Worsening Migraines

Hello Everyone,
I'm 22 and just graduated University.  I have been having migraines since I was about 7 years old now.  However, over the years they have seemed to get much worse.  I thought that the higher frequency could have been from my lack of sleep and bad diet that I had throughout high school and college.  Now that I have been out of college for over a month now the migraines haven't seemed to subside.  I was on Maxalt in high school but I had to switch to Amerge because I became immune to the Maxalt from frequent use.  I am also supposed to be on Topomax (topamax) but it didn't seem to help at all.  I would just get the tingling from it with no reduction in the frequency of my headaches, although they do seem to be less severe.  I know what I really need to do is see a neurologist regularly but I don't have health insurance and I have been moving a lot.  Has anyone had any luck with any other sort of therapy for their migraines?

[Eddie1994]

Dear NM,

Congratulation on achieving your degree.  The Maxalt can cause what is called a rebound headache/migraine from overuse.  I've not heard of being immune to it.  Here are a couple of thoughts that might help you:
1) You and your Doctor may need to consider upping the dosage of topomax (topamax).  My wife increased her dosage from 50mg to 100mg.  At the 50mg dose we did notice a decrease in total number of monthly migraines after discounting for weather from the 25mg dose.  This is a subjective/objective measure.  There was no measurable increase in side effects like tingling just like you have.
2) Maxalt also comes in a Melt formulation (atleast in the 10mg form).  Treximet is another formulation that contains naproxen sodium.
3) Now is a good time to start tracking your migraines.  Consider the tracker in this forum or create your own.  We used a simple calendar for the last 12 years to quantify the number of migraines, aborted due to medication like Maxalt, disability days, and to try to determine what commenced the migraines.  We've narrowed it to weather changes and electrical equipment.  
4) Consider very strongly whether electrical equipment could be influencing your migraines.  Seems conincidential but my mother worked in a sewing factory with numerous electrical motor and a large retail store with flourecent lights and and she had severe migraines.  My grandmother in law also worked in sewing factory with numerous electrical motors.  Both retired from their occupations and their migraines stopped!  Concidential?  Maybe, but I don't think so.  
5) A company called St Jude Medical has a neuromodulation product they use to reduce migraine pain.  You would need very good insurance for this product however.

I wish you well and if you have any questions on the above just ask.

[760marie]

My migraines began about 5 years ago.  Thinking it was related to my mentral cycle, my physician changed my birth control.  The severity decreased for a while but not the frequency.  I take generic Imatrex.  I recently attended a headache clinic and discovered a couple of natural supplements which over time (6-8 consistent weeks) will help with the frequency and severity of my migraines.

Those rebound headaches are so tricky.  I tried my longest to take any OTC medication I could when I felt a migraine or headache coming on.  Then I learned that if I wait too long while trying other medthods for the control of pain, when I do finally take the Imatrex (takes about an hour to become effective) I may have waited too long and will have ot ride out the pain.  So now, after my doctor's instruction to take the Imatrex as soon as I feel a migraine coming on, I feel like I am having them more frequently.  This led me to looking for homeopathic remedies so at least I could get the pain to a tolerable level.  Vitamin B-2, Magnesium Calcitrate, and a natural antiinflammatory herb Feverfew are what I have recently included in my daily vitamin supplement regimine.  I also found a Homeopathic Migraine remedy at my natural food store.

As far as diet, ASPARTAME is a huge trigger for me.  I learned that if a food is a trigger for the migraines, I will notice the migraine within an hour of eating that food.  Nuts, aged cheeses, chocolate, MSG, and aspartame are some of the most common culprits.  Also, for the really bad ones, have something that will knock you out.  I am never short on Benedryl for this reason (I use the children's liquid - tastes better and seems to be absorbed by the body faster).  Many OTC sleep aids are really just Benedryl with a different label on the box.  Turn off the phones, alarm and just SLEEP.  Best Wishes on getting your migraines under control! - Marie