posted
What works for these headaches? My son has had a headache since September at a level of 8 or 9 each day and everything we try does not help. Anyone have a miracle cure out there or something that they have used and it has helped. My son is 16 and I do think if I could get him some headache relief then he could feel so much better these days.
Thanks
Amy
-------------------- Amy Holloway Posts: 255 | From Michigan | Registered: Oct 2005
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kelmo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8797
posted
Topomax helped my daughter for a while. She takes anti-depressants. She started that when she was 16.
Does he sleep well? We found that headaches correlated to adequate sleep.
When all else fails...half a vicodin. That's our last resort.
Posts: 2903 | From AZ | Registered: Feb 2006
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posted
You could try getting to the root of the problem. Take him to an osteopathic doctor. I use to get the most excruciating headaches for a period of time. As it turns out, the bones in my skull were not moving and were getting stuck together. One visit to an osteopath and the headaches went away.
Good luck!
Diana
Posts: 202 | From vancouver, canada | Registered: Jun 2005
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I really feel for your son. I go through daily headaches myself. I've had one very long 24/7 headache for over 12 years, no joke. I've had normal MRI's and have seen specialists. Been told I have migraines (no way I've had one bad migraine for 12 yrs), a "hormone headache", etc... Has he had an MRI yet???
The best diagnosis I've had was "chronic daily tension type headaches". Try searching this type online. This headache type best describes my headaches. The best way to treat is with a certain group of anti-depressants.
Zoloft worked a little bit bringing my headache from a 5 on a good day/10 on a bad day to a 2 on a good and a 5 on a bad. BUT Zoloft also made me gain 20+lbs, thanks to it's side effect of making you crave carbs. Has other side effects too that didnt make me think it was worth it. (I took it for over a year).
Now, my DR just gives me Darvocet to deal with the pain. Cant take it very often because it makes me so sleepy. Guess he didnt know what else to do, but he's my PCP, so not a headache specialist.
If you have a Headache Clinic in your area, then that would be the perfect place to go. I'm looking into that now myself. Or maybe even have his eyes checked. Strain on the eyes can worsen my headaches, too.
I also take a lot of B12 each day, 1000mcg extended release. This helps my mood and helps me deal with stress a little better. In turn, helps my tension headaches.
Good luck in your search. I hope he gets relief very soon. I definitly know what he goes through. The poor thing!! Please let me know if you find out any helpful info. Thank you!!
Posts: 28 | From NC | Registered: Mar 2006
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Michelle M
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7200
posted
Has he tried the triptans -- Imitrex? Relpax? Frova? Sometimes, if you keep trying, you will find just the right one.
Has he had an MRI? A lumbar puncture?
Michelle
Posts: 3193 | From Northern California | Registered: Apr 2005
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Carol in PA
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 5338
posted
Amy, Headaches can be caused by hypercoagulation.
A year ago, I began taking Wobenzym, a systemic enzyme therapy, that works to reduce the fibrin of hypercoagulation. This is supposed to help the immune system "get" to the Lyme bacteria, and also helps antibiotics work better too.
Within a couple weeks, my constant headache let up. The headaches I do get seem easier to treat.
Carol
Posts: 6947 | From Lancaster, PA | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
I was on Diamox for a couple of days, and that worked very well, though we found I was allergic to it.
I now take Topamax in the morning, and Klonopin and Neurontin at night. What helps even more than the drugs though is an old tirck my momd tought me....
Get a set of men's tube socks and fill them with rice. Tie them at the top, and microwave for 5-7 minutes. I put one under my neck, and one on my forehead and am normally in a pain-free sleep within seconds.
-------------------- Sometimes when I say �Oh, I�m fine� I want someone to look me in the eyes & say �tell the truth�
posted
I feel your son's pain and frustration as well as yours.
I agree, have an eye exam and have them check the AXIS of all your rx eyegasses. My lenses are very thick; if the axis is off a LITLE; I get horible headaches.
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lymemomtooo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5396
posted
Headaches were a major symptom for my daughter and now she almost never complains of one..When they were at their worst, she was having nightly episodes of out of her mind things..
She would start crying over nothing and it would escalate into hysterical sobbing..If she was calm, we could get her into bed. She would then curl into a fetal position and we would try to get a valium in her..
If she was angry or we suggested she might have a high blood sugar,along with this, she would turn violent..I have been injured many times and she has even taken her lancet's cover off and ripped her arms and legs with it..
While in this state, she has also threatened lives.
Later, she would awaken and not even remember the incident. I hate the Hell of these diseases.
I am not sure what did it but I think IV Rocephin and IV Doxy combined and some psych drugs.
The codene meds did little.
She also had 3 ect's at a hospital in Philadelphia. And she used to agree to go to a neurologist-chiropractor that seemed to be helping.
I think the Dr suspected it may have been the bartonella.
Thank God, these days have gone. ANd there has been no known suicide attempt since last August..Time to celebrate! If we could just get rid of the raging OCD.
Good luck..Also with the lack of sleep..My daughter is in bed for most of the day but never seems to get restorative sleep..She is to go back on Lunesta to give it another try..lymemomtooo
Posts: 2360 | From SE PA | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
Chronic pain is very debilitating. It's getting close to 10 years that I've had a virtually non-stop migraine.
Do your son's symptoms ever vary in intensity? The key to getting partial relief is to find a pattern to what makes the intensity worse, then avoid that. It can be certain activities, exposure to light, stress, diet, all sort of things.
Over the years I've tried lots of stuff, and only one thing halts my migraine: high doses of the steroid prednisolone. I tried the stuff before Lyme was suspected. NOTE: it's contraindicated in anyone with Lyme or an infection because it can restrict the immune response, and thus worsen an infection.
But the problem for most with Lyme is we're getting an overzealous immune response, and that causes inflammation, and pain.
Something that dampens the inflammation without restricting the immune response is Benicar. Benicar is one part of the Marshall Protocol, a treatment you might want to consider for your son. When I started Benicar, I got a decrease in migraine severity, a small decrease, but every step in the right direction helps.
Good luck to you and your son.
Posts: 727 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2006
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posted
AS an alternative way to treat headaches(all kinds fot me) sometimes I use MAGNETS. Years ago I purchased of bunch of different ones at Health Fair. In addtion to my pain meds, I use the magnets on the back of my neck and upward over the top of my head, slowing moving up and back.
Even without pain meds, most of the time I do get some relief from the magnets. If nothing else,it's a great diversionary tactic.
Good luck to you. Bartonella Blues.
Posts: 42 | From northern calif. | Registered: Mar 2006
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riversinger
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4851
posted
Headaches have been a big one for me. It has taken a variety of things to help.
1. Cranial sacral treatments with a good osteopathic doctor.
2. Correcting vision when necessary.
3. At the worst, a variety of medications were tried. Topamax, oxycontin, and vicodin for breakthrough was the combo that finally worked for me. A wide variety of medications can be tried. It depends on what is causing the headache, what class might help. Antiseizure meds, antidepressants, migraine meds, beta-blockers, muscle relaxers, opiods are all possiblities.
4. As far as infections, it looks like Bartonella may have been at the root of my headaches. I am currently weaning off Topamax, down 75%, with no return of the headaches!!! This is after almost eight months of treatment for Bartonella.
5. I suspect that mold problems also played a part, and I have been very active in treating those this past year.
6. Yoga is very helpful in relieving muscle tension that can contribute to headaches.
I hope you can find the combination that gives your son some relief.
My pain specialist tried Cymbalta with me. It is a new antidepressant that is also being used to treat chronic pain.
Cymbalta worked WONDERS for me. I went from daily headache with neck pain to maybe one slight headache a week. It was pretty amazing. And it worked for depression as well.
Unfortunately, I developed nausea with it - which only happens in a small percent of patients supposedly. I had to switch to something else.
My pain dr. is really having great success with the drug in many patients. And it works pretty quickly -- like within a week. He has had a couple of patients who decided it was so effective, that despite nausea, they continued with the drug by adding an anti-nausea med.
Good luck. i know how utterly disabling and crazy making the constant head pain can be.
Anneke
Posts: 364 | From California | Registered: Sep 2005
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