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migraines come in cycles

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Migraine Headache
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Posted 12/8/2008 9:48 PM (GMT 0)
My migraines come in cycles like the last one was for 6 days, six in a row. My neurolologist told me I can only take 2-3 imatrex a week otherwise it cause a rebound effect But I cheated last week and took them for 4 days
then I went to dr and they gave me my usual shot of toradol and compizine but that didn't work either SO I went to the hospital and they gave me a shot of diludud and compizine or something to stop the nauseau. well It worked that day but the next day I had another one so I took a diluded that they had sent me home with and that worked. For the last two day I haven't had a migraine thank the Lord. Does anyone else suffer this way?
Posted 12/9/2008 12:50 AM (GMT 0)
Yes my migraines are exactly like yours and my neurologist says the same thing that I am only to take a couple of Maxalt a week.  Is there any help for those of us that get migraines that last for days like this?

Posted 1/11/2009 11:47 AM (GMT 0)
My migraines as well come in cycles. I started suffering from these for the first time in my life last January of 08.  I have been on EVERYTHING....imitrex, treximate, triptans, maxalt,.....you name it, I've been on it.

They have for the most part gotten a "little" better. The absolute only way I have control over them now is by taking Lortab's for the pain...or a shot of toradol....(which after MONTHS of begging the dr. finally prescribed it to me so I could limit my trips to the dr.'s office of the er)

I noticed my pattern typically starts with being nauseated for the first two days...the pain starts in the back crown area in my head and gradually moves into both temples.

My dr's of course have warned me about taking the above meds and experiencing eventually rebound headaches.......but as I'm sure most know, when you have a migraine NOW....you're not worried about what could happen LATER!!  I have not been able to work the past year and have been denied by disability which I think is an absolute joke. How is one supposed to keep a job when they need to constantly call in sick??? But I can relate...going to the hospital in pain....and receiving meds...but leaving in the same pain you came with is very disheartening. 

Do you have nausea b4 your headaches? Have you noticed a pattern?

Posted 1/12/2009 8:44 PM (GMT 0)

I have the same problem.  My headache specialist has a slightly different take on the matter.  What she wants me to do is worry more about taking my meds AS SOON AS I FEEL A HEADACHE COMING ON.  When the pain is still only a 1 or 2 on the scale and worry less about the number of times in a week I take the meds.  Very different that most doctors say. 

Her thoughts are 1) that rebound happens less often than people think and 2) if the headache is treated sooner then it has less chance of comming back because it has been gotten rid of totally instead of just partially.

This has helped me.  For most of my migraines 1 or 2 Treximet and bang goes the headache.  I still have issues with those I get around time of month but as long as I have enough Treximet then I am fine, usally.

I must admit that I just had a bad week where I ran out of med and had to make the trip tothe ER so it is not 100% but I have not been in the ER for at least 4 months where I was every month like clock work.

So I recomend trying to take your abortive sooner like when you just think you are getting a migraine or the pain is still below a 3 or 4 and see if that helps. 

Posted 1/12/2009 11:43 PM (GMT 0)
How do they typically treat you at your ER? It honestly infuriates me that people who are in legitimate pain and have diagnosed migraines get treated as if we are just "pretending". (That's the feeling I get at our ER) Typically, throughout the last year I have been in the ER about once a month....it has really stretched out recently though. When my migraines first started I think I was there every other weekend for a few months because the docs. didn't want to give me any paid meds due to "rebound headaches" and nothing (i.e. imitrext, triptans, or steroids were working). How long have you been dealing with your migraines? Do you get nausea along with it?
Posted 1/13/2009 4:31 PM (GMT 0)
When I go to the ER we start with Tordal, Benadryl, and Compazine given by IV.  Sometimes with IV solution sometimes without, depends on if I have been vomiting or not.  If that does not give me enough relief they then give me morphine.  By now they know I am not drug seeking and I can tell then exactly what works and what they have given my in the past.  Also the hospital I go to is within the same medical system as my neuro so they have access to my chart.

It is a bummer when I know the tordal will not be enough and we have to start there but at least I know they will be willing to goto the morphine when needed.  The hardest part is the getting around the need for a driver.

 

Posted 1/13/2009 5:19 PM (GMT 0)
Each time I visit the ER I tell them to just give me the "cocktail" I've always had. Which is toradaol, phenagren, and dilaudid all at once. If the headache has still not broke they will give me a little more dilaudid and then tell me that's all they can do for me. Fortunately, it takes away the "jabs" in my head, but I still tend to leave with the "same" headache but my pain is a lot less "duller".  Morphine makes me hallucinative so I tell them to keep that as far away from me as possible.  Thank goodnes (well today....I take this day by day) I have insurance.  The killer part is the co-pay which is $100 per ER visit....YIKES

I was on Short Term Disability and was paid up until May of last year....they they cut me off so I've been trying to fight the "insurance" battle and am getting EXTREMELY frustrated.  How can one keep a job when they have to call in sick every week???

Do you work? Do you notice a pattern to your migraines?  Forgive me if you've already put this in the forum but how long have you had migraines for?  Sometimes I just want to throw in the towel!! But I know I have to keep fighting the battle....I have 3 little ones and god bless them...for they are somedays the only ones who give me a reason to keep doing what I'm doing!!

Healthy thoughts,

 

Posted 1/15/2009 3:37 AM (GMT 0)
When I go to the ER (I always stay away from the large hospital and go to our regional hospital) I take my list of meds, my Dr.'s name and ph# and when I get there, they call my Dr. and they tell them how they want me treated. This avoids the opiates and other classes of drugs that really shouldn't be used for migraine; I'm treated properly and never, ever treated as a head case.

I also have more than 1 abortive, generally I have 3 different types and when I can't control the pain, I call and ask them what to use; they'll give me their "cocktail" based on what I have. If that doesn't work it's off to the ER and we follow the script above.

Your Dr. should be willing to speak to the ER while you're there, if not, you may need another Dr. I have 5 different types of migraines including chronic daily and cluster feature; it's when I hit a cluster period that I'm most apt to visit the ER. Triptans actually make me worse, so I always avoid them.

Good luck everyone.
Janice
Posted 1/15/2009 1:24 PM (GMT 0)
Good Morning,

Thanks so much to everyone for their advice.!!  That is a very good idea. I think I should carry a "note" or a "card" from my doc. explaining my diagnosis.  Don't get me wrong....they're not "mean" at the ER....they're just more like "we'll give you this.....and that's that"....they have the attitude of not really caring or not if I still have the same headache when I leave that I came with.  It just gets frustrating as I'm sure most of you know!! The doc. changed my meds a big here and there yesterday so hopefully I'll be able to get a full 8 hours of sleep and I'm sure this alone will curb my migraines greatly.  Lately I've been up like clockwork at 2:30 in the morning...this morning I actually "slept" in until 5:30.  Living in MN is also horrible when one suffers from migraines....the cold is a killer....an "immediate ice cream" headache just bringing out the garbage!! This morning we woke up to "NO SCHOOL" all over the news as the temps with the wind chill are 45 below right now........brrrrr...

Thanks again to everyone...

Healthy...and "warm" thoughts,

Krista

Posted 1/15/2009 7:44 PM (GMT 0)

I do work and am blessed that where I work our sick policy is "if you are sick stay home".  No days are docked or anything.  Also I can work from home so for now at least I get by.  I am lucky that I have finally found a preventative that seems to help and an abortive that works most times, so I get by.

I have had migraines my whole life (40+ years) but have been offically diagnosed for 25 years or so.  They run in the family, my Mom has them and my Grandfather had cluster headaches.

I always get migraines during my time of month.  This is the one hard and fast rule.  A couple of days befoe my flow starts to a couple of days after it ends.  Unfortunately I have issues - long flow so this can last up to two weeks of migraine.  I have tried so many things we are getting to the point where we are talking hysterectomy.  Also most of the common triggers do me in.

Posted 1/16/2009 12:04 AM (GMT 0)
Compgirl, what State do you live in?
Posted 1/19/2009 5:52 AM (GMT 0)

Krista-

There is a form that someone created where you have your doctor fill out some information and you can take that to the ER with you. It sort of helps to not appear to be a "drug seeker" also, if you and your doctor agree on what works he can list a "suggested treatment" and hopefully they would stick to it! (talk about time saver)

The only issue I had with this was ONCE, I had an old snotty doctor who acted like he didnt want another doctor "telling him what to do" on a piece of paper!

(You should be able to click the link on my siggy to get the form)

Sara

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