Hi Nancy, I have a 16 year old son who has morphed into a Chronic Daily Headache patient.
He started with occasional migraine at 9, and by the age of 12 his migraines began to increase to 3-4, and now to 5 -6 a week. He takes preventative med in addition to magnesium and a muscle relaxant before bed.
He has been on a Botox regimen since January, with injections every 3 months. The Botox has worked at times, the 2nd series of injections had no effect. The first and third had very good effect. We are currently battling with new insurance because they have twice denied coverage of Botox. He was scheduled for injection at the end of August and we are now waiting for a third appeal.
Needless to say, the positive effect of his last Botox treatment has worn off and he is now 5/6 days a week with migraine, episodic, new migraine each day. We work with two Neurologists, one at Yale and one closer to home.
Needless to say he is struggling again in school. I am concerned on a number of levels, mostly about his future. He is a social kid and the idea of not being in school is out of the question. It's a tough time for him, because his peers are starting to look at colleges, and I feel that until he licks this migraine issue, college is a pipe dream for him. Just sending this out there to see if you have any ideas or can direct me.
Thanks!
Hi Nancy - wow, impressive that you can't look back and see my older posts. We do currently go to Dr. Katij, of the Southbury Headache Center in Connecticut. She is not listed on you specialist link, but was recommended to us by our Neurologist at Yale. She is a pain managment neurologist who specializes in headaches and we like her. She seems more "engaged" than our Yale neuro - sort of fascinated and treats will like a puzzle to be solved. She has gotten us closer to understanding in a few short months than the other neurologists have in years. Upon our first visit, she actually induced a migraine in Will by asking him to lay down on the examining table with his head hanging off the table. He is laying on his back. Bam - migraine within ten minutes. She then observed him in migraine for about 1/2 hour before giving him medication. This leads her to believe that with the facts, (waking migraine, often barometric pressure triggered) that his migraines have close connection to the brain stem. Indeed, that foods and allergens do not weigh in, and that actually stress is not a direct trigger. She put him on a muscle relaxant before bed, which in concert with the botox and other meds seems to be helping. We feel good about her investment in Will.
My husband was able to rattle some cages at Aetna and it looks as though Will will get the botox coverage, waiting for final word. Awfully frustrating to forego the cumulative effect of botox due to insurance difficulties. We need Yale to be better about being thorough with insurance. He has for 2 years now had more than 14 migraines per month with a duration of at least four hours. He has tried more preventative meds than I can name. The only respite from this was a 2 month period last winter after his initial botox treatment. Thanks for your response. Each day is a new day and thankfully Will has a pretty terrific attitude and maintains a great social life - school is just a bear!