Hey - I have joined here as I turn over every stone to help with my 13 year old son who has suffered from migraine headaches since the age of 9. His migraines have worsened over the years - greater frequency and intensity as he ages. we just came off series that included 10 straight school days and 1 weekend night. We find barometric pressure and anxiety his major triggers (though he is really a low key kid whose anxiety rarely shows) He takes nasal imatrex - which has helped him bounce back more quickly than maxalt, his previous medication. His neurologist just put him on Propanolol (sp?), 2 10 mg doses per day. We also had blood work done this morning and he will have a catscan next week - he hasn't had one since he was 9. Can anyone tell me more about Propanolol - any side effect concerns. I have his pediatrician and neurologist in the loop, want to make sure I am doing all I can. Thanks!
Hi there. I am a mom of a 7 yr old boy with migraines. He has gotten them since long before he could tell me that is what was wrong. It is only in hindsight I know that now. I am just going to start the doctor thing about it. I have mentioned it many times to other docs, but no one has seemed to think it was much. Now, they are starting to run his life, and ours'! I am not sure the docs will think he gets them enough to medicate him. Not even sure I WANT him medicated, although I want them to stop hurting him. What kinds of side effects does your son experience from the meds? I am so worried it may be worse than just waiting out the headaches. We are all so tired of puke buckets and IB Profin, that we just need to go see the neurologist. Please let me know if you have any suggestions. We come from a family of migraine sufferers, and that is what I am afraid has happened to him. I got them until I had my kids, and now they are so seldom, I am lucky. My grandpa got them, my mom gets them, and now my son. UGG! Anyway, you are in my thoughts!
Krischon, Washington state
Hi Krishton - My son started at 9 and his migraines were at first thought to be an eyesight thing and we saw the opthamologist - to no avail. Once we went to a neurologist when he was almost ten it was a relief for her to identify his migraines - neither my husband or I have them. Will (his name) is now thirteen and we have experimented throught the doc with a variety of abortive drugs used to give him relief once a migraine starts. (by the way, only recently has nasuea been an issue and not always) His migraines are always right optical and he describes them as a knife sticking in his skull and being pulled out to the beat of his heart.
The first abortive meds used were Zomig (side effects were exhaustion), then we moved to maxalt (which was ok, but became less effective as he grew) Finally, his was put on nasal Imatrex, which has been a godsend, because it generally decreases his downtime significantly if he gets it as soon as the migraine begins. He wasn't able to take the imatrex until he reached 100lbs.
So - we like the imatrex, but it does nothing to decrease the frequency of migraines. He has just been put on propanolol (10 mg twice a day) we are hoping this propylactic med will help him - but evidently is effective in about 50% of sufferers. He had new blood work saturday and will have a catscan designed to check the flow of blood in his brain this week. If we are nowhere better in a month, my neurologist thinks he should go to a specialized center (NY or Boston).
I would say to you that you should get your pediatrician and a neurologist in the loop on this - the school issue is the most difficult. As Will has aged, his migraines have become more frequent and it is a killer to miss time in Middle school - you need to think about 504 plans in school to deal with absences. Write back with questions - I am happy to share our journey with you. Good lluck - I totally relate to your frustration!
Thanks for your reply. It is always nice to know that it isn't just mine that suffers. Reilly's are always on the right side as well, and always over the right eye, above the eyebrow. At least that is where he tells me. When I asked him once what it felt like, and he was about 5 then, I asked him if it felt like a hammer hitting his head, a punch, what? He replied, "It feels like a knife stabbing me in the head." YIKES! I feel so awful for him. I am so exhausted for him, and wish they would just go away. I struggle with knowing that it is my side of the family that passed it on to him, and that is hard for me. I know it isn't something I could have stopped from coming through the gene pool, but it is still hard to deal with. Reilly's headaches are always so fast to come on, and so fast to leave, I don't know if it is worth trying something to take at the onset of them. He has the pain tolerance of an ox, and so it is hard to tell if he feels them, yet doesn't think about it until they are bad, or if they just come on like a freight train! Usually from onset to end, they are about a 3-4 hour cycle. Usually after the vomiting is done, and I get him calmed down, he will sleep for the rest of the time. The first is about an hour or so, then he will sleep, and sleep hard. Won't move for the whole time. My husband and I know the routine now: Motrin quickly, cold washcloth, puke bucket, and bed. Even my 12 yr old is on it! That is so bad! So far, as he is only in 1st grade, we don't have problems with school. I told his teacher on the first day that if he complains of a headache, call me immediately. Luck of the draw, I suppose, he hasn't had one at school except once. That was in Kindergarten, and I was helping in class that day! I would love to keep in touch. Any words of wisdom, or thoughts you want to share, I would be happy to have! Good luck with your son. I had awful migraines until I had my kids, and then I think it was a hormone change that helped me. Still get them sometimes, but mostly sinus triggered now. I can feel them coming on, and usually grab them before it is making me throw up. Only had a couple of those in the past 12 years, thank God! Thanks again for your reply. It is such a struggle and always hard when you have to watch your kids suffer. Hang in there!!
Krischon
K - I think you should bring him to a neurologist - My boys migraines have only increased - . Will also speaks of a stabbling knife over his right eye. It takes alot to put them on prophylactix, but an abortive medication might be really helpful. Hey - don't be so hard on yourself - just by being here your being a great mom.
As my son got older, he has become more curious about migraines. He loves to share with people famous migraneurs! Elvis, Thomas Jefferson, Van Gogh, CS Lewis...... all brilliant thinkers. Your guy might be too young to part of the research, but it helps to know they are in good company!