Migraine

Well, it seems like a miracle but I made it through the work day. I left a bit early but I don't much care. I was mostly useless anyway - anyone else on my team would have stayed home, but I didn't have much choice. Can't stay home every day I don't feel well or I'd have to quit my job. That doesn't matter though, because I'm home now and in my pjs.

Nancy, thanks for the reminder that you guys will help me get to May. I do feel better having that date on my appointment, and being able to make a new ticker.

Megs, you're right, and I will be extra nice to myself. I just got another relaxation CD in the mail today so I have some variety. And DBF did make those brownies last night so I'll have those for at least a few days!

Candace, you put it well, about doctors shuffling patients like a deck of cards. That's exactly how I felt at the last place, with the doctor I fired. Some of the issues aren't the doctor's doing, but they're not my job to deal with either, so I'm moving on. I didn't tell this doc directly that I fired her, so I can always call up and get in for an IV if I need to. Knowing I have that option feels better than nothing. I wish for both of our sakes that we weren't twins in this right now!!

I'm trying to remember to take this just one step at a time, one breath at a time need be. I know I can do this, but this pain just makes everything so much harder sometimes. Hopefully this depression will pass soon. Normally the worst of it does. I can deal with the more mild depression I get with the migraines, but this worse depression is really, well, depressing!!

I'm hanging in there though, thanks to all of you, and DBF. I'm already feeling a smidge better than I did earlier today.

Aw MJ with this disease, its hard to stay positive all the time! I would say you do a pretty darn good job of it most of the time, let your self have a few down days. It happens to the best of us!

My question is, instead of the one day IV treatment,(which I agree.. waste of time and barely phases pain..) is it possibly time to try to get your fired Dr to admit you into the hospital for perhaps a few days to give your body a rest from pain? They can give you constant IV refractory treatment, and pain meds. Maybe thats just the reset you need to get you through till your new Dr Appt.

I know it stinks even thinking about going to hospital for a few days, but.. sounds to me like your body needs it right now. Just a thought hun!

from your neighbor down south,
Tawsha

Tawsha, I think you may be right that I may have to see about getting one of my docs to help me out at least until I can get in with the new guy. I may call up my neuro (the one who referred me to the new specialist, the doc who is actually helpful) and see if he'll prescribe a course of steroids for me or something, to try to break this. I'm not sure if he does that for his migraine patients or not but it may be worth the phone call.

If that doesn't work out I may have to try for some sort of multi-day IV treatment, whether that's inpatient or not. That I may have to go through the fired specialist for. Obviously I'd rather not do a hospital stay. I have been thinking about it though. One of the big reasons I want to see another doctor is because it is definitely time for more aggressive treatment of this pain. It's not going to go away on its own - I think we can all agree on that!

I am going to give this some more thought, but not tonight. Tonight I'm going to rest. Thanks for checking in on me!

back to you! Do you know what happened to our sun and warm weather?

In any event, if you continue to be so depressed, please discuss that at least with your "awesome" neurologist. There may be something the doctor can do to help with that aspect of it, at least, until you can get in to the new specialist. Feeling down about our health sometimes is totally normal in our situation. When it gets so bad that the depression makes it hard for you to get up and go to work, and the depression that severe continues for a couple of weeks, it's past the "normal" point. Time to get help. And help is available; you don't have to suffer.

OK, now I'm afraid I've been on a soap box. Take the best possible care of yourself, MJ. I think it's amazing what you accomplish with the amount of head pain you have.

Good MJ do check into it! And Nutcrackers right, You dont have to suffer with the depression of the disease! My DH and I were discussing that just this morning, though Im not depressed yet, just very frustrated with the daily pain. It gets really wearing on a person.

As far as the sunny warm weather.. Well I think those 2 days were just a bit of a fluke Sure was nice though! Im so ready for summer! rain rain go away!!! Oh wait this is Washington...
Teee Heeee

Take care hun! Have a great day!

Tawsha

Yep, your sun and warm weather moved up here to Missouri. Actually, it's quite cool in my house right now but I believe it's to get into the 70s today. And we can use the sun, too. Too much flooding around here.

I hope you're doing much better...Hang in there. It's tough, but we're here for you.

MJ--

I can't tell you how much it helped when we got my depression under control. And of course antidepressants often are used as migraine preventives. It's been nearly 3 years and I wouldn't give up my psychiatrist for anything. Working with her really helps me keep a grip on the real me versus the migrainous me.

Looks like you've worked out a good back-up plan. I also think that a hospitalization to break this particular migraine might be in order. I did exactly the same thing once--was hospitalized for IV treatment by a doctor who I didn't tell I was leaving, so I could make it thru until the new doc's appt.

Tracie

Well, I woke up this morning in better spirits. The depression certainly isn't gone, but it's better, and I am thankful for that. I talked to my mom (a migraineur and a therapist) for almost an hour last night, and that helped. I do need to add a mental health professional of some sort to my healthcare team. I saw a psychologist last summer for a few sessions through my EAP which helped me get through a rough patch, but it really might not be a bad idea to see if my PCP can refer me to someone. (Plus a psychologist can only do so much since they're not MDs.)

I'm on an antidepressant right now as a preventive (nortriptyline) but it's not doing anything for my migraines or my depression. I've been on it just about a year now and reached the max dose my body will tolerate, so as far as I'm concerned it's useless. That's a different vent though.

I will be calling my old neuro today about a steroid pack or something to see if he can help me out. I'll be sure to post and let you guys know what happens.

I am doing better - thanks for the hugs and pushes to get some more help. You guys are right that I don't need to suffer like this. I've been living in pain too long and sometimes I forget that it's not normal.

Thanks guys!

Ok, I called my old neuro's office, and his nurse gave me a little bit of maybe tough love, maybe an attitude. I don't know. She said she would check with him but since he's out of ideas he probably can't help. So I also called the new specialist and attempted to leave a message with the nurses - didn't quite get through the phone tree correctly but the guy I talked to said they would give me a call back. He (like everyone else there I've talked to) was very nice so I feel like he will actually pass on the message.

If neither of these pan out, I'll call the fired specialist. If nothing else I can go in for another in-office IV treatment.

I'll post again when I hear something more.

Sounds good MJ!

I'm glad to hear you are being proactive in this!!! That is always a plus in trying to get things taken care of faster.

Hi MJ--

While I agree that there's "only so much" a psychologist can do.. they can still be pretty useful! You saw how much of a difference just talking to your mom made... now grated, she's your mom.

Now, don't anyone get offended, as I understand that antidepressants can be the bees knees, the cats meow or your personal savior. *throat clear* Don't assume that a drug, meant to correct a chemical imbalance will really fix a problem that's all in the mind and in the heart. If you're feel down trodden and discouraged because you're dealing with chronic pain, chronic discouragement, chronic disappointment, it's my opinion that your brain is probably making all the good stuff it's supposed to... let's face it---life is painful! Therapy can help you sort that out, shore yourself up and keep perspective. I'm all about drugs when they're needed (and I totally get that antidepressants are used as very effective preventatives) but I think an effective counselor is worth their weight in gold! I think you know that already, but I wanted to encourage you, maybe a session or two could refresh your resolve?

I need to start keeping these great articles that I read somewhere so I can reference them... but I read one once on chronic pain and how it actually changes how the brain reacts and fires... it's impact on me was just that what I was going through was something real and impacting... that can be a huge inner battle.. "It's just a headache." even though you know there's nothing "just" about it! The guilt for not being able to do everything you want to be able to. Those are things you that can be lurking under the surface sometimes... just a thought.

I hope you get some answers from some of your doctors sometime soon!! ...and that you continue on the upswing mood-wise... I know it can make all the difference!

Quick update, I got a call back from my neuro's office. He suggested I take Frova twice a day for six days to see if that will give me any relief. It may, but I also have a high risk of MOH, as even three days of Frova normally gives me MOH. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to try this. I haven't heard back from the new specialist's office yet.

Candace, I completely agree with you that psychologists can do a lot. And they have helped me in the past. What I left out of my original post is that the psych I talked to last summer doesn't have much experience with chronic illness so she was helpful to talk to, yes, but couldn't offer much in the way of coping strategies. I also go back and forth about whether antidepressants would be beneficial. Most of the time my depression is mild, I only get the worse depression like what I had earlier this week every so often. I go back and forth about it.

I may call up my EAP for a referral again, except I need to check first to see if I've used my benefit up for the year. My mental health coverage through my insurance is also not very good. Not that that will keep me from going - I'll find a way to make it work.

Figures - mentally I'm feeling better today and I totally get slammed. Pain was up to an 8 a little while ago, still pretty high, and I don't have anything to take for it other than my ice pack. And I'm going to take some promethazine momentarily to help the nausea. I'm feeling extra irritated at my last specialist that she wouldn't even discuss any rescue meds with me other than saying "they don't work".

Tomorrow I will be calling my PCP as Candace wisely suggested on another thread, and trying the new specialist again. I've already taken three doses of Imitrex in the past week, so I'm not sure how I feel about adding six days' worth of Frova to that. I had to wait for the 24 hours between abortives anyway.

I'm going to bed in a little while. DBF got home from shopping a little while ago so he's taking care of me now. Hoping I don't feel like this in the morning - usually a night's rest knocks the pain down so I'm hoping that's the case.

MJ,

I couldn't help but notice you are on Topamax. When I was at the 75mg dosage the side effects were kicking my butt and really taking a toll on my body. My migraines were worse than ever and I was stuck in bed for days because the nausea, fatigue and dizziness were so bad. I missed so much work on this dose. I was so bad at this dose that I actually feared moving up to 100mg.

When my Neurologist put me on 100mg it was much of the same with a decrease in side effects. Now I am on a steady 125mg/day and I love it! The side effects have virtually diminished and I've been migraine free since 1 April. While I do get some small headaches I can sleep them off or eat a snack and they are gone!

A little history on me: I am 23, medically retired from the USAF at 22 due to Chronic Severe Migraines. I woke up with the worst headache of my life in 2005 and had no idea what it was. A few hours into it I was throwing up and finally passed out in the ER. My husband (then boyfriend) called my Dr, got the approval and rushed me to the ER. I have been having these things since. I have been put on 3 preventatives, Elavil, Propanolol, and Topomax. I have been prescribed Midrin, Maxalt, Zomig, Fiorinal, Migranal, Imitrex tabs and some other medications I can't recall at the moment. My Drs now have me carry around an Imitrex Injector kit with me wherever I go and I always have at least 6 shots ready to go. I don't get any aura with my migraines I just get full blown pain and start barfing, so my husband has been trained to administer my shot. My family has a history of aneurisms and I am at an increased risk for them as well.

I have been through it all. I was very skeptical about the Topamax. When I started experiencing all the side effects I cried because I didn't want to start another medication and get used to that and I was starting to lose hope. But my Neuro upped my dose 1 April and things have been awesome! I have noticed such a change and I feel like there is hope again. My husband even says he is so happy to have me back and he can tell it is working! I'm sorry this is long but I just wanted to tell you there IS HOPE!! I didn't think there was, but I'm proof! I went from having 4 migraines a week to ZERO in 17 days! That is progress!!

I hope you feel better and I wish you continued success on the road to recovery!

You might want to talk to your Neuro your dose. In addition, if you take birth control, you might want to take something for nauseas, car rides can be torture.

MJ,

One more question...

Could the Imitrex Statdose Pen be an alternative for you? It works wonders if taken within the first 6 hours of an attack and I get relief within 15 seconds. However for me it makes me pass out, which is great because it bonds to the pain receptors in the brain long enough to allow you to sleep and get the body back to normal! This decreases ER visits and allows you to treat yourself. I will only go to the ER after this has not worked. I have never once been hassled after my husband has told an ER tech or Dr that I had an injection and it didn't work.

If you haven't already, I would bring this up to your Dr!