Migraines are constant
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tortoisegirl
7777Trinity
6 posters
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Migraines are constant
I have been slammed! I had a migraine every 2 days and some lasted 3 days in a row in June. The Depakote screwed my liver function studies over and so it was decreased to 250mg a night and it doesn't work at that low dosage. So why bother taking it??
I need help... I take Relpax 40mg when the Monster starts up and Phenegren and Stadol NS to stop the immediate gut wrenching nausea and throwing up horrific PAIN. The Stadol helps the pain until the Relpax kicks in but it makes me pee every 5 minutes for about 2 hours, getting in and out of bed constantly, when all I want to do is fall asleep and rest until the pain is finished.
Does anyone know of a med that would help me just fall asleep after I take the Relpax?? July has started out the same way.
Trinity
I need help... I take Relpax 40mg when the Monster starts up and Phenegren and Stadol NS to stop the immediate gut wrenching nausea and throwing up horrific PAIN. The Stadol helps the pain until the Relpax kicks in but it makes me pee every 5 minutes for about 2 hours, getting in and out of bed constantly, when all I want to do is fall asleep and rest until the pain is finished.
Does anyone know of a med that would help me just fall asleep after I take the Relpax?? July has started out the same way.
Trinity
7777Trinity- Four Star
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Join date : 2012-10-01
Re: Migraines are constant
Sorry you are struggling. My go-to sleep med is Tizanadine (Zanaflex)...basically as that is about all my doctors will let me have. I take it before bed and typically it helps me fall asleep, although it probably isn't as good in the staying asleep department. I tend to skip it when I think I might have to get up in the night though as it makes me dizzy.
It helps some folks as either a preventative or abortive though. Its a muscle relaxer which is sedating for most. A wide range of doses can be taken. I do find it takes time to kick in however, like any pill. It kicks in quicker than a pain med or Triptan for me though (probably 45 vs. 90 minutes).
Something that is sedating that may also have some benefit to the migraine is probably the best choice, whether a muscle relaxer, benzo, antihistimine, etc. Otherwise, you're looking at actual sleeping pills, whether otc (Unisom) or rx. My doctors have been against those and benzos due to me taking methadone, so I don't have experience in that area.
So do Triptans take longer to kick in for you than other pills such that taking something to sleep at the same time would be of some benefit?
Might anything besides Stadol be helpful? If your doctor is ok with that (many aren't), they may also be open to injectable or suppository forms of a strong opiate like Dilaudid. There is also a Toradol nasal spray (Sprix) that for some folks works even better than the injections. I seem to get some help from it when the injections did nothing but give me a vaso vagal reaction.
What did the doctor suggest you try to make up for the Depakote dose decrease? Anything similar you haven't tried? Its good they were keeping an eye on your liver functions, but I agree there has got to be a different plan if it won't be helpful at the lower dose. Hang in there! Best wishes.
It helps some folks as either a preventative or abortive though. Its a muscle relaxer which is sedating for most. A wide range of doses can be taken. I do find it takes time to kick in however, like any pill. It kicks in quicker than a pain med or Triptan for me though (probably 45 vs. 90 minutes).
Something that is sedating that may also have some benefit to the migraine is probably the best choice, whether a muscle relaxer, benzo, antihistimine, etc. Otherwise, you're looking at actual sleeping pills, whether otc (Unisom) or rx. My doctors have been against those and benzos due to me taking methadone, so I don't have experience in that area.
So do Triptans take longer to kick in for you than other pills such that taking something to sleep at the same time would be of some benefit?
Might anything besides Stadol be helpful? If your doctor is ok with that (many aren't), they may also be open to injectable or suppository forms of a strong opiate like Dilaudid. There is also a Toradol nasal spray (Sprix) that for some folks works even better than the injections. I seem to get some help from it when the injections did nothing but give me a vaso vagal reaction.
What did the doctor suggest you try to make up for the Depakote dose decrease? Anything similar you haven't tried? Its good they were keeping an eye on your liver functions, but I agree there has got to be a different plan if it won't be helpful at the lower dose. Hang in there! Best wishes.
tortoisegirl- Two star
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Join date : 2012-02-18
Re: Migraines are constant
Oh man that sucks Trinity, cos you were doing so well on Depakote. What about adding Neurontin to the lower dose of Depakote? One of the women in my real-life migraine support group is on that combo and it works well for her.
Agree w/ tortoisegirl about an alternative to the Stadol that will let you sleep, Morphine or Oxycontin or example. If your doc won't prescribe those, you could ask for Phrenilin w/ Codeine. It is indicated for headache, all 3 ingredients will help your pain (Acetaminophen, Codeine, Butalbital) and the Butalbital will help you sleep very nicely.
-Platy
Agree w/ tortoisegirl about an alternative to the Stadol that will let you sleep, Morphine or Oxycontin or example. If your doc won't prescribe those, you could ask for Phrenilin w/ Codeine. It is indicated for headache, all 3 ingredients will help your pain (Acetaminophen, Codeine, Butalbital) and the Butalbital will help you sleep very nicely.
-Platy
Platypus- Three Star
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Re: Migraines are constant
Sorry your head is in a bad place:evil: . The only thing that helps me sleep is a combo of Percocet and phenergan. I take the phenergan a half hour before pain meds to give it time to kick in. Maybe its time for an injection or IV to break your cycle? Wish I could help more.
Hugs,
Cindy
Hugs,
Cindy
30yrsofheadache- Four Star
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Age : 64
Location : VA
New Migraine Research
Thanks everyone, it has been hell. That said, I am looking into many of the suggestions you guys mentioned. This morning I came across this one. A research group have created a medication in clinical trials that you snort up your nose. It simulates the hormone excreted when we orgasm. There was 64% success rate of curbing the pain of migraine to no migraine. They say it will take 3 years to get the product on the market. Here is the link.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/807277
Obviously I am not waiting 3 years to see if this works
Trinity
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/807277
Obviously I am not waiting 3 years to see if this works
Trinity
7777Trinity- Four Star
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Join date : 2012-10-01
Re: Migraines are constant
So you're going back to this thread for your 'cure': https://migrainehelp.forumotion.net/t777-sex-for-migraines
<jk>
<jk>
Sara79- Four Star
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Join date : 2010-11-11
Re: Migraines are constant
Sara
Perhaps, depends on how crushing the pain is
Trinity
Perhaps, depends on how crushing the pain is
Trinity
7777Trinity- Four Star
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Join date : 2012-10-01
Re: Migraines are constant
OK, so sleepy type meds that work...tricky. There's ambien or it's relatives, but they're only hypnotics, not true 'knock out' sleep pills. Anything older pharmaceutical wise that was used has addiction properties (example, 'sleeping with Prince Valium'), they are usually either a barbiturate or a narcotic, and getting them is tricky and make the docs nervous.
Melatonin, Valerian and Chamomile help, but check with the doc or pharmacist to see if anything you take interact. Many 'herbal' meds do, but people don't tend to think about it. I've told others that poison ivy, lead, and belladonna are natural, I wouldn't wanna be eating any of them.
Melatonin, Valerian and Chamomile help, but check with the doc or pharmacist to see if anything you take interact. Many 'herbal' meds do, but people don't tend to think about it. I've told others that poison ivy, lead, and belladonna are natural, I wouldn't wanna be eating any of them.
Sara79- Four Star
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Join date : 2010-11-11
Re: Migraines are constant
Hi,
Sorry to hear about the Depakote. I can't take it for the same reason. However, I can have an IV of Depakan every 4-6 weeks to break a bad headache. You might want to ask your dr about that. I think depakan is a slightly different formulation. It might be worth looking in to.
r
As for medications that will help you sleep or rest during a migraine- it is kind of tricky- but what about migraine isn't? I take klonopin during the day for the bad ones- along with a combination of Tylenol#3, Ultram, and benedryl. The klonopin does relax me some- it is a benzodiazepine, but it does help. I take Tizanidine for sleep. If the headache is really bad, I will take a little bit during the day- even 1-2mg can make me sleepy and this does help the migraine or at least knocks you out for a while. I can't take ambien due to side effects. But, in the past 15 years of living with migraine, most of my doctors have prescribed a muscle relaxant of some kind for the bad ones- skelaxin, flexeril, baclofen, are not benzos but are muscle relaxants and do help. So maybe that is worth a shot? My doctor has also recommended a high dose of benedryl at times. I have also been given periactin as a preventative.
As for the nausea, if the Phenergan helps- stick with it. If the stadol isn't working well, you might want to see if your dr would be willing to change pain meds. Others have mentioned morphine or Percocet. Both of these are sedating and it sounds like you really need a change. If stadol works better for you-great. (but stadol is an opiate antagonist, which mau limit choices.)
The only other things I can suggest right now would be a course of steroids-decadron works best for me or an IV of Depakan. Unfortunately, the IV may mean a trip to the dreaded ER. (I say dreaded because you never know how you are going to be treated there. Fortunately, I can get an IV of depakan at a Home Health center in town.)
I hope you feel better soon! Feel free to post if you need to- we are definitely here for you. Hang in there.
Pain free days,
sconesail
I really hope you get some relief soon.
Sorry to hear about the Depakote. I can't take it for the same reason. However, I can have an IV of Depakan every 4-6 weeks to break a bad headache. You might want to ask your dr about that. I think depakan is a slightly different formulation. It might be worth looking in to.
r
As for medications that will help you sleep or rest during a migraine- it is kind of tricky- but what about migraine isn't? I take klonopin during the day for the bad ones- along with a combination of Tylenol#3, Ultram, and benedryl. The klonopin does relax me some- it is a benzodiazepine, but it does help. I take Tizanidine for sleep. If the headache is really bad, I will take a little bit during the day- even 1-2mg can make me sleepy and this does help the migraine or at least knocks you out for a while. I can't take ambien due to side effects. But, in the past 15 years of living with migraine, most of my doctors have prescribed a muscle relaxant of some kind for the bad ones- skelaxin, flexeril, baclofen, are not benzos but are muscle relaxants and do help. So maybe that is worth a shot? My doctor has also recommended a high dose of benedryl at times. I have also been given periactin as a preventative.
As for the nausea, if the Phenergan helps- stick with it. If the stadol isn't working well, you might want to see if your dr would be willing to change pain meds. Others have mentioned morphine or Percocet. Both of these are sedating and it sounds like you really need a change. If stadol works better for you-great. (but stadol is an opiate antagonist, which mau limit choices.)
The only other things I can suggest right now would be a course of steroids-decadron works best for me or an IV of Depakan. Unfortunately, the IV may mean a trip to the dreaded ER. (I say dreaded because you never know how you are going to be treated there. Fortunately, I can get an IV of depakan at a Home Health center in town.)
I hope you feel better soon! Feel free to post if you need to- we are definitely here for you. Hang in there.
Pain free days,
sconesail
I really hope you get some relief soon.
sconesail- Four Star
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Join date : 2011-08-20
Re: Migraines are constant
scone did mention something that could help, muscle relaxers. I've tried skelaxin and flexaril...they were great for me at first, but then became less effective, but I've had others say it's perfect for them.
I'm currently using soma, which my primary doc is fine with, but my neuro is worried about. According to her it has a high abuse potential. I mentioned her concerns to my primary, and we both laughed some; over the years he's given me many meds with abuse potential, and I've been lucky that it's never been a problem.
I did get a trigger spot injection last Friday (over a week ago, not just two days ago). I had a knot in my neck that was tight and helping push the headache into a migraine. It was a combo of lidocaine and a steroid, the lidocaine to immediately help, and the steroid to make the muscle relax. It really helped, and I'm still seeing much less neck tension. Sorry if I've posted this elsewhere, I'm struggling today.
I'm currently using soma, which my primary doc is fine with, but my neuro is worried about. According to her it has a high abuse potential. I mentioned her concerns to my primary, and we both laughed some; over the years he's given me many meds with abuse potential, and I've been lucky that it's never been a problem.
I did get a trigger spot injection last Friday (over a week ago, not just two days ago). I had a knot in my neck that was tight and helping push the headache into a migraine. It was a combo of lidocaine and a steroid, the lidocaine to immediately help, and the steroid to make the muscle relax. It really helped, and I'm still seeing much less neck tension. Sorry if I've posted this elsewhere, I'm struggling today.
Sara79- Four Star
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Join date : 2010-11-11
Re: Migraines are constant
Hey Scone
Yeah, you were on my post about "somebody put me out of my misery" But this is new information from you. I was on Flexeril and Soma until it began to destroy my liver and I had to go off it.
Thanks for thinking of me
Trinity
Yeah, you were on my post about "somebody put me out of my misery" But this is new information from you. I was on Flexeril and Soma until it began to destroy my liver and I had to go off it.
Thanks for thinking of me
Trinity
7777Trinity- Four Star
- Posts : 343
Points : 453
Join date : 2012-10-01
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