Mel,

I probably have the worst case migraines. Until I finally found the right med, I was having migraines or was it a migraine 24/7 at a level 10 pain for years. It never went away.

In bed, dark, no sound, no smells, nausea, whole head hurt, no life except to go to the ER for a Demoral shot that would give me releif for 8 hrs, but then it would be right back. The Dr's tried every med for the migraines, but the imitrex med & class of meds really messed with my heart, others had no effect. The blood pressure meds had no effect, nor did any of the other migraine meds, except to cause horrible side effects. They began to think that it wasn't a migraine since the meds didn't work. They then did a neck fusion since I did have a problem when I was thrown off a horse about 30 yrs before. There really was a problem that needed fixed, but that didn't work either.

That was when they decided that narcotics were the only thing that would help & started me on the Duragesic patch with Fentynal. The level they gave me wasn't sufficient, & went through several yrs trying to find what would work, along with more Demerol shots. Just about 2 yrs ago, the pain specialist I was going to gave up & told me to find someone else (story of my life) because he wouldn't provide the meds that would work. I found a new pain specialist that had another MRI done. He found leisons/white spots in the brain which he said indicated serious migrains. He ended up giving me 200ug of the Duragesic Fentynal pacthes & I haven't had a migraine since....just about 2 years.

This solution isn't one I would have liked since I don't like being on that level of narcotics (even more than my mother was on with cancer when she died). Luckily, I haven't had to change the dose & he defined the rules that are used for narcotics: TOLERANCE is when you have to up the dose because it no longer works at the level you are on, ADDICTION is when you up the dose because you want the feel that the drug gives you. I'm glad that neither has occured. I do have some problems when I get hot because I weigh about 20 lbs light of what is required for the med, the skin absorbs too much of the med so I have to be careful during the summer. The pain specialist is continuing with the treatment since I have no bad reaction & I now have my quality of life back & no more Demoral shots.

If all else fails, try going to a pain specialist that works with migraines...they usually have the answers...one of the latest treatments is Botox injections into the neck about every 6 months.

Hoping you can find the solution that works for you,
Debbie