The Migraine Headache Blog from Headache-Adviser.com

Jul 8, Dehydration Headaches

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:03:23 GMT

As most of the country right now is under heat wave after heat wave, don't forget that dehydration may be a trigger for migraine. With less fluid in the body, your system will make less fluid to surround your brain. This is a daily normal occurance and you usually make about 500cc to cushion the brain so to speak. But if you don't have enough fluid, maybe you make only 475? That small dip is enough to irritate things and start a headache. So the obvious answer here, is that just like other lifestyle changes, migraineurs must have a bit of a rigid life in terms of habits. Carry that water bottle and drink two or three per day to stay headache free.

Jul 1, Sumatriptan Available In Two New Delivery Systems

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:43:38 GMT

One of the great things about attending a scientific meeting like the one in Boston this past week for the AHS, is seeing the results from hundreds of research studies on headache. These results are put in poster form and then displayed for everyone to see in a separate hall. Yours truly (ahem!) was proud to present a poster on the benefits of IV Keppra in treating migraine.. Two new systems were introduced through posters that would allow someone to take sumatriptan either trans-dermal or a new injectable that is needle-less! A statement was released today by the company making Sumaptriptan DosePro. Sumatriptan DosePro provides the most widely prescribed migraine medication in the U.S., sumatriptan, in a novel needle-free delivery system that allows the drug to reach peak blood levels in approximately twelve minutes and takes only three simple steps to deliver, said Stephen Farr, Ph.D. The link is to their website. The transdermal system is still in clinical trials but looks very promising. See? There is new information on headaches coming out every few months..so don't give up.

Jun 30, Occipital Stimulation For Headaches

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:22:45 GMT

Occipital stimulation or stim is showing promise as a new treatment for migraine and cluster headaches.

Jun 24, Migraine Specialists Meet in Boston

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 01:36:56 GMT

The annual scientific meeting of the American Headache Society is this week in Boston, MA. I will be not only attending the meeting but also presenting research on headaches that we did at Dent Headache Center. This research involved using IV Keppra to break a migraine and it was quite sucessful. I am looking forward to meeting medical directors from two large pharmaceutical companies who are interested in funding migraine research. By doing research and having you the patient who is willing to participate, we all do our part in finding the cause of migraine and coming up with new treatments. The meeting will discuss a variety of subjects including electric stim for headache and pediatric issues. I will report back next week on the results!

Jun 20, Update on Magnesium

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:32:58 GMT

Some research in the last year is indicating that higher doses (600-800mg/day) of magnesium may be effective in blunting two types of migraine: barometric pressure and menstrual migraine. How does this happen? Well some of the research is indicating that when estrogen levels are low in migraineurs, so are magnesium levels. One study showed that taking magnesium every day for two weeks before menses can prevent this type of migraine. Although we still don't know the mechanism of barometric pressure migraine, it is worthwhile to consider magnesium if you have these headaches. You must be on the therapy for 90 days before you can fully assess this as it takes that long for the brain to figure out what is going on! Just remember to balance this out with daily calcium!

Jun 19, Headache Adviser.com Blog

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:55:04 GMT

The blog is gaining more and more attention! I have had some really great feedback from patients and other readers who feel the information is worthwhile. Keep cool in the hot weather and remember to stay hydrated to avoid a headache. Technorati Profile

Jun 16, Temporal Arteritis

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:01:12 GMT

Temporal arteritis, giant cell arteritits and cranial arteritis are all names for the same type of bilateral headache.

Jun 7, National Headache Awareness Week

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 22:21:25 GMT

Just found this video on Youtube for National Headache Awareness week. If you know someone who isn't tooooo aware of what you are going through..refer them to this link. The video does a pretty good job of explaining migraines and even features a patient.

Jun 2, Headache As A Disease

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:00:06 GMT

One of the countrys formost headache specialists is Dr. Richard Lipton. He is the director of the Montefiore Hospital Headache Center and recently published this article on Headache as a disease. The article makes the arguement that headaches are not just a symptom of something else that is wrong. The burden on society due to lost days of productivity because of headache is startling! Take a quick review of the article and see if you agree with some of the things he says. Then next time someone says "Oh..well you only have headaches." be prepared to respond!

May 30, Chronic Daily Headaches and Steriods

Fri, 30 May 2008 15:10:10 GMT

Many times I see patients with chronic daily headache who have failed on many drugs and are taking daily anti-inflamatories (Excedrin etc) to keep the headache "livable". I had one such lady yesterday who is taking Imitrex tablets daily! (Not from me!) Another lady was taking Naprosyn, Celebrex and Fiorcet. My response to this is serial steriod infusions. I had them both come in three days in a row and then be on a steriod for two to three weeks. One lady has responded great so far. The other is in the middle of infusions. This treatment has worked very well before and is just short of admitting the patient. Speak to your doctor or neurologist. There is usually a chemotherapy infusion center near you for cancer treatment, and this sort of place could do infusions if your doctor orders them.

May 24, New Research on Namenda for Migraine.

Sat, 24 May 2008 11:33:58 GMT

In the last two years or so, those of us in migraine and headache work have noticed that the drug used for Alzheimer's, Namenda, is showing promise in prevention of migraine. Two pilot studies done a few years ago mentioned the need for further research. Of note, this reasearch was on migraineurs who had 8-14 migraine days per month and had failed on two other preventative drugs. Flaws in this study: The dose was varied between 10 mg and 20 mg per day which tends to confuse things when interpreting results. Also, the study only went for 90 days. In the field of neurology, your brain is just barely recognizing a change at this point. Perhaps the study should have gone longer. None the less, the results do support previous ones and further research is recommended. With any luck, we may soon be recommending Namenda in clinical practice to treat migraine.

May 20, Imitrex Is Going Generic

Tue, 20 May 2008 10:58:20 GMT

The giant brand Imitrex is going generic by the end of this year. The application to the FDA was approved in January for Roxbury Labs in Princeton, NJ to manufacture Imitrex by its generic name of sumatriptan. They are permitted to make it in the three oral doses available now..25, 50 and 100mg. So what will be the difference? Well cost is the first one. From $10-25 per tablet currently to generic pricing which means the lowest copay AND some could afford to pay cash if they have no insurance. This opens the door for treatment for millions of Americans. Second difference is the RT technology of the current tablets..it is a burst technology which allows Imitrex to be absorbed at bit faster. They new drug from GSK (Glaxo-Smith-Kline) Treximet will have this technology and be combined with naprosyn. So what can you do in the meantime? If you have Imitrex available, combine it with two (2)Aleves which is about equal to prescription naprosyn. SAMPLES of Imitrex from your doctor are now gone, but samples of Treximet are available. Nasal spray is not sampled but the 4mg injectable is still available and according to the company will continued to be supported through sampling. Remember..treat early to get rid of migraine.

May 16, Emergency Headaches

Fri, 16 May 2008 10:50:54 GMT

Causes of emergency headaches. Know when and if to get to the doctor for the worse emergency headache of my life.

May 12, Topamax and Child Migraine

Mon, 12 May 2008 14:56:55 GMT

Many times when I see teens and children, the parents are very worried about their headaches, loss of time from school and other activities. However, when the subject of medication is brought up I hear "Not my child!". While there is every reason to be concerned about medications given to adults being given to your child, the good news is that research is now turning to child migraine. A review of studies of Topamax in children's headaches had good results in reducing pain and restoring activity levels.

May 5, Migraine Aura

Mon, 05 May 2008 11:31:57 GMT

Migraine aura can vary from blurry vision to buzzing in the ears. Read about atypical auras and occular migraine.

May 4, A Headache During Labor and Delivery

Sun, 04 May 2008 21:47:01 GMT

Cases like this always present at 4pm Friday..a 38 year old female delivered twins last week and had a horrible headache immediately afterward. Thinking it was from the epidural, the OB treated it as such, but the headache improved for only 60 minutes then got much worse. After this, my doctor was called in to look at her and immediately ordered an MRI of the brain and another test to look at the veins in the brain. Pregnancy is a hypercoagulable state (huh?). It means that the blood naturally thickens during this time, so Mom is at risk for clots. This mother had one that clotted in a vein in the brain causing a mild venous stroke. Fortunately, a venous bleed is not as damaging as an arterial one. She suffered no physical problems except a severe unrelenting headache. Since she had a past history of migraine, the other doctors assumed that was what she was having. She will do well with pain medication until the blood reabsorbs, then we will treat the migraines.

May 2, Migraine Headache Diary

Fri, 02 May 2008 10:27:29 GMT

Migraine headache diary is a great way to track your headaches and learn the migraine triggers. Get a free one here!

Apr 27, Headache During Sex

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:51:24 GMT

A headache during sex is embarassing and not normal. Sex headaches can be treated effectively!

Apr 20, Privacy Policy

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 18:45:57 GMT

Apr 20, Update on Treximet- New Migraine Medicine

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 17:50:51 GMT

After a couple of years of being in and out of the FDA, a new migraine medication Treximet has been approved for launch by Glaxo-Smith-Kline Pharmacueticals. So what is Treximet? Imitrex combined with naprosyn (prescription level Aleve). Studies done several years ago by several headache centers demonstrated that the combination of both drugs was better in getting rid of a headache FASTER than either one alone! You can expect Treximet to hit the shelves by early summer 2008. If you currently are taking Imitrex and can tolerate Naprosyn, combine it with the Imitrex at the ONSET of the headache. Take them both together, not one after the other and waiting awhile...good luck!

Apr 13, Migraine Vertigo

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 15:35:11 GMT

Migraine vertigo can be more disabling than the headache.

Apr 10, Dehydration and Headache

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:38:25 GMT

As the summer months are approaching, remember that one of the triggers for headache and migraines is dehydration. This is especially important regarding children who have headaches, as they can become dehydrated so quickly. Try to pre-hydrate before exercising and remember to drink water throughout the day. If you are not too nauseated at the onset of a headache, one or two glasses of water can go a long way (with medication) in stopping the headache faster. Good luck and keep the water bottle handy!

Apr 4, To Topamax Or Not To Topamax?

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:42:23 GMT

In reading some other blogs across the net concerning migraines, I came across the startling statement that: Topamax is a powerful drug and is not the best drug for you to use first to treat your migraines. Well nothing could be further from the truth. Since when did being powerful become a bad thing? That has absolutely no correlation with side effects which is what I think this author was driving at. Topamax is one of our first line drug for migraines in our clinic if you have one disabling migraine per month or 2-3 headaches per week. It has a great effect of dampening headaches over a few months and definitely should be considered if you are a candidate for it. Try not to be frightened by package insert information, stuff on the net (except this website of course!!), and things you hear from other patients. After all, for those people to whom this is a miracle drug..well they are too busy living active headache free lives to get on the net and write about the drug. Once again..common sense rules.

Mar 31, NY Times Migraine Blog

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 02:14:37 GMT

Two months ago the NY Times started an online blog for migraine and so far it seems to be gaining alot of attention. This is a good example of how prevalent migraine is and how much attention is now being paid to this disease. There are also resources listed, many of which are also are found here. If you are interested, there is slideshow on migraine artthat is quite good. This particular blog is good as it is comprised of several people, not just one person. The bloggers are professional writers, some medical, some not, but they all have one thing in common: they all get migraines too!

Mar 25, Children and Headaches

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 17:33:54 GMT

As awareness increases about migraine, more and more parents are bringing their children and teens to our clinic. Many times a patient will ask me about their child when they are in for a routine office visit. Children can have headaches but this does not mean it's "normal". They may be called abdominal migraines. Children should not have headaches..period. A new onset of headaches can be worrisome so it is best to discuss it with your pediatrician. But trust your instincts!! You are the parent so if your child is having headaches routinely, don't get brushed off with "take some Tylenol". Ask to see a specialist or a pediatric neurologist. In our clinic, we see teens, 12 years and above, and our pediatric neurologist sees those under that age. Find a specialist near you by reviewing places to find headache specialists.

Mar 19, eHealth Insurance

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:38:20 GMT

Looking for health insurance? Apply to eHealth insurance online! Get your meds paid for.

Mar 19, Headache Products

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 01:46:25 GMT

Headache products to lighten the life of a headache sufferer, including mugs, T-shirts, books and pillows

Mar 15, Update in Headache Research

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 19:12:25 GMT

The February 2008 issue of Neurology had a new study about the impact of comorbid conditions in headache patients. 83 (!) of migraineurs and 79 of other headache patients were found to have some other form of disability. The following were significantly increased: mental disorders (depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder), other pain conditions (neck and back pain), and other diseases (irritable bowel syndrome, mitral valve prolapse, ulcers, asthma and hypertension). Other studies have found coomorbidity with epilepsy. So now what? Well it is important to treat the whole person and address all problems. Many people have noticed, for example that when migraines and anxiety come under control, their irritable bowel syndrome improves! Keep an open mind when a doctor or practitioner suggests a treatment that may improve one or more of your conditions.

Mar 11, Abdominal Migraine and Other Headaches in Children

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:50:05 GMT

Abdominal migraine is frequently seen as a headache in children that is a form of migraine.

Mar 10, Migraine Cures

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:57:53 GMT

Soooo many times I will have a patient call my office 2 or 3 days after an initial visit and complain that his/her migraines are not cured yet. (!) This is usually after more than 10 years of headaches. It is important to realize that migraines can't be cured but can be managed. Stability is one or two milder headaches per month and it may take many months to get there. To continually stop and start medications after only a few weeks only muddys the waters so to speak. Give yourself a chance..stay with the recommendations for several months and track the headaches. Read more about migraine cures and methods.

Mar 7, Case Study: A cough induced headache.

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:38:50 GMT

I saw a gentleman recently who had had headaches daily for over 10 years (!). He was treating them with various over the counter meds and Allegra-D, so obviously he had part of his headache due to analgesic rebound syndrome. However, he also had moderate asthma and coughed several times an hour. Sometimes per minute. Each time he coughed, his head felt like it was exploding. The severe part of the headache lasted only and hour or two, before settling into the daily rebound headache of a lower level. He had been told he had migraines. All medications including anti-seizure meds and triptans, failed him. This is a vaso-vagal headache, meaning the cough induced a rise in blood pressure and intracranial pressure resulting in the headache. It should have responded to a blood pressure med like verapamil or inderal. Nope..no dice. No effect what so ever, neither did steroids. There is a rare type of headache called "benign cough induced headache". It responds to only one drug..indomethacin. I put him on it four weeks aog, and just saw him today. He is headache FREE for the first time in 10 years. He also has the asthma under control, but even when he coughs now..no headache. Moral: don't give up. Look for second opinions. Sometimes a fresh look at things from a new person in the field of headaches may do the trick!

Mar 6, Headache Clinical Trials

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 19:05:03 GMT

For those of you who do not live near a headache center but are willing to travel, you might qualify for a clinical trial treating headaches. Some of these trials involve monthly visits, others just involve keeping a diary. The benefits are two fold in clinical trials: first of all you get the drug for free! Many times this is a drug that is already FDA approved, just looking at a treatment perameter. Secondly, you are contributing the base of information that we providers use to treat others like you. Without clinical trials we never would have had the triptans, or found out which one of the anti-seizure drugs are best for migraine. For more information on a trial near you visit Clinicaltrials.gov to see if you qualify for one. Additional information on resources is available at Headache-adviser.com Headache Resources.

Mar 4, Barometric Pressure and Headaches

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 23:54:43 GMT

Is barometric pressure and headaches affecting your life? Barometric pressure changes may be causing your migraines!

Feb 28, Migraine and Headache Blogs

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 15:31:14 GMT

If you have been searching around the internet, you know that there are several great resources for migraine and headaches. One such resource I can recommend is the Migraine Blog at the NY Times. Here you will have a chance to add comments and read about other migraineurs, including a neurologist! Addtional links for information can be found at Headache-adviser.com resources

Feb 27, Migraines and Infections

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 13:05:34 GMT

Have you ever noticed that with a cold you might get a migraine? Well, you not losing your mind! Many times a migraine can be the herald of an infection. I have seen people get a moderate to severe migraine for one or two days and then the third day the infection shows up. Now this can be any infection, from a cold, to pneumonia to even one case I saw of hepatitis. Why? Infections are stressors on the body and this is how the brain responds. We still don't know why but it happens. Migraines can also happen after the infection, especially with a virus, and is known as "post-viral syndrome". Treat early, treat hard! Here's to headache free days!

Feb 20, Hypnic Headache

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:17:14 GMT

Hypnic headache is a special type of headache that occurs in the elderly. It may be related to cluster headache.

Feb 18, Sansert and Headaches

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 17:57:11 GMT

Just last week I saw a patient I have been treating for cluster headaches and he has not responded to anything but steroids. Obviously he can't stay on those forever due to side effects. We thought we would try Sansert, an old drug, that has worked for clusters. Unfortunately not available in the US but is available through Canadian pharmacies. Well we finally got him on it and he developed moderatly dry scaly skin! He also had itching but no hives. I stopped the drug as it had this side effect. Unfortunately, the patient has daily cluster headaches (!) and wanted to stay on the drug. We are back to low dose steriod for a few weeks, I ordered oxygen for home use, and increased his verapamil. Having said all this, if you have cluster headaches or cluster-migraine variant, you might benefit from a trial of Sansert. Discuss this with your provider.

Feb 12, MIST II Trials for PFO and Migraine

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 02:03:05 GMT

Recently the MIST II trial was shut down by NMT medical citing lack of enrollement and cost. While this may be true, it should be noted that the results from the MIST I trial have yet to be published and there was some controversy over the data. None the less, many investigators believe that exploring the relationship between PFO closure and migraine is worth studying. More information about MIST II trials. Meanwhile, a new study looking at PFO closure and migraine, "PREMIUM", is opening and Dent Headache Center is participating in the study. If you live near Western New York and would like to be considered, do not hesitate to contact our clinic. Hopefully, an answer to this question will be found in the next few years.

Feb 6, FDA Update on Anti-Seizure Drugs

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 02:58:50 GMT

The FDA announced the results of a study this week that showed a slight increase in the risk of suicide in people on anti-seizure medications. The drugs of concern are Neurontin, Tegretol, Depakote and Topamax. Only .43 of the sizable (nearly 30,000) medicated population reported thoughts of suicide and this population was taking the medicaton at anti-seizure dosing. So what does this mean? The results are not clear regarding headaches where the dosing is lower..and the risk overall seems small. We in the community are well aware of the risk with neurologic medications but you the patient should be aware also. Please do not stop your medication suddenly. You run the small risk of a seizure by doing so. Contact your provider if you are having thoughts of harming yourself or others. Adjustments can be made to your medications to treat both your mood and your headaches.

Jan 30, Healing Your Headaches

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:39:14 GMT

The world of the internet is vast and a great place to discover you are not alone when it comes to your headaches. Recently, a Carnival Headache Blog was started for those of us with headaches and some of the entries have been great. Called "Somebody Heal Me" by Diane Lee there are great entries by many other bloggers and she is running a monthly topic on headaches. Check out some of the topics! Don't be afraid to add comments at places like these..it might make you feel less isolated in your pain.

Here's To Headache Free Days!

Jan 29, Herbal Headache Remedies

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 01:39:18 GMT

Herbal headache remedies may or may not be great for your migraine. Don't waste money on home remedy for migraine headache.

Jan 26, Menopause and Migraine Headache

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 01:15:55 GMT

Menopause and migraine headache. Does this cure migraines?

Jan 24, Imitrex and Cluster Headache

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:51:19 GMT

Read about Imitrex and cluster headache. What is the best way to use Imitrex? How often can you take it for cluster headache?

Jan 19, Atypical Headache

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 14:40:05 GMT

An atypical headache may or may not be a migraine. If migraine symptoms are not present this may be a headache type that is an emergency headache.

Jan 17, Chronic Illness Can Be Invisible

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:59:02 GMT

Chronic illness can be invisible. This means with headaches, migraines and other diseases, you look fine but are in reality suffering from invisible chronic illness.

Jan 15, Migraine Symptoms and Me

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 00:56:39 GMT

Tonight a reminder of my headache history is visiting. A migraine is slowly gathering speed. I am having trouble typing, I feel sluggish and I can tell it will get worse as I was craving sweets and carbs about an hour ago. It has been raining/snowing all day on and off in our area. Weather changes trigger migraines for me now, but they are not as severe as they used to be thanks to good management. I am off to find my Imitrex/Naprosyn/Magnesium cocktail and I had better find it fast as nausea is setting in. Remember: treat fast, treat hard..hit those headaches with everything at once. Don't take a pill..wait an hour, take a pill..wait..etc. Take care..here's to headache free days..

Jan 13, Depakote and Headaches

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 18:09:01 GMT

Does Depakote work for headaches? Read about anti-seizure medications and migraine.

Jan 11, Headache and TMJ

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 03:12:58 GMT

Headache and TMJ may go together if you suffer from chronic one sided headaches. Read more about this recurring headache cause.

Jan 10, Recurring Headache Causes

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 12:03:41 GMT

There are lots of recurring headache causes, some of which are cause by drugs but most are stress induced like migraine. Cluster headaches can be

Jan 6, the "Gut-Brain" Theory

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 16:23:01 GMT

In searching the internet this past week, I came across a website by natropaths promoting a cure for migraines that they termed the Gut-Brain Theory. In this theory, treatment of the receptors of the intestines (serotonin) will result in calming of the same receptors in the brain. The treatment involves a formula developed by them and tested and proven with only one study. The study was done by them of course and was what is called open label..no placebo or blinding (people don't know what they are getting in a blinded study). First of all, you should know that ALL Natropathic colleges in the U.S. lost their accredidation in 2001 due to numerous violations in education and clinical teaching. Also, true medicine and pathology is not really taught in these programs. The only supplement I could find in this "Gut-Brain" formula that would help with migraines was magnesium. That alone could have accounted for a reduction in migraines in this study. My advice? Don't fall for stuff like this where the person selling the item is also the person doing the research! This is a big conflict of interest. Refer to Headache-Adviser Alternative Treatmentsfor more information.