Disgusted with medical help for migraine relief-or lack of!

[Joegiallanza]

I've always kept my issues private but I need help and don't care where it comes from. I am a male and have suffered with migraines since only days after cervical spine surgery in 1997. Had second cervical implant in 2004 and the migraines became worse and have been chronic ever since. As I'm typing the neck pain is so unbearable I want to throw this computer out the door! Have tried every medication that my doctors prescribed, botox, and way too many over the counter products. Tried different diets, starved myself, ate things that I never dreamed I could even look at--let alone swallow, been to quacks who claimed they heal by touching (not including some odd chiropractors), and now I'm just pissed all the time because I cannot remember what my life was like without a G D migraine. I worked for a doctor (as his art consultant), for many years and he tried every known medication but was unable to help me. However, he did tell me that there were medications that are used in other countries that the FDA will not allow in the U.S.

This is all I can handle at the moment and would like to know if anyone out there has had similar issues and found even temporary relief. I pray there is.

[MaryF]

Try looking into Low Dose Naltrexone it does help with pain relief, normally through a private doctor, also one relative of mine did well with magnesium! MaryF

[Joegiallanza in reply to MaryF]

Tried the magnesium route for years and didn't help. Will try the other though. Thank you Mary.

[MaryF in reply to Joegiallanza]

Good luck: Read this: ldnresearchtrust.org/ and watch this: youtube.com/watch?v=CVpjsDK...(Not working as expected?) MaryF

[Paulacg]

I'm so sorry for all the pain that you are suffering. I had chronic migraine for several years and as the potential side effects of medication I was offered increased I realised that I would need to look at an alternative route. First though I had to deal with the fact that I had medication overuse headaches and had to come off everything for a while. Talk to your doctor about whether this is a possibility with yourself.

I read a fabulous book called How to be Sick by Toni Berhard that helped me accept that my life was limited by the migraines and also led me to learn mindfulness meditation. Try this book if you are interested in this: Mindfulness for Health: A practical guide to relieving pain, reducing stress and restoring wellbeing. Burch, Penman.

I do take medication - a combination of citalopram and nortryptilline with rizatriptan to treat a maximum of twice a month. But learning to live with my condition and pace myself and manage the pain was essential.

[teadrinker]

Have been much better since starting atenolol 3 months ago ( a beta blocker).

Like you, I have neck problems but I haven't been as brave as you with trying out the treatments - I am quite into checking out the scientific evidence behind it first, although I'm sure there are things that just work for some people without much evidence or reason behind them.

Sorry for your suffering - I've had chronic pain in the head / face for many years but gradually improved and have had a few months' respite. (Not really sure why this is, and know it isn't going to last much longer!) I don't do all that naval-gazing stuff but I think I've come to accept the pain as always being a part of my life now, and I've just got to get on with it. I am not so accepting of the migraines yet, hope that will come.

Good luck.

[Joegiallanza in reply to teadrinker]

The migraine pain is about impossible to ignore and every migraine headache is on the same level of intensity. They stop me in my tracks from getting anything done. I've gotten much better at tolerating the general pain in my neck, face, shoulders, arms hands and legs and don't even think too much about it accept for when my muscles cramp! As I'm reading these posts I have to admit that I may have to get the fact into my head that before I can do anything that will be helpful I need to have the implant in my neck removed. The doctor used a metal cage that was never designed for the cervical spine and I realized just now that the issue is always in the back of my mind. It may be also be the last thing on my list of "to-dos" as well. I'm actually glad that I signed up with this site because others, as you, who have been in similar situations, are quite supportive. I wish I could have given you a better dialogue in regard to the migraine pain and I sure pray they just end for you as I've heard they do for some. Thank you very much.

[teadrinker]

Yeah, I wish they'd go away but they haven't, I can feel one coming on now. I think being able to talk to other people online in the same situation is a big help, even if it doesn't change anything.