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Migraines everyday, all day, for 9 months. Help!!

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Becky-Louise
Becky-Louise

Remember your worst migraine. How much pain you were in and how you just couldn't do anything. That's how I am everyday.

Right so I'm a 20 year old female, I'm and student and work as a waitress part time.

So, I started with a headache on the 18th January this year, pain killers didn't touch it. Woke up the next day and still had a terrible headache.

I have a terrible headache all day, everyday, without fail. It's got to the point now that I'm stressed; fed up, hardly sleeping, can't concentrate at uni or any time really.

Please understand that the pain never goes, the headache never ends. I have literally had a migraine 24/7 for 9 months now.

I wear glasses (short sighted) but I know it's not my eyes causing the migraines.

I've cut out everything that's apparently supposed to aggravate headaches. Stop drinking caffeine, stop eating chocolate and cheese. No change in the headaches.

This continued for a week or two before I went to see my GP who referred me to a neurologist.

The first neurologist thought I had tension headaches caused by stress.

At this point, I wasn't stressed at all, not with uni or work, nothing. So I didn't quite understand this diagnosis.

Anyway he put me onto tablets called amitriptyline, which is an antidepressant, and told me to gradually increase my dosage up to 50mg a day. This didn't help at all, had horrible side affects.

I then saw another neurologist who diagnosed me with migraines, put me into Topamax, which are an anti epileptic drug meant to also treat migraines. I got my dose up to 100mg within 3 months and the side affects were horrible and didn't help at all.

I've had a CT scan, which was normal. Had an MRI scan, which was normal. I've also tried Imigran and some migraine medication that melts into your tongue, with no affect what so ever.

After trying all this, an idea was put forward that I could have raised intracranial hypertension, so yesterday I had a Lumbar Puncture. The pressure was at 19 and a half (apparently if its over 20 it's high), so it's not thought its that. The migraines were worse for a week after the lumbar puncture, I couldn't even sit up without being in agony and being sick. Spent a week in bed unable to move.

I've got another type of MRI scan booked for the end of this month that's apparently going to look at the veins/blood vessels in my head to see if there is a problem there.

I feel like I'm not being taken seriously now by doctors, because "there isn't anything to be worried about, like a tumour" as I'm always told! As much as I'm so very glad I don't have anything serious to be worried about, I hate spending everyday in so much pain that I can't function.

Please don't think I'm over reacting/attention seeking/whatever, but I am literally fed up and can't cope. I can't get a minute of relief, I'm constantly in pain (different variations of pain, but pain all the same). As I'm writing this I'm crying my eyes out because I haven't managed to sleep more than 3 hours a night in that past 4 days. I'm exhausted and depressed now. I've even told my GP that I am so depressed now, I have thought on more than one occasion of overdosing just to end this pain. And he literally turned me away saying he couldn't do anything. I feel so defeated.

If anyone has had this type of problem before or knows someone that has, please let me know.

24 likes, 741 replies

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  • Becky-Louise
    Becky-Louise

    Posted

    Hey,

    Has anyone tried Zonisamide before?

    Did they have any effect on migraines?

    What were the side affects?

    Thanks x

  • Becky-Louise
    Becky-Louise

    Posted

    Just a word of advice for anyone going to try acupuncture-

    Don't start any new medications.

    Wait till your on a stable dose before starting treatment.

    Otherwise you turn up to your appointment like I did, and get told they won't do anything because they aren't sure if I have any improvement/side effects, if it's the treatment or medication..

    I totally understand that- but was it so hard for them to warn me of this when making my appointment?

    Typically nhs..

  • Tobamory
    Tobamory Becky-Louise

    Posted

    Becki I had my Botox yesterday, was a weird experience, seeing the 3 needles full of Botox was a worrying sight, anyway I had about 30 jabs I think, the needles an insulin needle so more of a scratch than hurting, I wanted to ask where they stuck them in you Becki. The lady who did it was a dystonia nurse as Botox is mainly used for neck muscle issues, but she said she does over 5 a week for migraine now.. Anyway I had the following.

     6 or so in my forehead a finger width above my brow but more central than over the eyes. A further 6 or 8 over each ear and around it but none in the temples. I then had 10 or so at the back of my neck in   triangle and down my back a little , did it hurt not really a few made my toes curl but not any worse than the dentist lol

    i,ll report back once it all kicks in, day 2 and nothing yet, but I'm told 1 to 2 weeks, I'm more intreaged at if my wrinkles go on my foreheads haha

    • Becky-Louise
      Becky-Louise Tobamory

      Posted

      Aha, I can hardly move my forehead!

      I had them all in the same sort of area, but about half the amount.

      I found it quite painful, but I also really hate needles so I was anxious and stressed too.

      Hope you get some sort of relief from this, I've basically been told to give up Botox because nothing has happened sad

      But yeah, got my fingers crossed for you!

      Keep me updated, but I was advised by a lot of people here, that you won't feel any change until second course rolleyes

  • debraneighbors
    debraneighbors Becky-Louise

    Posted

    Becky-Louise, I suffered from migraines for over 16 years (5 to 6 days a week). My story was very similar to yours, same solution from doctors, same or similar medicines, both prescription and OTC. I finally started taking magnesium glycinate and I haven't had a single migraine in 14 months. It costs US $9.54 per bottle - a two-month supply because I only take two in the evening. It makes you sleep well. You will wake up refreshed every morning. I feel like I have been set free. I make sure I never miss a dose or run out of the supplement. It has changed my life!
    • Becky-Louise
      Becky-Louise debraneighbors

      Posted

      Hi there smile

      So glad your finally getting some relief from your migraine!

      Thanks for the tip, shall definitely I ask my doctor.

      Hope you continue to do well smile

  • Becky-Louise
    Becky-Louise

    Posted

    So guys,

    Currently I'm in a lot of pain, to the point I'm not going into work today, been on the phonetic the doctors and want to cry my eyes out.

    For the past few days I've been feeling head rushes (could be a bit painful, like pressure building up in my head) when I stand up, and after about 5 minutes, it would go away.

    Yesterday I was feeling worse as my ears and nose felt sore, like something was in/blocking them.

    Migraine eventually started to get worse throughout the day, and I was in bed by half 7 trying to sleep it off.

    Today however, I feel like I've had my lumbar puncture all over again!

    I only feel 'okay' when lying down(still in pain but not too bad) if I stand up though the pain in my head is unbearable!

    Don't know what's going on, but to have this start suddenly has worried me a little. Only even felt like this before when I had that god awful lumbar puncture.

    Anyone experienced something like this out the blue? If so what was it?

    • duvet
      duvet Becky-Louise

      Posted

      Sorry my love but that sounds like my normal migraine attack.

      But let's rule out the nasty stuff like meningitis or a labyrinthine virus.

      Have you got a fever or rash, photophobic, stiff neck etc? If yes get a GP house call today or ring 111.

      If no, then make sure you drink plenty, take whatever meds work for you, I use Buccastem for nausea and Indometacin for the eye watering pain. Keep flat until the pain subsides - for me this can take up to 6-8 hrs, they usually brew up around 4am and subside about 6pm , I'm in bed all day! If you can, try to eat bland carbs, bread and Marmite works for me I think its the salt plus B vits. 

      Hang in there. I'm around for a chat.

      Helen xxx

    • Becky-Louise
      Becky-Louise duvet

      Posted

      No they haven't atm, I've got a nurse ringing me back any minute now to see if I need to go see a doctor etc. My mum thinks I'm best going to a&e though rolleyes

      My neck is stiff, but no fever or anything.

      This defin

    • Tobamory
      Tobamory Becky-Louise

      Posted

      You had any imigran yet becky? Try alka seltzer xs it may kick the imigran into action. I sometimes get like this and they dont work, even though migraine tabkets stomach doesntk absorb it, the alka kick that process in.

      Only imigrwn radis work when they get this bad due to how they absorb

    • Becky-Louise
      Becky-Louise Tobamory

      Posted

      No I haven't, don't have any.

      Tried Imigran ages ago and it never worked.

      I don't think this is just my migraine, think there's something effecting it because I've never had pain like this apart from when I had my lumbar puncture.

      Shall ask about trying Imigran again.

  • Becky-Louise
    Becky-Louise

    Posted

    *definitely isn't my normal migraines sad

    Thanks guys x

    • duvet
      duvet Becky-Louise

      Posted

      Could be exacerbated by a virus? Not sure what a&e can do although you'll get access to vvv strong pain meds. My nasty migraines were triggered by encephalitis and once I needed morphine to get the pain stabilised.

      Keep as calm as you can and do your breathing exercises. Stress def makes the pain worse.

      Push to see your go today!

      Xx

    • Becky-Louise
      Becky-Louise duvet

      Posted

      Can't get to see my GP today but going to see one of the nurses in an hour rolleyes hopefully she can help, or at least pull a doctor in if she's concerned.

      Thanks x

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