UARS & Barbituates

[bookworm79]

So I had one of the worst nights ever.  I literally did not sleep.  My neurologist at the VA gave me a prescrip (butalbital) for when I have a severe onset of a migraine.  Like when I'm driving and it hits suddenly so awful it actually makes me jump like someone is stabbing me thru the top of my head into my eye.  Well it has a barbituate in it and it was the first time I took it.  I took it about 1-2 hrs before bedtime.  I have sleep apnea (Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome to be more specific).  I did not sleep.  The handful of times I dozed, I literally jumped up heart racing unbelievably bad (way worse than anything I've ever had in the past with my sleep issue) because I thought not only was I completely stopping breathing but I literally after the first 2 kicks of it doing that that I would go to sleep and not wake up.  Why in holy Hannah's name would a doctor prescribe that to someone with a breathing disorder?  (It's only been today that I looked and saw that a sleep disordered person should not take barbituates.)  Well on top of that, I contacted my insurance about the surgery for soft palate etc because my RDI index without a cpap is 40 and with a cpap is 23. The mouth appliance did not work and the cpap only helps slightly.  My insurance considers UARS and anything to do with it experimental and doesn't even classify it as having anything to do with sleep apnea.  They won't even count RERA's, only Apneas and Hypopneas.  Therefore won't treat or approve any coverage at all for anything to do with UARS.  This is awful.  How am I supposed to get adequate treatment?  I can only assume that like "real" sleep apnea, left untreated, my UARS could damage my heart and everything else.  It's already effected my blood pressure (hypotension in lieu of the hypertension often seen with apnea).  My PCP won't even accept the sleep study from the sleep clinic and let me bring it to the VA for treatment because she feels it does not meet the criteria because I only had 7 hypopnias.  My 200+ RERA's in 6 hours didn't matter.  I'm so frustrated and worried and just fed up.  I don't even know what direction to go anymore.  

[Buffy1970]

Migraines are not always preventable.  Not all are caused by obvious triggers (maybe no trigger at all).  I have chronic migraines, at least a couple different types.  

If you want to try to avoid migraines keep a food, meds, and activity journal.  This should be helpful in pointing out any problematic behaviors.  Also, be especially careful to avoid taking too many otc pain relievers (or otherwise) as this leads to rebound headache which is indescribable.  Some people are sensitive to certain medications, ie I cannot take anything with opiates or I wish I could just crawl into a hole for a week from the pain... go figure.  

If migraines are a problem/chronic see a neurologist for them - research shows they may cause more damage/problems than formerly known.  If you note all the people who don't know if they have MS/whatever b/c MRI may show migraine or stroke activity, well, do something sooner rather than later.

Luck to you.

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

Since the medication is worsening your symptoms, consult your doctor for alternate medications for migraine. For migraines cure can also be in terms of avoiding trigger factors.  You can prevent the occurrence of headaches by avoiding trigger factors that induce an attack. Alcohol, smoking, altered sleep patterns, missed meals, loud sounds, odd smells, physical or emotional stress and certain additive foods are known to trigger attacks. In short if you eat a well balanced diet, exercise moderately and lead a stress free life then you will be successful in preventing attacks.  

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.