/ Featured / 5 Days in Hell: A Headache Story
by Lisa DeSpain (Kennesaw, GA)
I’ve been battling migraines for about 10 years now. I’ve been through the whole gauntlet – CAT scans, MRI’s, contrast PET scans, test, test, test, test, ad nauseum. Anyway, you name it, I’ve done it. I’ve tried pretty much every migraine med on the planet at least once. The only things I have found that keep these beasts at bay, and I have one everyday, mind you, is anti-nausea meds, and pain killers (Darvocet, and sometimes aspirin). Most days, I can knock the pain level down to what I call “ignore“, which on a 1-10 scale is about a 4. It never quite goes away.
I used to be able to break the cycle of a days long headache with a pain shot at the doctor’s office. That would usually make it go away, even for a few hours. Then, if the weather started getting bad, or the day ended in Y, it would come back. That break strategy no longer works as well as it did. I’m not sure why, but the demerol no longer has the cut off effect it used to have.
I’ve been seeing the same neurologist for the past 5 years, since I moved to GA. Most of my visits, he just nods, doesn’t listen, writes the prescriptions, and heads out the door. One visit, I mentioned that I was having hallucinations of monkeys hitting me in the head and that was why my head hurt so much. He just nodded and said that must be quite nice for me. Huh?! I was just testing to see if he was listening to anything I had to say. Guess what the results of that test were? So, he keeps writing the scripts, I keep taking the meds, and the headaches just keep on a-coming!
Which brings us to this week… The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results. I decided that I would make him listen and maybe, oh, I don’t know, DO something? His diagnosis and solution? He decided that I’m experiencing rebound headaches. Which are caused by too much pain medication.
Solution? No more pain meds, not even anything over the counter. The problem is that it never goes away, so my question is how can it be a rebound if it doesn’t go away? Anyway, I haven’t been allowed any pain medication to lessen this grind since Tuesday.
They want to clear out all the meds that are in the brain receptors in order to give the preventive stuff he has me on a chance to work. It’s been 3 days and I wish my head would just fall off. No such luck! tongue out
For the record, I understand the concept and it has sound reasoning, but I’ve had a Category 8 headache since Monday. I haven’t had anything for the pain since Tuesday. Today is Friday. I’m losing my freaking mind! Yesterday, they finally called in steroids and a new migraine med (to the tune of $60 – $10 a pill!)
For that kind of money, it should sing, dance, and do my laundry!. This particular combination is supposed to reduce the swelling in my brain (and the money in my wallet!), and relieve the pain. I’m still a-waitin‘! Bring on the relief!
I have found that trying to think when you have a headache like this is like doing Differential Calculus while someone stabs you in the butt with a pitchfork! No wonder I call these things Headaches from Hell!
Thanks for listening. It helps to vent to someone other than my poor husband and my mom. Those two are going for Sainthood at this point.
If you have ideas, I am open and willing to listen. As my Grandpa used to say, “I’d pee on an electrified fence, if I thought it would do any good!“
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- Goodbye, Headache!
- You say MEgraine, I say MYgraine
- Nine Months of Hell
- My Story of Hip Bursitis
- The Cure to Post-concussion Syndrome Headaches
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Oh my god, welcome to the club. I have had migraines since the age of 19. Im now 48 and can relate to the pain and 3-4 days in bed wishing I had a gun. I have been travelling for 2 years and at times it has been so hard but I just get on with it. I take Imigran which works well 90% of the time. Have you tried this and also try Maxalt Melts. Best of luck to you all migraine sufferers.