Quote:
Originally Posted by pydy9916
Hi Nate...post traumatic headache can have a daily headache that is global, or on both sides of the head. Pain in the back of the head may be related to the whiplash type of injury that also occurs and could be occipital neuralgia or radiating pain from the neck.
The drug of choice for post traumatic headache is amitryptaline but the doses have to be a bid higher than what is used for migraine..50-150mg per day. I start by using low dose and moving the patient up slowly every few weeks..important to stick with it as it takes 90 days for the brain to catch on and start to settle down. Low dose Topamax (again tapered up) is combined with this..
If you headaches are very severe at this point you might respond to a week or two of steroid to break the cycle..then you taper off the steroid..important too to treat mood. Depression and anxiety only make headaches worse!
Unfortunately, alternative methods don't work too well when headaches are post traumatic and severe. Great for migraine but not this until you improve a bit.
Good luck.. 
Mary Kay |
Hey,
Thanks to everyone for their help. I had a follow up with my neurologist yesterday and we're going to try a few things. She prescribed Topamax 25mg each night. Also, I am to try Imitrex (5mg) for the more severe headaches. The only problem is...I get a lot of headaches...but only 1-2 every other day now is severe (dec from 1-2 a day!!)
Sometimes I don't know if the one I'm getting is severe until it is to late. Hard to explain... In general, I'm just in a lot of pain almost all the time..there are no symptom I get prior to a migraine...it just happens.
Also, thankfully the duration of the severe one are usually (thankfully) pretty short..only an hour or two.
So I will try it. Still taking Nortriptyline 25mg at night also. We'll see how this all works out. Took the first Topamax last night...no side effects just yet, sure they are coming.
I'll write back and let you know how it goes. Thanks again for your help and support.
Nate