My daily headaches start in the back of my head, usually on one side, then move up behind my eyes. Once the pain gets to my temples the head reaches migraine proportions. This happens at least once per week. Round the clock oxycontin w/ percocet for breakthru pain helped, but it was a lot of medicine and EXPENSIVE. I recently switched to fentanyl patch and this helps some. I tried a LOT of alternative therapies before giving in to taking narcotics. I've tried preventative meds, yoga, bio feedback, physical therapy--too many things to mention in the past 2 yrs. I was dx w/ fibromyalgia a year ago. Any feedback/suggestions from anyone? I can't work due to headaches --->migraines.
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Q: Daily headaches for 2 yrs. Past year they have gone to migraines 1-6 x per month.Can't work. Help?
Answers (2)
11/30/08 5:20pm
Shari,
The first part of Migriane and headache management is trigger identification and management. Any idea what's triggering these daily "headaches?"
You said, "Once the pain gets to my temples, the head reaches Migraine proportions." I'm not really sure what you mean by this. The level of pain doesn't make a headache a Migraine. The headache, when there is one, is on symptom of a Migraine attack, and it doesn't have to be severe. Some people have Migraines with no headache at all.
The medications you're taking could actually be making matters worse by causing headaches called medication overuse headache, aka rebound. For more on this see Medication Overuse Headache - When the Remedy Backfires.
Having a doctor who understands Migraines and hedaches and knows how to treat them is essential.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 know you're going through a rough time. If you'd like some additional 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.
Hoping this helps,
Teri
11/27/08 11:42pm
Hey Shari,
I'm sorry to hear about all of your problems. I also had to quit my job - but I am in college so it was like I had two. Since quitting I have been focusing soley on my health and it is hard for me to pin point what is working since I'm trying so many new things at once.
I am doing some biofeedback treatment through what is called an ondamed machine. I'm not sure if that's the same thing you are talking about. I am also seeing a special massage therapist who does something called "rolfing" - you can google it to learn more. I am also seeing a holistic therapist. No medications - all natural, herbal or holistic remedies (I have a huge box full of weird liquids that I take a few times a day for various problems like dietary, circulation, immune system, liver cleansing, relaxation...the list goes on) it's intense and has required some discipline on my part. But I think together = all of these are working. I'm now 9 days without a migraine and prior to that I was only getting one headache a week. (that was an improvement for me)
I know that at first some holistic treatments seem crazy and "out-there" but when you look at an unsuccessful track record with prescription drugs you start to think, what the hell
Good luck Shari
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By Shari— Last Modified: 12/01/10, First Published: 11/27/08
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