Hi, I'm 27 years old and have had chronic daily headaches since age 12. I've spent the past 6 years working with doctors to find out the cause and a good treatment. They are idiopathic, no surprise. Throughout my struggle, I became addicted to pain meds, so now I can't abort the really bad headaches anymore. Lately, I've been getting more & more depressed about my situation. I take Nortriptylene as a headache preventative medication. It works pretty good, but it makes me tired all day. It feels like I need a cup of coffee; but when I drink one, I still feel like I need another. So a few weeks ago my new doctor and I decreased the dose by 50 mg (I now take 100 mg a day). I noticed an increase of headaches, of which half of them could not be relieved by Excedrine, only sleep. But, the good news is that I feel much more awake now. Today, I was VERY frustrated because I had a 3-day headache that was persisting through many doses of Excedrine. I called the doctor and asked for a very limited supply of Ultram. They gave me 8 pills to try. It worked...for now. Is it safe for me to take Ultram with a history of pain medication addiction? I know some people would argue NO WAY, but I'm desperate to feel some relief again. I also want to try some alternative methods of treatment (acupuncture, cranial-sacral, etc.) when I can afford it. In the meantime, I'm going to get a good massage with some money my mom loaned me.

For those of you who also suffer from chronic daily headaches, I sympathize greatly.

~Lorie :)

What are the symptoms of your headaches?

Is it safe for me to take Ultram with a history of pain medication addiction?
Only your treating physician can answer that. Make sure he/she knows your complete medical history!!!

Yes, it is hard to find a managable programe to treat migraines. Took me 6 years, 2 general practitioners & 2 Neurogolgist to find the one *perfect* Migraine Management Programe that worked for me. :bouncing:

Hi Lori- I am 24 and last year, I was suffering with chronic daily headaches for about nine months. They varied in intensity, but I always had atleast a constant pressure or burning sensation somewhere on my head/nose. I tried all kinds of medications (like topamax, imitrex, neurontin, nortriptilyene, ect), acupuncture, biofeedback, physical therapy. Besides all of the head pain, I also started having problems with my neck and shoulders. They were basically inflammated/stiff for about 5 months straight, even though I was going to physical therapy three times a week. Anyways- to make a long story short, I finally figured out on my own what was going on. I read this book (which really saved my life!!!) called Heal Your Headache by David Buccholz. I went on this migraine diet, cutting out all kinds of foods and I also got off of all medications (including birth control) and within a week or two I was 100% better. The book explains that all headaches stem from the same migraine mechanism and whether you are experiencing "sinus" pressure, nose pain, ear pain, head pain or even shoulder pain, this can all be attributed to migraine. Doctors had the hardest time pinpointing what was causing all of this pain, because I did not seem like your "classic" migraine sufferer. Anyways- I highly recommend that you read this book, because you might realize how much food may really affect you. I had to give up foods such as cheese, bananas, fresh bread/pastries, chocolate, cold cuts (nitrates), MSG, avocados, coffee, alcohol, sodas, anything with caffeine, and sooo many more! Good luck with everything and please read this book!!!!
-Jen