CAN MIGRAINES CHANGE

[alisong]

I ave recently been to see a neurologist, who has diagnosed me with having migraines- after having constant headache for 4 weeks.  I have had classic migraines before-aura and then headache, but this is different-constant headache, double vision, dizziness, vertigo and ringing in my ears with numbness in left hand side of face.  i was just wondering-can migraines evolve and change like this-I tried to ask this at appt-but appeared to be brushed off as soon as I mentioned my symptoms.

[alisong]

still having headaches and symptoms, from Feb 6th- went to have MRI scan last night-not pleasant experience!!! still having dizziness and nausea.  Just waiting now to see what happens-am getting frustrated and depressed now. Have started to get ringing in my ears, losing memory also.  Just needed to vent my frustration-sorry

[alisong]

i havent been to the doctors yet-I am going on Wednesday.  I have been looking on the net, just wondering whether my migraines may be basilar migraines.  Although my  head feels a bit clearer, still getting headaches and now ice pick headaches too.  I would love to go to GP and describe how I am feeling, but sometimes (I live in UK) I feel that If i present too many times with symptoms that I am a nuisance!!!

will see how it goes on weds

[marileew]

Yeah... triptans work best if taken at the first signs of a migraine... they lose effectiveness when one is dealing with a chronic long-last migraine like you are currently suffering from.

You are currently suffering from a disability. You are not able to work. You must let your doctor know this. Also, I am worried when you say that you don't feel safe. This is not a good thing to feel like... but it is something that people who experience extreme amounts of pain for prolonged periods of time start to feel like. So please let your doctor know that you don't feel safe even going out because of your symptoms.

Make it clear to your doctor what a crippling disability this currently is for you. Unfortunately, even when doctors hear "migraine" they often think of regular migraines, regardless of the symptoms mentioned... regular migraines are very disabling, but only temporarily disabling and they can be easily treated with triptans and the like and this is the first thing that often comes to most peoples minds, even some doctor's minds.... so, you must make it clear to them that this is not your case and that your life is currently "on hold" because of your month long and counting migraine.

Now... there are other ways to "break the pain cycle" if triptans aren't working. A month long migraine... although that is a really really long migraine... well, a month is still fairly positive as far as treatment outcome usually goes... it gets harder to treat the longer the pain goes on for because people get into chronic pain cycles, and those are harder to treat than the original condition. Your GP should be able to help you find ways of doing this.

There are daily medication options... but usually these are started after three months of chronic migraines, but since your migraine is non-stop, this may or may not be different in your case.

There are also strong pain killers that can kill the pain, this is usually what they give you if you go to the ER for a severe migraine... and sometimes just getting out of pain that one time will stop the pain cycle.

So... those are some non-triptan options... of course, it will be up to your doctor to decide the best course of treatment. I just wanted to let you know that there are lots of other non-triptan options out there so you won't feel hopeless at this point... I know how a non-stop headache can start making one feel hopeless, but, at this point, trust me, there are so many treatment options out there that I am sure you will find a solution to this headache very soon.

Let us know how the appointment goes on Monday. It's nice to hear good news... and it's also important to be able to rant and get support when appointments don't go how you want them to, because we've all been through that before and most of us have found very helpful doctors after being "brushed off" many times... so, it's good to tell us about it, because we can empathize and keep you motivated to keep searching for the right doctors and the right treatments.

P.S. at the moment... as long as you don't know of any reason why NOT to try this... and as long as supplements aren't controlled where you live (as in, you don't need a prescription)... you could try to start taking 400mg of B2 and 400mg of magnesium. Please consult the pharmacist or health food store pharmacist about any possible side-effects with other drugs you might be taking or allergies you might have. Even supplements can have side-effects. These supplements are not silly mid-wifes tales, they actually have sound double-blind studies behind them and the B2 results are showing similar results to daily topamax (in the double-blind trials, but the topamax is actually showing better results in clinical practice... still, that's pretty good for a vitamin I think). The magnesium also has been studied and shown effective... the studies aren't as conclusive, but, there does appear to be some benefit for some patients. The doses need to be at 400mg per day for both supplements. Anyway... couldn't hurt to try (as long as the pharmacist/health food pharmacist agrees of course once you have shared your confidential medical history!)... right? And, you could also bring this up to your GP in order to see if they agree or disagree with you trying this out... although unless you were allergic or on a drug that interacted badly with those supplements, I don't see why they'd have a problem with it at this point.

[alisong]

thanx for the advice- I have had migaines before this attack-which has now lasted 4 weeks and counting-they were usualyy signalled by visual disturbances then the headache, which would get better with rest and painkillers-    this time, the headache has not gone away.  The symptoms have stopped me driving, stopped me from going to work, stopped me from going out on my own as I do not feel safe, scared that I will faint or the room wont stop spinning-

I will take your advice and go to GP on monday-by the way-tried the triptan medicines-they did not work.

[marileew]

P.S. although numbness can be a symptom of migraines, it can also be a sign of something more dangerous. if you do not feel as if the numbness issue was addressed when you spoke to the doctor last, if you are still experiencing numbness, you could go to the ER as this is what a 911 operator or a first aider would suggest you do for such a symptom... even with your history of migraines, as long as the numbness is a NEW symptom that has not already been examined and confirmed as a migraine symptom by a doctor.

so, if the doctor didn't let you speak at the appointment... or you didn't get to the part where you were feeling numbness because they brushed you off before you were able to get to that symptom... and you are Still feeling numbness or the numbness returns, then your other option would to be to go to the ER instead of trying to make an appointment with another general practice doctor or neurologist.

but, if the doctor that you saw told you the numbness was Because of a migraine... this is what they'll probably tell you at the ER as well... it's what they told me when one side of my body went numb and I couldn't use one arm/hand for hours... so, in that case, your best bet would to be to schedule a regular appointment with a new doctor or to go to a walk-in clinic for a second opinion if you are unsure of your relationship with your current doctor. you really should feel comfortable with your doctor. if you don't feel comfortable with your doctor and you feel like they are brushing you off... it's time to get a new doctor.

[marileew]

yes, migraines can evolve and change.

but, if you feel like you are being brushed off you should schedule an appointment with another doctor for a second opinion. a doctor shouldn't leave you feeling "brushed off"... they should explain your symptoms and treatment options to you.