quality of life

Treating severe headaches...nearly everyday for a year...by lying in a dark room...all tests have been done and doctors show no concern or interest in diagnosing my problem...no one seems to care that the quality of my life is so low..i cannot smile...talk...find any pleasure...depression is ovetaking me..i have spent thousands of dollars and many tears and here i sit...yes, death looks comforting and a relief for this pain. I have been prescribed depikote (the side effects are death, organ damage, hair loss and tremors!!! )..i dare not try this drug. My neurologist happily cashes my checks and tells me yawning that it's probably "middle age headaches" (I am 48) I am doomed to this pain? I was on antidrepressants and then got off them...there is a question of the antidepressants quelling the headaches and maybe i should go back on them? I am NOT depressed! Sympathy to those who are suffering from headaches..they are totallly debilitating and ruining my life. Thank you for any insight you can give me! : (

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-JT]

Sorry to hear about your headaches and overall state. Chronic pain can certainly be frustrating to live with and can bring on a reactive depression (you mention that it's overtaking you.) Depakote is actually quite safe in adults and we use it frequently to break a headache cycle as well as prophylaxis, not to mention its therapeutic effect on epilepsy. It's children who are either very young or significantly disabled that we are most concerned about in terms of severe side effects. First, you need to see a pain specialist, preferrably a headache neurologist, but a good chronic pain clinic would be fine. Then you have to break the headache cycle with abortive medications such as IV depakote, IV steroids, IV DHE, or IV magnesium or even local anesthetic injections. Once the cycle is broken, then you can move on to preventive meds such as elavil (an antidepressant with excellent pain properties), inderal, verapamil, or other similar type meds. Finally, biofeedback and perhaps counseling therapy could be of some help. If you are in the cleveland area, consider making an appointment with one of our headache specialist Dr. MaryAnn Mays who's very kind and understanding, but aggressive in the treatment of headaches. One experimental treatment she's doing is botox injections in the forehead and neck  to relax the muscles depending on what kind of headache you have. Good luck and hang in there.

[kady]

I know what you mean about some doctors not caring. I am in a similar situation but will not give up hope. I would go to different doc's but do not have medical insurance so I have to continue with the workers comp doc's. As soon as I can raise enough money I am going to go to my old family doc I have had since I was 6 yrs old in a diffrent city. He never treated me as badly as these doc's and I know he will find the cause of my pain and help me. I hope you can find a doc like him....soon.

[caynetina]

look at the comment I posted on May 26th to kisses regarding the use of Riboflavin that I have been successfully using now for nearly a year.  I would have such debilitating headaches that I couldn't do anything either and of course the vicious cycles with pain leads to depression in some people.  I still use Imitrex injectables and tablets for breakthrough headaches but I've cut down tremendously etc... Give Riboflavin a try 400 mg's per day it may work for you too!  Good luck

[headproblemz]

I hear Paxil is good.

[nobodyhome]

Cardizem CD worked for me.  (I'm sure the Neurologist here will be so pleased to have us all chiming in before he/she gets a chance.)  Also, there are clotting disorders that can be associated with headache.  You might want to check for antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.  My third comment is that you have to be careful about only looking at the bad side effects a medicine has.  The companies have to list EVERYTHING (including hurricanes, tornados and cats stuck in your barn).  You may not have those side effects.  Many medicines have a dual purpose.  Like, Inderal (beta blockers) and Cardizem CD (calcium-channel blockers).  These were designed for blood pressure but also help with headaches.
I'm really sorry you have these headaches.  I know what it is like to have "no life" because of health issues.  Just remember - all things change with time.
nobodyhome

[Enhanced Lesions on White Matter]

Please dont give up. I have suffered from severe headaches my entire adult life and finally found that after recording my daily intake of food and liquids after two months of recording it a neurologist was able to pin point various problems. First of all I hate water so I would only drink maybe an 8 oz cup of water. The rest of my liquid intake was coffee one cup, soda, tea or juices.  All of which were just terrible. After learning/forcing to drink 3 glasses of water a day mostly before noon I was on my way to reduction in headaches. Various other things I was eating were triggering the headaches. I was fortunate to have the where with all to also make changes in the way I lived and where I lived and in one year am living verutially pain free.  I do get an occastional headache (one every few months) and I take Midran at the onset and in 20 mins its on its way out.

Absolutely go see a neuro that specializes in headaches, then ask for a full blood work up for minerals etc.... They can actually tell you what you should be feeding your body based on your blood type and your blood test results.

Good luck and hang in there. I am sure you are loved by someone and that alone is reason to survive and seek some good help. :)