Migraine

im sorry yall I fele like i have been venting an AWFUL lot..

ok been status migranus for over 2 weeks now, 3 er/urgent care trips, on the last one the ER dr AND my neuro said out of ideas, go home.. we tried everything we can think of for your type of migraines.

Neuro decided to try a nerve block today. So we go crazy tryin to figure out how to get there in time, and I get the shots. OHHH nelly my lil ol nerves were MAD!! Migraine became blinding, little flashy lights go insane... TOTALLY made things worse. the outside of my head was numb lol but the inside wasnt touched!

THEN we get home and check the mail. My insurance denied our outside referral request to the Oregon Headache Clinic! I was able to see her NEXT week!!! there is just NO way we can pay for it on our own. They did tell me I could go to a Dr. Hubert Leonard from Legacy Good Samaratin. He has a most impressive resume and he is a migranaur as well, so he sounds like a pretty good Dr, BUT he is 2 months out!

So now I'm left, weekend,again,still status migranus, ALL drs went home early, when we tried to call the neuro to tell her the nerve block did NOT help, what do we do now, for the weekend, she is gone! The ER has no new orders, they dont know what to do, and here i sit STILL with migraine through antoher weekend. pointless to go to er or urgent care as they dont know what to do, nero dont know what to do, ARRRRRGGGGGGGG!! AND now looking at 2 months before seeing NEW neuro! and its not the one i wanted!

I am just done. I have taken about all I can take Sat there and cried in frustration a bit ago, but that just made the migraine worse.

I'm so, so sorry to hear that you are having such a rough time. That really ##### about your insurance...

I can't really say anything that will help, other than that you have my sympathy and are in my thoughts.

Lots of love,

- Sarah

Is someone covering call for your neurologist? Even if she's off for the weekend, someone ought to be taking care of patients' calls.

Seems to me that the ER could try something old that might not have worked in the past. Doesn't mean it won't work this time. Somehow, doing SOMETHING is better than doing nothing. If nothing else, they could give you something for anxiety, to help you through the isolation of the weekend.

How frustrating to have to wait another two months! I'm sure you'll make it, but what a bummer!

Hang in there!

Gretchen in Mississippi

Normally, I wouldn't believe your doc couldn't find a way to stop your status migrainous except that my MIGRAINE SPEC didn't take mine seriously enough either to care when I was in that state a year ago when I saw him for the first time.

You and me, hun! I am so, so sorry.

Teri always says status migrainous is a medical emergency and I agree (for whatever THAT'S worth), but most docs and my migraine spec don't care. We languish until new preventatives start working or we die.

I'm down on the migraine industry right this minute.

Attack continues. Med taken two hours ago haven't done a thing.

Try an appeal with the insurance. Have the neuro that's out of ideas communicate with them. Emphasize that you've used a lot of ER services recently that possibly could be avoided in the future with expert care.

I know you probably don't feel that you can handle this with the way you're feeling right now, but please try and don't give up.

I think you said also that the Oregon Headache people would let you do a payment plan if the insurance wouldn't cover. And that would give you time to complete your appeals with the insurance, also. You might not have to go there that often. So talk to the clinic and see what you can work out.

You really, really, need this care. In this condition, I don't know how you can wait two months. (I guess if you absolutely have to, you will, but please try to find a way to get the care you need sooner.)

Possibly the doctor they approved can keep you on a list in case of cancellations?

AW ty for your replies!
Gwp,
The way Keiser works is they have an advice nurse on call who just tells you to go to one of keisers urgent care centers or their hospital. There the drs just follow the nuros notes there is an on call neuuro im sure, as they called one last time.

Medieval,
I have hemiplegic migraines, so im very limited on what meds they can use to stop a migraine. We have tried numerous, but im SURE theres something my neuro doesnt know about that I can have...
SS your attacks continue I truly hope you get feelin better and meds work!

Nutcracker,
We have already started the appeals process, but in talking to the lady it will most likely get denied. The way Keiser does it is that we have to go through THEIR list of drs first. When that dont work, you can get an outside referral, but it has to be through their "contracted outside drs" after that then they MAY consider the Drs outside their contracted list.

My DH siad that this afternoon if still migraining(not doin so hot this am darn it) He is just gonna take me to their hospital and REFUSE to leave until mymigraine is gone. He says if they wont pay for the Dr next week, they darn well gonna pay a LOT of ER or hospital bills!!! silly man I love him! I had showed him the link about inpatient IV until migraine gone.. He cant figure out WHY the drs havent done that yet!

Not that i wanna go to hospital or er at all, but im truly getting concerned they have missed something that is causing this migraine nonstop. In the past I have been stuck with auras for weeks and weeks, but the pain came and went every couple days. This time the pain isnt going away either. (Last time dr said i was still nonstop migraine, had 5 days of pain but then it stopped. auras continued as well as the hemiplegic symptoms. he said was "silent migraine") eventually that one went away on its own.

I do know what your going through and I too don't understand why my specialist can't even give me one pain free day in 3yrs. Insurance company referrals are just a pain in the ###. For the last 12yrs I have worked for a family practice office and deal with insurance referrals on a daily basis and I still don't always understand them. Sometimes the more noisy you are with them the better results. When you call them ask to speak with a referral nurse because the people at customer service do not know what they are doing. The are not trained properly.

Good Luck,
Deb

I don't know if you have seen this article or not, and I don't know if people who have Hemiplegic migraines can take anything on this list, but I thougth it was worth sendign you the link.

IV Treatment of Refractory Migraines

It might be a shot showing it to your neuro or the ER docs.

I am praying for you and sending hugs your way.


Kelly

momsbreak, I am so sorry to hear that things are not going so well for you. I'm glad to hear your DH is at least keeping the humor going.

Know that you have lots of hugs coming from my part of the state.

Well we went to urgent care, saw a grat dr wh FINaLLY understood that yes im in an unbreakable migraine, and YES i should go in for iv refractory treatment. he tried oxygen, toridon and that one that starts with a d(steroid iv) and none of it worked, He DID give me phenegran suppository. In not long i was nausea free for first time in weeks! That alone made me feel bit better.

Then he said I needed to be admited, as they arent set up to moniter me on certain meds properly, so he send me to ER. Wish he woulda just admited me as ER did the bandaid and send ehr home crud.

Er gave me ativan and dilouded 2 treatments of each then sent me home with a prescrip of ativan trying to tell me that they use that as a migraine breaker. I havent herd of that has anyone else?
a week ago they gave me ativan for a seizure/anxiety reaction to compazine. Im confused. today the migraine is still there.

My neuro prescribed me lorazepam (generic for Ativan) to help with my sleep issues. It's an anti-anxiety med, I think. I only took it once as it made me extremely dizzy and nauseous, and didn't help me sleep.

My neuro also warned me it is potentially addictive, and it's possible to develop a tolerance to it. Make sure you follow the script directions very carefully!

Sorry to hear you're still stuck with the same migraine. That has to be really tough for you.

Some more hugs for you in the meantime.

I took Ativan for several years for anxiety. I've got Major Depression in addition to the migraines, and the Ativan was part of the depression treatment strategy. I don't remember why I stopped taking it, but I've done well without it.

I'd give it a try. I didn't have any severe side effects, and it did help as part of my general treatment plan.

I'm glad you got some treatment.

Gretchen in Mississippi

Sorry Momsbreak. Unforunatally A lot of thing's can go wrong in our world. Fortunally though we can survive. We survive by talking and sharing our problem's. For every problem there is an answer. We just have to find it. I'am struggling too. It's not migrain exactly just side effect of living with the problem. I need to post about it. I'am finding myself just sitting here and doing nothing. But you hang in there. I've lived the migraine life too long. I know there is no obstacle that can't be overcome. Don't give up, Never quit. This monster is beatable. Trust me it is. 20 year's ago it wasn't. There has been huge stride's though in the treatment and control of Migraine's. Insuarance, Yuch. That's another battle. Just fight and stand you'r ground. I wish I could pull the knowelege out of my wife's head. She can beat them people like no one I've ever seen. You really need to talk to her. She is good. But you hang in there. I will get her to think on it. She can be really good help. Guess 30 year's experiance help's.

Oh honie, I am so sorry you are having such a rough time right now. I totally understand how you feel, as I am kinda feeling that way myself. It can get to be so frustrating. But please hang in there. Maybe you need to find a new specialist if your current one is not taking you seriously. That is my next approach. Just know that I am here for you. You can get my email from Teri and we can talk privately, if you need to.

quote:

Originally posted by MedievalWriter:
Normally, I wouldn't believe your doc couldn't find a way to stop your status migrainous except that my MIGRAINE SPEC didn't take mine seriously enough either to care when I was in that state a year ago when I saw him for the first time.

You and me, hun! I am so, so sorry.

Teri always says status migrainous is a medical emergency and I agree (for whatever THAT'S worth), but most docs and my migraine spec don't care. We languish until new preventatives start working or we die.

I'm down on the migraine industry right this minute.

Attack continues. Med taken two hours ago haven't done a thing.

I am sorry it has taken me so long to reply - I have been down and out myself. I did the ER thing Friday morning and did not get much help, either. I'm just wondering why the urgent care dr did not send orders with you to be admitted or something. I really hope you can talk to your DR tomorrow and maybe he will admit you to break the cycle. As far as the insurance goes, all I know is to just keep fighting them. Maybe other members will have some good ideas to help you, or Teri. I have not had insurance in so long, I wouldn't know where to begin. I am hoping the ativan and dilaudid at least allowed you to get some rest. I can't remember your meds, but are you on any anti-depressant? I am on Effexor Xr and it helps, but I still get to that point you are at from time to time. It is hard not to when you live with a chronic illness, especially when you can not get a break from the pain for a long period of time. Good luck and please keep us posted!

quote:

Originally posted by momsbreak9:
Well we went to urgent care, saw a grat dr wh FINaLLY understood that yes im in an unbreakable migraine, and YES i should go in for iv refractory treatment. he tried oxygen, toridon and that one that starts with a d(steroid iv) and none of it worked, He DID give me phenegran suppository. In not long i was nausea free for first time in weeks! That alone made me feel bit better.

Then he said I needed to be admited, as they arent set up to moniter me on certain meds properly, so he send me to ER. Wish he woulda just admited me as ER did the bandaid and send ehr home crud.

Er gave me ativan and dilouded 2 treatments of each then sent me home with a prescrip of ativan trying to tell me that they use that as a migraine breaker. I havent herd of that has anyone else?
a week ago they gave me ativan for a seizure/anxiety reaction to compazine. Im confused. today the migraine is still there.