daily pain med. Solution or more problems?

Hi,  I am new to this site and desperate for information.

I have suffered unbearably from migraines for about 13 years.  I am 42 years old.  I have spent all of  my money and time and done everything I know from specialists, neurologists, chiros, pt, "relaxation," aroma therpy.  I could go on.  But I am still in horirble daily migraine pain.  I believe that I have pretty much exhausted my options and certainly my energy and money.  I used to be highly productive and energetic.  Now it is difficult to get dressed.  I am not exagerating. 

My pcp doctor in desperation has prescribed daily narcotic pain medication for me.  I do not "crave" the medication and only really think about it as a means to escape this terrible pain.  It has allowed me not to return to my life, but at least to be out of bed and participate with my husband and daughter. 

My pcp believes that this is not be right decision for me because it will lead to permanently increased headaches.  I counter with how much worse can they possibly get?  I have frequently considered suicide, not because I am depressed but because I simply can not imagine living in this agony day in and day out.  My pcp believes that the daily pain med may lead to early dementia and permanent brain changes for me.  I am willing to accept that in trade for the pain relief.  I have given this much thought and many tears. 

Am I wrong (or at least mistaken) in continuing this route of therapy?  I see a counselor weekly and do take prophylatic meds and triptans as often as is safe to minimize the narcotics.  I believe I am at the best place I have been in years, but I am so afraid that I am only going to make myself worse and worse.  Please, please, what should I do?  I can't imagine going back to bed again and the endless pain and vomiting.  But am I trading a terrible future for a better present?

Sorry to be so wordy.  I guess I had a lot to get out!

Thank you so much for your response and honesty.  I have been on the pain medication for awhile and I faced the same worries that you mentioned.  I thought I would be going through garbage cans looking for pain meds or robbing convenience stores on weekends.  But honestly, I do not think about the pain med unless I hurt.  Some of my family have told me that they just would "endure the pain" rather than ever take daily pain med.  That hurts.

Since I last wrote my post I once again had a terrible migraine with vomiting for about two days.  That actually made the decision for me.  Somehow I had forgotten how much suffering I could actually be in and not die.  (I know that sounds melodramatic!)  My husband called my pcp and she called in my pain med a day early, thank God.   I have exhausted every other option that doctors and alternative providers have to offer.  I appreciate the suggestion to try to find more medications that work, but the list I've tried is endless, including botox and being put into menopause artificially, with no relief. 

My husband told me that I should just try to be happy where I am at right now, to remember how sick I was before the pain med.  I think that is good advice.  Sometimes I compare myself to the woman I was before this illness knocked me blind- sided.  That comparison is just too painful and depressing.  I have to let that image of me go and be the best for right now.  Maybe I am risking the future, but maybe medications will catch up with our illness.

Thanks for letting me vent and letting me know I am not alone in my choice.

Gail

Hi Gail,

Someone who says they would "just "endure the pain" rather than ever take daily pain med" obviously has never experienced daily chronic pain and probably not a migraine. I try to remember that when people say things like that. You're right it does hurt, but it really just shows their ignorance.

Women who suffer migraines around their periods often tell me they can't believe I live with that kind of pain everyday. They also ask how I do it. That's just it, we do it because we have to. Narcotics allow us to live pain free.

I have some good news about narcotics. Both my neurologist and my family doctor said that my migraines might go away while I was taking the narcotics. They don't know why, but they say sometimes it happens. Your body is relieved of the pain, so instead of fighting it is able to fix whatever is causing the pain.

I have been really tired lately, sleeping sometimes upto 18 hours a day. This isn't because I'm depressed, I'm happy, functioning, just very tired. I went to the doctor to discuss, assuming it was the morphine. He agreed. He said that he suspects that I'm taking to much and that I can start weaning down. I have started and decreased the dosage by one pill a day and already notice an improvement. It may be that I'm going to be one of those lucky ones whose migraines go away with the narcotics, because they are already taking less medication to relieve. Perhaps this might happen for you too.

It sounds like you have a very nice husband who is also very smart. I value the advice my husband gives me because he is on the outside looking in. He can often see things I can't because I'm immersed in the pain and the fight to stop the pain. He is so right about being happy where we are right now, especially if that involves pain free by some manner.

Good luck. Keep in touch about how you do.

Hey Purpleangel,

I have been where you are with narcotics.  I have tried every medication known as a preventative or abortive for my migraines.  Narcotics (only some work for me) have been the only type of drug that catches or releaves my pain.  People that take narcotics for pain become dependant, which only means you body chemistry gets used to having the medication in your system.  If you take it as instructed, it will relieve your pain, but you won't feel "high".  If you stop taking them cold turkey, your body will let you know about it.  It is far better to taper off them, and limit the stress on our body.  

Some people become addicted to narcotics because they take far more than prescribed for their condition, because a higher dose will give them a "high".  These people will seek out mulitple doctors for prescriptions and will use different pharmacies to fill the prescriptions.  They have to continuously increase the amount they take to keep the same level of "high".  They will also buy them off the streets if they can't find another option.  Their withdrawal will be much worse, because a lot of them end up having to stop cold turkey.

Although narcotics will help your migraines, if you take them, triptans, or any OTC pain rememdy more than twice a week, then you will start causing yourself rebound headaches, and pretty soon you end up with a headache every day.  This behavior prevents the preventative medication from doing its job.

If you are concerned with getting "mental" problems, you should consult with a psychiatrist.  You may need some coctail of anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medication, which most migrainuers take.  This can also help with the frequency of migraines, if stress influences how often you get your migraines.  As far as early dementia and permanent brain changes, I have never of such a thing, and I've been dealing with migraines for 33 years.  Migraines are often caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, which is why we take medication to restore the balance.  I really don't thing you have to worry about losing your mind.  I've never heard of that, EVER!!!

There is no shame in taking narcotics if that's what it takes to do the job.  Consider yourself lucky that you have a provider willing to continue prescribing them.  Mine cut me off cold turkey, after I had to see another doctor in her group, who threw up a red flag about prescribing narcotics to me for too long.  Most doctors in this area are very wary of prescribing narcotics.

My mother always makes comments about what would happen if I just stayed at home and stuck out a migraine.  She suggests that that situation is going to happen, because the doctors are someday going to refuse to treat me.  She had no comprehention about that level of pain.  It would kill me.  I know because I've tried before and just can't do it.  I'd end up tidying up my house and slitting my wrist to relieve the pressure.  Mind you, I'm not suicidal, my mind justs interprets it as opening a pressure valve.  I will never let myself get to that point.  Even as crappy as it  is living with the constant migraines, it's not worth dying over.

Best wishes and let us know how you are doing,

Leigh Ann

Hi, everybody ~

I haven't posted for awhile and am just catching up on some of these threads.  On this particular topic, I would recommend taking a look at the website www.christianbody.com.  The couple who developed "Migrane Defense" are a medical researcher (husband) and clinical nurse (wife), and I found them to be very approachable (phone or e-mail) for questions.  The explanation of why MD works made a whole lot of sense to me, and deals with causes rather than just pain control, which is what I'd been looking for!  Although the "MD" was not the complete answer for me, I do believe it has helped get my hormones balanced (I'm in perimenopause) and eased the intensity of my chronic daily migraines.   Their "Migraine Defense" product apparently has an extremely high success rate for both men and women - and a money-back guarantee :)  

they have overdoesed us on wheat it is in everything, and its nutritinal content is almost zero.  other countrys wont buy our wheat - that is the truth I have seen the other posts that were pulled.

Google transgenic wheat and see what theyre forcing on us.  You wont like it. 

I have been migrane free for years with no medication.

If you don't get well, you won't go back, will you?

If you get well, you won't need anymore meds, will you?

If you get well, you just might be able to help someone else where they couldn't.