Hey there,

I'm not sure what to tell you other than what is in that article, which is pretty clear;

How can we distinguish MOH from other headaches and Migraines? 
Differentiating between a tension-type headache, for example, and MOH can be difficult. There are, however, some very discernable differences between MOH and a Migraine attack. Migraine pain is worsened by activity; MOH tends not to be. MOH is also missing other Migraine symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, phonophobia (sensitivity to sound), photophobia (sensitivity to light), hot flashes, chills, dizziness, and so on.

On page 4:

How do we stop MOH? 
Immediately discontinuing the medication causing the MOH is the preferred plan of action for most medications. It's obviously the quickest, and it doesn't add more medications to an already confused body.

According to Goadsby, et al, withdrawal symptoms usually last two to 10 days. Those symptoms may include: withdrawal headache, vomiting, arterial hypotension, tachycardia, sleep disturbances, restlessness, anxiety, nervousness. Other experts in the field have written that it can take weeks, a month, or even longer to end the MOH. cycle.

In some cases where the MOH is being caused by medications such as butalbital compounds that have been taken daily in large amounts, seizures can occur if the medication is abruptly withdrawn, so a tapered withdrawal or supervised detoxifications is necessary. The best approach is to ask your doctor for help and advice. When you take these medications for pain, you don't become addicted, but you may become dependent upon them. This is a medical issue. Don't be reluctant to discuss it with your doctor. Depending on the medication involved and the situation, some doctors may recommend hospitalization or prescribe medications to help you get out of the MOH cycle.

For me, I know these articles can be overwhelming the first time through. I've had to read them a few times to fully grasp the information. Maybe another read through will help?  

If it doesn't, please let me know...I' ll find a way to make it clearer!!

Nancy

Ummmm,

First let me share with you a video on sleep issues and headache that is very good; Video: Migraines and Sleep 

Every night for the last nine nights? There is a rare type of headache called Hypnic headache that wakes one up from a sound sleep. You can read more about that in this article; Hypnic Headache - The Basics. 

The thing is taking Migraine abortive meds such as the triptans (like maxalt) or ergotamines or any kind of pain medication -- prescription or over-the-counter (like Tylenol)  -- 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.

And it is possible to have more than one type of Migraine or headache disorder. And what really stinks is that medication overuse has been shown to be a factor in 80% of cases of transformed Migraine. Stopping the medication overuse is key to stopping the transformed Migraine. You can read more about this in Stopping Medication Overuse Can Halt Transformed Migraine.

It would be best if your doctor could also help you figure this out, will he/she work with you on this? If not, or you think your current doctor is not well informed on Migraines, that's ok, it just might be time for a Migraine specialist. Take a look at these articles when you get a chance;

If your doctor isn't able to help you, it may well be time to consult a Migraine and headache specialist. 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.

Good Luck

Nancy