I suffer from chronic migraines, why am I not able to control them less and less?

[kls19]

I've have had chronic migraines for a few years. My current neuro has me on Nortriptyline (20mg every night) and Sumatriptan (100mg take when needed; MAX: 2 times in a day, only twice in a week).
My mom has her own medical problems, which include migraines, so I'm switching to her neuro. I've been waiting about 6 months for my appointment, which is finally coming up in March. This guy is very popular, so getting your first appointment is a long wait. I used to feel like my migraines were controllable; they didn't own me, I owned them kind of thing...

My migraines were typically left and/or right side of my head, never (or maybe it's best to say extremely rarely) have I had a migraine that was directly on the back of my head, reaching to my neck. Regardless, my medications usually did the job.
Until this past August. I had a 3-day migraine before I called my family doctor.  The migraine was something I've never had before. It felt like someone hit the back of my head with a metal baseball bat. Laying down made it so much worse. By night 2, I was afraid to fall asleep because I would wake up every hour, which the pain increased as the hours went by. I took my sumatriptan as directed, with no relief. This was the first time my medications didn't work.
The night before I called my doctor, I experienced tingling on my hands and feet and had little to no sleep.

When I went to my doctor, she suspected that I had viral meningitis, and called the ER to let them know I was on my way. When I got to the ER, they gave me different kinds of shots (unfortunately, I don't remember the exact medication they gave me). I only started to get little relief about 6-7 hours after I arrived to the ER. This was not normal for me! They dismissed it as meningitis (I wanted a spinal tap, but that never happened), and my diagnosis was a "headache".  

After this experience, it's typical for me to have migraines on the back of my head rather than my left/right side of my head. Sumatriptan/Imitrex will work, but not how it used to. My migraines are worse than how it used to be, and I'm scared to take sumatriptan because 1) It may or may not work. 2) if it doesn't work, I am now 1 sumatriptan short. My gut feeling says something isn't right, but I don't know how to go about it.

Yesterday morning I woke up around 4am with another migraine. I took my sumatriptan, and the migraine was gone when I woke up again. I commuted to my college, and went about my day. Yesterday evening it came back (maybe a rebound?). Knowing that it typically gets worse, I took a sumatriptan before bed. Last night, I woke up every hour desperate for relief. Ice didn't work. Changing my position didn't work. The sumatriptan didn't work (I took it again around 4am this morning, which I think it's bizarre that 4am seems to be the time I'm fed up enough to take medication).  

The pain usually feels like someone stuck a knife directly between the two brain hemispheres, and then the back of my head, reaching to my neck feels like someone hit me with a metal baseball bat. I can't describe it other than that. I haven't had tingling hands and feet since that August experience.

I did, however, notice that standing up/sitting up brings some relief. I don't know how to go about my pain. I have a math test today, which I'll have to suck it up and take. However, I'm debating if I should go to an urgent care after, or wait and see if things are better tonight.  I feel like I lost control of my migraines, and I don't know what to do about it.

It has now come down to me being excited about my neuro appointment next month...  

I'm unsure if there's any useful advice to give me? Why I may have less control of my migraines? Why the migraines went from left/right side of the head to the back of my head? Please help.

[AKC_75]

Hi and welcome to the Migraines & Headaches Community.

What do you mean they dismissed it as meningitis? If you had meningitis you would have been very sick and admitted to the hospital for treatments.

Unfortunately there are no quick fix-it-alls. Treating migraines is a marathon, not a sprint. You have to try this and try that and increase this or try something else until you find the right combo to work for you and every person is different so what works for me might not work for you. It is a process.
Here are a few over the counter tips that will help while you wait for your appointment.
1. There are several symptoms of migraines and what causes the pain of a migraine is the blood vessels in your brain become dilated. So, sometimes it helps it you put a bit of pressure on your head. I am sure you have already been doing this unconsciously with your hands from time to time. So, get a bandanna or a cloth headband and wrap it snugly around your head.
2. If you rub Mentholatum across your forehead and on your temples that helps relax those tense muscles. You can do this with or without the wrap, depending on if you like the heat or not.
3. Try either a cold or hot pack, whichever is more comfy to you.
4. The best OTC meds that I have found that works is Excedrin. It is a combo of Aspirin, Tylenol and Caffeine and that happens to be an excellent combo for migraines.
5. I mentioned caffeine before...well, drink coffee, Mt Dew, take Vivirin...sometimes a mega dose of caffeine will stop it in its tracks.
6. If you get nauseous or dizzy get some Meclizine from the pharmacy (the stuff behind the counter) you can take 25mg three times a day as needed. Yes it works on both.

[kls19]

Please forgive my title.. I didn't word it right. I meant to say "I suffer from chronic migraines, why am I not able to control them anymore?"