Being treated like a drug addict because of migraines!

I am so sorry for your pain.  First, I am the mother of a 21 year old migraine sufferer and my daughter is treated much like you have been on the few occasions she has gone to the emergency without me.  Our last visit to an ER together resulted in an IV of benadryl, decadron and phenergan - this was a good combination to relieve her pain without using any opiates and if you need ER treatment again go with your mom and ask for this type of treatment.  Second, I hope you are seeing a headache specialist with a holistic approach.  Part of the escalating problem for my daughter was drug overuse to contol pain.  After the last ER experience all drugs were stopped except nightly elavil and she was given a muscle relaxer and lunesta if she absulutely had to have something, but the drugs she had been on were making the headaches worse and she had to detox.  During the detox period we started a physical therpay called rolfing and started seeing a naturopathic doctor for nutritional and homeopathic support.  We are 8 weeks out from the last ER visit and working with the headache specialist, rolfer, and ND, my daughter is feeling the best she has in years and has gone up to 8 days completely headache free and when she does have a bad one, she takes a lunesta to sleep it off with no rebounding problems.  Went back to the headache specialist yesterday and she advised continuing the course and not using any of the current abortive agents and a wait and see attitude on any new preventatives.  To conclude, for migraines, the drugs can be just as much a part of the problem as the solution, so work to find health professionals that you and you and your family should research all therapies to be your own best advocates.  Wishing you better health.  Migraine Mom

I have been taking Depakote for 7 years. That is the only thing that prevents it. But there are times I still get it. I take Zomig. But lately that hasn't helped. The only thing is laying down with a  gel cold pack over my eyeballs and forehead..

I'm sorry you had such an awful time at the ER. If a good preventive plan can be found, hopefully fewer trips to the ER can be made.

 

It may seem like your neurologist has tried every medication out there, but that really isn't possible. Continue reading this article for more information: Preventive Medications - Too Migraine Many Options To Give Up!  It just may be that he doesn't know what else to try because he is not an expert in treating Migraines and headache disorders. Neurologists treat so many conditions like stroke, epilepsy and Parkinsons it is hard for them to be experts in any one area. Migraine specialists trat patients with Migraines and headaches, only and are experts in this area. Look at our Patient Recommended Migraine and Headache Specialists list for more information on choosing your doctor, and read Migraine and Headache Specialists -  What's So Special? to see exactly why it is important to see this type of doctor.

If you've seen no response to the depakote after 2 months, I'd guess that either the dose is wrong, or it's not the drug for you, to break the current cycle. I went into a cycle where I was having a migraine almost every day, and it took Topamax to get me out of it. The "usual" 100 mg of the topamax got me out of the daily migraines, but didn't reduce my overall # of migraines per month to something we could live with, so my neurologist upped my dose significantly - to 300 mg a day. Now that helps, I ordinarily have about 4-5 migraines a month, unless I get allergy flare ups which I know trigger the migraines, which are an extenuating factor. I take a 3 drug combo when I get a migraine attack - it leaves me feeling kinda "hung over" for lack of a better description, but I can function, which is what counts, as I can't afford to go home from work every time I get a migraine... I take zomig, 2 fioricet with codeine for the pain, and ondansetron for the nausea. That works pretty well, considering the alternative. The ondansetron doesn't knock me out like phenergan does, and is a pill, so I can take it at work, and carry it with me in my med box. I've found it to be a wonderful discovery. Costs more than phenergan, but if it keeps me from a close up view of a public toilet, I'm willng to pay!

I also tried almost every preventive medication out there, for my migraines. I was getting 12- 14 a month on average.  I often found ER docs un helpful until I was on an an triphan and a prevenative med and walked in with my sunglasses and refused to take them off.  Somehow this made me more authentic.  I also have felt at times that a drug addictic would have an easier time getting there needs met then we do.  Unfortunately many doctors are not properly taught how to treat chronic pain suffers. 

I found the only preventive medication that worked for me was topamax ( expensive if you have no insurance) I needed 300 mg a day.  I now have around 4-6 migraines a month.  I have swithced from Imitrex to Frova because it has a longer half life.  So I often do not need a second dose.  I also use firnal(sp?) if the pain is really bad, and I woke up with the migraine so I can get ready for work while the Frova is kicking in.  I hope this helps.  It also helps to keep in touch with your Dr. after 2 months if the Depokote is not working time to try something else.  There are way to many options out there.  Stay strong!