I was taking Imitrex injectable for a long time. My gp changed my meds and gave me Frova, I have been taking the Frova every 12-24 hrs. My pain specialist says I have to get off of all nsaids and the Frova also. I only have about 3 weeks of Frova and I'm having panic attacts at the thought of not having something to stop a full blown migraine. She has made me sign a waver of some kind, saying that I will not go to someone else for any medications, especially no schedule 2 drugs. I'm okay as long as I can take the Frova and over-the-counter things like anacins. She also says that I am having rebound headaches from taking the Frova and anacins for too long. I am also suffering with Fiibromyalgia and Polymyalgia Rheumatica. She will only allow me to take Doxepin to help me sleep. She claims the only thing to do for me is to get nerve blocks and possibly Radio Frequency treatments. They are extremely expensive and my insuance doesn't cover much of it. Should I allow myself to have a full blown migraine and become extremely ill? How can I possibly live in that condition? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
- Find
- Manage
- Resources
Q: Doc says no nsaids, no triptans, they cause rebound migraines, What should I do?
Hi Katrina Survivor,
See a Migraine specialist. Since your doctors aren't being much help to 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.
If you're taking Migraine abortive meds such as triptans or any kind of pain med more than two days a week, your doctors may be right and a big part of your problem may well be medication overuse headache (MOH), aka rebound. See Medication Overuse Headache - When the Remedy Backfires for more information on this. If you're in an MOH situation, nothing you take is going work, neither prescription nor "natural" medications nor over-the-counter. If that's the case, you need to work with your doctor to stop the medications causing the problem.
ANY use of opioids or barbiturates and frequent use of triptans and NSIADs are associated with increased risk of transformed Migraine. See Transformed Migraine - Risk Increased by Some Medications for more information on this.
Don't lose hope though, there are 100 medications and supplements that can be used for Migraine and headache prevention. The frustration of trying to find what works for us can make it seem as if we've tried it all, but with so many possible preventives, it's literally impossible to have tried them all. See Migraine preventive medications - too many options to give up!
Good luck
Nancy
Hi,
Absolutely I can see why you are so frightened and 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.
That's why it is imperative to an expert help you in this situation. A GP and/or pain doctor is not an expert in Migraines/headaches. You may need to guidence of an expert to help you get out of any MOH cycle you may be in to avoid what happened before. 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 hope this helps some.
Nancy,
Thanks for giving me some website to check out. I will join the discussion forum and visit the article on Migraine and headche specialists. Once the Frova is gone, I won't be able to function, ie., no contact with the outside world.
Katrina Survivor.
Important:
We hope you find this general health information helpful. Please note however, that this Q&A is meant to support not replace the professional medical advice you receive from your doctor. No information in the Answers above is intended to diagnose or treat any condition. The views expressed in the Answers above belong to the individuals who posted them and do not necessarily reflect the views of Remedy Health Media. Remedy Health Media does not review or edit content posted by our community members, but reserves the right to remove any material it deems inappropriate.
Featuring Content From:
By using this service, you accept our Terms of Use. Please read them. The consumer health information on is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. You should promptly seek professional medical care if you have any concern about your health, and you should always consult your physician before starting a fitness regimen. Copyright © 2012 Remedy Health Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Dear Nancy,
Thank you for your input on my headache situation. I am just petrified to allow my headache to become fullblown. I know I will be deathly ill for a month or longer when that happens. I've been to the desert before and I have prayed that I would never have to go back. I will have to rely on God's help to get me through.. the last time this happend, I suffered a seizure and a mini-stroke. Can you see why I am so frightened?
Katrina Survivor.