Struggling

Hi everybody. Hope some of us are pain free right now or at least not in miserable excruciating pain. I am not so lucky. This is day 3 of current migraine. Lately the pain is constant and unrelenting with no breaks. I have been medicating so much I can't help but wonder if some of this is rebound. But does it really matter what the origin is? The long and short of it is, the pain is horrific.

I don't even know if the medication is working at all. But I'm scared to not take any, lest the severity of the pain increase. Its already at screaming point, so I don't even know if I'd notice. I've taken max doses of everything and 100 mgs of Benadryl and 2 tbsp of Nyquil (I have a bit of a cough and the Muxinex DM didn't help) and should be sleeping hard if not flat out unconscious, but here I am. Bright eyed and bushy tailed at 3 am. I'm not sleepy at all. Nothing has put a dent in this pain and I guess i am going to ER tomorrow. And I have cotton mouth from all the Benadryl. I'd ram my head into the wall just to go to sleep but I'd probably just get a concussion and then no one would let me sleep anyway.

I've been on Ambien for years, I don't even know how long. I don't sleep if I don't take it so I know I'm dependent on it. I just didn't realize until today that I can't even take a nap or have the luxury of falling asleep during a migraine. So, I'm taking myself off of it. I'll work with the doctor of course, but I have to get off this stuff. I've been miserable for days trying to sleep off this misery and can't.

I feel like a big whiney baby right now. Its been a rough month and I feel crappy. I don't know where to go from here or what to do if I got somewhere. I don't know what doctor to see or treatment to try. I've seen so many and they all contradict each other. I started seeing a chiropractor a few weeks ago. She took some x-rays of my neck and back. The dr says I am out of alignment (that's kind of a given) and that my neck curves the wrong way. In spite of the fact I carry my purse of the left shoulder and always have, my right side is lower than the left. My neck curves outward instead of the regular inward curve. I have 65% percent range of motion in my neck. 90% is the average. I always get a headache after adjustments or else the existing headache gets worse. I know I have to start somewhere, but does this mean that I am just making it worse, or is it no pain no gain?

All I know for sure is that I hurt and so far no one has been able to help me. I don't wait to medicate any more I hit it hard immediately. I can't lie down and try to sleep it off because I don't sleep without Ambien. Sometimes I don't even sleep with it. I guess I can look forward to terrible withdrawal. I don't know how long it will last and what I do to counter it.

I feel like all I do is complain when I come here. I know we are a support system for each other, but I just feel like I never have a good story to share. I try to do the brave face, I'm okay at home for my family. They can't help me and now that I am a parent, I know how hard it is to not be able to fix your child's hurts.

I feel so helpless. I just don't know what to do. I don't want to live like this. I don't want to to worry that I'm killing my liver or other body parts to relieve my pain. I don't know how much good the medication is doing, right now I hurt so bad I could cry except that crying makes it worse. And I have to wonder, if I hadn't take any medication would the pain be more severe?

Sorry for the long rant. I just wanted a (cyber) shoulder to cry on.

So sorry you are going through a rough patch right now, I hope you start getting some relief soon.
I know how worrying it is when you take so much medication, you wonder how much a liver can take!
I've taken tons of medications for over forty years and so far my liver seems fine, hope that makes you feel a little better.
I was told years ago that the liver has excellent healing properties.


{{{{Hugs}}}}. P.S. Migraining bad myself right now and heading to the Maxalt

Hang in there Kimbak!

I know exactly what you mean when you talk about being in a place where just pretending to be ok takes up all the energy you have.

Please make sure you follow the doctors advice with the ambian....unless he or she suggests a quite decrease, as it should be done slowly. Most docs do the taper properly.

I hope your pain eases. We are here for you!

I have been medicating so much I can't help but wonder if some of this is rebound

Sweetie, who cares?!

What matters, you are in pain and you need relief. Rebound is a moot point at this stage, and no I don't believe it is rebound.
Something is going on, and if I know life, no doctor is ever going to admit he/she don't know what it is and/or what to do
about it but of course YOU will be happily blamed for whatever ails or fails you.
Oh, that one is a given!

I am myself in a bad shape right now, and seeing how many of us are not well at the same time I begin to wonder
was there a top secret bio-operation that went bust which resulted in a toxic cloud all over the world or North America at least,
or what???

Kim, hang in there. This too, shall pass. What else can we do but wait.
I feel for you, wish I could do something. What were you offered to abort the streak of pain?
The only thing that ever worked for me is my triptan and narcotic painkiller combo. For others, is steroids.
I really have no idea what would work for you, but I am sure your dr doesn't inspire much confidence in me -
- can you shop for another one?

And you know what - I really really recommend reading "Chocolate & Vicodin" by Jennette Fulda - she has some funny yet
reasonable insight about trying "different approaches".
Her comments about her chiropractor experience sent me reeling from laugh. It was right spot on!
This book was suggested to me first by Charlotte, and I never regretted buying it!

Risa

Hi,

I'm so sorry you are having a rough time. I wish I knew what to tell you- wish I could make this horrible pain stop for all of us.

You mentioned Ambien. Have you talked to your doctor about any alternatives? Zanaflex (tizanidine) works very well for me. I have been on it for about ten years. i recently tried to switch to sonata, which did not work. I spoke to my sleep doctor and he said continuing with the zanaflex wasn't a problem. He wasn't worried about dependence- just worried about getting a good nights sleep. (Also due to the POTS/NCS I am limited in what I can take for sleep. You might want to check with your doctor and see if you need to switch to something else or go off gradually.

The only other thought I have is this- I usually take klonopin and tylenol 3 when it gets bad. The klonopin does help me relax a little. Have you thought about asking your doctor about having something like that on hand for the really bad ones?

Anyway, I hope you feel better soon.

Pain free days,
sailingm

Hi Kimba

Sorry you're having a bad one. I can certainly relate. I agree with above on Tizanadine which is actually a muscle relaxer. I found out it knocks me right out which is a big help when the other drugs and the migraine make sleep difficult. It also helps counter the stress in my shoulders and neck which can lead to or be caused by the migraines. (still not sure which is cause and which is effect). Also it does not have the side effects of Ambien which can lead to a lot people doing things in their sleep (driving, eating, shopping) they are unaware of. So you might ask your doctor about it.

In the mean time, try to take it easy. This too shall pass (eventually)....