Case Histories - June #9

I'M A 34-YR. OLD MALE WHO STARTED HAVING BLACKOUTS WITH MIGRANES ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO. AFTER A FEW OF THESE EPISODES,DOCTORS TOLD ME I HAD EPILEPSY. MRI'S SHOWED NOTHING. EEG'S WERE NORMAL. I WAS PUT ON ANTISEIZURE MEDS- FIRST DILANTIN,THEN TEGRETOL, DEPAKATE,ETC.NONE OF THESE MEDS HELPED. IN FACT, MY CONDITION WORSENED.THE BLACKOUTS TURNED INTO SEIZURES WITH JERKING OF THE BODY,I TRYING TO PUT OUT MY HAIR, LOSE OF CONSCIOUSNESS,ETC. THE MIGRANES WOULD LAST UP TWO WEEKS AT A TIME. AFTER NEARLY SEVEN YEARS OF PUTTING UP WITH THIS, I FINALLY HAD A STUDY DONE AT THE U.OF PA.HOSPITAL'S EPILEPSY UNIT. I HAD A FEW SEIZURES WHILE IN THERE. AFTER READING THE EEG, IT TURNS OUT THAT MY SEIZURES WERE PSEUDOSEIZURES. WE BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF THE MIGRANES. NOW WE ARE TRYING TO TREAT THE MIGRANES. ANY SUGGESTIONS ON THE BEST MEDS TO TAKE????? HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD A SIMILIAR MISDIAGNOSIS? MY FAMILIES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MY LOVELY WIFE, THINKS I'M CRAZY OR JUST LAZY. I NEED SOME ANSWERS AND I NEED TO KNOW THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE GOING THRU THIS TYPE OF SITUATION. PLEASE RESPOND!
Johnny Mac <john.bert-101489@prodigy.net>
phila., pa USA - Fri Jun 12 19:36:41 1998

I guess I am a lucky migraine person. I have had them for as lon as I can remember. I am now 37years old. As a child my mother had every test ran on me she could except a brain scan and well if it were a tumor I don't think I would still be around. I now get them once a month usually. A week or two before I start my period. Did the ER trips for the longest time getting those wonderful shots. Someone got wise and said lets put you on meds to see what we can do. The first one I was put on was cafergot. Well I had every side affect known with that pill. If was horrible. I went back to the doctor the day after my first attempt with these and told him what happend. I was hollesnating, had problems breathing you name it. So now I am on fioricet, have been for a couple of years. You take one with the onset and if need be take another one six hours later. It also makes me sleepy. For the most part it works. Once in a while I have to go to the ER. Not often. I haven't thrown up with one in a long time. Still you would think or hope that they could find out the cause. It looks to me mine would be hormonal but I am not a doctor. We have recently moved and I have an appointment to have my yearly so we will see if this doctors advices anything else. Some on you have been diagnosed with different things. I wish I knew the exact cause of mine too. Good luck to you all.anyone wanting to write me feel free.
Kathy <O_Kahler@bellsouth.net>
Panama City, FL USA - Fri Jun 12 17:56:12 1998

Hi...I have suffered with migranes for many years now. It used to be a few times a year that it would happen but now it's like once a month. I'm on Imitrex which seems to help. What bothers me most is any kind of lights that might flicker or even glares. I'm always scared that it's going to trigger a migrane. I live in fear that I'm going to have a migrane. Does anyone else have this problem?
Diane Ballman <dballman@caribe.net>
San Juan, PR Puerto Rico - Fri Jun 12 12:55:38 1998

To Cindy & others who are considering disability---I have been researching this for a few weeks now, and I am very discouraged. There is a five step process you have to follow which can take up to 18 months. After you are turned down at every step you have to appeal. You need a representative (attorney) after you are denied the second time. They work on a contingency fee and charge 25% of the back benefits (if you win) or $4,000 which ever is less. I am told nobody wins on the first & second go around. I have also read the judges can be unfair and deny benefits to many who need them badly. You have to prove that you cannot do ANY work in the national economy---and the judges can always find something that you could do---even if no work like that exists in your area, you are considered not disabled. I read something Id like to share, and this is what discouraged me so much. It is a disability insurance policy from Uncle Sam to us. Have I got a deal for you! For the mere sum of 15% of your lifetime wages this is what your policy includes should you become disabled. (Which we feel you won't) 1. At least a year with no income or medical coverage. 2. The right not to know or question the policy administrators for at least a year.(For your own good) 3. The right to attempt to support yourself even though you do have several severe illnesses (life threatening) we feel that if you continue to take your meds (6) and keep that oxygen mask on 24/7 that your condition will improve enough to allow you to do sedentary work. (Call us if you don't and are still alive) 4. The right to pay an attorney (your'e gonna need one) 1/4 of any award you (or your heirs) may receive if you are successful in a court of law forcing payment of your lawful benefits. (Good Luck!) 5. The right to go on welfare, get food stamps, (eat lots of mac & cheese) sign leins on all your property in order to get county assistance while we withold your benefits. 6. Join the ranks of millions of your fellow Americans in this world class program of mass genocide. Oh, and by the way, purchase of this policy is not arbitrary because it is what I want for you to have! Luv, Uncle Sam. Now I ask you, isn't this enough to make you sick? I was also told during a consultation with a disability attorney, that you have to "make your case" by including Medical Experts ( neurology) and vocational rehab experts. (The judge will have their own experts ready to testify that you can do SOME gainful work in the economy.) It not enough that we have to just get by day to day, but we have to become our own advocates and do much of the leg work ourselves (when, of course, we are not isolated and medicated in dark rooms for days at a time). If anyone wants them, I can give you the email addresses of attorneys who will give you a free consultation. Good Luck!
Mary Jo <mdaniels@ncn.net>
IA USA - Fri Jun 12 10:14:17 1998

Hi there, Many of you already know me. I just wanted to let anyone know who's interested, yesterday I went to the social security office to apply for disability. It was recommended by both my doctor and my employer. I haven't been able to work full-time for 4 years. I continue to miss work weekly. I'm lucky if I work 20hrs. a week. Financially, it's killing me. To make it worse, I have to pay for ANYTHING that has to do with my migraines, meds, docs, all of it. It's "pre-existing". My appt. is July 2nd with social security. Anyone out there been through this? Has anyone successfully received disability for migraines? Also, as soon as I can afford it I am going to the Speed Headache Clinic in Baltimore. Anyone heard of it or already been there? Dr. Speed was a professor at John's Hopkins and is supposed to be excellent. I sure hope so. I've had at least 4 shots in the last 2 1/2 weeks and am currently living on StadolNS (last 2 days) which will run out today. I don't know what I will do after that. I'm still hurting and need to get a shot, but my partner gives me a hard time, like I'm a junkie. It's bad enough to get that from the medical profession. But I hurt! Any suggestions? Good luck to all of you too. Thanks, Cindy
Cindy Lincoln <clincoln@richmond.infi.net>
Richmond, Va USA - Fri Jun 12 8:10:25 1998

I have visited this site before, I added my migraine history about a week? ago. Unfortunatly, my migraines are getting worse instead of better. I woke up repeatedly last night with a dull but painful headache which I thougt was not a migraine because my migraines are usually accompanied by nausea, aura, seeing stars in my peripheral vision,..... I finally got a couple hours of sleep but when I woke up the headache was still there and got worse and worse as the minutes went by. My mom took me to my MD around 2:00 in afternoon and they gave me a shot of Demerol (125mg) and phenergan(50mg). To me, this seemed like a high dose plus even though it helped to "numb" some of the excrutiating pain, the miraine was still there! During the day today I took 2 Imitrex tablets (50mg each), phenergan, Excedrin. So I had been home from the MD office for all of 2 hours when the pain came back in full force. Then my mom took me to the ER ( I thank God every day that I have such wonderful parents). At the ER they gave me another 175mg of Demerol with more Phenergan which wiped me out. They decided finally to take a CAT scan and told me it came out "abnormal" and that from what they could tell it is either a hemorrhage or calcification in my brain at the base of my head. Now I am terrified not knowing what it is.... If anyone has heard of such a thing please let me know by email at " AngelVipond@yahoo.com" . I would like any info on this especially since I cant see my MD for more specifics until late tomorrow evening or Monday, when I will get an MRI to distinguish what is happening in my brain. I am really scared!
Angel <AngelVipond@yahoo.com>
Grass Valley, CA USA - Fri Jun 12 4:22:43 1998