Migraine
Make a connection, ask a question, share a concern, give advice or just chat. Our message boards connect you with a community of people who understand where you’re coming from and what you’re going through.
Migraine Community MyMigraineConnection Archive of Long or Older Conversations Please help..?...about DHE treatment & Diamond Center|
Go
|
New
|
Find
|
Notify
|
Tools
|
Reply
|
|
|
Novice |
Hi,
I am so glad I found this forum. Hello to everyone! I have been reading alot of post..but, I am still scared and confused. My Neuro sent me to a headache center. To make a long story short...the dr. there says I am having rebound headaches from taking to much medications for the migraines that I have been having. So, he wants to send me to the Diamond Center in Chicago, IL. and have DHE treatments. Has anyone been to the Diamond Center in IL?...or taken DHE treatments...which I really don't understand what the treatment is ..I do know it is givin in an IV. I was so shocked I didn't asked too many questions. I hope I can call him tomorrow and try to find out more info. I feel like Migraines are ruining my whole life. Sorry so long and I would really appreciate any help at all. Oh...and does anyone know of a good inpatient in ST. Louis MO?...that would be much easier for me to get there. Lisa |
||
|
Apprentice |
Lisa,
All of this can be so scarie and confusings. I no personalie can takes DHE but I does know many here has and I sure some them will weighs in on it. Same wit Diamond clinic. I no has be there but I suresome one has. I can relates to being kinda scare when seein new specialist doctor and one ting I has learnt to does is brings a tapes recorder and asks if I may records the the apointment so that laters I may relisten. I dids this wit mine neurosurgeon before mine first brain surgerie and omg it help SO much. Even mine Husband was at appoitnemnt and later when we listen to tape (like 5 times) each times we listen we heards someitng new. It amazings how much we can misses as we sits there trying to listens to doc but also confuse and lil bit loss. Another ting I does is week or so befores appoitment I writes down questions that pops up in mine mind and brings them wit me. I is sure you may calls you doctor and asks questions hon. The doc may takes bit to cals back or him or her nurse may calls back but no EVER feels like you no can asks questions. It is you right to does so. I so glad you here. And pleae no evers hestiates to psoting and asks questions here. It has be mine esperienses that the supports and knowledge here is amazeing. It nice to meetings you btw. Hugs fra, Sol  |
|||
|
|
Master |
Hi Lisa
Sorry that you are having these problems. My 13 year old son was sent to Diamond by our local neurologist. He was suffering through several status migraines and also had a chronic daily headache. My son and I flew to Chicago. I can understand how scared you are. I was scared too. I was crying the day before we left. I didn't have any idea what they would do when we got there. We had a nice dr. at Diamond. They admitted my son right away. He did have DHE treatment. They gave him DHE IV every 8 hours for a total of 9 doses. Diamond has an entire floor in the hospital for headache patients. They have a lot of educational activities while you are there too including drug information, biofeedback, diet, support groups etc... Once we were there I felt very comfortable. However, you don't need to go all the way to Chicago for this treatment. This is a common drug used by headache specialists. As a matter of fact, my son used DHE injections at home for a few weeks which did help break his cycle. He was hospitalized by another dr. who also used DHE. Did you look at the list of specialists on this forum? There might be one closer to you. http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/headache-specialists.html Good luck to you. I know you can find a lot of information and support from this forum. Jean Ann |
|||
|
Wizard |
Hi Lisa, welcome to our forums.
I have not been to Diamond and am only familiar with DHE IV anecdotally, but, as Andrew's mom said, the IV treatments can last several days. Some people experience nausea with the treatment and get something for the nausea with the DHE. I can highly recommend Timothy Smith in St. Louis, he's my MD. You might have a wait to see him and may see an associate, Dr. Banks (don't know his first name!) Dr. Smith does IV infusions in his office so you may not have to be hospitalized. Good luck, let us know what you decide.
Deb [url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/]  |
|||
|
|
Master |
Lisa,
I also had DHE done on an inpatient basis "at home." My neurologist had me admitted for 2 days, had an IV started, & every 6 hrs. they gave me DHE, a really powerful steroid & phenergan (I think) because either the DHE or the steroid is well-known for tearing up one's GI tract. The only negative side effect I had (which the nurses told me most patients have) was a terribly itchy, warm bottom. Otherwise, I slept better than I have in years, ate well (an hospital food, no less!) and found myself TOTALLY pain-free for the first time in ten weeks. My family was so glad to welcome a pain-free, relaxed & bright-eyed mama home. So, take it from me, you have little to worry about. They'll take good care of you. You have a very high probability of coming out of this pain-free. You will, in all likelihood (did I spell that right?), sleep very well during the treatment. Best wishes, Rebecca |
|||
|
|
Apprentice |
hi lisa!
i think it's worthwhile to find a good migraine/headache specialist. it sounds like deb has some good recommendations for you. did your doctor tell you how he/she wanted you to come down from the medications you'd been overusing? i know many ppl. here have had first-hand experience w/rebound headaches. you've probably already read teri's article, but in case you haven't, i'll just post it here, it's very helpful for understanding medication overuse headache. http://headaches.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/...articles/moh0805.htm there's another thread going on about DHE IV therapy right now - i'll just repeat what i said there. i had inpatient DHE IV therapy (in conjunction w/phenergan and then reglan) about 6 months into my daily migraines. the 'plan' was for it to break the cycle of the migraines. it allowed me 7 pain-free days, but then the migraines returned just as before. so my neuro sent me for an outpatient round of DHE (again w/an anti-nausea IV as well). this time i only had 2 days pain free, and my doctor felt like these results weren't good enough to continue. for me, it didn't accomplish what we had hoped. but i'm told that for many people it works well and breaks the migraine cycle. i was under the impression that until the overused medication was out of the system, finding a migraine preventative was impossible. hopefully someone will correct me if i'm wrong. but the good news is that once you stop taking whatever it is you're taking, that cycle of headaches should improve, and you should be able to see the migraines or headaches that are underneath. don't know if that made any sense. hopefully. best of luck, i hope this all works out well for you. i'm looking forward to hearing about the results! emily |
|||
|
Maven |
Hi Lisa,
I also see Dr. Smith and Dr. Banks here in St. Louis. They are awesome! I highly recommend calling them. Like Deb said, there may be a wait, but get on their call list and if someone cancels, they'll bump you up to that appointment time and date. They are the Ryan Headache Center...if you google it you'll get their website and info. Dr. Smith is very patient and he listens. He'll work with you to make sure you're getting what you need. I went through rebound too, and had to detox. I wish you the best of luck! aloofelf.blogspot.com myspace.com/leelood5e  |
|||
|
|
Forum Moderator Supreme Guru  |
Please add a big droolie hello and welcome to the pile, Lisa!
 Dragondrool Forum Moderator ~~8=:>>>> |
|||
|
|
Wizard |
Small world Leeloo.
Deb [url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/] |
|||
|
|
Novice |
I don't know how to thank everyone for their fast reply's and SO MUCH HELP! I was a little afraid to post being a newbie..lol...but, everyone has made me feel so welcome.
Here is a little more information about my situation. I am a little embarrassed (sp)..but, I think most of you here will understand...even though most of my family and some of the doctor's I have been in the past just do not understand. I have severe migraines...in fact, I have more test tomorrow. I am extremely sensitive to medications..for some reason the triptans are the worst for me. So, I have been taking everything over the counter I can get to help and also Vicodin....So, much Vicodin that my family dr finially so NO MORE perscriptions for Vicodin. He knows I am completely out and still says NO. So, I end up at the emegency room all the time...too the point ..I am embarrased to go there. I don't know about others, but I am tired of being looked at by doctors, etc. as a drug attic..but, Migraines are just to powerful for me too handle. I finially got into the Headache Care Center in the next largest town from me. The Dr. there almost did not help me ..but, finially...agreed too a perscription of Vicodin ..2 per day...perscription one week at a time ...and only with my husbands word that he will controll them. I am 43 years old...and the doctor made my husband give him his word..he would only let me have 2 per day. Can you imagine how that makes me feel?...At, the same time I am greatful for the Dr. doing that for me...because I was getting ready too lose my mind. I have also suffered for years with depression and anxiety. Thank God my PHYC Dr told my Migraine Dr. I had never misused medication from him. This is the only reason I can think of he want's me to be hospitalized for the DHE IV treatment. For some reason he is set on the Diamond Clinic and no where else. St. Louis is so much closer I would rather go there. I am sorry for the book..and also I am not the best speller...especially when my head is killing me like it is right now. Thanks again for all the help and I will take a look at the links provided in this thread. Lisa Lisa |
|||
|
|
Wizard |
I see you're in SW MO - Springfield has a migraine specialst who is on our list, Dr. Cady. Can you possibly check him out?
Deb [url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/] |
|||
|
Novice |
Lisa,
I have had the DHE IV treatmetns at Diamond several times. I did them because I was in status migraine (migraine that lasts more than 72 hours). It sounds like from what you have said is that your doctor in Springfield wants you to go to Chicago to "detox" off the Vicodin and get you back on the track to health. When I say that you need to detox I'm am not saying that I think you are abusing the Vicodin, but it could be actually making your situation much worse. Please read the article that I have linked below on Medication overuse headache.Medication Overuse Headache - When the Remedy Backfires That being said let me tell you a bit about Diamond. Diamond has one floor of a local hospital that is completely dedicated to their headache patients. The majority of the rooms are private rooms which is a huge help and they do educational classes during the day that are optional to attend but highly recommended. The IV treatments themselves usually last about 3 days for one round. They will start by giving you something for nausea (I always got reglan) through your IV line. Thirty minutes later they come in to start the bag of DHE. It usually takes about 45 minutes to an hour depending on how fast it is dripping. This process is repeated every 8 hours for 9 doses. You also go to daily biofeedback sessions. They teach you how to do biofeedback. The doctors and staff are very nice and since all they deal with are headache patients they have a good understanding of what you are going through. I have never had a problem with insurance paying for this (and I have dealt with several companies). I know Deb mentioned Dr. Smith in St. Louis. I would also highly recommend him. However he doesn't do any kind of inpatient treatments. He does do IV treatments in his office like Deb said for acute treatment when needed. But Dr Smith also refers patients to Diamond when he feels like someone would benefit from their inpatient program. From what I know about Dr. Cady and the Headache Care Center in Springfield it also operates very much the same way that Dr. Smith does. They just aren't set up the way Diamond is to do anything on an inpatient basis. I hope I have been able to help answer some of your questions. Shortone |
|||
|
|
Wizard |
I'm going to just correct one little thing about Dr. Smith and his IV treatments. You can go in whenever you need to for acute treatment, but many people go regulary for IVs as prevention. I spend many months going 3X a week for histamine IVs.
Deb [url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/] |
|||
|
|
Novice |
I am just so surprised at how helpful everyone has been. Thanks so much!
Yes, I think my Dr. is wanting to detox me from the vicodin through the DHE IV treatment. I do go to the Headache Center in Springfield, MO. ( I live about 45 minutes away). I see Dr. Dexter...Dr. Cady(s) partner. For some reason Dr. Dextor wants me inpatient instead of out patient. I am really starting to get scared about going. Thanks again, Lisa Lisa |
|||
|
|
Novice |
That is true Deb. I forgot about the histimine treatments. Thanks for correcting that. My point though is that he doesn't do anything as intense as Diamond does. In my eyes the histamine and acute treatments he offers doesn't quite fall into the same category as doing the DHE around the clock that is often recommended. It is wonderful to have that option though for a particulary stubborn migraine. Shortone |
|||
|
| Previous Topic | Next Topic | powered by eve community |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
|||
| Site | healthcentral.com/migraine | ||
| Servlet | eve1da058 | ||
| Version | 1.2.22 build 9062 | ||
| Module | Forums 4.0.3 | ||
| Stylesheet | "Migraine" | ||
| Wordlet Set | "Default Wordlet Set" | ||
|
Migraine Community MyMigraineConnection Archive of Long or Older Conversations Please help..?...about DHE treatment & Diamond Center
