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As a medical professional and a headache specialist, from me you will get information on new treatments or a "hot topic" in headaches.
You will also get patient scenerios, how they were managed and you can ask the expert your own questions by clicking the button on the nav bar.
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Aug 26, 2012
Chronic Recurring Headaches
Thank you for this websie. I am a 49 year old, non-smoking female. I have hashimoto's and currently take 75 mg of armor thyroid. No other medications.
Aug 26, 2012
Headaches / Dizziness Post Virus
Mary Kay, My name is Andrew, I am a 23 year old Male (6'0 , 150lbs). I have always had migraines, when they are bad maybe 3 times a week. Medication(OTC)
Aug 25, 2012
Headaches for 6 weeks
Hi, I have been having headaches daily for the past 6 weeks. It started with a coital headache right at orgasm and then went away. I am a very active
Aug 25, 2012
Can Ice Pick Headaches be related to Temporal Lobe Epilepsy?
Im a 31 year old female who was diagnosed with Left Temporal Lobe Epilepsy at the age of 18 Months Old. Ive been on several different seizure medications,
Continue reading "Can Ice Pick Headaches be related to Temporal Lobe Epilepsy?"
Aug 17, 2012
Headache for five days now...
Hi my name is Tamara, i have been having a headache for the past five days now with only a two hour break on the fourth day in. The pain is light to moderate
Jul 29, 2012
migraine(nauseoues,tired,numbness of body ibs)
Hi I'm a 30yr old female from South Africa , been suffering wit headache for as long as I can rem ,its an everyday struggle , being constipated n bloated
Continue reading "migraine(nauseoues,tired,numbness of body ibs)"
Jul 29, 2012
ongoing migraine for 2 weeks now
Hi my name is Alicia and I an 18 years o. I have had a migraine now for two years. I went to a doctor a few years ago for chronic migraines and she told
Jul 29, 2012
new dx complex migraine s/p CVA
i am two years s/p lt occipital lobe CVA. I regained 99% function and now back to work as an ICU RN. I have a hx of 2 weeks headache with lt sided heaviness,
Jul 23, 2012
Headache and High Blood Pressure
MY FAMILY MEMBER , FEMALE AGE 60YRS, IN NOV 2010 SHE HAD VIRAL FEVER, NORMAL COLD, BUT SHE WAS BUSY IN HOUSEHOLD WORK, this
Jul 20, 2012
daily intermittent short duration head pain
I am a 52 year old female, non-smoker with history of anxiety, perimenopause, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, seasonal allergies and cervical disc
Continue reading "daily intermittent short duration head pain"
Jul 19, 2012
monthly migraines at age 64
I am a 64 yr. old female who has been suffering monthly migraines( with aura) for 26 yrs now. I had a few when I was a child, then when I got my periods
Jul 08, 2012
Familial hemiplegic migraines
I'm 50 years old and for the past 4 years I have suffered with these symptoms and have found through talking with my family that it is a family inherent
Jul 04, 2012
Pounding Headache
Hi, In the last week it have suffered 3 monstrous headaches and am seeking some clarification as to what they might be? I am a Male age 49 I have never
Jul 04, 2012
Polish patient with headache
Hello from Poland, the reason I wrote to you is my Mom, who is 62 years old. She has suffered headaches since 1998. The headaches were located in fronto-parietal
Jul 04, 2012
What type of headache do I have?
I started getting a headache when I was about 10 years old (am about 40 now) At 23 years of age it started being a one sided headache on the right side
Jun 15, 2012
Sex, Pregnancy and Migraines
I'm Sarah, 24 years old i was having my migraines since i'm a little kid. It started about when i was 8 years old. it starts like twice a year then gradually
Jun 09, 2012
Told to lower my expectations for headaches
I am a 28 year old female experiencing daily headaches for the last 6 weeks with a history of frequent headaches and episodes of chronic daily headaches
Continue reading "Told to lower my expectations for headaches"
Jun 03, 2012
Sick and tired of being sick
I have had migraines as long as I can remember, which is almost 20 years now. When I was younger (5-10) I would start the migraine by getting a very upset
May 25, 2012
Headaches and eyes hurt
Hi, I'm a 15 year old girl who for the past week have been having constant headaches, my eyes hurt when i look at bright lights or even at the sky and
May 25, 2012
Headache for over 2 weeks !!
I am a 32 year old male and for over the past two weeks I have been getting throbbing pains in the left back part of my head which the pain runs to the
May 21, 2012
Mom Concerned About Seizures
My son has been complaining about a headache and then his eye starts to hurt,then he feels like vomiting. So i took him to his doctor and they referred
May 02, 2012
Migraines and Renal Failure
I would like to post a case study today. Dr. Mechtler and I saw a new patient, a 79 year old female with a past history of migraine. Her migraines disappeared after menopause, which happens 70% of the time.
On March 4, 2012, she was diagnosed with renal failure secondary to chronic hypertension. She also had parathyroid disorder requiring surgery, and high cholesterol.
She had dialysis on 3/4 and within a few hours afterward, began to suffer a migraine. She recognized that it was similar to her previous migraines as she had a visual aura of "blue spots" for 15 minutes, then the migraine started. The headache had a pain level of 8/10 to a full 10/10 with nausea. She was disabled for a full day and in bed.
Unfortunately, she required dialysis 3 times a week, for 4 hours each time. Every single time she had a severe migraine afterwards, starting anywhere from a few hours to 12 hours later.
Her primary care ordered a CT of the brain which was normal. He then gave her Imitrex (sumatriptan) but because of her age, only gave her 25mg which is the pediatric dose. She needed two doses to have any effect and then was maxed out for 24 hours.
She had a cardiovascular work up within the last year and it was normal. So why did this MD give her a pediatric dose? Simple..most doctors, for some unknown reason, are terrified of triptans. They seem to think they will cause heart attacks.
All I can tell you is that Dr. Mechtler and I have prescribed them for over 10 years, a couple of thousand prescriptions per month and NOT ONE cardiovascular incident.
Dr. Mechtler immediately raised her dose to 100mg of Imitrex. She has migraine triggered by the changes in osmololity during dialysis which unfortunately will not change. Hopefully the higher dose will work faster and better for her.
Mary Kay Betz MS RPA-C
Feb 25, 2012
Tension headaches???
I am 17 years old and ive had what I think is tension headaches since about 14-15 years old. The headaches are right in my forehead, almost feeling like
Feb 22, 2012
Daily Headaches related to Fasting
Hi.. I have a terrible headache upon awakening every morning. After I eat breakfast, the headache doesn't go away; it intensifies. I have seen an endocrinologist
Feb 15, 2012
Headache with other disturbing symptoms
It started Feb 4th...mild headache that by the morning of Feb 5th was pounding. It is on the Right side top area of the head. It was associated with
Feb 10, 2012
Could Sinus Migraines?
I am a 47yr old female that had sinus surgery 7 yrs ago on my sphenoid, and turbates. I have never experienced migraines until after my surgery. I have
Feb 03, 2012
Chronic Migraine or Chronic Tension Type Headache?
Hello, I wrote you earlier: migraine medications and how long for meds to work?. I am still not sure what type of headache I have. It's constant, ~4-5
Continue reading "Chronic Migraine or Chronic Tension Type Headache?"
Jan 22, 2012
Sinus Headache Symptoms?
I've been having an issue with a nagging headache around me left eye, forehead area, and jaw bone. What initially felt like a sinus issue then felt like
Jan 22, 2012
Severe Head and Neck Pain
Age: 50 Female; Never smoked Symptoms: 1. pain in neck & trap muscles burning-diagnosed as arthritis/bone spurs but not severe enough to need surgery;constant
Jan 09, 2012
NuPathe Resubmitting to FDA for Zelrix
The makers of the transdermal patch Zelrix have resubmitted their application to the FDA. Zelrix is transdermal sumatriptan, the same medication in oral Imitrex and in subcutaneous injectable Sumavel Dose Pro.
NuPathe had their application reviewed last year and the FDA had concerned about manufacturing and some other issues. The company met with the FDA and are now planning to target 2012 for a possible launch.
Zelnix will be unique as it will be the only transdermal triptan and could offer a distinct advantage to those with severe nausea and vomiting with their migraines. This patch works via iontophoresis. This means a small electrical current thru ions is set up on the skin, transferring the medication across the patch membrane into the skin. This would also be an advantage if you happen to have a needle phobia and cannot tolerate Imitrex injectable. Like an injectable it will bypass the GI system.
However, historically, transdermal systems do not have as fast of an onset as injectable. But it might be faster than oral, so look for it to be somewhere in between.
Remember..there are always new migraine headache treatments on the horizon.
Visit the rest of the site to find a headache specialist near you.
Mary Kay Betz MS RPA-C
UPDATE:
I received a communication today (1/10/12) from NuPathe and apparently I made an error in the above post. NuPathe has not yet submitted to the FDA, but is planning to do so in the first half of 2012. I am sure all the migraineurs as hoping that this new product will be available soon!
Jan 08, 2012
Feverfew Migraine
There is a capsule which contain B2, magnesium and feverfew all in one capsule. Do you know the name of it? I take 200 mg of b2, 125 mg of feverfew and
Dec 31, 2011
Understanding Migraine
Understanding migraine can be difficult for people who have never had a migraine headache. Learn how to explain your migraines to family, friends and co-workers.
Dec 20, 2011
Chiropractor Headache
Hi there, I am 38 years old and am female. I went to a chiropractor 3.5 yrs. ago who was not experienced, of course I did not know this at the time.
Dec 17, 2011
The Migraine Personality
Is there such a thing as a migraine personality? The migraine personality was described as a Type A personality but this may not be true.
Dec 15, 2011
Migraine Food Triggers
What are the migraine food triggers? Learn how to avoid headaches with simple diet changes. Are there foods that can prevent your headaches?
Dec 13, 2011
Migraine and CoenzymeQ
Migraine and coenzymeQ are related in several new studies. Coenzyme Q may abort migraine attacks and reduce frequency of migraine headache.
Dec 09, 2011
Use of Opioids Skyrockets in U.S
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the US recently released a statment regarding the use of opioid medications. Apparently prescribing has skyrockted here in the US in 2010 to the point where each and everyone of us could be medicated 24/7 for a month! While some of this is justified, many times it is not.
One area where opioids are inappropriate is in a clear cut case of migraine where there are no contra-indications such as cardiovascular disease. Too many times, providers reach for one of these pain killers, sometimes to appease patient demands, when there are much better treatments available.
Now here's the bad part. Recent studies examining the use of opioids in the headache population have shown that after chronic use, the nervous system starts to re-modulate. Receptors in the brain start changing and not only is there less benefit, but perception of pain itself starts to ramp up! This is what we have long suspected, but could not prove until recently. Use of these drugs increases the frequency AND intensity of your headaches.
If you suspect that this is happening to you, discuss with your doctor and ask for a referral to a headache specialist.
Mary K. Betz MS RPA-C
Nov 23, 2011
Holiday Headache
Anticipating a holiday headache? Read tips on how to avoid the headaches during the holiday stress.
Nov 07, 2011
Cevicogenic headache
I am a 65 year old female who has had head pain for at least 5 years. I cannot call it a headache because it is ranges from a very severe acute pain only
Oct 31, 2011
my 3year old worry some headache
My son is 3 years old had three different episodes of headache lasting for about a second he cries when headache starts and stop crying when it stops he
Oct 31, 2011
Migraines and the Menstrual Cycle
Hello, I am a 21 year old female and have been experiencing increasing occasions of migraines since about the age of 17. First they were every once in
Oct 24, 2011
Pressure in head
Main symptoms: pressure in head, mostly around temple area and in the back. When I lay down, pressure seems to be in the temple area and around my forehead/
Oct 24, 2011
How long for preventive meds to work?
Hello, Firstly, it's a great site! Lot of useful information. I suffer from CDH (probably CTTH is subtype, because they evolved from episodic headaches,
Oct 22, 2011
Coital Headache
I experienced a sudden, severe, throbbing headache...right side of head shortly after beginning sex with my wife...this was about a month and a half ago.
Oct 15, 2011
4 to 5 headaches a week
Is there anything I can do for my frequent headaches? How do I know if they are migraines? They started about 6 months ago and are right above my eyes.
Oct 15, 2011
18 years of migraine headaches
If I could have a dollar for all I and my medical insurance have paid to hospitals, doctors, exams, labs., etc., in trying to find cause and cure for
Oct 15, 2011
Sinus Infection
My girlfriend has been nauseous and has had a headache for 2 weeks now. We went to the doctor because we don't have insurance for her we have to pay out
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