Hi mlbritt67,

I'm really sorry you are having such a hard time right now. I would say one of the first things to do is get an accurate diagnosis because going to the hospital every time you have a Migraine attack is not a great solution. Having an accurate diagnosis will help simplify matters and make it easier for you to get the treatment and information you need. To do this, doctors usually go by the gold standard for diagnosis, the International Headache Society's International Classification of Headache Disorders, 2nd Edition (ICHD-II). You can read more about the importance of a correct diagnosis in The Type of Migraine Does Matter.

Anyone who has more than three-four Migraines a month needs to talk to their doctor about a better prevention regime. Anyone who has three or more Migraines a month needs to be talking with their doctor about prevention. There's growing evidence that Migraine is a progressive brain disease. A recent study showed that Migraines can cause brain damage, and that people with three or more Migraines a month are more susceptible to this damage. For more information, see Is Migraine a Progressive Brain Disease?,  Yes, Migraines Can Cause Brain Damage, and Migraine with Aura Linked to Late-Life Brain Lesions.

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.

How many days a week do you take something to relieve these headaches? Taking Migraine abortive meds such as the triptans or ergotamines or any kind of pain medication -- prescription or over-the-counter -- more than two or three days a week can make matters worse by causing medication overuse headache (MOH), aka rebound. See Medication Overuse Headache - When the Remedy Backfires.

Unfortunately, there can be times when a Migraine just doesn't respond to the medications we have, and it goes on and on. When your regular medications haven't stopped a Migrain, it is then time to call your doctor for help. Sometimes, a steroid taper such as a Medrol DosePack will break the Migraine. Sometimes, the best treatment for intractable Migraines that aren't responding to medications is IV infusion therapy to get the cycle broken. For more information, see IV Treatment of Refractory Migraine. 

Anatomy of a Migraine details what to expect (in general) during the four phases of a Migraine attack. Here's the thing - if you experience new and/or different symptoms from your "regular" Migraine, or it is absolutely the worst head pain of your life, then it is time to contact your doctor.

I hope this helps, please let me know.

Nancy