Sunday, June 21, 2009 Merc asks

Q: Throbbing, painful, veins at temples

I have a prior historiy of migraines. I have horrible allergy problems and no health insurance so I rely on OTC medicine to help me out. I recently started using a store brand of zyrtec and although it has helped a little, I still have to take a nasal decongestant every four hours on the dot. I am tired all the time but if I get too much energy I get anxious and have to take my Ativan. And I get these strange, scary, pains at both my temples - my veins throb and my skin feels tight. I'm also dizzy quite often and my ears bother me. I aslo have some chest congestion. Yes - I am a mess and it only gets worse when I'm near my period. I am on Ativan for GAD w/occasional Panic attacks. In an effort to lower the number the anxiety attacks I have reduced my caffeine to almost none, I haven't eaten red meat or pork in over a year so I think my iron my be low and started taking an I was told that may be a possible cause of the headaches. I just need some insight as to what might be going on with me ... I can't afford a huge doc's bill right now. And these headaches are pretty scary. They make me feel like I'm going crazy.

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Answers (1)

Nancy Harris Bonk, Health Guide

6/22/09 2:36pm

Hi Merc,

How many days a week do you take something to relieve these headaches? Taking Migraine abortive meds such as the triptans or ergotamines or any kind of pain medication -- prescription or over-the-counter -- more than two or three days a week can make matters worse by causing medication overuse headache (MOH), aka rebound. See Medication Overuse Headache - When the Remedy Backfires for more information on this.

Yes, I know you don't have insurance to cover your doctor expenses. No, I don't have an answer for that problem. Merc, I wish I DID have an answer to that. I've been there myself and know how very difficult that makes everything. I can only tell you how I managed, which was to budget very strictly to get the money together for doctors.

Most of the pharmaceutical companies have patient assistance programs to provide free medications to patients with no insurance who meet their income guidelines. Those guidelines are pretty generous. Try going to http://www.pparx.org/ to check on all of your medications. You list all of them on the site, and it will tell you which ones have programs you qualify for. It will then even take you through the process to fill out the application forms and print them. You then take them to your doctor for his or her signature and send them in.

I hope this helps,

Nancy

Merc

6/22/09 3:21pm

Thank you for your reply Nancy. I don't take anything for those weird headaches very often, if I do it's Advil 400mg. Most of the time I try to just ride it out. I don't think the headaches are the main problem though - it more like its everything in combination that makes me worry - which in turn provokes the anxiety. I am looking at the website info you gave me right now actually and I think it will be helpful. I'm looking up clinics as I write this. Thanks :)

Q: Throbbing, painful, veins at temples

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