I will pray for you my friend. Try not to even look at the computer right now because this will probably make your migraine worse. Do whatever needs to be done to take care of it.
Sorry to hear about this....I get them too....My Oxyfast (Roxicodone) is my last in line rescue med (when the Actiq) doesn't work. I know exactly how you feel. Sometimes, I think the Actiq actually make them worse. Sometimes, it works like a charm though.
Just wanted to say that I am praying for you to finally get some blessed relief from these never-ending migraines. Have you called your doc? I am just wondering if there is something different that he/she can Rx for you. It doesn't sound like our trusty Imitrex is doing anything at all.
I'm starting to wonder if these are migraines or if there is some kind of sinus infection or something going on. I have had trouble with my sinuses for years and some of the headaches I've had from this have been as bad or worse than some migraines.
I hope you get some relief soon. Rest up and if this doesn't stop soon, maybe you need to go to the ER or something. I know it's probably not what you really want to do, but you can't keep suffering like this.
Hello Steve,
Hope your heads feeling better by now, just prayed for you.
I know how you feel, have had major skull crackers for the last 36 years since I was 9, but they have become fewer & farther between as I get older, less painfull.
Think a healthyer lifestyle & changes in my diet have helped, never tried any meds except excedrin, codine, demerol & muscle relaxers.
One time 25 years ago a friend gave me a demerol pill, it took it away in 10 minuets.
Another time 10 years ago pain was so bad lasting 3 days I went to the hospital, they gave me a shot of demerol, took it away in 20 minuets.
Oh Steve my friend!! Please, please get in to see your doc. It sounds like something is going on whether you are having new problems or your meds are not working.
I used to use immitrex and it worked great in the beginning then it fizzled out. I then began using benadryl and knocking myself out - sounds terrible - but it was the only way I could get rid of it - pack the head in ice/use heating pad, go in a dark room, and sleep.
Lifting my best buddy up in prayer (Brian you are mine too ) and pray that you feel better soon.
My friend...I just came from church and you know I was praying for you and everyone else. I did light my candle for all who are hurting today and say a prayer along with it.
I am glad your feeling a tad better today.
Steve I need to get a bit tough with you ok so please do not be offended with me...it is only because I care.
You must must must go and be checked by a doctor! I am afraid there is something more serious going on casueing theses headaches!
I just would hate for something to be going on with the tumor and you not know about it. Please don't get mad at me alright. I am very very concerned for you! I am sure its nothing big but please go and find out!
You know I am praying for you always always always....you are a very special man to many people here and in your everyday life.
Ok...I am done now and will continue to be praying for you!!
Believe it or not, I hadn't even thought to connect the HAs with the tumor. I intend to request a different abortive med, and if they persist I will call the Endo (tumor doc).
Thanks for the push Chrissy.
I had another one today but Imittex did the trick. This is starting to scare me though.
I never mind being encouraged or pushed when it comes to the folks here. You never have to worry about that. And, if it came to be that it did bother me, I would gently say so. But I would prefer being pushed than to have someone fail to do so out of worry for getting too personal. You never know when something like that might just save your life. Right?
Chrissy & Pepper,
I don't want to call the endo yet. I just had a series of labs recently that indicate the tumor is not causing further or additional damage. I will get more labs in about 3 months and get a fresh view of the state of the tumor. I don't think all that much can go wrong in that period of time. If, however, a new abortive fails to help with these migraines then I will be forced to contact the endo sooner. The only thing I am not accounting for is the frequency with which these HAs are coming. That could be an alarm, but for the time being I'm hitting the snooze button.
He is very concerned about my headaches with regard to the tumor and wants me to contact the Endocrinologist. He did give me samples of different migraine abortives to try, but considers contacting the Endocrinologist as more important. Look like you all were right.
I just can't get too excited about this, given the good results of the last blood tests. But I will contact the other doc per my GPs recommendation. Between the tumor as it is, the osteoarthritis in the knees, my elbow, the Celiac Disease and the Irritable Bowel Syndrome, all of which are painful enough in their own right, I just can't handle fighting another battle. This is definitely depressing. And, the last thing I need to hear is that the brain tumor has changed in some way to be causing me these headaches - that could mean trouble for me.
Sorry for going on like this. To top it all off, the pharmacy today would only fill about a third of my LA med script because all of a sudden my insurance wants a Prior Authorization on it. I've only been taking this med at this dose for better than 6 months now - so I guess now it's time for them to hassle me? Whatever!
They did the same thing to me when I had a recent increase in my Oxycontin. It kicked out, due to high pill count, and needed a special auth. I don't think they dared leave an opiate tolerant patient with no meds at all. Especially since it is their new policy holding things up.
Once my auth went through, I had to get a new script for the balance and bring it in when my first 60 were gone. The computer almost kicked it out again as too early, but I made the pharmacist call the RX contractor while I was standing there and get the necessary over-ride. Ridiculous, I know. But I'm hearing about this happening more and more. Hello 1984! CMP/MM
...Once my auth went through, I had to get a new script for the balance and bring it in when my first 60 were gone...
I'm figuring this will happen to me too.
The head pharmacist said that if my doc completed the PA form and enters today's date, the date he wrote the script, and the PA is approved, then there's still a chance that the pharmacy can fill the whole script. Otherwise I'll need a new script for the balance, and I assume I'll have to consume some majority of the original amount before they'll allow the remainder to be filled. What a joke.
...How could they only fill a third? Isn't the whole thing supposed to be filled or forfeited?...
Weird, eh?
When the pharmacist plopped my meds down on the counter the MS Contin wasn't there. He saw me looking at him questioningly and said, they are requiring a PA. I said "so that means I get nothing, and now I get to endure WDs? Can't I get the amount they will allow?" He looked into it and gave me the third. But it has the original instructions, which means it's a 9 day script. So if a new script is required for the delta, then at least it won't appear that I'm getting a second full script for the month.
They did the same thing to me when I had a recent increase in my Oxycontin. It kicked out, due to high pill count, and needed a special auth. I don't think they dared leave an opiate tolerant patient with no meds at all. Especially since it is their new policy holding things up.
Once my auth went through, I had to get a new script for the balance and bring it in when my first 60 were gone. The computer almost kicked it out again as too early, but I made the pharmacist call the RX contractor while I was standing there and get the necessary over-ride. Ridiculous, I know. But I'm hearing about this happening more and more. Hello 1984! CMP/MM
Sounds exactly like my patch story (and my allergy one). In all honesty, I don't think it has anything to do with narcotics or opioid tolerant patients....I think it has to do with the fact that the script is out of their computer norm....Meaning a higher qty than a standard Rx. Thus, the computer automatically kicks it out and requires a pre auth. Nothing more than cost control. While there are patients like us who fight through, most give up and don't pursue it. They've got the delta built into their business plan.
However, Federal law allows anyone to get the part of the script that the insurance allows, which most people do. Essentially, a patient in this situation has two choices....Get the part of the script the insurance permits and follow up with a script for the balance (and the pre-auth), or pay cash for the entire amt.
geez steve,if it ain't one thing its always another. i was just wondering if in the samples of migrane abortives you got,was midrin there at all? honestly steve,i have been taking midrin as my one and only migrnae abortive since the early 80s when it was the first and only availiable abortive and it still is working as well for me today as it did the very first time i took it. it has a great track record,unlike alot of the newer abortives like imitrex?
i know with some of these meds you can actually lose the effectivenes over time,kind of like building a tolerance type of thing? despite the probably hundreds of times i have taken the midrin over half of my whole freaking life,it still works well and it works every single time. the one thing about at least trying this this med,if it doesn't work for you or its hit and miss,it would indicate the possibility that the headaches are not being triggered by your 'normal" migrane triggers. i have also found out the hard way that midrin is the ONLY med that will take away my pain and the aura. when i had my second angio done on my brain(angios of the brain always always trigger migranes in people who are prone to them because of the sudden dilation of the last dye shot over expanding the blood vessels within the brain? this is very similar in nature to what triggers the migrane cycle to begin with)i had forgotten to bring my midrin with me but my neuro rads nurse assured me that between the fent and the dilaudid that he had ordered for me,it would take care of my pain. no freaking way did any of those really strong narcotics actually even begin to touch that level of migrane pain. it wasn't til i suffered for like well over an hour that i got my midrin from their pharm and within fifteen minutes,i felt fine. my aura stopped recycling itself and my head pain was almost completely gone. i DO have to take specifically midrin or an abortive,not even strong narcotics will seem to work on a true migrane cycle.
this is just one med that has proven itslef to me time and time agin steve to just work when i need it to. it could work for you too. but you do also need to find out for certain whether or not that tumor is also affecting this. it could be affecting the cycle since the brain is sooo overly sensitive to anything that is not suposed to be there. just having those platnum coils placed within my aneurysm gave me horrid headaches for over a month,which i was told was the brain "adjusting' to something new. it can change the pressure and would affect the vascular structures as well espescially if this tumor is touching any vessels,or if any vessels are actually running thru it. just some thoughts for ya and a really good suggestion as an abortive that has worked very well for me for many years. i just hate to hear about anyone suffering with these hidious headaches and the crappy stuff that comes along with them. i do hope something can bring you some relief that you can just count on to work for you. good luck steve,Marcia
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3-22-01,herniated C-6-7
11-20-01,placement of hardware for failed fusion
9-22-03,removal of cavernous hemangioma that was inside spinal cord. Neuro damage to L hand L leg and R leg.
...just wondering if in the samples of migrane abortives you got,was midrin there at all?...
Marcia,
I think our migraine situation is very similar. Like yours, my real bad ones never react positively to narcotics, even the strongest ones. In fact, it's not uncommon for opioids to make them worse. I don't know why this is, but it just is.
I gotta remember the midrin. I had intended to ask about it from the last time you mentioned it, but forgot. He gave me three samples, all of them in the "triptan" family (Imitrex's family). And, he gave me higher doses to try. But, again, he clearly wants me to revisit this with the Endocrinologist. Apparently the tumor I have is right near the optic nerve, and it can cause headaches and vision problems. And I have experienced a more rapid loss of distance vision than I was before the tumor, so I suspect the tumor may be involved.
This is so scary Marcia. My Mom's first sign of cancer was a brain tumor. She passed 9 months after they found it. The tumor I have is usually benign, so that's hopeful, but not a guarantee.
Marcia, thank you for bringing this to my attention again. I'm putting it into my Palm Pilot right now to ask at my next appt. Thanks so much for caring.
) and pray that you feel better soon.
