Sunday, May 27, 2012

Migraine Specialist.............Spinal Tap Time

By Chelsea Monday, May 12, 2008

Well, good news and bad news.  The specialist I was told I wouldn't be able to see until the end of june was able to see me on 5/7/08-5/8/08.  She did a very very detailed exam and history with me. It was quite awesome actually, she listened to everything I had to say, and complimented me on my knowledge of IIH and migraines--and the steps I have done for myself to help get thru until I could see her. 

 

I started off the appointment explaining what I have been through the past 5 months, how the other doctor was a quack--telling me he was a 100% sure IIH wasn't back because I didn't have papildema--when the only way to be a 100% sure is thru a spinal tap.  She looked at my discs in my eyes and she was quite interested.  She saw strong blood flow/pulsating in the middle of the discs, but the edges were blurry(slight swelling)--and get this everyone, I am the only case of IIH she saw where it "disappeared" for 2 yrs, symptoms returned--and I have a piece of tissue growing over my optic nerve.  Her theory is that the IIH had changed the appearance of my eye, but she is not sure.  Right now, the plan is for a spinal tap weds 5/14/08 morning and a followup appt with her 5/15/08.

 

Now my Daily Headache varies in intensity, but I usually have auras, visual disturbances, uncordination (don't know if that matters),and lots of nausea everyday.  This doctor thinks it is quite possible for my IIH to have returned, and the strain with having the daily headache could definetely trigger migraines.  She talked to me about Daily Chronic Migraine, which she thinks is what I have, but like I said not sure yet---waiting for the spinal tap before we discuss diagnosis or prevenatative treatment. 

 

She introduced me to MAXALT MLT----fantastic!!! It melts!!! I have horrible nausea usually with vomiting, so pills don't usually stand a chance...........Phrenegan tabs and suppositories......then she had me try "indomethicine"----did not work out how I had hoped. I don't want to say it made my headache worse---but I described the sequence below:::::

(11:30am)One tab at first and it didnt make a dent in my pain (pain was about a 7, with nausea no vomiting), but it did double my nausea.

(12:20ish)Took a phrenegan, and about 45 mins later my nausea was better, but pain was still at a 7.

(1:00pm)Tried 2nd tab of indomethicine.

(1:30)pain was worse 9, more localized in the back right side of my head---as if piercing my eye, took 3rd tab of indomithcine--laid down with ice pack.

(2:30ish) eyes hurt horribly, head throbbed--movement was impossible, nausea had returned. tried to eat some toast, lasted in my stomach for about 15mins, then started vomiting.

(4:00pm) 1/2 phrenegan (12.5mg sup), delaudid 3mg

(5:15pm) no more vomiting, feel better---sleep. all blinds closed, no noise--ice pack

(7:45pm) woke, pain about a 3, slight nausea (only with cigarette smoke)

(9:55pm) laid down for bed---pain still around a 3, nausea 3---asleep within a half hr.

Nancy Harris Bonk, Health Guide
5/12/08 2:15pm

Hello, and welcome to MyMigraineConnection.com! 

 

Isn't it nice to have a doctor listen and respond to us as partners in our health care?

 

Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension, IIH (formerly called PTC), can be a chronic  condition or go into remission. Papilledema is not necessary to have IIH, but an lumbar puncture is one of the only ways to accurately diagnose IIH. Teri Robert and I both have IIH. Teri does not have papilledema, but sometimes I do.

 

Chronic Daily Headache - The Basics will give you information on a type of headache that usually occurs 15 or more days a month, then divided into two subcategories- primary chronic daily headache and secondary chronic daily headache.

 

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. 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.

Along with your personal "My Home" page and the discussion forum, you'll find links to a great deal of helpful information and a spot to sign up for our free newsletter on the main page of our site, http://www.MyMigraineConnection.com.

If you have any questions, please feel free to post them to the forum or send me a message through my profile.

Welcome again,

 

Nancy Bonk
MyMigraineConnection.com Expert

5/15/08 1:47pm

What is IIH? I have those same symptoms you describe daily, with the headaches, eye pain, auras, but no migraine, nauseated daily, stagger like a drunk occasionally, feel dizzy if I turn to fast or get up too quickly....however all the doctors I see never address this and always blame it on my other diagnosed health problems. I also have progressive problems with my vision, but the Opthamologist sees nothing, and says it's more likely my Fibromyalgia or the Migraine causing these symptoms. Geeze!! I get no where. Good Luck on that spinal tap, after I went through that procedure I got a severe headache, that led into a migraine, and to top it off, I was unable to stand up staright for several days!!

 

God Bless!

5/15/08 9:36pm

What is papildema?  i googled it and found basically nothing.  Also, why would spinal taps diagnose headache causing things?  What do they look for?  I have wanted to ask since starting Teri's book!

5/20/08 7:55am

papildema is swelling of your discs behind your eyes.  Spinal taps can diagnose lots of things---do you understand that cerebral spinal fluid is basically our lifeline???? if your pressure is increased around your brain---as in IIH where my brain does not absorbe all the fluid around it---a spinal tap will let you see how high your pressure is, remove fluid if need be---lots of things.

 

google intracranial hypertension-------but i would recommend looking through the migraineconnection site first--terri and nancy bonk have lots of info here.

 

chels

 

 

Anonymous
Anonymous
5/16/08 7:33am

Indomethacin is an anti-inlammatory. Like Advil, only supposed to not cause rebound headaches.

1. You MUST take it with food, it can cause ulcers

2. It is not an ABORTIVE, like Maxalt, it will not abort your migraine.

3. It can cause worse nausea and vomiting.

 

I am sorry you had such a lengthy migraine.

 

Did I answer your question? It was about the Indomethacin, right?

 

I've used it during my painful menstrual periods, my neurologist recoommended it in place of Advil to prevent rebound migraines. I most often get them during my period.

 

It's ok, but nothing works as well as an abortive, Relpax or Imitrex. Thank God for Phenergan as sometimes I get the nausea w/out the headache. As soon as I feel one coming on I use the suppository. It's been said that it can be a preventive.

 

I'm also on 25 mg Toprol EX and Pamelor. Tried Topamax but became anorexic on it and was worried about kidney stones as my brother had one on it and those two things are side effects of it. Now he is on Namenda, an alzheimers drug. He's swears by it. I've not gotten bad enough to try it  but he said it's very mild as it is used in the elderly, and few side effects.

 

Have a great weekend

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By Chelsea— Last Modified: 09/04/10, First Published: 05/12/08