Guest guest Posted November 16, 2004 Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 Hi Kathy, That's awfully scary that one doc would try to prescribe a drug that could interact so negatively with another and not be aware of the possibilities. One hopes that the pharmacist would have caught it! It's lucky that you do your research. And it was a neurologist? Yikes. I wish I had a better answer than this, but I remember in high school that a good friend of mine had serious migraines that got much , much worse as high school went on. She found no relief in medications (this was before the days of Imitrex, etc.) but eventually learned to reduce her stress levels enough to keep them more under control. She is now quite a famous surgeon, and told me recently that she still has migraines but can even operate while having them (yikes again!). In high school they would knock her flat for days. She felt that they were related to her menstrual cycles and stress levels. So maybe the biofeedback will help Billie a little. Is there really no drug that doesn't affect serotonin that can help? I hope she gets better soon. I can't imagine much many things more horrible than frequent migraines. Best wishes, in NV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 16, 2004 Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 Hi , The even more scary thing is that the pharmacy wouldn't have caught it. We get her Zoloft for 3 months at a time via a mail order managed care prescription service because it's less expensive that way. I was going to pick up the Amerge at the local CVS who would have no idea she was on Zoloft. Her neurologist is a seizure specialist. I'm thinking we may want to see if Children's Hospital has someone else who specializes in migraines. Her migraines definitely seem connected to her menstrual cycle as she gets them with periods and then about 2 weeks later when she would be ovulating. Migraines are really horrible and debilitating. I only get 2-3 per year and that's way more than enough for me! the only other type of drugs that they may be able to use are prescription pain meds. Kathy > > Hi Kathy, > That's awfully scary that one doc would try to prescribe a drug > that > could interact so negatively with another and not be aware of the > possibilities. > One hopes that the pharmacist would have caught it! It's lucky that > you do your > research. And it was a neurologist? Yikes. > I wish I had a better answer than this, but I remember in high > school > that a good friend of mine had serious migraines that got much , much > worse as > high school went on. She found no relief in medications (this was > before the > days of Imitrex, etc.) but eventually learned to reduce her stress > levels enough > to keep them more under control. She is now quite a famous surgeon, > and told > me recently that she still has migraines but can even operate while > having them > (yikes again!). In high school they would knock her flat for days. She > felt > that they were related to her menstrual cycles and stress levels. So > maybe the > biofeedback will help Billie a little. Is there really no drug that > doesn't > affect serotonin that can help? > I hope she gets better soon. I can't imagine much many things more > horrible than frequent migraines. > Best wishes, > in NV > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 16, 2004 Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 Kathy, Yup, got a son with migraines and OCD. The pediatric neurologist we saw at St. Louis' Washington University does research all days except one when she sees patients, and she says first step-ibuprofen, next step, Elavil at a very small dose.....it is a tricyclic antidepressant rather than an SSRI, and if I remember correctly, can be used in combination with an SSRI. I do know that Elavil is used commonly for headaches. Fortunately, we are one of the apparent ones who respond well to simple OTC ibuprofen and have not had to resort to the Elavil, although I wouldn't hesitate to do so. She really praised the results she sees with low-dose Elavil in kids with migraines. Had your neurologist mentioned trying that? in Southern Illinois Migraines and OCD Hi All, I haven't posted much lately because life has been so busy but I do try to keep up with reading the posts. I'm curious to hear if anyone else has a child with Migraines and OCD. Until recently, Billie's migraines were fairly well controlled. They came about once a month and only lasted one day. (As compared to when she was nine and had one per week that lasted 3 days at a time.) since mid-august she has been having one every 2 weeks and they are lasting 2 days each time. She has already missed 8 days of school this fall, almost all due to migraines. We talked with her neurologist on the phone last week because her next appt. isn't til Dec. 1. She suggested putting her on Amerge which is in the Triptan class of drugs, as is Imitrex which is better known. I started doing some research and it didn't take long to find that the Triptans interact with SSRIs because both work by altering the Seretonin levels in the brain. I called the neurologist and asked if I should be concerned about Seretonin Syndrome when combining the 2 meds. She didn't know and suggested I call the pdoc to ask him. I left him a voice mail and he called back 5 mins. later and said " Absolutely don't do it! " According to him, it could be OK, but it could also result in Seretonin Syndrome which is very serious and sometimes lethal. We won't be giving Billie any of the Triptan drugs while she's on Zoloft. These migraines are really disrupting Billie's life. She just gets her missed work caught up at school and then she's out again with an other migraine. Her therapist is going to begin teaching her biofeedback which, some studies say, can reduce the frequency and severity of migraines by 50%. She had tried to teach her when she was 9 but Billie was really too young to " get it " at that time. I'm very curious to know what other folks have tried. Kathy Our list archives, bookmarks, files, and chat feature may be accessed at: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group// . Our list advisors are Gail B. , Ed.D., Tamar Chansky, Ph.D., Aureen Pinto Wagner, Ph.D., and Dan Geller, M.D. Our list moderators are Birkhan, Castle, Fowler, Kathy Hammes, Joye, Kathy Mac, Gail Pesses, and Kathy . Subscription issues or suggestions may be addressed to Louis Harkins, list owner, at louisharkins@... , louisharkins@... , louisharkins@... . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 16, 2004 Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 Thanks , We will certainly ask the neurologist about this when we see her on Dec. 1. Kathy > > Kathy, > Yup, got a son with migraines and OCD. The pediatric neurologist we > saw at St. Louis' Washington University does research all days except > one when she sees patients, and she says first step-ibuprofen, next > step, Elavil at a very small dose.....it is a tricyclic antidepressant > rather than an SSRI, and if I remember correctly, can be used in > combination with an SSRI. I do know that Elavil is used commonly for > headaches. Fortunately, we are one of the apparent ones who respond > well to simple OTC ibuprofen and have not had to resort to the Elavil, > although I wouldn't hesitate to do so. She really praised the results > she sees with low-dose Elavil in kids with migraines. Had your > neurologist mentioned trying that? > > in Southern Illinois > Migraines and OCD > > > Hi All, > > I haven't posted much lately because life has been so busy but I do > try > to keep up with reading the posts. I'm curious to hear if anyone > else > has a child with Migraines and OCD. Until recently, Billie's > migraines > were fairly well controlled. They came about once a month and only > lasted one day. (As compared to when she was nine and had one per > week that lasted 3 days at a time.) since mid-august she has been > having one every 2 weeks and they are lasting 2 days each time. She > has already missed 8 days of school this fall, almost all due to > migraines. We talked with her neurologist on the phone last week > because her next appt. isn't til Dec. 1. She suggested putting her > on > Amerge which is in the Triptan class of drugs, as is Imitrex which is > better known. I started doing some research and it didn't take long > to > find that the Triptans interact with SSRIs because both work by > altering the Seretonin levels in the brain. I called the neurologist > and asked if I should be concerned about Seretonin Syndrome when > combining the 2 meds. She didn't know and suggested I call the pdoc > to > ask him. I left him a voice mail and he called back 5 mins. later > and > said " Absolutely don't do it! " According to him, it could be OK, but > it could also result in Seretonin Syndrome which is very serious and > sometimes lethal. We won't be giving Billie any of the Triptan drugs > while she's on Zoloft. > > These migraines are really disrupting Billie's life. She just gets > her > missed work caught up at school and then she's out again with an > other > migraine. Her therapist is going to begin teaching her biofeedback > which, some studies say, can reduce the frequency and severity of > migraines by 50%. She had tried to teach her when she was 9 but > Billie > was really too young to " get it " at that time. I'm very curious to > know what other folks have tried. > > Kathy > > > > Our list archives, bookmarks, files, and chat feature may be > accessed at: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group// . > Our list advisors are Gail B. , Ed.D., Tamar Chansky, Ph.D., > Aureen Pinto Wagner, Ph.D., and Dan Geller, M.D. Our list moderators > are Birkhan, Castle, Fowler, Kathy Hammes, > Joye, Kathy Mac, Gail Pesses, and Kathy . Subscription > issues or suggestions may be addressed to Louis Harkins, list owner, > at louisharkins@... , louisharkins@... , > louisharkins@... . > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 16, 2004 Report Share Posted November 16, 2004 Kathy- FWIW...I suffer from migraines and have found that I really need to avoid certain 'triggers'...caffeine, hot dogs, chocolate are specifics that come to mind. Does your daughter drink coke/mountain dew/other caffeine containing beverages? I have found that avoidance of the triggers has really helped. Good luck with all this. How astute you were to persue the drug interaction concern! Blessings- (Ohio) Anne (14) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 17, 2004 Report Share Posted November 17, 2004 Yes. This is sometimes true for Billie and for me as well. Kathy > While caffeine triggers migraines in some people, drinking a Coke or a > Mountain Dew at the first sign of one often stops it for other people. Worth a try, > anyway. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 17, 2004 Report Share Posted November 17, 2004 Yes. This is sometimes true for Billie and for me as well. Kathy > While caffeine triggers migraines in some people, drinking a Coke or a > Mountain Dew at the first sign of one often stops it for other people. Worth a try, > anyway. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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