Case Histories - February 1998 (9/18)

I hadn't visited the migraine journal for a long time, but it is always helpful. I appreciated the nice messages other people sent me. I have been on prozac 20mg as a preventive for about 6 months and it seems to be helping. however, my doc has to write me up as having "reoccuring depression" in order to treat me with it. I have tried the nasal imitrex and like it better despite the awful taste. it is so much easier to use! My latest is wearing a splint on my lower jaw, and that seems to be helping too. It has really helped with the frequent stiff necks which seem to be part of my headaches. I don't know if this is the answer, but if the splint contineus to help, I will try to get off the Prozac. The prozac is not bothering me, but you all know how controversial it is. Thanks to everyone who has written!

---dee smith-johns <dsjohns@adms.purdue.edu>
USA -

I'm 28 years old and I've had migraines since I was about 16, but they've only been frequent enough to worry about in the last 3 years or so. I haven't had much luck with preventive medication. When the Imitrex pill came out, I started taking it when I had attacks, but because the headaches made me so nauseous, I could never keep it down long enough for it to do any good. So I switched to the injection, which works, but I find it painful, and also I feel really dizzy and sick for about 15 minutes after I take it. This passes, but is very unpleasant. I just recently tried the nasal spray for the first time - it doesn't make me sick, but I also don't find it nearly as effective as the injection. Has anyone else had this same experience? I've found that vigorous exercise (running, stairmaster, etc.) alleviates the pain without medicine, if I can drag myself to do it, but it seems to be only a temporary fix, the headache comes back a few hours later. I am also interested in hearing about other peoples' preventive methods (preferably non-drug!). When I get into a bad migraine cycle, I end up taking the shot 4 or 5 times in one week, and I'm concerned about long-term effects.

---Amy <amybucket@hotmail.com>
boston, ma USA -

I love this site! It's so great to read others' stories about being treated like a junkie, etc. when all you want is some relief from the screaming pain! I'm very fortunate in that my neurologist also suffers from migraines and will give me plenty of pain meds. I have run the gamut of all the different preventative meds and now I just treat the migraines as they come with percocet. Once in a while if the vomiting and pain is too bad I will go to the ER - my primary doctor used to give me demerol shots in her office, but now she thinks I am just looking for drugs and she actually refused to treat me last time! And I don't go there very often - maybe once a month at most. So now I rely on the percocet and if things get unbearable I go to the ER and hope that the nurse who I have become friendly with is there and he makes sure that I'm treated like a real human! I have tried EVERYTHING - except the banana peel thing - I just can't stand the thought of a crummy banana peel on my neck when my head is stuck in the toilet! I haven't heard much about the "new imitrex" does anyone have any info on it? Thanks for being there - here's to pain free days for us all.

---Michele Milliard <m2hgo@aol.com>
Paoli, PA USA -

I can't believe there are others who understand what I am going through I am so relieved to know that I am not alone. I have had migraines for 22 years. I used to not realize what they were, and I used to become seriously sick. I have learned to take care of them promptly, and only occasionally vomit. Still, they are a burden I wish I did not have. No one understands how much they actually hurt. I am so sick of people saying,"it's just a headache, take some aspirin." Yeah, right!!! I have to take about 2000 milligrams of ibuprofen to even make a dent in one. I experience one a week at least, sometimes more. Thank you for making me feel less alone.

---Karla Lanch <karlaj13@hotmail.com>
Santa Clara, CA USA -

I am a 45 year old female who has suffered miserably with migraine headaches for more than 20 years. I cannot count the number of trips to the ER for the usual "migraine cocktail", Demerol and Visterol! I have been waiting for months for the arrival of the new "over the counter" medication and finally...today, I tried it. I must tell you, if you have not yet tried "EXCEDRIN MIGRAINE", you absolutely should! I was amazed. I normally take the Imitrex 50mg tablets for my migraines and at $150 for 9 pills, it gets VERY EXPENSIVE. Within 30 minutes, I felt MUCH better and was experiencing MUCH LESS PAIN. It seems to be an excellent medication. I certainly empathize with all of you and I hope that you will try EXCEDRIN MIGRAINE and that you too will get relief. If you cannot yet find it at the drug store, ask your pharmacist. IT REALLY DOES HELP!!! Good luck to all of you. I wish you all the very best.

---Debbie <MegsGMa@aol.com>
Anaheim, CA USA -

I am a 21y.o. who has mugraines as long as i can remember. Luckily, my mother was also a migraine sufferer and recognized the light sensitivity, pain over one eye, etc, for what they were. I have been very lucky in that while my migraines have become more serious since pubert, and worse as I get older, they have not become more frequent. I have also found that they have become much more infrequent (down to one or two per year!) since going on depo-provera. I have also found that for me at least, having coffee when i feel a migraine coming (ie, the visual disturbances and aphagia) either prevents it or considerably lessens the normal severity and length. Many people seem to think that migraines are just "all in the head" (no pun intended), and are a symptom of modern hypochondria. This is to me the most disturbing part of having these problems. To those people I only have to say that they should read some ancient greek texts, as migraines (and their symptoms) are mentioned. I recently got a book of Celtic fairytales, in which one charachter suffers from a migraine. So any others out there, know that it is not just in your head, but exists and is nothing new.

---Melanie <pipebetty@aol.com>
USA -