium, Coenzyme Q 10) in specific doses.

It's a lot for me to take in so I had the nurse write it all down for me. Getting off of caffeine is going to be the hardest thing, but I'm so over feeling like crap all the time.

So, if you are in headache hell, maybe it's time to go beyond your reg. dr.

My "family" dr.'s had me on beta blockers and calcuim channel blockers as my preventative meds for my migraines and w/ my lower blood pressure that was a big no-no due to the added fatigue it gave me. 2-3 other classes of meds given to migraine sufferers I can not take due to my Sulfa allergy, Topomax reaction, and PCOS. So I've been prescribed a different class of preventative.

I'll let y'all know if this new plan works out or not, LOL.

[ktsmama]

I know that migraines are horrible. I sure hope this works for you!!

[lwlynch]

Hang on tight, and it will get better. I didnt go for headaches, but I went to an endocrinologist, and he said I was a mess. It took 3 months and I am finally feeling better, and it is all balancing out. I told him last visit I felt like a computer re-booting. I didn't realize how much your body can just be so out of wack... Good luck and keep your mindset strong. You will get better...

[Jskell911]

Paula,
Your experience sounds exactly like mine. I had to wean myself off my meds too. OMG withdrawl is awful! I was diagnosed with Migraine, Cluster, and sinus headaches and was on a steady regimen of Fiorecet and Depakote. I was referred to a neurologist, but had all of my surgery issues. We are hoping to get me into the neurologist by the summer.

Good luck! I hope this new treatment works. I understand what you are going through.

[COUNTRYBUMPKIN]

Paula, Oh my heart goes out to you! My dh suffered for years with chronic cluster headaches and he was even on Good Morning America with Dr. Sapher from the Ann Arbor headache hospital. Dr. sapher said that my husbands case was the worse he had ever seen! But I believe any headache to be terrible! That was back in the early/mid 90's. We finally decided to stop conventional medicine and go with alternatives. Accupuncture and his powdered magnesium and various other supplements and a whole food diet have all been a God send! His headaches have vanished but now we are dealing with a birth defect in an artery to his heart and it's spasms which have caused two heart attacks.

let us know how you are doing and my prayer's are sure with you.

Hugs, Lynn

[luv-my-lexi]

Paula, I know you are suffering and I hope that your new regime works. For several years I was getting migraine type headaches with the vomiting and after tracking when I got them, they were related to my menstral cycle. Apparantly my hormones go wild around my cycle time. I now have a patch (don't remember what the RX is called) and when I feel that familiar headache I wear the patch for 7 days. It has worked like a charm. I hope you come up with something because it is awful when you are sick and miserable from a headache.

[redbug29]

Me Too, I have had headaches since I have been 13. I'm 29 now and what I have learned is that mine were caused from the birth control pill. Didn't realize this until about 5 years ago when i went off them to have my second child they completely went away.... I tried a different kind about six months ago and I had a migrane for a week couldn't get out of bed at all....So not on them now, no headaches.... and trying to get pregnant so after this child I'm getting fixed.... ( I think) lol

Tiffany

DH /Dave
DD/ Taylor 11
DS/Matthew 4
DS/ Avery 3


April challenge Busted/250

[MOMMYDEAREST]

I'm a huge migraine sufferer. I've been having them sicne I was like 10. I was also tired of seeing my regualr dr so he thought mine was allergies. Come yto find out, mine was allergies. When ever I feel a migriane coming on, I take a allergy pill, and BAM.....its gone!!!!!! Good luck with your headaches & wheening off the caffeine. Keep us posted

[Jellybeanz]

Let us know how this works out for you. I had a friend whose doctor just told her to quit the caffeine a few weeks ago. She did and says her headaches have diminshed.

I have horrible migraines . I kept a journal to figure out triggers. Turns out there are so many for me. Weather changes, Hormonal, Allergies/Sinus .. I swear anything seems to trigger them. I am taking WAY too much Imitrex. It can't be good for me.

And so I think I may need to try quitting the caffeine but darn it, I just stockpiled up on tea and coffee. Got enough to last me many, many months. Nobody else here drinks coffee either.

I may have to give it a go though and figure out what to do with my stash. Medicine and lost time from sickness are becoming costly too.