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Appt w/ regular pain doc in 5 hours....for headaches this time

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Posted 9/11/2014 7:02 AM (GMT 0)
I've had migraines for years, then they backed off for ages.

Then they started up again when my cervical issues were more prominent,....and yep, you guessed it, when I started in with therapy (why do you think I'm up at this un-Godly hour, yet again? Bah!)

My PT is using dry needling for my headaches,...the only side effect is massive migraines for 2 days afterwards (not uncommon as I'm told),...but, should get better as the tissue quality improves.

I've been taking Fioricet and it works like an absolute charm. I don't get these every day, but when I do, I'm hitting the Compazine as well. They can knock me for a loop.

It'll be interesting to see what she has to say.

Had bad experiences with Imitrex and some other med I can't remember the name of, but my BP skyrocketed and back into the ER I landed.

I'm hoping she keeps me on this (which currently my PCP rx's but she has a very low monthly quality she'd prefer to see me on....I always take exactly as directed, and it works like that,...but I get more than 4 migraines a month).

I'm really, really hoping she lets me stay on what I know works but permits me to bump up the # of tabs I can take per month. Fingers crossed.

It's 0300 and I'm wide awake. I've *been* wide awake. Tried sleeping at 2200 but phooey. That was an epic fail.

Maybe some of this awake-ish-ness is residual from Tuesday's therapy, not sure.

I see him, my therapist, this morning in 8 hours time. I've got 4 appointments today so this will be one super duper fun (cough-cough) day for me.....

Okay, soap box over.

.................for now? :)











M.
Posted 9/11/2014 10:22 AM (GMT 0)
Oh boy, sounds like a long day. I hope everything goes as you want it to, good luck!
Posted 9/11/2014 12:55 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds like another fun day on the merry-go-round of medicine:) Weeeeee!
Posted 9/11/2014 1:27 PM (GMT 0)
I suffer bad migraines too and learned what can trigger them.  Things I eat like MSG, Nitrates, Sodium Nitrate, etc now I avoid like the plague.  I haven't eaten a hot dog in 10 years, even the non-hormone, no MSG ones.  It's the fear still in me from the migraine.  Caffeine works on migraines and sleep is still the number one cure.

Immitrex I've tried, not a fan then they came out with the epi-pen version, still didn't work.  I've tried Relpax and other ones with no success.  I use to wind up in the ER where they would hit me with diluadid which would kill it in 3 seconds.  My pain medicine can wipe most of them out.

Compazine is for the stomach?  I'm guessing the migraines make you nautious.  I'm allergic to Compazine.  They gave this to me in the ER and I tried pulling out my I.V.  Now if I'm in the hospital for anything I have to wear a red band on my wrist that says "Compazine".

The all time best way my PM Doctor kills my migraines is he pours a half cap full of lidacane in each nostril.  It numbs my head up in 30 seconds and the migraine is gone.  I've had migraines so bad I'd just show up to my PM Dr office and he'd take me right away and do the lidacane trick.  Too bad they don't have this over the counter because millions wouldn't be suffering.

Posted 9/11/2014 1:45 PM (GMT 0)
NOT HAPPY!

It was a mixed bag. I see her next week for my "regular" CP follow up.

She wants to me to apply 2% lidocaine to my occipital and temple regions and on points on my forehead. She thinks I'm getting rebound headaches from the opiates I'm on. Except that uhm, I've been on opiates for decades.

Yes, I've had migraines since my menses but they've died down a great deal.

Triggers: Uhm, let's see....when my PT dry needles my head, my reading glasses (get contacts, -- I do, but they don't work because vision in one eye changes),....I just got new dentures.....I just started hormone therapy because of BC back in April....(that's too long ago to be causing problems now)....New therapy with new acknowledgement of PTSD issues and getting triggers after that, and I'm fresh into that....

I had MRI of my neck and while it's not a disaster like my low back, it isn't pretty, neuro said yes can contribute but NO doesn't need injections. She suggested ablation.

THEN to top it off, while asking how I was doing over-all I told her how this is the most balanced I've felt in ages. Her reply, "Well no it's not, not if you're getting migraines." And thus began the subject of how she wants to get me off of opiates all together.

Well shucks doc,....

I'm not happy. I feel like I have found peace of mind and increased activity and real living.....I'm not a lump on a mattress anymore. I told her as much, she knows I do PT, work out, am getting fit,...

She said, "This isn't a forever thing,...."

It isn't?

Every single thing I have is degenerative in nature....so what's not "forever" about that?

Sorry guys and gals, I need to blow off some steam because I really feel like she's missing the boat with me and me being me, and me being where I am, I'm working really hard at not being reactionary and emotional to what she just said to me.



(sigh)











M.

PS: Now I'm off to therapy. Let's hope I don't toss my cookies again. Or God forbid, get a bloody migraine, right?
Posted 9/11/2014 2:44 PM (GMT 0)
I'm sorry for your migraines and inability to sleep.  I'm frustrated right along with you for what your doctor said about your meds.  That's certainly a fear I try to wrangle in the back of my mind...Start me on powerful meds on which my body becomes dependent...then poof, they're gone and I'm in withdrawal.  I digress.

I hope you get relief from your PT session this morning to face the remaining appointments of your day.

HUGS~~Dixie

Posted 9/11/2014 3:52 PM (GMT 0)
First big breath and try to relax,and one more thing she just texted that I'm sure just may push the migraine,she got to the 2nd appointment of the full already day and NO Dr or anyone there??? She's trying to figure out if they are late coming in or wrong appointment date given. She will let me know I'm sure.

I had horribly debilitating migraines for every year of my childbearing ability,started menopause early due to a partial hysterectomy and along with that came HRT and like magic they ended. Oh I will have the occasional stress and sinus headache but nothing like those horrific migraines.

I too took fiorinal and sometimes with codeine and mostly without. Its barely a control and only is because it contains a very small amount of a barbituate so not getting the problem with your Dr. Any PM that believes lidocaine topically is the answer is not versed in the treatment of migraines. Jp I have not heard of via nasal but could see how that could be more effective than topical.

Headache specialists believe a lack of oxygen contributes to migraines and that often occurs while sleeping. A neurologist is still in my opinion the best go to for migraines.

A PM should know there's a world of difference between a rebound headache and a migraine. Time to find another Dr if it were me. This one sounds like one of those who won't have a problem stopping all the meds and not tapering and those are some scary ppl.

Now let me go see if she got in the Dr.
Posted 9/11/2014 4:42 PM (GMT 0)
Okay guys, as Vickie said, deep breath, deep breath.

Man I was so worked up.

Yeah, she peeved me off something fierce.

My therapist *did* show up,--turns out I was his first appointment today, and that's why the office was closed. But he came, and it was GOOD!! It was an awesome session that explained a ton of things for me.

As far as my PMD, she still has me ticked off, but I need to do a Vickie and step back, take a deep breath. I reacted emotionally. Yep, the same stuff I lecture about,...(checking emotions at the door). And I am afraid I came across as too "eager"....

I honestly feel like I am the most balanced I've ever been. I am doing PT, ultrasound, Graston, massage, dry needling, working out, and oh yeah,....getting out of the house! Top that off with twice weekly psycho therapy for my new issues, so there's so much on my plate. This is *not* the time I want to be stopping and changing things.

It feels sometimes like when you're doing really well, the docs figure, "Ahh, since you're doing so well, let's stop XYZ....you 'shouldn't' need this 'forever' after all." Bah humbug. That's the horse pucky I spout off when people stop taking their A/D meds just because they're feeling better and think they don't need them??

Seriously. What kind of logic is that?

So, (another deep breath)....I see her next week for my regular follow up. Things to practice include writing my feelings/thoughts/experiences down (less emotion) in advance, SLOW the *beep-beep* up when I speak and stop trying to cram every single detail into our 15 minute appointment.

All I can do is reiterate all that I'm doing, that I am not relying exclusively on meds, and that if anything, I'm able to be more productive.

I mentioned how we had company this weekend, folks we hadn't seen since Christmas and they remarked at the change in me (ie: not a lump on a mattress not wanting to interact with anyone). My PMD said, "That's good and all, but remember, this isn't a long term thing....we discussed that."

.........................we did?

............................................And here I thought "Pain Management" was for, you know,...like,...managing chronic pain? Silly me....

Anyhoo, I've since calmed down.

But yes, my day today is packed with appointments, and I was so *beep*beep* worked up after my PMD's appt that, guess what? I FORGOT to take my morning pain meds!! What the hay??

Who does this stuff? I mean seriously?






..........end transmission??








M.
Posted 9/11/2014 5:28 PM (GMT 0)
Go back to CP 101 and pull out the pain journals. Don't just track pain track every single thing your doing to battle the pain as well as any extracurricular activities your starting to do again. Tell her for the first time since whenever the plan in place is allowing you to function properly with some modicum of pleasure and without pain and your working on being the best you can be within the boundaries of your problems. Sometime in the future trying to back off the chemicals your still bound to is your goal,your just not there yet and have came a very long way to rush anything and experience a setback at this stage. So you appreciate her continuing to work with you as you evolve.

Sounds great right!! Make sure everything is in the journal.

If she's not willing to go along with that plan my next move would be looking for someone who would.
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