And the Doctor says.....

Today was my appointment with Dr.G. He really is such a character. I really like him, but have to remember sometimes, that he is just a neurologist, not a Migraine Specialist

We went over a bunch of things. The Topamax
and Amitriptyline and the side affects that made me stop taking them.

We decided I would go a month clean with no preventive. This way, we can be sure when we start the new one, (which may be Wellbutrin) we can figure out what drug is causing what side affect. I was o.k. with this. I kinda like the idea of a drug holiday. I feel like I've been putting so much crap in my body everyday, it will probably welcome the break.

He did tell me that I will probably start to see a spike in Migraines after I've been off the Amitriptyline for about 10 days....I'm on day seven and I already feel it.

I got a script for Midrin, which I can try for my Tension Headaches. It sure beats Vicodin, that only knocks the pain down to make it bearable! So we will see how that goes.

I am having blood work done to check all my levels, such as vitamin B12, Magnesium, vitamin D (Thank you Dr. Krusz for making me aware of this!!), among other things, but I just can't read Dr.G's handwriting to see what else I am having checked....and of course I already forget.

So we will see how it goes! Wish me luck!

It's been a busy week!

Last week was very busy for me. It was my husbands birthday and I put together a surprise birthday dinner for him. We had a great time!

It was also a busy week on the Migraine front. I think I was hit about two times, plus 3 Tension Type Headaches. I was lucky enough to keep the Tension Headaches as Tension Headaches, and not let them trigger yet another Migraine.

We also went to see our friends band play. Around this time of year, every town has their "day", so Insouciant played Jefferson Day.

Then, we have my husbands band, Annoying Customer, that is working their first EP. The recordings are all done, now our friend Bryan is just mixing them so they sound like the masterpiece they are!

Tomorrow I go to my neurologist. I am looking for new preventive medications as I am off the Topamax and Amitriptyline.

So tomorrow I will write about my doctor visit. I am hoping it goes well.

One heck of a week....

Just a little update here.

Up until now, I've been pretty lucky. I have been averaging about one migraine every sixteen days. This has been my pattern since January, when Dr. Greene put me on the Amitriptyline, which was added to my Topamax.

Well - this week has just proven to me that I can still take a step backward.

"Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water." (for those of you who don't know, this is the famous tag line from JAWS, which is one of my all time favorite "horror" movies and the reason I don't swim in the ocean)

I had three - yes three, migraines this week, including today - right now. The first two this week started out at tension headaches that I could not get rid of with my normal Skelaxin, and then went into a migraine. After I took a Frova on both of these occasions, Mr. Migraine went away.

Today was a different story.

It started out very small and quiet. I thought, "oh, no big deal, I'll throw some Skelaxin at it while it's at a 0/1 and I'll be good to go". Well that didn't help so an hour later I ended up taking a Frova.

The Frova knocked the pain down from it's then 4 to about a 2, but the throbbing in my left eye was still there and reminded me every time I moved. Along with the oh so lovely nausea. Thank God I had learned earlier in the week from my girl MJ (see her blog at Rhymes with Migraine ) had mentioned something about how Ginger Altoids help her....low and behold we had them in the kitchen at work! So I ate my weight in them today.....

I get home and Mr. Migraine is still alive and kicking. I end up resorting to my rescue drug, Vicodin. I only take half tabs because of course, the whole pill will make me nauseous. So I had a half and was good for about 3 hours, now I feel it creeping back up again. Oh what fun it is!

I really can't think of what caused this sudden spike in migraine activity, except the change in the weather. Everything here in good 'ol New Jersey is in full bloom, although I don't seem to be having any allergy symptoms.

Oh well. Ya win some, ya lose some.

If this keeps up next week, I'm definitely going to call my neuro and see if I can get in a litter sooner then my scheduled appointment in July.

I hope the rest of you out there in migraine land had a better week then I did!!!!
Enjoy the weekend!!!!

The honest to god truth....what I put in my body everyday.

So I thought it would be good to let my readers know exactly what I take everyday, for those maybe not as familiar with Migraine Disease. Yes, at age 30 I have over 5 scripts and take a total of I think 10 pills a day. Here we go:

A.M.
Topamax - 25mgs
Multi Vitamin
Magnesium - 650 mgs
Calcium - 1000 mgs

P.M.
Topamax - 50mgs
Amitriptyline - 20 mgs
Melatonin - 5mgs
Jolessa - one every night

And on an as needed basis:
Frova -2.5 mgs, allowed up to 3 pills per day if needed - but not more then 3 times a week or may lead to Medication Overuse Headache
Skelaxin - 600 mgs - as needed up to 4 a day for Tension Type Headaches
Tigan - 400mgs as needed for nausea
Vicodin - 500mgs (I split them in half) as needed for Rescue

Yep, so I think that's about it, and that's not to mention the vitamin C that I take to help my TTH's go away faster.....

So although you may think by looking at me "You don't look sick" - remember to not judge a book by it's cover. I sometimes feel like a slave to the drugs that I take. If I don't take them, I get very sick. If I take to many of them, I can get very sick. It's quite the balancing act us migraneurs play.

So this was just a little peak into my world. I don't think I've actually ever broken it down before. Wow!

Went to the neuro today and....

Everything went great! My migraines are improving. I've had less this month then in the previous 6 months!!

We discussed options, and since this new Topamax/Amitriptyline combo seems to be working right now, we are not going to mess with it. We may increase the Topamax a bit, but only another 25mgs.

He gave me samples of almost everything I take! Skelaxin, Frova, and Topamax! He refilled my Skelaxin, he felt since I am not taking it as often, since I've tried to cut back, and also since I am getting less tension headaches, that since it works, don't mess with it.

That is pretty much it. It was a good visit. Nothing new though. We are keeping everything as it is.

I did discuss sleep with him. He said he didn't want to prescribe me anything right now, since my migraines are improving, let's see how I am the next visit and if it's still a problem, we will go from there.

So I have no complaints - me, not complaining - imagine that!

A month in....my thoughts

I've been on my new combo of Topamax and Amitriptyline for a little over a month now...and I have to say I'm undecided still.

I know it's still too soon. It can take up to six weeks - but that's next week and also my next neuro appointment. Here's my progress:

I've had a migraine about once a week on average since the Amitriptyline. I have, however, noticed less tension type headaches, which is good! So I'm taking a lot less Skelaxin. Also during this time, I hit my first placebo week with my new pill, so it was the first one in three months - ugh! That was a trip and a half. I almost ended up in status migrainous AGAIN! Four day migraine and then it was over. BUT considering all that, I think the Amitriptyline is working somewhat. I think my tension headaches are down, which means that it is hopefully taking care of the transformed migraines, which was the purpose of me going on it in the first place.

The down side:

I want to eat...all...the....time!!! I try to curb it, and yes, it has tapered off some since I've been on the same dose of Amitriptyline for over 4 weeks now...but yeah, I still have the sweets craving, which I had anyway, but the Topamax made me not hungry enough to actually indulge.

So, I go back to Dr. Neruo on March 11th. and I will have another update then. I really need to get on here more often!!!

New Neuro, New Med!

So Tuesday I finally got to see my new neurologist. I was excited and also, to be honest, a little ready for let down. This was now the 6th doctor I was going to see for my migraine disease. I guess the 6th time is a charm!

Compared to the other twits I've seen, this new doctor, from now on, I'll call him Dr. G, he actually LISTENED to me. TALKED to me and TREATED me like a human, on his level and the same planet he was from. Not like those "other" doctors who talked down to me and made me feel like I knew nothing about this disease I have. I've probably done more research on migraine disease in the past 3 years then these doctors have in their lives!

Anyway, I'm getting riled up. Back on topic. So Dr. G listened to me and says he thinks I have transformed migraines. And no, that's not when your migraine turns into a robot. It's usually from over using medication....or at least in 80% of the cases. But for me, it's not since I tend to under use it.

So Dr. G and I discuss options. We talk about the Topamax that I've been taking for about a year and a half now, and how it's not working anymore. We decide it's time to get off of it. But first, we are going to add in Amitriptyline on a low dose to get the transformed migraines under control. Then back off both the Topamax and the Amitriptyline.

Amitriptyline is a Tricylic antidepressant (TCA) and used in low doses, can be a good preventive for migraines.

I'm just concerned because one of the side effects, like the second one, is "may cause increased hunger....especially for sweets" Awesome! Just what I needed, and increased appetite for sweets! Why couldn't it be like "may cause you to want to eat salads all the time" or "may cause excessive urges to work out"....nope, this is going to make me want to sit down with Ben and Jerry and just chow!

Yes, I know - all side effects are potential, but you know this one is going to happen to me, since I'm the one who went to culinary school to learn how to make all those sweets!!!!!

I guess time will tell. I'm on my second day of 10mgs. of amitriptyline. I stay on that for 2 weeks and then I go up to 20mgs.

I hope it works. I am so done with feeling like crap. I had a migraine all day yesterday. And, since I've already maxed out my abortive for the week, I was on Vicodin all day, which did squat. All it did was make me loopy. I still couldn't sleep, the pain was still there, and I was just a zombie all day with what felt like a knife going through my skull!

Well that's about it for this round.

I just wanted to take a moment to remember my cousin Joanne who passed earlier this week. She was only 55. She had a brain tumor which the doctors said was inoperable. It all happened so fast.

Joanne never married or had any children.

I will remember her for her long black hair, her sarcastic humor (I think that's where I get it from!!!!), her love of the Yankees and her love and dedication to her family.

Joanne - even though we were not that close - you were my "cool cousin" and I will miss you terribly. You were taken way to early and I'm sorry that it had to happen that way. You will be missed.