Migraines, or...

[rockstarjk]

I'm a 21 year old, healthy female. I have had 1 blood test which has shown that I have low B12 and subsequently had a RBC count with results pending. I am treating this with a multivitamin which contains 100mcg Vit B12. No other medications.

I've been having "headaches" very frequently for the last 4-5 months. I have a "normal" headache almost every day (normal = bearable; mild pain: 5/10). Also I've had a five really bad headaches (9-10/10). The pain is usually generalized along the forehead, however twice I've had occurrences where there is a "sharp, stabbing" pain over the right temple. The headaches occur any time of day but usually evening to night. My menstrual periods are normal.

The "normal" headaches are not relieved by ibuprofen and naproxen has no effect or mild effect. I've been trying Zomig 2.5mg with good effect.

I've seen a neurologist, and he dx'ed me with migraines. My vitals are normal.

I've had a CT Scan which appeared normal in ER, however, I received a call from family MD to come in for an appointment to "discuss the results" of the CT scan, which has me worried. They don't usually make appointments if everything is normal. So I'm wondering what else this could be?

Also, what is a good pain medication to request? I've tried naproxen and it does not work well - the pain will decrease but will return within an hour or so. I have Tylenol #3 which was given to me in ER, and this usually works well but not always.

[Jules77733]

Hmmmm...I've been on Naproxen before for other reasons and it never got rid of my headaches, even the moderate or mild ones. You might want to try a migraine medication just to see if it works. I get terrible daily headaches, but some of them turn into really awful migraines (where I can't function and am forced to sleep it off because I'm in so much pain). My neurologist thinks I have common migraines that have turned into daily headaches, so I take a beta-blocker, which seems to work. I guess you could say that my headaches aren't bad enough to warrant needing medication every time, but I've found that any side effects of the medication have been worth it since I don't experience headaches nearly as often or as intense as I used to.

[rockstarjk]

Vitals are normal...including blood pressure. Also had blood work done and any dehydration would have shown up in my urea/creatinine. Thanks for the suggestion though!

[rockstarjk]

I know there are preventative medications out there for migraines, however, I don't think my migraines are severe enough to warrant that approach. Like I said in the post, usually they're just headaches that are painful enough to be an annoyance, not severe enough for me to not be able to go on with daily activities. I have been taking Zomig 2.5mg which is a serotonin agonist. Naproxen is given for migraine patients because it works synergistically with serotonin agonists as it also increases the activity of serotonin in the synapse. However, I would love to have some effective pain medication so that I don't take Zomig everyday! My neurologist advised me to take the Zomig as soon as I feel a headache coming on so that it doesn't snowball into a severe migraine...but the thing is, the Zomig will work (sometimes the headache comes back, though, which is normal), but then the next day I'll get the mild headache again!

Zomig is a very expensive medication and although I am covered for perscription drugs, I don't think its a medication that is meant to be taken everyday. And like I said I don't think the migraines are bad enough to warrant preventative medications...this is why I'd like an effective pain reliever for those "mild" headaches and I could use the Zomig for the more severe ones...not sure if this is a practical approach...but at 21 years old I don't really want to start taking a daily medication....

[didi91257]

i used to get headaches all the time. then i found out was dehydrated. if your brain does not get enough fluid you will get headaches. how is your blood pressure?

[Jules77733]

It does sound like you experience migraines, which can cause abnormalities on MRIs and CT scans, though not commonly. Rather than you having to request a pain medication, your neurologist should attempt to treat you with some classical migraine medication. Although this might not "stop" a current migraine, they're designed to prevent future migraines from ever occurring. Topamax is generally the first medication migraine patients try. If it isn't working or appears to only work minimally, the dosage should be increased, depending upon the side-effects the patient may be experiencing. If Topamax isn't working, other medications should be tested--such as beta-blockers. Migraines do not respond to conventional headache treatment or medications, such as tylenol or aspirin--this is likely why you weren't feeling any relief from the NSAIDs you were taking (ibuprofen, Naproxen, etc.).

I hope this helps, and please keep me updated on the results of your CT scan!