AM Migraines

I have been placed on FMLA (family medical leave act)at my job so that I don't get fired for when I can't make it into work, or if if have to go in late. Thank God they have been so understanding about my situation. However my condition held me back from getting a Raise in pay last year When I wake up with them there is no stopping it and i just lie there and can't do anything but hope the the abortives work. and if they don't then my boyfriend has to take my to the ER. i have countless bills stacked up that i still need to pay to the ER for my co-pays that i can't even get into right now. I lost so much money from my job last year its not even funny. almost $12,000.

I get so worked up and tense when i have my attacks that my blood pressure goes through the roof. This last thursday i had to have my mother drive up 1 hr away to come a take my to the Er and they took my BP at the ER and it's normally 115/75 and it was 125/80. OUCH! I need something to calm me down when i get my migraines and maybe i would not get so worked upa nd have to go to the ER so much and the Meds would have a chance to work. Does anyone have any suggestions??

 Hey Stacy1,

It's Leigh Ann again.  Many a morning I have opened my eyes to a blinding headache .  I'm no doctor, but my best guess is that you are having rebound headaches, which are a result of medication taken for a previous headache that has finally left your system.  Stadol NS can do it to you, but my guess is that you are probably taking some over the counter rememdy, say Exedrine or something similar.  The number of meds that can trigger a rebound migraine is very extensive, heck, even the lack of caffeine overnight can cause a migraine to start.  There are many good migraine books you could look at, and there is plenty of information on rebound headaches on the net.  Remember, too, if you wake up with your migraine full blown, don't bother to waste any Stadol on it.  It won't make much of a dent in your headache, and you know how hard it is trying to get a steady prescription.  Try taking the hottest shower you can stand, which will pull the blood to the surface of the skin.  Since you are already in a cycle of headaches, having caffeine at this point won't make much of difference this one time, so try some Excedrine.  Then crawl back into bed, making the room as dark as you can.  This should provide you with some temporary relief.

Since you mentioned your blood pressure 125/80, please don't worry about the higher number.  It is a perfectly normal number for most people.  Not a problem.  Now if the top number gets into the 190s or 200s, then you have a problem.

You also said you have seen three Neurologists, who just seem to be running a lot of expensive tests on you.  You might want to see if your regular physician can refer you to a pain clinic.  All they do is handle the pain angle, and since the Neuros can't find anything physically wrong, I think you would be safe to assume that you are just dealing with migraines and need pain treatment.  Just so you know, most people with migraines take a preventative (Topamax), and abortive (Stadol NS), and an antidepressant (DR's choice -balances out some of the effects of the Topamax).  The antidepressant would probably help a lot on your stress level too, which, by itself, might help to reduce the number of headeaches.  My antidepressant of choice is Effexor XR.

Just more of my observations.

Leigh Ann

This is my third time being on the topamax, other than that i have been on Depakote, Amitriptylne,Nortriptylne,and another anti sezuier drug that I can't seem to remember them name of it because it was so long ago begin with an n though i think.

I know that they are not all rebound headaches because I don't have a headache alway the day or night before. As for TMJ I've already asked my Dentist and he has ruled that out.

Most times like I said I can just lay there and can't move. The most that i can do is motivate myself to get to the phone to call work and get to the freezer for my Ice pack for my head.And then crawl right back into bed.usually they are gone by 3 or 4 in the afternoon but the really bad ones like when i'm on my cycle,is when i have to go to the ER.

Wow Stacy1 that sounds really terrible. Especially considering you have tried so many different remedies and nothing has worked.

The doctor tried a new cocktail with me that had some success a few weeks ago, it was a combination of atavan, celebrex and T3. His thought was the atavan to help me relax, celebrex to relax my muscles and t3 as a pain killer. We've since modified it to from celebrex to Robaxacet for the muscle relaxant.

Have you tried any of the triptan medications? like Zomig, Imitrex, Amerge? Do they work at all?

Good luck! I wish I had some more ideas for you.

Hi Stacey1,

I have the same experience with Zomig. If it catch it right at the beginning it works, if not no luck. I used to have some success with Imitrex Nasal Spray because it gets into your system quickly as well.

Its interesting that you've mentioned that when you work up this morning with tight muscles. Have you discussed Botox with a neurologist. The thought behind Botox is it relaxes the muscels that triggers the migraines. I am trying it. I'm not 100% sure if it's working, though my neurologist swears by it.

As I woke up this morning with a really bad migraine I thought of you as I looked outside. Would you by chance live somewhere it rains a lot? I live in the Pacific Northwest and it rains a lot here and I struggle with the weather changes. Last night the clouds moved in and we have rain today and I have a horrible migraine. I could feel the pressure last night as the headache started and woke up this morning feeling like someone was sitting on my head. I took an Amerge, two Robaxacet and an ice pack and went back to bed, it was quite a bit better a few hours later.

I noticed that you said you were drinking caffeine. I often resort to that too but its a catch 22. I am suffering from rebound headaches from the reduction of caffeine in the Tylenol 1s I was taking, along with the Tylenol. Its terrible. I also find coffee triggers my headaches, so the caffeine will work short term but I will suffer long term. Just my two cents on caffeine because it wreaks so much havoc on my system.

Good luck today, I hope you feel better. Unfortunately I know how you're feeling today. Thankfully it's not a work day.

Hi Stacey1,

It's 7:48pm and I've had enough of this headache today. Without any codeine I have nothing to really kill. I will call it a night soon. I hope you had a better day.

Robaxacet is a combination of Acetaminophen and a muscle relaxant (sorry can't spell tonight my brain has had it). I live in Canada (BC) so it may not be sold over the counter in the states. You might want to ask the pharmacist. There are a few differences between us and you. It's almost as good as Tylenol with Codeine but no narcotic. Something in it makes you sleep which works for me. You can get one that is Asprin and a muscle relaxant. They also have a Platinum version now but I don't know how its better.

Good luck tomorrow. I hope you don't wake up with another headache.

Good luck at the doctor Sheila.

I think the commercial your referring to is for Topamax. It's the latest and greatest in the eyes of my neurologist. I'm not quite convinced. There's a long post on here with lots of feedback about it.

Stacy,

I had another thought. You mentioned you were taking Topamax at night. Have you ever tried splitting the dose. My neurologist has me take 25 - 50% of it in the morning. Could you be getting a rebound headache from the Topamax? I know it can make you crazy in the day but it might stop the headaches in the day.  Just a thought.

Sounds great Sheila.

Good luck. Sometimes a visit to the doctor can really help. My advice on Topamax is take it really slow and drink lots of water.

Thats a good question

I actually have never taken my medications in the am. its always been at night i never even thought that the Topamax could cause rebound.

I go to see my Neuro on Wed, so i will ask him then.

I had a pretty horrible week though. Menstrual time and i had a consistant migraine all week, nothing too bad to keep me home but enough to not want to do anything when I got home but go to bed. I didn't do a darn thing today but lie in bed all day felt like I was gonna die. Heating pad on my shoudlers adn ice pack on my head all day. Hardley ate anything either. Supposed to go see my parents and my sister tomorrow 90 minutes away, well see about that.

So much for a HOLIDAY weekend

Shelia,

I'm glad that the Relpax is working for you, I've tried it two different times adn both times it did nothing for me for relief. As far as the FMLA you are right I feel the same way about them not beeing able to hold raises against. But unfortunatley they did. My bossput in for a raise for me and they denied it because of how many days I had missed. Not looking at my overall performance and that when i am there i work 110 % more than most of my co-workers and get praises all over the board from higher management all the time for things that I do. Makes me not want to be there any more, but i am and i don't want to have to start another job until i get this thing under control again and can start another job without having to go on the FMLA for a year at the new job.

I had a similar experience at my last job. A woman I worked with would rudely ask my assistant "where I was again!" when I was away. She was also the one I dealt with when I went on disability. When I finally left the company I wrote a letter of complaint about her and how she was a barrier to people returning to work. I believe in Karma and believe she'll get her own one day.