My wife has migraines. Ever since we've been together she would get them mostly when the weather changes. For the last month and a half they have been more frequent and more painful. She had an MRI done last month and was told she had a meningioma (I know the spelling is wrong) about the size of a nickle to the right rear of her head. They said it is a benign growth and they aren't concerned with it since she has no problems with her vision, speech, or balance. This is from three different doctors.

Fast forward to now. She's had a migraine for about 3 weeks (low key, but still a migraine). We've been to the neuroscience center here and she had two infusions in eight days. After that they were to start her on the preventative pills. Each infusion lasted four hours. Thursday we brought her to the ER where they admitted her and started a bigger gun type of infusion. She was in the hospital for two nights. We get home yesterday and she looked and felt great.

At eight this morning she woke up screaming in pain. We had to call an ambulance. She is now in the hospital again and is receiving a 24 hour IV drip of Dilaudid. Three infusions in nine days. Unknown as to when she will be released. I really hate seeing her like that.

I don't have migraines so I don't know that much about them. Is this something to be really worried about, something to expect once in a while? Do migraines tend to get worse or better through life? I've asked the doctors these questions and haven't been able to get an answer. I know that I'm fishing here and should bring these questions back to the doctors, but I think I'm just trying to get this off my chest. Both of our families (parents, relatives, etc) are at least 2 hours away. Our friends have been awesome!! So anyway, thanks for letting me get this off my chest. If by chance some of you post and I don't respond quickly, please forgive me. I will be at the hospital. Oh, a good friend of mine is a nurse at the hospital and is working tonight so that will help. Thanks again!!

There are a lot of different types of migraines. Do the doctors think that the migraines she is experiencing are being caused by the meningioma? If so, are they considering removing it?

I'm not a doctor, but I do experience migraines once in a while. They are usually stress or menstrual-related. I used to have terrible ones when I was a teenager. 4-5 a month, at least. I would be out for an entire day and could only sleep it off. They have lessened somewhat now (I'm in my early thirties), so I only get one every month or two. If I catch it early and take some medicine and a nap, I can usually head it off.

I've been to the ER a few times for week-long migraines. They have NEVER done anything but send me home with a perscription for Tylenol with codine. Idiots! I know there are better treatments than that.

My wife has migraines. Ever since we've been together she would get them mostly when the weather changes. For the last month and a half they have been more frequent and more painful. She had an MRI done last month and was told she had a meningioma (I know the spelling is wrong) about the size of a nickle to the right rear of her head. They said it is a benign growth and they aren't concerned with it since she has no problems with her vision, speech, or balance. This is from three different doctors.

Fast forward to now. She's had a migraine for about 3 weeks (low key, but still a migraine). We've been to the neuroscience center here and she had two infusions in eight days. After that they were to start her on the preventative pills. Each infusion lasted four hours. Thursday we brought her to the ER where they admitted her and started a bigger gun type of infusion. She was in the hospital for two nights. We get home yesterday and she looked and felt great.

At eight this morning she woke up screaming in pain. We had to call an ambulance. She is now in the hospital again and is receiving a 24 hour IV drip of Dilaudid. Three infusions in nine days. Unknown as to when she will be released. I really hate seeing her like that.

I don't have migraines so I don't know that much about them. Is this something to be really worried about, something to expect once in a while? Do migraines tend to get worse or better through life? I've asked the doctors these questions and haven't been able to get an answer. I know that I'm fishing here and should bring these questions back to the doctors, but I think I'm just trying to get this off my chest. Both of our families (parents, relatives, etc) are at least 2 hours away. Our friends have been awesome!! So anyway, thanks for letting me get this off my chest. If by chance some of you post and I don't respond quickly, please forgive me. I will be at the hospital. Oh, a good friend of mine is a nurse at the hospital and is working tonight so that will help. Thanks again!!


hear...to be honest, you REALLY need to speak to her doctors, this is not normal migraine behaviour. Without examining her, seeing her MRI, and getting a comprehensive H&P, anything I tell you will be a guess.

Migraines generally are unilateral headaches which may or may not be preceded by an aura or prodromal effect, they can of the classic (aura), common (no aura), or complex, which can involve paresthesias, visual disturbance, etc. They will usually have associated photophobia and nausea, and also commonly, phonophobia. It is rare to have to be hospitalized for one, I see them frequently in the ER and they can be quite debilitating, requiring narcotic, and antiemetic interventions. But I can honestly only think of one or two patients over the years that ever required admission. I think there MAY be more going on here then simply Migraine related neuralgia. You really should have a long conversation with her doctors. Please note that I practice Emergency Medicine, and while Neurologic Emergencies and Trauma remains an academic interest for me, I AM NOT a neurologist or practicing in neurosurgery.

Good luck, my thoughts are with you guys.

I've been to the ER a few times for week-long migraines. They have NEVER done anything but send me home with a perscription for Tylenol with codine. Idiots! I know there are better treatments than that.


Yes, there are.

My wife has migraines. Ever since we've been together she would get them mostly when the weather changes. For the last month and a half they have been more frequent and more painful. She had an MRI done last month and was told she had a meningioma (I know the spelling is wrong) about the size of a nickle to the right rear of her head. They said it is a benign growth and they aren't concerned with it since she has no problems with her vision, speech, or balance. This is from three different doctors.

Fast forward to now. She's had a migraine for about 3 weeks (low key, but still a migraine). We've been to the neuroscience center here and she had two infusions in eight days. After that they were to start her on the preventative pills. Each infusion lasted four hours. Thursday we brought her to the ER where they admitted her and started a bigger gun type of infusion. She was in the hospital for two nights. We get home yesterday and she looked and felt great.

At eight this morning she woke up screaming in pain. We had to call an ambulance. She is now in the hospital again and is receiving a 24 hour IV drip of Dilaudid. Three infusions in nine days. Unknown as to when she will be released. I really hate seeing her like that.

I don't have migraines so I don't know that much about them. Is this something to be really worried about, something to expect once in a while? Do migraines tend to get worse or better through life? I've asked the doctors these questions and haven't been able to get an answer. I know that I'm fishing here and should bring these questions back to the doctors, but I think I'm just trying to get this off my chest. Both of our families (parents, relatives, etc) are at least 2 hours away. Our friends have been awesome!! So anyway, thanks for letting me get this off my chest. If by chance some of you post and I don't respond quickly, please forgive me. I will be at the hospital. Oh, a good friend of mine is a nurse at the hospital and is working tonight so that will help. Thanks again!!

My sypathies to you and your wife.

My wife suffers from migraines although thankfully not as bad as what you describe.

She struggled for a year or so until she found a specialist who really seems to understand migraines. He was up-front that they would be trying different medications and dosages until they found one that worked for her. It took about 8 months or so, but they seem to be zeroing in on the right medication and the right dosage. My wife only uses it when they get really bad and don't go away.

I gather that there are as many different manifestations of migraines as their our people suffering from them.

My wife suggests that you will both need patience.

My thoughts and prayers are with both of you.

Len

We are about to walk out the door now but thank y'all so much!! I agree with you Phys there has to be something else going on. Von, no they don't think that has anything to do with it. That scares me though. We are talking to them about removing it. He said Elizabeth Taylor had one for years. I told him that wasn't the best comparison, isn't she in a wheel chair?? Len, you are right, we have to be patient. This is frightening because it is all of a sudden and to spend a total of 3 or 4 nights in the hospital, that scares me.

Again, thanks for your suggestions. I will be writing down a lot of stuff.

We are about to walk out the door now but thank y'all so much!! I agree with you Phys there has to be something else going on. Von, no they don't think that has anything to do with it. That scares me though. We are talking to them about removing it. He said Elizabeth Taylor had one for years. I told him that wasn't the best comparison, isn't she in a wheel chair?? Len, you are right, we have to be patient. This is frightening because it is all of a sudden and to spend a total of 3 or 4 nights in the hospital, that scares me.

Again, thanks for your suggestions. I will be writing down a lot of stuff.

Just make sure you let her know how much you care & that you are there.....she's got to be feeling vulnerable as hell while feeling like hell.

Vent away at us.

Len

I have had headaches all my life and they have probably been low grade migrains for the most part, a few times they have been unbearable, the first was in Naval Boot Camp. We had an epidemic of farengitis and the standard treatment was cough medicine laced with codeine. That gave me a migraine that lasted about a week and was so painful I couldn't function at normal speed. Maybe your wife is haveing that kind of reaction to the narcotics they give her? I won't use anything with codeine in it for that reason. Hers sound like my worst episode on a regular basis. I hope you find something to give her relief.

I had the aura effect late in my life and it scared me, thought my diabetes was blinding me. My optomitrist explained to me that it was classic migraine precurser and then discussed treatment. I used to take a sinus medication and an ibuprophine together and that helped. He told me that it was the combination of ibuprophine and acetamynaphine (sp) and the two together caused the blood vessels in my head to relax or something like that. That may not help her severe symptoms but might avert one if caught in time.

Oh fock, I feel so sorry for you and your wife.

My wife gets them a lot. It seems like they come in at the most in-opportune time. I can not tell you how frustrating it is.

What triggers them? Who knows. Weather? Stress? Diet? Immune system? Me? Take your pick

She takes her Excedrin. She'll take her Maxalt. And she will take her Demoral once a year when it gets out of hand.

I wouldn't want that.

One of the bestest gifts I gave her for Xmas was the Thumper Massager (http://www.thumpermassager.com/minipro.html). You can pick them up at Sharper Image.

I also got her some herbal thingy (http://www.gogetagrip.com/knkretail/proddetails.aspx?id=B/W%20CAT) that you throw in the microwave to warm up. It actually helps.

Be patient and be kind. I feel for you.

If all else fails...close the curtains and go on a ride.

jps

yikes. when i used to get migraines, it was preceded by that
dull overall aching, followed by everything getting really bright
and loud with almost unbearable pain. only occasionally would
i have nausea. was using imitrex(sp?) both in spray or pill/tablet
form. if i didn't 'catch' it soon enough, i'd be out for day or so.
frequent exercise(as close to daily as possible) has helped a lot.

what your wife is experiencing sounds a lot worse than i ever had.
physasst is right on.

best of luck!

Totally talking out my hind end here, but has she had her teeth checked? I ask because a few years ago, I had a tooth die on me, very slowly, very painfully. The pain shot through my head, causing much screaming and crying. It took close to a month for the my doctor and dentist to figure it out.

Whatever the cause, I do hope she finds some relief soon.

Wow. I get migraines, but nothing even approaching that level of misery. Just want to express my sympathies-hang in there and keep us updated.

I was diagnosed with migraines earlier this year, but I've figured out over time that they were caused by a drug reaction from a Tylenol product. I was having trouble sleeping, so I started to take Tylenol Simply Sleep. Its just the sleeping aid thats in Tylenol PM. I'd wake up a few hours later feeling like someone just stabbed me in the temple and ran the knife up to the top of my head. Rinse and repeat for weeks. The problem was I kept taking the stuff to try to sleep, and that just kept exacerbating the problem. The drugs the doc gave calmed the migraine enough to sleep one day, so I didn't take any more of the sleep aid until a few weeks ago. Took the stuff again, had massive headache. Then I put two and two together.

Obviously I'd talk to a Dr about this, but I would try to get her off of any type of drug that is new to the situation. You said she's had a number of different infusions, perhaps she could be having a bad reaction to one of those.

My sympathies go out to her. I went to the ER for mine as well, and aside from telling me I didn't have a tumor they did very little to help my pain or discover the cause. I realize they are very busy, but it would be nice to be acknowledged.

I'd go find a good neurologist who specializes in migranes/seizures. My daughter has had seizures her entire life. But I just found out in the last year that it is virtually impossible to tell the difference between the two. Treatments are very similar, which is trying to find the right meds to help control it. It's a long cruddy process to get it all right, but it's what you have to do. I'm sorry you have to go through this.

Have you considered any alternative remedies to go along with the traditional medicine? Maybe some accupuncture or massage or something like that? I know some people respond very well to it. It certainly can't hurt.

I just wanted to say thanks for the concern, responses, ideas, etc. I am back briefly to feed the dogs and get my daughter's uniforms for school. Her mom called this morning and told her she went through the same thing a couple of years ago and it ended up being her gall bladder. After that was removed everything was fine. My wife has had some pain on her side so we thought why not? Told the doctor and ordered up tests. Everything came back normal so we are back to square one. He will reduce her demoral and ween her off of it for midnight tonight then monitor her. She began having hallucinations. Lovely!

Yes, we have tried the alternative remedies. In fact the holistic doctor here is her main doctor. They are great people. It is a husband / wife team and to make a long story short, the husband is the one who saved my life when I was sick. They are now my doctors. He is an OB/GYN. He was the one who admitted me so I am the only guy I know with an OB/GYN. Am at my wits end because we have tried everything else. Hadn't thought of the teeth part yet though. Will have to look into that. And as for the sleeping, yes, that's her vicious cycle too. Need sleep to help with the pain, but can't get to sleep because of the pain. Tried sleeping pills but one gave her headaches and the other gave her wierd dreams. So much so that she would wake up. And she is allergic to codeine, but you never know with the combination of her other meds.

Thanks for the suggestions on Christmas gifts to help with her migraines. We haven't had a chance to do any shopping yet. Once again, thank y'all. I wish I could bring the laptop to the hospital, but oh well! Will update.

I just wanted to say thanks for the concern, responses, ideas, etc. I am back briefly to feed the dogs and get my daughter's uniforms for school. Her mom called this morning and told her she went through the same thing a couple of years ago and it ended up being her gall bladder. After that was removed everything was fine. My wife has had some pain on her side so we thought why not? Told the doctor and ordered up tests. Everything came back normal so we are back to square one. He will reduce her demoral and ween her off of it for midnight tonight then monitor her. She began having hallucinations. Lovely!

Yes, we have tried the alternative remedies. In fact the holistic doctor here is her main doctor. They are great people. It is a husband / wife team and to make a long story short, the husband is the one who saved my life when I was sick. They are now my doctors. He is an OB/GYN. He was the one who admitted me so I am the only guy I know with an OB/GYN. Am at my wits end because we have tried everything else. Hadn't thought of the teeth part yet though. Will have to look into that. And as for the sleeping, yes, that's her vicious cycle too. Need sleep to help with the pain, but can't get to sleep because of the pain. Tried sleeping pills but one gave her headaches and the other gave her wierd dreams. So much so that she would wake up. And she is allergic to codeine, but you never know with the combination of her other meds.

Thanks for the suggestions on Christmas gifts to help with her migraines. We haven't had a chance to do any shopping yet. Once again, thank y'all. I wish I could bring the laptop to the hospital, but oh well! Will update.



If they are not able to find an etiology, I would highly recommend that you guys get to a University hospital or tertiary care center and be seen by a Neurologist who specializes in headaches. Good Luck.:(

Thanks for everyone's concerns and responses. We are back home. They ruled out a whole bunch of stuff, but couldn't come up with a reason for the migraines. They have changed meds on her and will get her some oxygen to use when she feels one coming on. That seemed to work in the hospital. They also orderd a sleep apnea study to be conducted before Christmas. Again, thanks for everything!

My mother had horrible migraines in the late '70s. Sometimes she'd spend more than a day in bed. Our doctor sent her to see an acupuncturist. He said he could find no scientific basis for a belief in acupuncture, but that he'd seen an acupuncturist do something no western doctor had ever succeeded in doing- stopping a migraine in progress. My mother went for what I believe was about a 14 session treatment, which included both acupuncture and a course of herbal tea that smelled like boiled mud. She has never had another migraine.

I wish that acupuncturist was still around. We are believers in holistic treatment. She went to her acupuncturist today. Felt good for a while. Her body is just worn out from all of the meds from the last week. I'm thinking it has something to do with sleeping patterns (habits - she hasn't slept for more than 5 hours for a very long time) and oxygen. We just have to be patient. At least she doesn't have her migraine anymore. First time in 3 weeks.