Any advice for migraine problems???

[Guest guest]

HI ya'll,

I've always had migraines but I've been having way too many (1 is too

many!)lately. About 2 a week for the last 6 months or so. Sometimes

I might go a week but that is rare. They are debilitating and in my

life right now I can't be debilitated. I have tried everything from

growing my own feverfew to all the newest meds. Only Frova has been

able to help but they are 7 dollars a pill (with insurance!). Who

can afford that? So I beg samples at every doc I see (I once even

came close to accosting a Merck representative that was waiting to

see my doctor to demand a reason why these pills have to be so

outrageously expensive!)or put off taking it, try to tough it out or

take a high powered pain med. which I don't like to do either. I've

seen a neurologist that specializes in migraines and we have tried

Migrelief, which gave me the runs, Magnesium-same side effect, and

also Depakote, which worked pretty well as a preventative but I can't

afford it either.

I was slated to be part of a lupus study but was told that I really

was more of a fibro. candidate. Now those folks are saying I can't

be in the fibro study because I also have lupus. I always seem to

fall between the cracks. In the meantime, I feel like I''M cracking!

Anyone have similar experience?

Danged if I do, danged if I don't,

Gloria

[Guest guest]

Yea Gloria ..

I know exactly what you are talking about ..

I told the last drug salesman that I was going to hi-jack his sample

case!!

I picked up 7 prescriptions this morning at Walgreens ..

I take a total of 13 prescriptions per month ..

I have a co-pay .. and even so, I had to write out a check for $210

for the 7.. and these are the cheap ones.. sighs..

I have tried everything for my migraines ..

so far right now .. I am just treading water .. and making do ..

I cannot afford this last migraine med.. my insurance wont cover it

because it is a new med, or brand .. oh heck, I forget why .. but I

cannot afford $189 for 14 pills.

The last time the migraine got so bad, I ended up in the ER and they

admitted me .. ended up doing the IV DHE 45 for three days .. that was

fun .. I saw colors like I was tripping for almost 3 weeks after that

visit. The stuff infused in my arm muscle instead of the vein .. and I

tripped my way through the month. smiles.. got rid of the migraine

though!!

I grew up in the 70's and tried all kinds of drugs .. man .. this

stuff could be marketed as brown acid .. the colors were just the same!!

The thing that keeps my migraines at bay .. is keeping myself hydrated

with LOTS of water, plus I eat or drink no caffeine, no MSG, low salt,

no nitrates (like in processsed meats, hot dogs, etc), no alcohol

(especially red wine) and avocado. I dont know what it is about that

avocado .. but it will set off a migraine every time in me.

[Guest guest]

Dear Gloria,

I have suffered from menstrual migraines since I was 14...I'm now 45

and just had a total hysterectomy three weeks ago. A motivator was

getting rid of the migraines, believe it or not, although that was't

the main reason for the the hysto! I had really bad endometriosis

and a couple of mongo cysts, plus I KNOW that my hormones made my

lupus and fibro worse every month. And PMS, oh my gosh...we won't

even go there.

So, what have I done with migraines. My neurologist has had me on

the following meds for my migraines: 4800 mg Neurontin (gabapentin)

daily (2400 in the morning, 2400 at night.) Neurontin has changed my

life...no kidding. It has monumentally reduced the severity of my

migraines (not the frequency however), and also monumentally helped

my pain levels from fibro and lupus. If I wasn't taking Neurontin, I

wouldn't be doing what I am today (I am a camp director for a summer

camp....) Also my neurologist had me on hormone patches (Vivelle)

during the " high " headache season...when I ovulated, the two or three

days before my period, first two or three days of, and then the last

day or two of and after. So a total of about 6-10 days a month. The

hormone patches helped all of my hormone related problems, especially

the migraines and my PMS...oh yes, we are NOT going there! An

earlier doc had put me on Prozac for migraines and PMS; I'm not sure

if it did a whole lot for either, but I have read that the seretonin

management of Prozac is a very important ingredient in pain

management.

I also take Maxalt when I have a migraine. It is a triptan class

drug, like imitrex, and has worked well for me, although I have to

take at least two doses of it (2 hours apart) for it to take away 70%

of the migraine. Of course, insurance will only pay for 10 a month,

so that is only three and one third days treatment. To buy the pills

off of insurance is around $25 a piece. It pisses me off, excuse my

language please.

Occasionally I use caffeine against really severe migraines, although

I know that this is only a temporary solution and the rebound effect

is only worth it when I'm really desparate. And of course, there is

the gallon sized zip loc bag, filled with ice, placed on top of the

head. It works best in combination with two vicodin. LOL.

I know I sound like a druggie, but migraines have ruled my life,

along side with lupus and fibromyalgia for as long as I can

remember. I don't know if any of this helps, but if you haven't

connected migraines to hormonal fluctuations yet, you might want to

just check and see. And rebound headaches (from too many pain meds

or too much caffeine) are a serious problem. I have gotten so that I

know if a headache is a rebound, and if it is, I stop all of the pain

meds and maxalt, and live with the bag of ice for 48 hours. It

usually goes away, until the hormones fluxuate again.

BUT, yeah, I don't have those ovaries anymore!!!! And I am working

on finding the right dose of hormone replacement to keep my just

right. I have to say, that I have gone for three weeks without a

migraine...every since the day of my surgery...and I am guardedly

optimistic that a decrease (or elimination??? if I could be so

blessed???) of migraines may be a great side benefit of having a

hysterectomy.

I'd love to chat with you privately if you want anymore of my

migraine survival skills. I just want to point out that NOTHING I

did or changed in my lifestyle eliminated my migraines...they were

hormonal and came like clockwork.

Take care, and I hope some of this rambling stuff helps.

> HI ya'll,

> I've always had migraines but I've been having way too many (1 is

too

> many!)lately. About 2 a week for the last 6 months or so.

Sometimes

> I might go a week but that is rare. They are debilitating and in

my

> life right now I can't be debilitated. I have tried everything

from

> growing my own feverfew to all the newest meds. Only Frova has

been

> able to help but they are 7 dollars a pill (with insurance!). Who

> can afford that? So I beg samples at every doc I see (I once even

> came close to accosting a Merck representative that was waiting to

> see my doctor to demand a reason why these pills have to be so

> outrageously expensive!)or put off taking it, try to tough it out

or

> take a high powered pain med. which I don't like to do either.

I've

> seen a neurologist that specializes in migraines and we have tried

> Migrelief, which gave me the runs, Magnesium-same side effect, and

> also Depakote, which worked pretty well as a preventative but I

can't

> afford it either.

> I was slated to be part of a lupus study but was told that I really

> was more of a fibro. candidate. Now those folks are saying I can't

> be in the fibro study because I also have lupus. I always seem to

> fall between the cracks. In the meantime, I feel like I''M

cracking!

> Anyone have similar experience?

> Danged if I do, danged if I don't,

> Gloria