Tuesday, October 27, 2009 eliz asks

Q: I just finished a 5 day hospital stay for DHE treatment.

I am being seen at a university migraine/headache center. I just finished a 5 day hospital stay for DHE treatment. Unfortunately, I got a mild migraine last night which turned into a bad migraine today. Does this mean the DHE did not work for me? Is there still a chance it might become more effective with time? My follow-up appt isn't for another month!

Also, the neurologist who is the head of this university headache center wears cologne. I told him that fragrance is my number one migraine trigger; I told him on my first appointment with him that his cologne gives me migraines. He says I am the first patient in 25 years to tell him that. He has now given me migraines on three separate occasions, including one during my hospital stay. Is that reason enough to stop going to this headache center, the only one in my region? I am afraid to make an issue of this and continue to go there. Shouldn't there be some sort of standard for a fragrance-free environment in headache centers?

Maybe it goes without saying, but I have tried many, many preventatives in the past 9 years to get to the point of trying DHE. I'm not sure where to turn next. I feel pretty helpless and hopeless.

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Answers (2)

Nancy Harris Bonk, Health Guide

10/30/09 9:00pm

Hi eliz,

Let me first say that all specialists are not created equal. Any current Migraine specialist knows that fragrance is a trigger for some people. The fact alone that he said you're "first patient in 25 years" to tell him cologne is a problem is enough to re-evaluate seeing him. Migraine specialists usually don't wear strong perfumes or colonges because they understand they may trigger a Migraine. To see what a Migraine treatment clinic is continue reading this article: Migraine and Headache Treatment - How It Should Be.

It's important to note that neurologists aren't necessarily Migraine and headache specialists. Take a look at the article Migraine and Headache Specialists - What's So Special? If you need help finding a Migraine specialist, check our listing of Patient Recommended Migraine and Headache Specialists.

Anyone who has three or more Migraines a month needs to be talking with their doctor about prevention. There's growing evidence that Migraine is a progressive brain disease. A recent study showed that Migraines can cause brain damage, and that people with three or more Migraines a month are more susceptible to this damage. For more information, see Yes, Migraines Can Cause Brain Damage and

Is Migraine a Progressive Brain Disease?

Don't lose hope, there are lots and lots of medications available to treat Migraine disease. The frustration of trying to find what works for us can make it seem as if we've tried it all, but with so many possible preventives, it's literally impossible to have tried them all. See Migraine preventive medications - too many options to give up! for more information.

If you'd like to talk with other Migraineurs and get some additional information and support, come join our discussion forum. You'll need to register again once there because it's a separate membership database, but you can use the same member name, email address, and password that you used here. You can find our forum at http://forums.healthcentral.com/discussion/migraine/forums.

Good luck

Nancy

kja

10/27/09 9:28pm

I am sorry to hear about your situation. It is completely frustrating to be unable to prevent the headaches from returning. I have had migraines for 31 years. They have progressed each decade. This past year I was brought out of a horrible cycle with DHE.

It has been helpful. I hated going to the hospital however for it. My headache specialist told me I did not have to go to the ER and recently I have given myself injections of DHE The last horrible bout of migraines required a 5 day stint of injections and then he had me transition to an oral form that I take 3 times a day. I was very skepitical and fearful ( and I still am) but now I am trying to be cautiously optimistic. Best wishes.

Q: I just finished a 5 day hospital stay for DHE treatment.

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