Re: Question about Migraines

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/31/2003 10:54:02 AM Pacific Standard Time,

juliette@... writes:

> Any thoughts or ideas about migraines ... or other thoughts? Should I try

> to get into the drs sooner?

>

What you are describing sounds very similar to the migraines I experience.

Located on one side, sometimes raditaing over the crown. Pressure, massage,

while hurts at inital touch, helps... but... only temporary.

I will sometiimes lay... on a tile floor, or put a can of fruit or tomatoes

(due to size of can, not content) under my head without a pillow, or under my

neck if laying on my back, or sometimes I will use a book... hardback... text

book or dictionary size... as a pillow. Sometimes a bag of ice applied to area

of pain helps. Sometimes, I will fill the tub with very warm, not hot, water

and fully sink into it, with only my nose and mouth above the water. I find

if I can do that after taking medication, sometimes that helps to relieve the

pain.

Tylonal alone does nothing for mine. I take three IBU (600mg) and one 500 mg

tylonal... in that mixture it works... but... check with your pharmacy before

doing that, as you have other medications to consider.

I do get nausous if the pain is not treated. That can become a problem,

because the worse the pain gets... and then the inability to get any pain

reliever... is not a good combination.

There are other medications and applications used for migraines... but that

would be for your doctor to decide.

Migraines can get bad. When they are so bad, and Adrienne or I cannot keep

anything down... we make a trip to the prompt care or ER. It is very seldom we

ever have to do this, but, sometimes it is needed.

I hope you feel better!

K

[Guest guest]

I was hit hard on the left temple when I was in college-not by a fellow

student or rioting or anything, but by a guy who was unhappy at home and

came to campus to find a woman to take it out on. I was one of 5 he found

that night. Since then I have had headaches in that spot on my head and also

I can tell where the bruises were when the headaches are in progress. There

were only Xrays when I had my hard head hit or my head hit hard--works

either way. Nothing showed up on those X rays, but that of course doesn't

mean that there was no injury there. Since I don't like being fiddled with,

I have chosen not to pursue a diagnosis. I suppose that's a personal choice.

So I'd tell you, as I would tell you if I were looking into your face right

now, that it's a judgment call and you are the one who has to make it.

How much are the headaches affecting your life and how much do you want to

endure to get rid of them? Since I don't know what other meds you are

taking, I'll just ask if there is a pain med prescribed for you that might

work instead of acetaminophen? Also when one OTC won't work, another will.

Actually ibuprophen works best for me, but because it causes swellng for me,

I use it only in very extreme cases. And of course there's aspirin and

naproxyn sodium. I'd personally be sure that I've gone through all of those

before I turned a doc loose on my head. Another that's worked well for me is

an Excedrin formula that says on the label that it's for migraines. I don't

claim 'em but it works for me sometimes and I really had rather take that

occsionally than go through aggravating and expensive tests that might not

show anything anyway.

Headaches are so strange and seemingly difficult to diagnose. A woman I knew

in GA had such extreme headaches that her husband was allowed to inject her

with one of the pain relievers usually used only in a hospital or ER ( ah!

for the good old days when docs did things like that!) I kept telling her

that I thought it was either allergies or arthritis. After enduring doc

after doc after doc and tests( and supposed remedies) to go along with

it--finally she found a doc who diagnosed arthritis of the cervical spine.

We all kow how easy it is to treat arthritis anywhere in the body don't we?

wink! wink!

Hope you find a way to improve the pain. It's no fun. I used to get an

allergy headache that would sometimes be so severe there was no way for me

to get through it except to take enough of something to put me to sleep. My

husband then would hold my head one direction ( front and back) and I held

it the other till I went to sleep. I know they were allergy headaches

because it was a lovely surprise when I wass desensitized, the headaches

stopped. I used to laugh about these and say taht I just needed enough ace

bandage under enough pressure to lst till the headache left. I spose it was

a sort of counter pressure.

If you haven't heard enough headache tales byt the time the week is over,

let me know--I have a whole arsenal of them-- from acupressure to

OverTheDoor traction units. : ) (not laughing at you but with you--what

else is there to do???)

[Guest guest]

interesting enough that I also had horrible Migraine Headaches until I

started taking Prednisone and they gradually were gone. So I wonder if the

were related to the inflammatory process of the ReA?They were migraine in

nature , usually behind one eye but I Also had pain in my neck? And light

sensitivity bad nausea and vomiting and saw a neurologist as they were so

frequent. Its been years ago and I would give myself DHE and Phenagran

Injections and that eventuaually kept me out of Emergency Rooms. Cherri

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[Guest guest]

Hi, Liz,

Call your doctor. You noted that the pain is in an area where

there was a prior injury. That may be significant, but this could be

something totally unrelated. I think you need to be seen sooner.

I have had migraine headaches in the past and have never had one

last more than 24 hours. I have had them come back again within a short

time. That is called " rebound " , but if your headache has not stopped, then

you need to be evaluated.

Dianne

At 12:47 PM 8/31/03 -0500, you wrote:

>I know a lot of you have migraines, sometimes coupled with other

>conditions, I need to ask your input....

>

>This one is just going on and on... it has been constant for the past five

>or six days now. Not severe but very much there and very naggy. It seems

>to be worse the last day or two. Tylenol doesn't seem to cut it at all..

>only thing that helps is a massage to that area. It hurts right where

>it hurt when I fell in April.

>

>Liz

>~~~~~~

[Guest guest]

I don't want to scare anyone with this input but I had a headache that I have

had since April 24, 2001. I was dx'd with pituitary apoplexy less than one

month after onset and less than one month after that had brain surgery to remove

the 1.5 cm hemorrhage that was compressing on the optic chiasm and carotid

artery. While doing the surgery they also found hidden a tumor on the posterior

side of the pituitary gland. The Neuro was hoping the headache would subside

post-operatively but it hasn't. So now I am being treated for the headache. I

am currently on Topamax 75 mg QHS. He also gave me Imitrex if I had a sudden

attack to take care of it---the drawback with Imitrex is it can cause severe

chest pain or basically a heart attack (I was warned about this side affect and

if it happened you have to immediately get to the ER). So please don't fool

around with headaches b/c it can be more than just a headache/migraine.....I

learned that lesson the hard way. Please take the initiative to be evaluated by

your physician for the headache to make sure it is " just a headache " and get

some proper treatment for it.

Hugs,

Jeannie

[Guest guest]

There are excellent migraine medications. I take Maxalt. Immitrex is also very

effective. They are very expensive medications if you don't have drug coverage.

I don't think I could get by without Maxalt. I was told at a recent doctor

appt. that there is also a medication to prevent migraines. The doctor said

that if you take migraine medication more than 6 times a month that you should

be on the preventative. I think I'm going to request a prescription for the

preventative. I don't usually get the " aura " sometimes associated with

migraines but I do get the nausea. Maxalt works great for me. I sometimes need

to take it for two or three days since the headache comes back when the

medication wears off. My main point is that no one needs to suffer with

migraines with the medications that are available.

Kay Braddock

Speedway German Wirehaired Pointers

Paint Horses

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 9/2/2003 11:16:26 PM Pacific Standard Time,

efnbkab@... writes:

> be evaluated by your physician for the headache to make sure it is " just a

> headache " and get some proper treatment for it.

>

Very good advise.

Wow, about your adventures! I do hope you feel better soon!

K

[Guest guest]

Janet,

You are very welcome for the info. I know that alot of people take headaches for

granted and don't realize that they can be a sign of something much more

serious. The first Neurosurgeon I saw for my problem wanted to " wait and see if

the hemorrhage " subsided on its own, but at the same time telling me this---

" you could have a stroke or lose your eye sight, or both in the mean time " .

Well, needless to say I wasn't waiting around to see if either or both of them

was going to happen---I immediately got to another Neurosurgeon. So it is only

through my own extremely life altering experience that I wanted to relay the

info I know hoping it would be of value to others. I hope the info will be of

help to your friend. I know the kind of pain your friend is in and right now

if I wasn't taking the Topamax for the headache I would still be experiencing

the same kind of pain.

Good luck with your friend...

Hugs,

Jeannie

[Guest guest]

Liz,

I would think with your medical history that a migraine could be very

serious. A doctor who is knowledgeable about strokes should be able to

evaluate whether it's a normal migraine or a sign of a stroke. I hope you

have gone to the doctor. Let us know.

I recently been having migraines unlike any I've had before too. That's

kind of spooky. Like you, I had only had them infrequently and could cure

them with aspirin and coca-cola. I had a migraine from August 15th through

August 25th. I finally cured it with atenelol and Xanax. I would have gone

to the doctor but I was on a business trip much of the time. I started

suspecting the Enbrel, but I gave myself an Enbrel injection last night and

I don't have a migraine today, so maybe that wasn't it. If I get another

migraine, I will go to the doctor.

Please let us know what your doc. says about your migraine. I'm worried

about you.

God Bless,

Janet in SF

ReA since 1973; diagnosed 1997

[Guest guest]

Jeannie,

Thank you so much for your post. It contains really useful information. It

confirms my fears about Imitrex. Also, I have a friend with a pituitary

adenoma who's in excruciating pain. I am going to print out your post and

send it to her.

Thanks!

Janet in SF

[Guest guest]

Janet: I was so far behind on reading my posts I just dumped a bunch of

them, but have seen people responding about migranes. My daughter has had

migranes since she was 3 years old......we didn't put two and two together until

she

was much older. The imitrex worked great, but I just wasn't comfortable with

her using it. She is on cyproheptadine as a preventative (1/2 tsp) at night

before bed (because it does cause drowsiness). It works like a charm. Her

triggers are actually excitement (parties, events, big days!) A few days before

those type of events, we medicate her and it works wonders. She missed almost

all holidays from age 3-8 until we figure this out. She can take it during

the day too and it does stop a migrane if it is not too bad, so she has to stay

aware. Hope that helps. Kathy from WI