Sunday, September 07, 2008 GannonFamily asks

Q: 3 month long migraine with no help from the doctor or hospital can anyone help?

My wife has been stuck in bed for going on three months with an unrelenting migraine. I have taken her to the family doctor, the nuerologist, and the hospital, all for multiple visits and all with no answers. She is constantly in pain and has taken everthing under the sun. The only thing that they found is a calcified cyst in the middle of her brain that they say should be ignored and isn't the cause of her suffering. I don't know what else to do, no one seems to want to help her.

Thank you,

Charles Gannon

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Answers (4)

Nancy Harris Bonk, Health Guide

9/19/08 10:04pm

Hi GannonFamily,

You wife needs to be seen by a Migraine/headache specialist, the expert who treats patients ith Migraines disease and headache disorders. Neurologists may be fine doctors, but treat so many conditions it is hard for them to be experts in any one area. Migraine specialists devote their entire practice to Migraines and head issues.

We have a list of patient recommended specialists you can see by clicking HERE. Seeing one may also involve travel depending on where you live, but it certainly sounds like your wife needs help. Please try not to despair, there is a doctor that will help, all we have to do is keep looking for him/her.

Let me know if I can help you further,

Nancy

mtnone

9/ 8/08 6:43pm

1. Does she know her triggers.

2. What is she taking?

3. Does she get any relief at all from anything?

It took me over two years to find what worked for me. I started with doctors, chiropratic;alternative...everything.

I had to first find my triggers on no meds (everything under the sun including the sun were mine). Then I went back to the doctors with more information and tried different combo's of meds. BIGGEST TRICK ALOW THE MEDS TO WORK! I had to take two imitrex everyday for a week to burst my 'yearlong' migrain (under my doctor's supervision!!) and then it still took me a year to figure out how to prevent them! My drug of choice in preventing them is Elavil and listening to my triggers! (8 hours of sleep mandatory for me; no flouresent light bulbs; lower stress (that one's hard); giving into the headache and knowing your limitations.

Hope this help

headache free

9/ 8/08 10:20pm

I know it sounds odd but I have linked my headaches to diet drinks and anything made with Nutrasweet. It sounds so simple but Its been only three days now and I feel like a totally different person. I was actually able to follow a train of thought...which had been hard to do. Good luck!

McManus7278

10/ 1/09 7:58pm

We have a 15 year old daughter who has been suffering with migraines for the last 2 years. This last migraine is going on 12 months with no relief. She has had scans, botox, DHE & magnesium, beta blockers, been to the chiropractor, the neurologist, ekg, you name a drug and I bet we have tried it. She is miserable and her body doesn't absorb the medicines they give her, not even sleeping medication. We are at the end of the road. Hope you wife gets relief where we can't. Good luck!

Teri Robert, Health Guide

10/ 3/09 1:15pm

Hello, McManus,

Please hang on to two things:

1) You and your daughter are NOT alone.

2) There IS hope.

I know how easy it is to feel as if you've tried everything out there. Been there myself. But the reality is that there are so many medications that can be used for Migraine and headache prevention that it's literally impossible. You can find a list of potential Migraine and headache preventives in Migraine preventive medications - too many options to give up!

Still, the first thing has to be to stop this long Migraine. When treatments have failed, IV infusions will often break the cycle. For more information about this, see IV Treatment of Refractory Migraines.

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.

I've had Migraines since the age of six, and now three of my grandchildren have them. So, I really do understand how helpless this can make you feel. The true turning point in my care was getting to a Migraine and headache specialist who is very experienced and treats nothing else.

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.

Please keep me posted?

Teri

Q: 3 month long migraine with no help from the doctor or hospital can anyone help?

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