Saturday, August 13, 2011

Trouble

I have headaches.  thumbnailI have always had headaches for as long as I can remember.  My Mom said they started after "the incident".  I don’t remember I just know I get them, I’ve had them and they are awful.

It’s embarrassing to admit that I have had just about every type of headache out there. I have had tension headaches, cluster headaches, a hemiplegic migraine (which was the worse one…I had it after I had Christina), sinus headaches, weather related headaches, regular migraines, stress headaches, hangover headaches (#1 reason why I don’t drink alcohol – fear of getting a headache), hormone headache, sleeping in the wrong position headache, migraine with aura, and just a good old fashion headache.  I sound like that guy from Forrest Gump talking about the different types of shrimps.

For the past several years I have had the same headache.  It starts at the base of my head behind my left ear and works it way over to my left eye.  It’s not a migraine but it’s like a migraine – it’s debilitating – literally.  I don’t feel sick to my stomach, light doesn’t bother it so much but I have to be in a extra cold room and sit up completely still and quite with an ice pack to relieve some of the pressure. It’s sad that John can tell when I have a headache and knows where the ice packs are to help Mommy.  When I get this headache I have to have help with the kids – I can’t function.  This type of headache is happening at least once or even twice a week.  There is no common thread to this headache – sometimes I wake up with it, sometimes it will just start in the middle of the day – there is no schedule or reason.

Last year my doctor diagnosed this headache  as a tension headache and prescribe me a pain medication that had aspirin, caffeine, and codeine all rolled into one pill.  This worked at first but now it doesn’t even touch my headache.  I have had to rely on other narcotics, ice packs, and hot/steamy showers to help the pressure.

This just isn’t cutting it – if you know what I mean.  You see in my household Randy is the coach and I am the quarterback….if the quarterback is not in the game – then the game is not being played.

I went to a doctor on Monday that “specializes” in headache treatments.  To make a long story short I ran….and I am not joking…I actually ran from his office in the middle of my appointment.  He was suggesting doing some stuff that was freaked me out.  SERIOUSLY.

Then yesterday I woke up at 3am with the headache.  I tried an ice pack, Randy massaged my head and neck for an hour, I got in a hot/steamy shower, drank a cold Dr. Pepper, then took some pain medication that dulled the pain but didn’t stop the headache.

I called my doctor yesterday and he wanted to see me immediately.  He prescribed Topamax which is a daily medicine to stop the headache.  I hate to take a pill everyday but this headache has to stop.  This medicine will not immediately stop the headache…it has to built up in my system but my doctor wants me to try it for thirty days.  If that doesn’t work then he is going to refer me to a Neurologist for more help. (BTW - my doctor told me the “specialist” I went to on Monday is not a specialist at all.  He was an anesthesiologist that got kicked out of the hospitals here in Amarillo and started this “money taking, non-working, awful scheme” a few years ago.)

So…..

I am posting this blog for several reasons: #1. you will pray for me, #2. if you have any information on Topamax please let me know,  #3.  if you have suffered with headaches I would like to know what you did or do for it, #4. I can remember this was the last time I had a headache because the medicine actually worked and this is an old issue! 

Smile

One more thing – I opened my comments since this is a private blog and I know you!  Please feel free to comment!

3 comments:

Laura Fiskin said...

I have known several people who took Topamax to prevent migraines and it worked well for them. My doctor once even tried to give it to me before realizing it would cause problems with my seizure med. I say, with a positive attitude, give it a try.

Linda said...

Talk to Hester. Of course she has been on Topamax. I think she had some kind of side effect problem. You know us. .01% I sympathize with you as you know I too suffer from headaches and don't know what I'll take now since they took Darvocet off the market.The first time I remember having a migraine and now knowing that it was a migraine was when I was eight years old. Love you sister and I hope the Topamax works for you.

Linda said...

I know I already left a comment, but am doing a test comment since the Exes of Evil can't see you blog. That is how Stefanie found me the last time for Deonne Day Off, I left a comment while logged in to that blog. Once you see this you can delete it. Just seeing if it links back to Leelee's Place or just where. Thanks