Frustrated!!!! - Headaches & Migraines Message Board

mollymadison · 01-13-2006, 04:19 AM

ANOTHER MIGRAINE!! This one is SEVERE! A TEN! I want to go to the ER but, my husband refuses to take me because for the past 2 months I have freqented there quite often sometimes once a week. Last week was 2X in one day due to the profuse vomiting that I had never had before with a migraine. Which worried me a lot. I started a new preventive called Topamax 50 mg last friday and have had 3 migraines this week -this one being the worst. I have even started having auras which until 3 months ago when I started Inderall as a preventive - I never had either. So the migraines are progressively getting worse by the headache. I am missing work and it's interfering with EVERY aspect of my life especially my marriage. I've already lost one job over migraines and headaches. Now I have a really good job and I have to keep it! So I have to find a solution QUICK! Anyone out there with advice....I'm ready to hear it... Post away! I can't take anything in the triptan family (I'm allergic) so those are out. I take vicoprofen for the migraines and sometimes like tonight it is not working or even phasing it at all. At the hospital, they usually give me toradal, morphine, and reglan through IV push sometimes with saline or some kind of solution in the bag to hydrate me. Last week they gave me solu-medrol to help with the rebound headache and it actually helped it to not be so bad. I've seen several neurologists and PCP's and the Dr I'm seeing now is the first to talk to me about preventive so I'm sticking with her. This is only the second preventive to try. But she's got to give me something for emergencies like tonight when the vicoprofen doesn't work so I don't have to go to the ER. That is just getting rediculous. All the docs know me at the hospital.

So I'll be checking for posts for advice on anything for help! Thanks to anyone out there who cares. I need all the support I can get right now. I'm at my wits end!

Mz Migraine · 01-13-2006, 01:54 PM

Something is triggering your migraines. Suggest that you have a looksie at the following links:
[url]http://healthboards.webmd.com/search/search_results/?query=migraine+triggers&Submit1=Search[/url]

[url]http://healthboards.webmd.com/search/search_results/?query=headache+triggers&Submit1=Search[/url]

You should also keep a Migraine Diary & take it with you at your next doctor visit. You can print one out at the following link:
[url]http://healthboards.webmd.com/content/article/46/1826_50671.htm[/url]

Quote:

Now I have a really good job and I have to keep it!

Then I strongly suggest that you have a long chit chat with your doctor about the side effect of Topamax & wheither or not if he/she is going to increase your dosage or keep it at 50mg.

You should also do your own online research regarding the side effects of Topamax starting off by reading some of the Topamax threads here in this forum.

Do not be put off by what you read about Topamax. There are some "good, bad & ugly" side effects. However, they do not affect everyone and/or everyone does not suffer from them the same way, some worse than others.

Good Luck!

amrita · 01-14-2006, 11:37 AM

I've had horrible migraines like you described. I've tried all sorts of things, but the most helpful things have been: taking an aspirin every day (which sounds so simple, but has made a huge difference); being tested for food allergies (also very helpful); and, finding out that I am hypothyroid and taking Nature-Throid. I'm still suffering a lot, but the frequency and severity have decreased. It's been a little over a year since I had an out-of-control migraine like you described. Imitrex works fairly well for me (I know you can't take it). I use Midrin when the Imitrex doesn't work, it makes me sleepy, but sometimes helps. Oh, I also wear a Philip Stein watch that has magnets in it. I really thought it was a bunch of bull, but it broke and I'm having it repaired and my headaches have been worse since I took it off. I wore it daily for about 10 months. I've tried all sorts of natural remedies, none that made too much difference. I'm thinking about trying Topomax, but I really don't want to be on daily meds. I'm also thinking about acupuncture. I feel for you. No one can imagine how bad it really is unless they've been there. Good luck. : )

aub · 01-14-2006, 04:15 PM

My Husband suffers from the type of headaches that you talk about. I can't tell you the amount of times I've had to take him to the ER for a miagrane headache. We finally got a great Dr and figured out that alot of his miagrane's were due to foods that he was eating. So you might want to check your diet (his triggers are heavy yeast products i.e. beer, yeast bread, cheese and chocolate) if he eats any of these type food products (especailly pizza)he will have one of his most severe miagrane headaches.

As for medications he uses midrin, xomig and a nose spray called craminum (I'm not sure of the spelling on the nose spray) limited diet and these medications have keep him out of the ER for the last 5 years.

Hope you get to feeling better soon.

mollymadison · 01-14-2006, 10:42 PM

Thanks to everyone who has responded. The input is great! I'm feeling better but I did end up going to the ER on Friday afternoon after work. I was literally the worste migraine I had ever had. It hurt in places it had never hurt before. It felt like a vain was going to burst. It had electrical shocks going through a vain in the back of my head lasting 7-10 minutes. So bad my eye would close uncotrollably and tears would just roll out of it. Not crying tears either. I couldn't even lay back on the hospital bed to relax. I called my Dr. at 7:30 am in on Friday and explained to the receptionist I was in a crisis situation and I needed a teleconference with my doc immediately. They told me she would not be in Friday and suggeste to go to the ER. My repsonse was " I can't go to the ER every time I have a migraine" It's just rediculous! She told me to tell them that the headaches were getting progressivly worse and I wanted a complete workup. So I stuck it out at work drinking a little bit of gatorade and crackers for the nausea and cried periodically. I had commitments to meet at work and it was the last day for my boss to be in the office until Jan 24 so she needed my support desperately. I could not let her down. All me test came back normal just like I thought they would, CT Scan norm, blood work norm. So I asked, " Why am I getting these so often" His sarcastic remark was "Well we can't keep treating you in the ER" I wanted to flip him off literally. So sarcastily I said back "Well I know that! OOl I know it's bad for me to frequently go to the ER and get those heavy duty drugs. Heck, it just gives me a rebound headache about 30% of the time. I will be making an appointment with a neuro soon. My demands will be preventive 1st and foremost! then effective treatment. I need something for when the vicoprofen doesn't cut it. Even it's only 5-10 pills that are really strong for the crises situations so I don't have to go to the ER.

My mom has white matter disease and gets these terrible, severe headaches, much worse than mine. She has to be carried into the hospital and carried out of the hopsital because the give her so much meds. Plus she only ways less than 100 lbs. so it really kicks her butt. I have mentioned this to every neuro and PCP that I have gone to and they don't seem to alarmed by this. The say it has no bearing on my case. Does anyone know about this White Matter Disease? and if it will effect me too!? Open for suggestions and answers and even criticism's.

Thanks so far for everything