Medication overuse headache

[gobojo]

Does anyone have any advice about medication overuse headache? I now seem to need pain relief for my headaches every day. This has been happening on and off for several years I've tried propanol which made me feel so sick I had to stop and amytriptaline which made me too dopey. Thinking of seeing someone privately because GP appointments hard to come by, too rushed and I feel judged.

[Onthemove1971]

Yes.. I have advice, work on finding a preventative that helps so you don't need to over use medication.

I know that sounds easy, but after listening the the podcast "heads up" I learned so much.

I take Magnesium glycinate 3x daily and Feverfew 2x daily. These prevent major attacks from happening. Studies show that people who have migraines do not get enough magnesium. I was taking a cheaper magnesium and changed and it makes all the difference.

I also drink.. drink.. drink water. I use peppermint oil as a roll on. I drink hot peppermint tea when I feel an attack coming on. I try manage my back and neck pain with ice, heat and massage.

I never skip a meal and include protein in every meal.

I am working on sleep right now and hope to make more progress.

When things get really bad I just injections of Imitrix, but also pills at a higher dose.

Hope these suggestions help you in some way.

[gobojo in reply to Onthemove1971]

Thank you so much for this advice.

[Cat00]

There are so many drugs out there that may help your migraine frequency, but really if you are having migraines more than 50% of the time you should be seeing a neurologist that treat chronic migraines. They have access to better medications. Over the years I've been on at least 14 different treatments so there are many out there.

[gobojo in reply to Cat00]

Thank you, apparently, according to my GP, the headaches I'm having are now as a result of taking too much medication.

[Onthemove1971 in reply to gobojo]

Are you using any injections? They help so much.

[gobojo in reply to Onthemove1971]

What injections are those and would I have to see a neurologist to get them.

[Onthemove1971 in reply to gobojo]

Of the Triptans (Imitrix) can be given in a pill or injection form. I do not know if a Neurologist has to prescribe it.

Also have you seen a migraine specialist?

[gobojo in reply to Onthemove1971]

Thanks for this. I don't have a migraine specialist, I'm not sure where I would find one.

[Cat00]

Have you done a medication holiday then, as they annoyingly call it?

[gobojo in reply to Cat00]

I've tried 2 or 3 times but the headaches are too debilitating 😒

[Cat00 in reply to gobojo]

Yes its horrible I have had to do it 2 or 3 times, long time ago now. 6 weeks with no meds at all, but no one would treat me if i didnt do it so ultimately it just had to be done. I have chronic migraines anyway even with only 8 painkiller days a month but at least the doctors know they are treating chronic migraines not medication overuse.

There really is no other path for you I'm afraid, you have to reduce those meds, they over stimulate the pain pathways. Sometimes doctors will give you different types of meds at the beginning to make the transition less painful but I haven't met one that will, I've only read about them.

[Wrexham16]

My GP also blamed medication overuse when I actually have chronic migraine. Cat00 is right. The only thing to do is stop taking everything. It is very hard but there is no other way to find out if you have an underlying problem.

[gobojo in reply to Wrexham16]

I guess you're right but I'm just not sure I'm up to it.

[designer111 in reply to gobojo]

Yes its extremely difficult. I tried it during lockdown last year as I wasn't missing out on anything. I did it for almost two months and then gave up as it was so difficult but did not benefit. My consultant at Kings College tells me (from an acute point of view) to take a triptan (sumatriptan gives me meds overuse) like Frovatriptan - as this one takes longer to get into the system but stays in longer than the others - and take a naproxen (for period pan) with it. Or you can take a triptan with coke and three dispersable aspirin to 'kill it off'. This doesn't always work for me but I do hope you can try and get results!

[gobojo in reply to designer111]

Thank you so much for sharing this information with me.

[designer111 in reply to gobojo]

Welcome! You can always private message for any other help. Feel I have a PhD in migraines!

[gobojo in reply to designer111]

☺️thanks

[Pingez]

You have my utmost sympathy. The 3 months it took me to come off all medication was the hardest 3 months of my life. I'd love to say it made a difference, but honestly it didn't, except as an access to different treatments and for people to take my problem seriously. For 3 years I managed to keep off everything but 2 triptan days a week but it was hard with headaches lasting between 70-100 hours.

It ruins your life. It's depressing, painful and lonely. It impacts upon other aspects of physical health, sleep, diet, exercise and mental health. My body has weaker over the years through lack of exercise and now I find I have a hip problem and need a hip replacement. The thought of contemplating an operation under these circumstances is just too difficult.

However...there is a however.

I've just started galcanezumab injections and fortunately these are beginning to have an impact. Headaches are much less severe and last between 2-6 hours. Unbelievable really. So things are beginning to look up at long last.

Please try not to give up.

Can you try and cut down a little?

Perhaps cut your painkillers up so you aren't taking quite so much. Or try to go a bit longer between doses.

It's so hard isn't it but as others have said, no one listens until you prove it's not the tablets causing it.

It's so wrong, because you obviously had a problem in the first place, or you wouldn't have needed them.

Good luck with it all and try to hang on in there. Much easier said than done. And if you need more tablets at times, don't feel guilty. You are doing your best in difficult circumstances and just trying to survive.

[gobojo in reply to Pingez]

Thank you so much for your honesty and encouragement, it means a lot because no-one else, friends or family, can really get it. I'm trying to keep my use of painkillers as low as possible and I plan to see a neurologist privately in the summer when I've finished my open university term. There's no way I can study and come off the tablets. It's good to have the support of this network.

[milew]

I've had it suggested to me a few times. One GP said if you take painkillers more than 8 days a month (which I do most months) then medication overuse could be an issue, and that you have to stop painkillers completely for 6 weeks (others say 2 months) to see if medication overuse is the issue or not. Personally I've tried at least 2 times, managing (a very difficult) 2.5 months without any painkillers at best, but it didn't really help. As others have commented, it is worth trying though, however difficult, if only to rule it out as an option.

[gobojo]

I take painkillers every day. I've tried a couple of times and got to 6 weeks and then they suddenly come back with a vengeance. Thanks for the support though it's good to feel that others know how it feels.

[MackJess]

Keep a migraine diary (if you don't already). Try arrange of preventative medications, if they don't work a specialist may advise Botox injections. You may also have the opportunity to try CGRP medication. I also found the 'Heads Up podcasts helpful.