Migraine

I have been diagnosed with migraines by a leading Australian specialist in migraine (who's now retired) who provided some treatment and I've had some since. Anyhow tried a new GP doctor a while ago explained what my medical conditions were including migraine/headaches and the need for continued treatment (to minimise time off work) and therefore was looking for a GP willing to treat and manage them.

Anyhow after some questioning she decided that I had headaches not migraine and therefore she would not treat them (even though I'd shown her the neuro letter advising I had atypical migraine but more importantly outlining the treatment he provided).

Anyhow out of interest I would have thought that if a patient reported and was assessed as having headaches that if they were having many episodes (ie 2 or more per month, or particularly sever) that they should be treated too. Maybe the medication would be different. Is it recommended that people with headache be treated too.

Cheers DJ

Hi DJ!

I'm certainly not a doctor, but I'll give you my opinion...If your "headaches" are interfering with your daily life and causing you significant pain and distress, I would CERTAINLY expect to find a doctor who would provide treatment!

I'd say if your GP is uninterested/unwilling to work with you in this area, it may be time for a new doc. I find it funny that your GP chose to disregard the opinion of a neurologist, as neurologists usually have more training/experience in this area...

Anyway, I'd say to at least look for a new GP, if not a neurologist/headache specialist...

You surely should be able to find help out there somewhere!

jenny

My feeling is that any pain should be adequately treated as quickly as possible. Pain is the body's way of saying something is not right, and should not be ignored.

That said, some pain is more urgent than others, due to underlying factors. But it still should be addressed, since ongoing, untreated or undertreated pain can lead to shifts in the functioning of the central nervous system, which can lead to permanent pain or lessened response to treatment in the future. In other words, letting pain go unchecked can rewire our central nervous systems, making them more sensitive to pain, and less sensitive to treatment.

Bottom line, yes, headaches should be treated too!

DJ,

Short answer - YES! Long answer - Absolutely yes! (If I said it the way I'd like to, I'd have to censor myself!)

But another thing that has to be considered is that treatment for headaches isn't the same as treatment for Migraines. I'd absolutely take Professor Lance's opinion over any GP or even a general practice neuro.

I know it may be more difficult there, but I'd say it's time for a new doctor!

Hi Everyone thanks for all the great answers. Don't worry this GP has been well and truly fired and not only over their attitude around treating migraines and headaches and querying the diagnosis (Prof Lance said they were atypical migraines) but also over other issues as well.

I found an interesting link that's very worth while all checking out as it provides details on how to treat migraines and headaches with flow charts and so forth. There are differing treatments between migraines and headaches as well.

Thanks DJ

http://www.icsi.org/headache/headache__diagnosis_and_treatment_of_2609.html

What an interesting document!

It had a place for magnesium and B-2. I could make a wall chart to show stuff I've tried and what I might consider....

Hi,

Do you have to be a member of that org to see the chart? Nothing came up but a blank screen with the link.

thanks, Bob

Well, I'm glad that the GP is out of the pic.

Hi Chronic I tried the link and it does still work. However it opens up as a PDF document which could be the problem.

It is a good document, freely available on the net and outlines a wide number of treatment options that people can print off to discuss with reluctant doctors (when they have no choice in who they see)

Dragon it is good that the GP is well and truly out of the picture. Luckily we are allowed to consult with any GP we wish to.

Cheers DJ

Hello to All!

Wow! It sounds like the GP you fired, was really on an ego trip. For her to override a neuro's diagnosis, is just nuts. You had your "proof" right there, and she just disregarded it. Who did she think she was? God? It wouldn't surpise me. I also was not surprised to learn that you let her go for other reasons. It just doesn't appear that she was looking out for your best interests or what was right for you. Kudos to you for finding someone different.

When I was younger, before I started getting migraines, I would get my fair share of headaches. The thing that worked the best for me was Anacin. I used to get some pretty bad headaches (although nothing like a migraine), and Anacin treated them very effectively. I haven't taken Anacin in a very long time, and I am not even sure if they still make it. The thing that worked was the combination of aspirin and caffeine. I know extra strength Excedrin has caffeine, aspirin and tylenol. That also worked very well for my "plain" headaches. Anacin was better, though, because the Excedrin was a bit of overkill, with the added tylenol, which never did a thing for me, by itself.

I wish you well in your quest for information about headaches. It is possible for you to have both headaches and migraines. Funny thing is, now that I get migraines, I don't seem to get very many headaches. My migraines got started after a bad car wreck, in which I got whiplash. Prior to that (1980), I had never had a migraine. If I had known then what I know now, I would have sued the guy that hit me for way more than $25,000.00. Ah well, hand sight is twenty twenty, as they say.

Best of luck to you,

Kay

Yes the GP was. This GP has written a book and it's obvious from the book that the GP feels that they are sacrosanct and also qualified to decide if things were stress related or somatic and provide you with "counselling". The last appt (prior to being fired) consisted of the GP trying to convince me I had an anxiety condition (which they were not willing to treat) as I have a heart tachycardia thing which the GP wasn't prepared to read my inof on or take on board rather than discussing the neuro's letter and what atypical migraine means and how to tackle it (ie what can be done to treat both headache and migraine) or trying to learn more about the tachycardia condition even if it meant needing to come back for another appointment to discuss further and allow the GP to get their head around it in the meantime.

Another thing of concern is that this GP seems to feel that people should leave their jobs over health issues or other equally radical things which is often at best a guess work situation anyhow. Also not everyone is in that position, this GP may have a wealthy hubby who can pick up the tab for her but the rest of us don't and have to work so most people would prefer treatment if possible and a proper look at whether it is work related and even if it is to be supported in continuing on in their job whilst they locate something else (and it shouldn't be take the first job that comes along regardless of career impact or cut in pay, it needs to be a job that is equalivant)

Anyhow I hope I do find a good GP as I have thought of seeking one without mentioning the migraines/headaches or tachycardia simply to get non related things done, normal stuff monitored as in keeping with the rest of the population of my age as once I mention either everything is deemed "not necessary" and a fee is wasted. But then if you need short term meds for something else it's important they don't prescribe something that makes the pre existing stuff worse.

Anyhow I am going to be instituting a complaint against this GP. It's just a matter of finding time to discuss it with the relevant body first as they like you to try to resolve it yourself say through a letter or something so would like help with that.

Sorry to hear that your migraines started after the car wreck and that it's too late to get compensation for them so it can pay for work time lost and medical fees and so forth. The Anacin sounded good. It is so often a matter of trial and error whilst working with a good doctor to find the right medication for you.

Thanks for the good wishes. Cheers DJ

Wow, what an intense flow chart. Migraine takes up most of the first several pages with treatments for various migraines.

This seems like a helpful tool.

quote:

Originally posted by DJ:
Hi Everyone thanks for all the great answers. Don't worry this GP has been well and truly fired and not only over their attitude around treating migraines and headaches and querying the diagnosis (Prof Lance said they were atypical migraines) but also over other issues as well.

I found an interesting link that's very worth while all checking out as it provides details on how to treat migraines and headaches with flow charts and so forth. There are differing treatments between migraines and headaches as well.

Thanks DJ

http://www.icsi.org/headache/headache__diagnosis_and_treatment_of_2609.html

DJ, this is not entirely related to the subject but is it possible that your tachycardia is related to your migraine illness?

I have been having tachycardia with migraine illness for years. I suppose in my case, it has to do with activation of the sympathetic nervous system which includes release of adrenaline and other catecholamines. I was also told at one time that I was having panic attacks. Strange, that these problems only crop-up when my migraine illness is out of control.

I take Verapamil 240 mg 2x per day. This medication along with a strict migraine diet used to keep my TC (and migraines for the most part) in check, however, currently it is not working. I have been having daily migraines of one sort or another for almost two months - even after a pulse of prednisone. My upper arm has been painful and my fingers tingly for all of this time.

Last night, I was just sitting on the couch relaxing and watching the television (not a thought in my head) and the out of nowhere, I became tachycardic (120+ beats/min). It lasted for about 45 minutes and finally broke only after I did the bearing down maneuver a few times and massage my carotid artery. As you are aware, it is disconcerting and very uncomfortable. After, I could not stop yawning.

I have an appointment next week with Dr. Mahan Chehrenama at The Neurology & Headache Treatment Center. MAGNUM lists them as a good bet in the mid-Atlantic Region. I and am hoping that she can shed some light on this issue and break the cycle.

I suffer from complex migraine with aura,abdominal migraine, neck migraine, possibly hemiplegic migraine, aura without headache, angina variant, fibromyalgia, CFS and inflammatory spondylarthropathy and connective tissue disease. My stomach stopped working in June (gastroparesis) and I was hospitalized. During the hospitalization, I had mouth numbness, severe head migraine, temp and BP fluctuations, postural hypotention,etc. I now take Reglan with each meal and have modified my diet further to cope with this condition as well. I strongly feel that it too is related to my migraine illness. Unfortunately, the Dr's did not pay attention to these other symptoms, just my stomach and an incidental finding of diverticulitis.

Sorry to keep rambling on about myself (how boring ) ... I wish you the best and hope you feel better.

M