RE this article: IV Treatment of Refractory Migraines

Hello, and welcome to MyMigraineConnection.com!

I'm really sorry you are having such a rough time. Being in chronic pain is exhausting and debilitating, I know from experience.

Unfortunately, any Migraine prevention medication won't work if we are in a rebound, (Medication Overuse Headache) cycle. That mean taking certain prescription and OTC medications more than 2-3 days a week. So, let's say someone takes percocet every day, to stop the pain, this could lead to Medication Overuse Headache, and all the Migraine medicine in the world won't work. It absolutley stinks and the only way to stop MOH is to stop the offending medication, like percocet, cold turkey. BUT, there are ways to help ease the withdrawal. If your neurologist won't help with that, please talk to your PCP.  This article will explain MOH (forgive me if I've already given it to you) Medication Overuse Headache - When the Remedy Backfires.

Seeing as you are having such a hard time, it may be a good idea to see a Migraine specialist? Neurologists may be fine doctors, but are not experts in any one area because they treat so many different conditions. Migraine specialists devote their entire practice to Migraine disease and headache disorders. We have a patient recommended list you can see HERE. Depending where you are in the pacific NW we have a few doctors in OR, WA, and ID.  

Thank you for creating a SharePost. SharePosts are a form of blogging, and there are many things you can do with them. You can share an experience, suggest something that's helped you, use SharePosts as a Migraine and headache journal, and many other things.

We also have a discussion forum that you may want to check out. Especially if you have questions or are looking for information, you may find the interaction on the forum to be quite helpful. We hope to see you there. To get to the forum, just look for the orange box marked "Manage" and click on the Migraine Forums link. Because our forums are maintained by a third party, you'll need to register for the forum. You can use the same information you used to create your community log-in if you like. If you want to go directly to the forum, you can click HERE.

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Welcome again,

If you have such strong feelings about thinking your doctor cannot work with you - maybe it's time to move on.

See "Is your doctor right for you" and see how he/she measures up.

No one should have to live in constant pain.

As Nancy said, it could be MOH, which your doctor should be able to help you with.....but if you guys are not meshing well, then that can be a problem.

Doctor/patient relationship is really important, especially in migraine treatment. Considering the amount of pain we are in, and the fact it is an invisible and most of the time misunderstood illness.

Good luck to you! I hope you get some relief very, very soon!

I've followed instructions.  I've been a good girl.  I've stayed on the program of IV treatment of refractory migraines for six weeks now.  I've lost my job and my medical insurance.  The treatment requires I get out of bed, dress, drive into down town, walk around a block size building as the major construction going on right in front of the building does not allow any drop offs, wait to be paged into the back, go through the two to two and half hour long treatment with a bucket in my lap, sunglasses on my eyes against flourescent lighting and ear plugs in my ears against the communal noise, sitting in a chair that really doesn't recline, fighting against the stress the medications puts my body under, only to finally try to walk out and around to meet up on the other side of the building with my ride (if my husband can drive me). 

I met with my regular doctor, she said she'd call the specialist; or get me an appointment (which is usually a 6-8 wk wait).  I never heard back.  My husband saw her yesterday, she asked about me.  He explained under no uncertain terms how the treatment does NOT work for me, how I spend at least another 24 hours in bed just trying to recover from its side-effects.  How I barely get enough time to do laundry, put a load in or switch machines before I have to go back to bed.  I can barely sit here looking at the screen to post this.  But I need to vent or die.

If she wants me to see this supposed specialist who apparently isn't interested in pain relief at all, from what I've heard, I'll have to fire them both and start over.  If I cannot find another insurance company, I might be out in the cold anyway.  If I were actually a drug addict, I would have found other ways to get my fix by now.  But being a retired cop, I don't do that.  I have never been in such incapaciating agony, banging my head against concrete doesn't hurt.  And no one professional can or will help.  Instead, I am trying not to commit the ultimate sin today, which happens to be my 50th birthday.

Since 2001 I suffer from Migraines. Daily.    They have gotten worse over the past five years.  I keep trying to work as a social worker in a nursing home.  My work is not supportive.  One of my triggers is scents.  Nursing homes are full of scents.  I asked for a no scent policy but they will not do it.

I try all sorts of treatments but the side effects make me so sick.  The only  hope that I have are narcotics.  So far I have found a doctor who is really commited to helping me.  We will see how long that last.  He'll get sick of me too eventually I'm sure.  I am searching for help and I don't know that there is any except to find others who suffer as I do and to know that I am not alone.  It is a scary feeling alone and that no one knows or understands what you are going through, dragging yourself through your life hour by hour.

Hang in there an hope that there is some out there that maybe will help us.