Post Traumatic Migraine
 

Is or has anyone dealt with PTH since concussion\head injury? If so any break in the cycle over time. I really want the headaches to stop!

My Experince
 

I've had headaches for many years. I sort of lucked out because because I get ocular migraines with little or no pain. In my experience, stress brings on the effect, and even though the level of pain is low, the throbbing becomes very annoying.

When I am able to keep the stress at a minimum I don't get them so much. I've done that by learning my personal limits through experience, you know, the hard way. :eek:

I hope this helps, I know the pain and frustration you experience must be very difficult.

Jamie

I never had a Migraine until after my injury.

My headaches were diagnosed as Post Traumatic Migraines from the first day I saw my Primary Care provider, and my first Neurologist, both.

And, of course, the Insurance company has been fighting that ever since - due to my past history of previous MVA's and neck injuries => "pre-existing" causes.

My medications have been helpful, but I have never had complete resolution of the daily headaches; and still suffer with the intrusion of Acute episodic Headaches that are very debilitating....requiring abortive medication, aside from my regular daily medication.

Yes, I want them to stop; will they - I sure do hope so; and am willing to continue to search out some modality to have it so.

Same with me. My only PCS symptom are migraines and other kinds of headaches as well. I've been going the natural route and haven't taken any prescription meds. I do feel generally better but still feel a general dull ache:( I'm just hoping that they will resovle themselves spontaneously.

Hi yes I was diagnosed as having post traumatic migraine with aura 3 months after my head injury, but strangely enough I did not suffer a y headache at All until then. They gave me beta blockers to help but I prefered not to take them. I found yoga helped a lot and keeping stress to a minimum. The headaches are few and far between now thank goodness. I don't know but maybe there is a pattern to this PCS and this is just the headache phase for you now. I do hope things improve for you.
You must try to be patient it will get better over time, but do remember to get plenty of BRAIN rest also
Cx

Thank you so much for your reply. I'm on 2.5 months headache now..they're getting better in general but still there..i'm glad you can post your experience giving us hope out there.

Thank you again.

Pt ha...
 

Any one seeing a HA Specialist?

I have just been on medication.

Yes I have. The migraines stopped with rest and a drug called Imigran. My SNRI Cymbalta also helped reduce headaches. I no longer have headaches anymore.

I'm going to see a headache specialist. But I feel it's just a round of drug recommendations. But that's my opinion. I think the headaches will stop with time and rest in combination with drugs.

Dear mouse, How long did it take for your headaches to stop? and did you have light sensiitivity in your eye? and did that go away wiht the headaches as well? Thank you so much .

Bluehiriko,

Yes, eye pain and light sensitivity and noise sensitivity and ear pain both went up with the migraine along with fatigue. The answer was lying in a dark room on my bed for months, but I still felt dreadful until I got Imigran.

The Imigran would take the migraine headache away instantly, I tended to take this in the evening.

The frequency of headaches and neck pain was reduced by Cymbalta which also reduced all my other symptoms of PCS and lifted my mood.

Good luck with it, there is medication that you can take on a temporary basis that can treat individual PCS symptoms until you get better.

My neurologist says that if you have any family member anywhere in your family who has migraines then it is not uncommon for a concussion to activate the migraine gene even if otherwise it would have remained inactive for all of your life.

He also said that if you have chronic headaches/migraines (like I do) then you have to break the cycle with drugs and then you can taper off the drugs until you only use them as often as normal migraine sufferers.

He and I have not found a drug yet that works or which have side effect I am willing to live with even for a little while. But I have only had 2 appointments with him and I have already learned a lot about my health issues. I have another one in a month and then I am going to be very picky about the meds he gives me.

So basically, be happy its just headaches and try seeing a neurologist and see if you can get meds to break the cycle.

Live Long and Prosper,
In Christ,
Margarite

I have NO family member , back 5 generations, that have any history of Migraines.

Yet, I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Headaches, and Post-Concussion Migraines - with all the accoutrements of Migraines > auras; bright light triggers; loud sound triggers; pre-headache nausea; headache emesis - however no relief after the emesis; dark room with min. relief.

Abortive meds offered relief short term.

Sumatriptins took the top off the volcanoes of the Acute Headaches but no true relief, adding Phrenalin (Fioricet) 1 or 2 caps in a 12 hour period usually would finally knock it down to tolerable levels from 15+/10 to 4/10; which would place it back then into the level of my daily levels of my daily headaches which I could live with.

Not disagreeing with your doc, just saying, not sure a gene is responsible.

Besides, I prefer "relaxed fit jeans" over "slim legged" or "boot legged" jeans. ;)

Ptm
 

Same here - no history of migraines or other headaches in my family but I dont know beyond Mother\Father Grand parents. I have had these headaches simce my injury. For a long time they were constant and relentless. I now have a low level HA everyday and they can spike upwards depending on activity. The worst part is I get these horrible ice cream like Migraines that are mingled in approx 1x per week - on avg. I am not sure about a gene but rather a disruption in the blood vessels of the brain or neck. The medicines out there dont cure the HA but do add some quicker relief of the pain. The problem is I then feel wiped out afterward for awhile. I dont want to be taking medicine for the rest of my life either.

Headache was my most persistent, prominent, and troublesome post-concussive symptom for a long time.

I finally got some relief with preventive medication. I started with Elavil and am now on Topamax. I now don't have headaches, but I still take Topamax. I have tried to taper off it once but the headaches started coming back.

I do VERY rarely get breakthrough headaches. There is really nothing that works for them other than ice and sleeping it off.

It's been 18 months since my TBIm / concussion and I've had a headache of varying degrees (anywhere from 1 to 8 on a scale of 0 to 10) everyday since the accident. Not really a migraine in that there are no migraine symptoms (aura, tell tale sighns of onset, single sidedness, etc. You should read up on this) Tried all manner of pain remedies, prednisone tapers, etc. to no avail. Tried acupuncture and got temporary (24 -48 hr) relief. Three weeks ago I had my first treatment of botox injections (30 injections into subcutaneous muscles of face, scalp and neck) which have shown some success in treating migraine. I've had several long stretches (6 - 8 hours) without headache. To me this is a remarkable result. I'm hoping this continues and can have another treatment in 9 weeks. My neurologist has pretty much exhausted all other options, so I've got a lot of eggs in this basket. I'll let you know if this continues.