Case Histories - July #1

Once again it's me Sandra- fellow pain sufferer's. I wanted everyone to know that the pain killer Duract was re-called. I was never told by my doctor, therefore I've become ill with more ailments .My insurance company still does not want to help me with my claim or pay me. I still encounter throbbing pain in the neck and become dizzy, not to mention vomiting blood in front of the porcelin God (toilet) for 3hrs straight today. Has anyone encountered this problem with insurance claims or the persistent throbbing pain and suicidal tendencies??If so, is there any Rx I can discuss with my doctors'. I don't want to end up in a ''rubber room''. Can anyonee relate??????? God Bless Everyone :)
Sandra J <ROBSANDY1@prodigy.net>
Sacramento, Ca USA - Wed Jul 1 1:28:12 1998

I am 47 years old, have had the combination cluster/migraine headaches since I was 21 years old. I have tried every type of medication out there; inderol, cafergot, amitriptilene, veraprimil, imitrex (both the shot and pills), demerol and the one thing that does help is Fiorinal. But between my Doctor and the Neurologist, we have all been trying to find something that prevents the onset of these horrendous headaches. I get up with a headache every morning; sometimes one Fiorinal does the trick, sometimes not. It is like a crapshoot. Help
Sandra Desnousse <SandraD@RadixControls.com>
Windsor, ONT Canada - Wed Jul 1 13:07:12 1998

WOW! I had no idea that so many others were out there. Well, in a nutshell, I'm 35 and have been suffering migraine since about age 23. Like another posting I read, I'm trying to become pregnant and am terrified about the prospect of going 9+ months without Imitrex. My OB/GYN says that Imitrex is just too risky, that I'll have to use narcotics instead. I always thought I had sinus headaches (because I didn't have auras). Finally I was diagnosed with migraine (by one of those "doc-in-a-box" places, believe it or not!). I thought I was the only one with weather-related migraine (all the "experts" say weather isn't a trigger). The worst migraine I've had in a year happened just two weeks ago after I had spent an hour weeding in my garden in 90+ degree heat+ humidity and I got way overheated. Mine always are on the right side, and they always happen in the middle of the night (they wake me up), so it's hard to take the meds that you take at the first sign of a headache. Midrin didn't do anything for me. I also have endometriosis, which is painful as well. When are doctors going to wake up and give us the pain relief we need? To me, any doc that sees a patient obviously in pain and refuses them the treatment they need (i.e., pain meds) should have his/her license lifted. We have to support each other and maybe we can eventually make a difference. Until then, stay pain-free!
Teresa <lgh@iwaynet.net>
Columbus, OH USA - Wed Jul 1 12:34:38 1998

wow! this is great- i am so happy to see that i'm not alone. not that i'm glad to see that anyone else does. I am 23 years old an have had them since I was 6!!! over 17 years of this HELL!!! I too have tried many many pills for this and finally found one that works. Imitrex is the only thing that has helped me without knocking me out for hours. I was taking Midrin when I was 6 and it did't help then or now. I take Zoloft daily as well. For years I would take 6-8 Advil at 2 morning-2 afternoon-2 night as my own prevention. I went back to a nerologist after many years of doubt, and he immediately made me stop. I am a VERY anxious person and my nerves get the best of me. It seems everytime something BIG like the first day of school, first day on a new job, you name it I got one. oh, and lets not forget "that time of the month" My family, and friends are sick of hearing me say," I've got a headache" No one wants to hear it anymore. I don't want to hear it anymore. Before Imitrix, i had my own remedy I would take Dramimine for nausea plus whatever pain pill Darvocet, Lorecet Plus. I have also taken the spray form of Imitrex. It tasted horrible! It did not mix well with my upset stomach. I think my neck is the stem of the problem. Been to the chiro- only temp help. I can hardly hold my head up sometimes. I remember when I little and my parents would rub my head so hard that they would leave me with a scab over my eye from where the skin was removed. I would have to go to school like that. I always carry medicine with me. I never leave home without it. Never. Now i am afraid that I am taking too many imitrex. If I feel one coming on I don't take any chances so I take one. Easy three times a week. I hate taking pills everyday. Lets not mention the side effects of Zoloft. I've made that fun trip to the ER too. Had a fun little shot too. My boyfriend came home to find me banging my head on the wall cring about wanting to die. He took me straight to the ER at that point. With insurance, I was still set back $600 for the brainscan. I keep a headache diary to track the food I eat etc. Can't seem to find a link. What's new right? I would love to hear from those who can relate. Anyone in Atlanta who knows of or would like to come up withsome sort of a support group? Heather
heather <heather@ubsolutions.com>
atlanta, ga USA - Wed Jul 1 11:52:06 1998

Dear Fellow Sufferers: I have followed the postings on this page daily for almost a year now. Thank you so much for all the information that has been passed through to others in pain. I have a WONDERFUL doctor who will help me get over the pain, NO MATTER what it takes.... We try the "non narcotics" first and then progress. I have gone from migraines once a week to once a month since August of last year. I have a question concerning hormome replacement therapy. Almost 8 years ago I had a hysterectomy due to a very bad premature birth. (Never stopped hemoraging) Any way, have been on synthectic estrogen since. I did some studying and decided to the increase risk of breast cancer, etc I wanted to find a natural hormone replacement. Therefore I have tried several different creams and pills from the health food stores. I have been having some pretty severe hot flashes and now the migraines are increasing again. I would like to stay away from the synthetic estrogen - does anyone else out there take a natural "estrogen". If so what? I need to get rid of these hot flashes and the constant headaches. Can any one help. Thanks and God Bless you all....
Karen <jksparks@juno.com>
San Angelo, TX USA - Wed Jul 1 8:42:31 1998

I was surprised to find this place... Athough I found some consolidation that I'm not the only one suffering, I can't help feel sorry for everyone else who has it worse than I do. I wish I could help, but I don't know where. As for me.... Mine started slowly since I woke up this morning, repeatedly from a noisy nieghbor throwing a going away bash... I asked him several times to turn it, down which he did, but only momentarily... Every couple minuted he'd spike up the volume and throw me out of my sleep... I couln't call the cops because he wouldn't do it while they are around (I've had this problem before). I'm 22.. I've been having Migraines since Jul95. I can't say this is one of my worst ones, but considering the job I'm in I can't just take off and go home. The military doesn't care for that too much... I take a daily dosage of Inderal And Pamelor. I just took 800Mg of Motrin (the universal cure-all for the mil), 2 Midrins (not sure on the dosage), and a Fenergan for the the nausea and vomiting, although thats already been lost... I'll keep up the midrin till I hit 6 tablets today, one every half an hour. If that doesn't stop it, I resort to Percecet.... That will take enough of the pain away for me to sleep tonight, but I will wake up with the migraine of almost equal to double the pain... I'm trying to keep hydrated, I can't see very cleary, just a bunch of yellow spots, and I'm throwing up very violently... My migraines had been worse in the past where they would last for weeks on end, now they seem to be very quick, but also very much more painful. Does any one.... please have an idea.. We all know this is hell...
Robin <wakko@snoopy.bunt.com>
Ramstein AB, GE - Wed Jul 1 4:44:03 1998

me again. Went to bed early with a migraine, woke up at mignight still throbbing, so I took demerol and phenergan and am now in that state where the pain is fuzzy and I am not yet asleep, so thought I could write for a while. Hate having to choose between pain and drugged sleep, I keep telling my MD that there has to be some third choice. You know, maybe LIFE. I miss so much because of this. After reading some of the entries on this site, I think we should write a book on BAD ER treatment and then maybe we could have it become required reading for all medical schools!! I try to stay far away from the emergency room. Went a couple of months back,hadn't been to an ER for migraine in 10 years. The MD was a joke. He gave me 25 MG of demerol, and when it didn't work and I asked him how much he gave me, he became defensive. The idiot had to throw away 3/4ths of the tubex to give me 25 mg. Think that might have clued him in to the fact that 25 mg of demerol is not a theraputic dose. Needless to say after an hour and still no pain relief, I asked for moredemerol and he refused. I asked to be sent home with phenergan suppositories. (he gave me 2). Luckily my new internal medicine doc was outraged by my treatment. He really had a fit when I told him I went home crawled into the closet(darkest place I could find) and cried myself to sleep. He gave me demerol tablets along with the Zomig. He said.. try the Zomig, if it doesn't work take it again in 1 hour, then if that doesn't work take the demerol. He also gave me stadiol NS to try. That is one scary drug. I thought I was going to stop breathing. Great that it took only 5 minutes to relieve the pain, but then I horrid nightmares and kept waking up and seeing things that I know were not there. I have had a few surgeries in the past and this hit me like the stuff they give ya to knock you out. Don't like seeing things. Don't like the heavy feeling in my chest, like breathing is too much trouble. I tried it three times, cause I know my MD would rather I use stadiol instead of demerol, but after the third time I felt like I was going to die, so I threw the rest of the bottle away. At least with demerol, I have a period of time when I am insulated from the worst of the pain. Would really like to find something that insulates without putting me to sleep. Thanks for listening, it helps to share, although I wish there weren't so many of us out there in the same boat. Joyce
Joyce <pjatwest@aol.com>
pensacola, fl USA - Wed Jul 1 3:07:40 1998