Journal of Migraine Sufferers
Hey Head Injury suffering friends! I am a 37 year old lady, and handicapped since August 26, 1990. I married a man who was very jealous. He came home one night after 3 months of marriage, and attacked me with a 23 lb cast iron coleman skillet. I was a mess, and still am at times. He brke both my jaws, which I have had surgurys 3 times to repair them. He took my hearing away, and now I wear hearing aids. I have taken every medication under the sun. The term "Drug Addict" is the favorite word for the rookie physicians to call me. I always thought I was alone, till reading these stories. I am currently taking 3 Loritab 7.5 mg per day, 2 soma's per day, 20 mg valium per day, 1 tagamet at night, 1 sleeping pill at night, and imetrex shots as needed for the migrane headaches. I have been visiting the Dr. offices and nearest HMO hospitals for the last 7 1/2 years. Lately I have had a migrane shot.. 75 mg demerol 50 mg visterol. 11 shots in the last 9 weeks. It seems the fight is starting to get harder now, as the medications, I am becomming very immune to. It seems very sad that our society, puts a name to people who are seriously injured, but they do. Me! I could care less, but I am raising a 15 year old Honor student, who depends on me for her life. If I had the choice, I would have went then.... Today I was told by the HMO I have had too many shots in a row. They refused to take me in. Thanks to my Head injury Dr. I am still alive. He called me in some demerol tablets, and a Beta-blocker to start on till 3 days when he can see me again.. I have always had so much spirit, but fighting these terrible headaches, is wearing out my will to live...I try to think positive, even when the world is falling down on me, or sometimes seems to fill like it is, on my head. I help others, and truely try to enjoy my life that has been spared, but I am still very unhappy living in pain... Sick of listening to the giggles as the nurses draw up a shot, and spill it on the floor,and discuss how they should "lick" it up. Sick right? I have damage to the nerves in my Basil gangula and thalamous. Your memory station.. as I say it. I act out. I tell people how it is, and sometimes become very irrational when I am in pain. I loose my thought process. I become very angry when others are hitting, especially mothers hitting their children on the head. I had so many goals and plans, and now I must change it all... Pain suffering in the brain needs to be studied more. I feel like a giune pig in the middle of a forest of wolves... Reality comes after every dose of medication to keep the head from acheing... Someone wrote to me this....A friend is someone, who knows the song that's in your heart, and sings it back to you, when you have forgotten just how it goes... It makes alot of sence....Am ready to go to Mexico to live. I'll find a little dirt shack somewhere, and every day the people in a country that I am very firmilliar will help me, when my own country will not... Many people go to live near the boarder of tijuanna, so they can walk across the fence each day, as they are suffering and dieing, and american doctors are worried about them becomming an addict. How many people who are suffering, are truely worried about addiction vs. living? I am still living in a world all my own, with many judges. Till they decide to walk in my shoes, How dare they judge me? Someday there will be cures for those who are young, but for me. I know I must live every day I can. Fight for my rights to recieve medications to keep me from suffering. And tell the doctors who don't know their head from their BUTT, where the bear goes..... I wish you all happiness in your search for whats right! Don't GIVE UP! We all need to stick together, and try to make a difference..... May the wind always be at your back, and the sunshine on your cheeks! I am Michelle, and I refuse to stop this fight for my dignaty!
MICHELLE <LADYLUK7>
OGDEN, UT USA -

Hi fellow sufferers! I just finished reading the journal entries for the first time. WOW I really do have company in my misery. I love and understand all of you and wish you best of luck finding help. I have no answers like many of you I have tried some of the medications listed in your entries. But, alas none have been a total cure. Unless I'm knocked out the pain continues. Even a shot of nubain and phenegran doesn't completly do the job any more. Fiorcet helps but the doctor is reluctant to keep giving me this. I would rather be addicted to drugs that writhing in constant pain. I have dreams of being pain-free. I live in Texas, anybody know of a good doctor in the Houston/Galveston area? Please write me I would love to hear from you.

---Katrina Lazenby <KatSue4@aol.com>
Texas City, TX USA -

Hello migrainers , I left a message last month concerning finding a doctor who was not affraid of treeting people with the medication that they needed , he is very compassionate he was the first doctor that showed any intrest all ! we went through the pre-exame everything was going great he gave me alot of knowledge of migraines that I had not known This doctor realy seems to understand . I was all going fine until he told me that he was being investigate by the DEA the judge is supposed to make a judgemnet wether or not his licsenses would be taken away I am frusterated I finally find a doctor that prescribes what I need and because of that, his license is goiond to be revolked , does anyone know of any group that specializes in the protection of doctors who treat people with migraines using narcotics . If not would anyone like to organize a group to adress this situation . I feel that the judicial system needs to stay out of this one , I can see the point of the DEA if the doctor is writing prescriptions incorrectly but this Doctor does not. In a nut shell is there anyone I can contaqct to hellp this doctor not to go down in flames . I finaly find someone that I feel that can help me , snd he may not be aroud anytime soon , I hope this makes sense I have wopper of a headache , It seems that everytime something goes right with this illness I find myself righrt back where I started .Thanks for listening please repond with anygood Ideas. P.S sorry for all the spelling and grahmer errors . Steve O.
Steve O'Donnell <steveo@slc.quik.com>
West Jordan , Ut USA -

Hi, I have been suffering from migraines and as of late almost daily mild headaches. I had a great neruologist, but my insursance haschanged and so without going through their primarary doctors I can't get back to see my neruologist. The last primary doctor I went to just had me pont to pictures in a pill book to find the meds. the neruologist had given me. I guess I should just be glad that he gave me the perscriptions but I just don't feel that I was being treated right for my problems. Also this new insurance cmpany doesn't want to pay any part of the one abortve drug that so far works for me (daypro). They want to give me naproxen as a sub. I have tried it but it just doesn't work for me. Does anyone have any suggestions to help me deal with this insurance company. P.S. I am stuck with them for another year and a half or switch jobs. Thanks for letting me vent. I feel alot better.

---Teresa <M52776@webtv.net>
USA -

Hi, I really like this websight, I have had migraines since the age of 22. now 43. I have tried everything they have put out. Stadaol ns is the thing that works best for me. I have suffered 3 strokes from migraines. Fortuntaly I have a very understand Dr here in Ohio, I have also tried Migranol, Lidacaine, Imitrex, snyagols and midrin. I get them 3 to 4 per week and suffer the vomiting and nausea along with the headaches. My boss is wonderful about this. Most rxs don't even touch my headaches. Stadol knocks me out, and therfore I wake up and headached is gone most of the time. If you would like to contact me, my email address is caroly9230@aol.com

---Carolyn Mccarty <caroly9230@aol.com>
hilliard, oh USA -

H

---Carolyn Mccarty <caroly9230@aol.com>
hilliard, oh USA -

Here is another web site regarding MIGRAINE. http://www.migrainehelp.com

---Nancy
San Jose, CA USA -

To all migraine sufferers. Check this out ! http://www.ama-assn.org/aps/migraine

---Nancy
San Jose, CA USA -

Wanda: I had e-mail you earlier and just wondered if you followed through with Dr. Rothbart. When I found out about him through watching "Hard Copy on TV, I put off calling because I live so far away. When I did finally call I had to leave a message for info because his office was closed because of being after hours there. His nurse Bev. Hann returned my call the following mon. morning but because of vomiting I couldn't answer the phone. She left me a message to get back with her. Because I hadn't by Wed., she called again & again I was throwing up so bad I couldn't answer. She left another message. By the end of the week I rationalized,"well, it probably wouldn't have helped anyway". Lo and behold she called one more time and I was able to talk to her. I asked her why she had been so persistent {thank the Lord} and she said because she had been through severe migraines and knew exactly what I had been going through ; so therefore she wanted to share with me about Dr. Rothbart, his pain clinic, and most importantly there was hope. . She assured me {and I found this to be true} that Dr. Rothbart was a most compassionate when it came to chronic pain and especially migraines. I then made the appointment, saw him , and was so impressed with him. I shared with him the horrible treatment I and other migraine sufferers get from neurologist, ER doctors, and doctors in general. He said this is the very reason he is spending so much of his time in trying to help us. He agreed with me that most neurologist are not compassionate when it comes to treating migraines and really are not trained enough to deal with them. He said he had learned through seeing patients in his clinic that when doctors refused to give the meds needed to abort and attack, that is just compounds the problem thus many are living with migraines that do not stop for any length of time. Also he said a doctor needs to prescribe what it takes to stop the present migraine in it's tracks. Secondly, and most important, he does diagnostic blocks to help determine the source of the migraines. As with me, mine were coming from many different sources caused by several entities. To name some; I have the hereditary factor, hormonal migraines, ones from weather changes, bright lights, and I have had injuries to may neck in prior years some of which were minor whiplash. My husband and I flew there and spent two days; the doctor even saw me on a Saturday afternoon. In his evaluation, he considers all and is very clear in his explanations. I strongly urge you to avail yourself of his knowledge. He will not make you feel that you are "a junkie looking for drugs". After the diagnostic blocks and conclusive evidence that the majority of mine were do to problems in my neck, the head neck junction, the occipital nerves etc. he referred me to a wonderful doctor in Sioux City, Iowa. Dr. Horst Blume. Head and Pain Clinic, ph.# 1-8--383-Pain. I am aware that if you live in Canada you have to be on waiting lists so I recommend that you waste no time, get in touch with his office (Dr, Rothbart York Mills Centre 16 York Mills Road unit #125, Box 129 North York, Ontario, M2P 2ES; Tel.#:(416) 512-6375. I know I have given you a lot of info. but you owe it to yourself to get the ball rolling and not wait as long as I did. I've suffered with migraines for almost 30 years , 12 of them severely. I hope this has helped and God will give you insight into which info to avail yourself of & hopefully starting on the road to recovery. (I bet that's a word many migraine suffers are not acquainted with. I am going to copy this to Ronda@msn.fullfeed .com web site as I have not submitted my history there as of yet. Let me know when you talk to Dr. Rothbart's staff, they will help you with just your questions and send you material. Dr. Blume also has so much to offer. He sometimes requires you as I did to go through a screening process that like was done by Dr. Rothbart, to see if he can help. I traveled from the lower mid-west so my suggestion is for anyone to stop getting nowhere in your area and at least call these angels of mercy. Thanks, DC My e-mail address: m.canfield@msn.com. Hi, I thought the following info would help you. There is a pain clinic in Toronto named after it's head doctor. Dr. Rothbart. I found him to be very compassionate and knowledge. He also believes in giving the medicines to get you over an attack. He referred me to a Neurosurgeon in Sioux City, Iowa after performing tests there(in Toronto) to see if I qualified too see him because of my particular problems, which were many. Don't give up, I looked for a good doctor for 13 years who could attack the cause and help in treatments of my severe migraine attacks. His phone # is !-800-663-2858 or calling from Canada I imagine you may call 416-512-6375. His office staff is very helpful and understanding also. I hope you find relief soon! I am still under treatment and because of what Dr. Blume in Sioux City, Iowa has been doing, I am getting better. I hope they can help you. I traveled from OKla for treatments from them. Let those of us who read Rhonda's Journal page know how it turns out. These two doctors will treat you with respect!

---DC <mcanfield@email.msn.com>
USA -

Hi Everyone, it's me again. When I saw the doctor at the Pain Clinic she gave me a diary to keep track of my headache systoms and triggers, and at the back there are a list of triggers. (some that I wasn't even aware of) Here they are: Hormones -------- 1. Menstruation 2. Ovulation 3. puberty/Menopause Diet ----- 3. Alcohol 5. Chococauses. Depressed to know that there are so many that suffer. I was hoping that by reading all the postings, someone might have a "Magic Cure".....not. From reading this page, it seems most of us suffer guilt for having this crippling problem. I feel guilty when I can't do the things I need or want to and have to spend hours away from my family locked up in a dark bedroom. I sometimes feel guilty when I tell my Dr. I need another Rx for pain. It make you fill like a junkie. Is Migraine considered a disabling condition. I have not worked for nearly a year because my headaches have been so frequent and severe. I was thinking about applying for SS Disability. I have no idea how to go about. Do any of you have any infor. Would enjoy communicating with any of you. Karen

---Karen <kmobe@snowhill.com>
Enterprise, Al USA -

Haven't visited this page for a while - wow, it has really grown! Had lots of headaches in Jan. - figured out it was Tagamet, and over the counter hertburn remedy. Don't go near that stuff. Also, in trying to relieve my heartburn, I tried to stop drinking coffee - I was only having about a cup a day, in the morning. Started getting headaches right after waking up, that would only be relieved by coffee! So, I don't know what the verdict is on coffee/caffeine. Seems it triggers migraines, and may also relieve them. Wondering how long "caffeine withdrawal" lasts. Imitrex hasa been working, but just got several samples of Zomig, so I'll try that soon, and report back.
Nick <nick.s@netsrq.com>
Sarasota, FL USA -

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