ER and migraine treatment

By suffering in Vermont Saturday, November 17, 2007

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I just wanted to comment on Teri's post on ER's treatment of patient's that sometime must go to the ER for treatment for an Migraine. I call my migraines (Categorie 5 Hurriacane going off in my head). As recent as Sept. 9th of this year I was taken by ambulance because I was in bad shape no vision, and I had lost (and I'm sorry to be so graphic) bodily fuilds and this happens when a person is dying and my husband didn't know what to do. I was unresponsive my BP was extremely high pupil were fixed by the time the ambulance arrived I was coming out of it but I lost feeling on my left side but the pain in my head was undescribable. so off to the ER I went with family member in tow, wills intact,donor card ready, DNR ready. And, of course my PCP was not on call so I was stuck with an unfamiliar ER doctor that look like he could care less if I was there or not, he sent in a nurse the normal vitial signs, dumb question which at that point I could barley understand or answer it sounded like she was screaming but I know she wasn't then the power puking starting again what a mess, and the doctor shot dirty looks at me and called for the cleaning crew, tuff for him. He looked at me and say what seems to be the problem (uh duh) come closer and I'll rip your head off and then you can asks me what the problem is? I'll send you down for a CT scan but you know its 2:00 a.m. my head hurts and you think I know what time it is or if I care what time it is the only thing I care about it I want the pain to go away I to die simple as that!

After laying on that small little bed for two hours waiting for a CT scan I looked at my husband and said I'm out of here, I'll go home and die faster. The doctor heard what I said and he came over and said do want something for pain (uh duh) like yesterday when I came in!!!! It's a migraine not a headache if it were a headache I would have taken a simple advil.................... his reply and your going to love this one I know it did it took all my husband had to hold me back from slapping that doctor so hard that his grandchildren would have felt it a (migraine is a bad headache that's all). And then I got the bill $1580.00 now that would give anyone a headache............living with migraine in Vermont

Comments (13) | Add comment

Nancy Harris Bonk, Health Guide

11/17/07 9:45am

pick a different ER or Urgent Care?

Have you found a Migraine specialist yet? Where in VT are you?

suffering in Vermont

11/17/07 2:02pm

Dear lord Teri, yes Big Smile

he is one of the top 10 in the country hard to get into but he excepted me into his practice. And I'm happy to say after a 2 hr. exam and discussion about my medications we have a plan and it's been working thus far (maybe that's why his to 10 in the country) he works in Washington fighting for funding for Migraine Research. He prescribed TOPAMX 25 mg 3x a day along with the rest of my meds. I'm not sure if I mentioned that I have a ( brain tumor that can't be removed) a whole other story but I haven't had a migraine since starting the TOPAMAX even with the stress my family has been undergoing with my middle daughter at this time (very ugly divorce with a 2 year old child) this alone breaks my heart. And belonging to this group Teri I'm blessed I want to Thank you and everyone that is here that belongs to this very special group that understands that migraines are not just headaches. blessed be dear sister

Nancy Harris Bonk, Health Guide

11/19/07 12:32pm

I know exactly who your Dr. is. I met him in Chicago. Way cool doctor. Hang in, he will find something that works.

Teri Robert, Health Guide

11/20/07 2:24am

Hi there!

It was actually Nancy who replied to you, but when I read your comment, I knew immediately who your doctor is. I was with him in DC in September for Headache on the Hill. We're working on a patient part of that project now. Please watch our site for more info soon!

Teri

suffering in Vermont

11/21/07 12:17pm

You bet he's way cool! He's the best of the best! I guess I boasted to soon about not having a migraine gals, I went 22 days without one and then it hit like a baseball bat but I worked through it without having the pain meds, the ER trip. I reverted back to my yoga breathing, visualation, hot/cold packs and the loving touch of my husbands hands and together we worked throught it. We both kept it calm with all the blinds shut, phones shut off, cells shut off, doors locked of course my husband asks company to return at a better time. The Topamax is working as well as it can it's even cured my hot flashes. Sugerical manopause yeah! which is a relief to my husband because I was turning him into a popcycle. I called my neuro to let him know that I'm off the caffaine, losing the weight, off the excedine completely taking nothing but the Topomax and I have this group to share my ups and downs with now if my daughter's nasty divorice would just get over would be less stress and I had to start my chemo and radaition over again for a while more stress. No wonder I have migraines? Thanks gals nice hearing from you.

Teri Robert, Health Guide

11/21/07 2:42pm

Congrats on your 22 Migraine-Free days! Big Smile Hopefully, your Migraine-free periods will keep getting longer. Still, for someone whose Migraines have been chronic, 22 days is great.

I hear you on the surgical menopause. UGH! Interesting -- and great -- that the Topa is helping with those hot flashes. So far, I'm just living with them.

This SharePosting area of our site is great, but if you ever want some additional conversation, please join us on our forum. For longer conversations, it's a bit easier to follow there.

Take care,

Teri

suffering in Vermont

11/22/07 8:33am

Thanks Teri, I'll keep that in mind about the fourm. I just don't want to bore your folks to death. Sorry about the photo I uploaded I'm not a photo person myself I like taking them not being in them. I was just getting my hair back in this one and I had my percious angle on my lap this is my Meghan I call her my muffin (I've called her muffin since the second I saw her after she was born) she just looked like a muffin too me. She and my Zaiver keep my going the are my light. Blessed be dear sister and I'm sure you'll see me on the forum. Bonnie

ndv

8/31/11 9:02am

Hi,

Do you have his name?

Thanks!

Teri Robert, Health Guide

8/31/11 3:28pm

Dr. Robert Shapiro.

ndv

8/31/11 4:16pm

Thanks. My mom is in VT. She also suffers from these intense migraines where she loses speech for hours, nausea, etc. She had a cat scan done a few years ago and now one more recent. The one more recent shows a small something in the frontal lobe. She has no stroke risk factors. They told her it was a stroke or a small growing tumor- they don't know. Anyway, she didn't even get meds. She has been taking excedrine migraine. But if you saw these migraines, how intense and how long they last. She needs serious help but they didn't address the migraines at that appt. She went to Dartmouth -H. Lives in So. Vt. I will look up this dr.

Thanks!

Jennifer

Teri Robert, Health Guide

8/31/11 4:26pm

You're welcome, Jennifer! I'm sure Dr. Shapiro would be a good choice for her. He could discuss both her Migraines and any stroke risk factors. Just having Migraines is, in fact, a bit of a stroke factor. One of the biggest things is that he'll talk with her, answer her questions, and do all he can for her. If she were my mother, I'd be very comfortable with her being in his capable hands.

Let us know how things go?

Teri

NDV

9/ 1/11 8:36am

Thanks Teri,

I am going to pass this on. Called his office and the wait is until April, but I am sure worth it. Would love to connect my mom to you as someone suffering from these horrible things. Hers come on and she is out for 24 hrs, not able to function and loses her language. Its scary and she is going through this multiple times a week. I am frustrated that she is on nothing but excedrine migraine. Just getting back from the experts and they basically can't agree if this dark spot on her brain is a stroke or slow growing tumor. Frustrating. Can I connect her to you by email or phone? She is not as computer savy as she could be. She lives in Weston. I am west coast.

THanks,

Jen

mom-of2&grad-student

9/ 1/11 9:43pm

Teri, I have your book and just ordered GelStat Migraine. I'm on Nortrip. as a preventative but I fear I'll have to have the dose uped as I did going from 25mg to 50mg. My doctor (who is not a headache specialist or neurologist) said I could take 75mg around the pms time (mine originally correlated with my cycle) and then drop back to 50mg. Have you ever been told or hear of people being told to do something like that? I am helped by Imitrex and can function somewhat if I get it in me quickly. I'm beginning to "diary" and watch out for food triggers as well since I am beginning to get them not near my cycle. I fear a "switch" has been flipped and now I'll get them whenever or why-ever since I've had some migraines not around my cycle. Also, is there anything that could help me be able to read during the 3-day period I'm affected by miagraines? I'm a graduate student (late in life one) and I need to be able to ready/study most of the time. Recently reading or trying to read made me nauseaus and dizzy (even with Imitrex helping). Thank you for your potential answers. -

ER and migraine treatment

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