has anyone ever had an EEG before and how scarry is a MRI? I'm really curious....Also, has anyone ever tried proponal 20mg or zanaflex?
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9/23/09 11:16pm
Hi, Chris,
Neither EEG's not MRI's are difficult at all. Headachelady gave you some good info on both, but I don't know if I agree about the contrast dye. I've seen as many done with out it as done with it. Either way, it's simple and easy. For both tests, just relax and breathe, and you'll be just fine.
Do you mean propranolol? I've taken it in the past. At a higher dosage than you're asking about, it was a great preventive for me for sevreal years.
I take Zanaflex nightly for a sleep disorder and as needed for anxiety. It's been great for me too.
Hope this helps!
Teri
9/22/09 6:37pm
Hi Chris! An EEG is a breeze! They just put a bunch of electrodes on your scalp and on your chest and I think maybe 1 or 2 on your arms and legs. Sometimes they may tell you not to sleep for 24 hours before the test. That way you will sleep during the test. They will tell you to do different things during the test. For part of it, you will have your eyes closed, you will blink your eyes so many times, I think you will close your eyes and they will flash a light in your eyes, etc. It is really easy. If you are claustrophobic an MRI could prove to be problematic. You lay on a table and they slide you into a long tube. It is a pretty close fit. It is very loud. Most of the time for MRIs of the brain they will put an IV in your arm and give you contrast/dye to get better pictures. If you do have anxiety about it, your doctor can often give you medicine before hand to help. There are open MRIs, but I have heard that for brain studies they don't give as clear pictures as the closed ones.
I have never tried propanolol. I do take verapamil which is also a blood pressure medication for a preventative. It has not begun to work yet, but they have said that it could take more time and that they might have to increase the dose. I do take Zanaflex. It has proved to be helpful. I hope that you find relief - Kayleen
9/23/09 9:34am
Thank you for taking time out to answer my question...your answer was helpful...i to did take valpramil, but over time it seemed not to work...now i have taken the zanaflex twice now and it really seems to work, but it makes me really sleepy, so now i need to ask my doc what she recommends for daily use when i get a migraine. Any suggestions on what i should ask to try, keep in mind i cant take triptans, topamax or zomig. She told me to take Excedrin Migraine, but that doesn't even get close to helping and i have tried everything over the counter, im kinda in a delima, because when i switched doctors, i no longer have a perscription for my lortab and the new doc said she don't perscribe opiades for migraines, so i need some insite on what i can discuss with her as to what meds that aren't opiades that will help with my break through migraines...Any suggestions from anyone would be helpful.
9/23/09 10:00am
Chris: If you don't mind me asking, why can't you take triptans? I totally understand about over the counter stuff not working. My headache specialist won't prescribe any pain meds either. She just focuses on prevention and abortives. The preventatives that I am on are Namenda, Verapamil, Magnesium, and Zonegran and also Magnesium. The triptans don't work for me. The only abortive that you might want to ask your doc about is called Migranal. It is a nasal spray. It is DHE. It is dihydroergotemine. I think I spelled that right That works some of the time for me. It is pretty expensive - about $450 for 8 vials. You can only use 2 a week so it lasts a month. Some insurances will give you a less amount of vials a month or so I hear. I have chronic intractable migraines that can go on for weeks and then chronic daily headaches most other days. I just changed headache specialists last month so I am hoping that she will be able to help. I had to have a spinal tap last Friday to check for IIH (Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension or formerly known as psuedotumor). I still have an icredible headache from that. I am alright if I am laying flat. I see the HA specialist tomorrow so I am hoping that she will be able to do something about it. Blessings - Kayleen
9/23/09 10:52am
The triptans intinsify my migraines, i have tried several and every one of them has done the same thing....i really don't like nose sprays, we don't do well together, i know that may sound silly, but it's forever true. I don't know what to do from this point, im still awaiting for preauthorization for my mri and they want to do both test in the same day, so the doc said she wasn't gonna give me anything for the break through migraines until we get some testing done, in which really sucks, because i have to suffer and suffer until i have the test done. Uhh, i feel like i can't win for loosing.
I personally think my migraines are coming from from my neck -(had a reck in 03 and got really bad whip lash and ever since i have had these migraines.) I think that's maybe why the preventatives and triptans aren't working. I have also tried Midrin, maxalt, fioricet....i don't know of any other options. 
I'm really hurting at this point.
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By Chris— Last Modified: 12/08/11, First Published: 09/22/09
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Yes on the preventative, i just started taking it and she started me on the lowest dose...as most doctors do...this is my 2nd day of my migraine and im absolutly misrable...the excedrin isn't working nor the zanaflex....im pretty much on the verg of going to the er, i can't take it anymore.
Thanks for the advice on the eeg and mri, makes me feel a lil better, still have some anxiety about it though, but i know it has to be done. I just wish they would hurry up already and get my preauthorization so i can do my testing and we can figure out what's up, ive been having alot of pain in my neck and shoulders as well, so i don't know if this is indeed a migraine or something going on with my neck ( i had a wreck in 03 and that's when all this stuff started, it's gradually gotten worse over the years) Thanks for the advice.