HELP for Rebound Headaches/Medication overuse!!

[myheadhurts33]

I am a 33 yr old female that has had migraines since childhood.  In the past two years, I have been taking fioricet, vicodin ES, Motrin 600, phenergan or a combination of these meds for my headaches and nausea. I am now up to approx 100 pills a month and 1 -3 ER visits a month, having anxiety attacks and when I have tried to gradually get off the meds, I end up in the ER with a killer migraine.  I am seeing a new neurologist who is trying to treat me with topomax (topamax), which has not worked, and after reading more about these types of headaches, I see that this type of medications rarely work when you are experiencing rebound headaches. Today, when I went in at the end of my rope, he suggested I up the dosage of topamax and add some more meds......He told me to keep taking my pain meds .....I WANT TO GET OFF OF THEM......they are causing the problem!!!  When I asked about detox, he told me it was only for people who are on morphine and stuff and dismissed the fact that I am missing out on half of my life right now due to pain.  What do you think? Thank you for any of your own opinions!

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi,

Do you take these pills everyday?

How often do you experience your headaches?

Firstly, have you been put off your medications lately ? Rebound headaches occur when a person has been put off his medications which he/she has been using almost daily for the past months. The headaches may be severe and almost debilitating .In most cases it may require close supervision and even ER admission.

In your case, one has to assess how your headaches presented initially. This may be a case of transformed migraine headaches secondary to medication overuse. Some persons may be initially diagnosed with migraine headaches or tension headaches which may later transform into chronic daily headaches. This usually takes place if one has been taking pain relievers and migraine medications for at least 15 days in the past 3 months.

I suggest that you discuss this with your physician. You may  seek a second opinion with regards to this. Your medications need to be reassessed and modified. Taking over 100 pills a month for your headaches require further evaluation.

[myheadhurts33]

Yes, I take them everyday! I just had a major migraine other night after not taking meds for 2 days and went to the ER where the doctor almost didn't treat me and instead wanted to label me a drug addict because I have been there 3 times this month, until my husband talked to him. I am going to the headache clinic, but there is a wait.  Thank you for your opinion, it just gave me the justification of what I already knew, but my present doctor is not really "getting" or must not understand too much about rebound headaches.  THANK YOU!

[heathrow71]

I feel your pain!  I also just posted on rebound headaches.  You need to detox.  I am going into one this Monday and am nervous but excited.  I am on too much medication and it is just not helping and no way to live.  I am seeing a great neurologist in Newport Beach, CA - and he first gave me Botox injections and now going to detox.  I will post to let you know how it goes.  He says I cannot get off the drugs on my own.  I take Fioricet and up to 8 or 10 times a day!  Even when I do not stop, my headaches have become more frequent.  Good Luck - and go to detox - your doctor is blowing you off.  Topomax (topamax) is horrible.  I tried that last year and almost threw the bottle at my dr, on a follow up visit ( different dr.).  He actually admitted that studies show that very few people can tolerate the side effects of Topomax (topamax) at the level needed to help.  He pushed it because the pharm reps were pushing him to.  Ridiculous.
No more meds - or much fewer soon hopefully!
Good Luck!!!
Heather