Chronic headaches / migraines
 

I'm having chronic migraines. My neurologist thinks they might be caused by focal seizures.

Anybody else having problems with these, and if so, what medications are you taking?

I was on 1200 mg of neurontin / day, but have been taken off of that in favor of tegretol to control the seizures. I've been in chronic pain for the past 3-4 weeks and I really can't take it much longer.

I hear you. Thanks to a major TBI, I've had a headache that while it varies in intensity, has been with me every single minute for almost three years. I know how it wears you down. Frankly, if I didn't have a small child...

Unfortunately, my neuro thinks that there is nothing that can help this sort of headache, so that's what he gives me. :mad: Others here are getting relief from various medications like Topamax and plain old acetaminophen and I'm sure they'll be along to share their experiences. I suggested some of these meds to my neuro - and he just sneered at me. I've got to think you'll have better luck with your doc: the world can't really be big enough to accommodate two a##holes of such enormous proportions.

Like you, I'm on tegretol. How high is your dose? I ask because one of the possible side effects of that drug is HEADACHE!!!!!!

I know it's hard, but hang in there.

Right now I'm on 400mg a day, but will be jumping up to 600mg / day in a few days.

Tegretol is given by weight. If you're a big guy, 600mg isn't too out there, but it's climbing. My new dose made my druggest gasp and insist on confirming with the neuro. :eek: What's sad is when we take big doses and get little relief.

You'll have to see how you handle the 600mg. I'd keep a journal to see if your headache increases along with the dose. A common alternative to tegretol is Lyrica. It didn't work for me and the withdrawl was murder, but some people really like it.

Have you tried accupuncture for your headaches? It's generally not that effective against PCS headache, but it's worth a try. I can't remember, has a good chiro checked out your neck for contributing issues? Some of the folks here also swear by biofeedback. I'm trying to save my pennies to give that a whirl.

Hang in There!

Thanks dude, I'll give accupuncture a try. It's weird sometimes the headaches are really bad, like a typical 'headache' but most of the time it's more like 'pressure'... Like my brain is too big for my head, or my head is wrapped really tightly in a towel or something.

Just hoping I get back to normal or close to normal.. it's really wrecking my life.

Yeah, I know the "head won't fit in skull" feeling. There are times when I seriously think my head will explode. I really feel the headache at the temples and at my eyebrows, too.

With the accupuncture, they can put in needles that you can wear for three days at a time. I find it can help if they put them in to lower my stress level. If I keep my blood pressure down, the headache seems less pronounced.

What do you do to keep your blood pressure down? I've noticed if I drink a ton of coffee or do too much physical activity I get slammed with a headache.

My doctor changed my meds from Neurontin to Tegretol, after witnessing me have a focal seizure. Any experience with Teg? I've noticed little to no change, and if anything feel kinda worse (and totally out of it at times).

I was on Neurontin myself for a while and it didn't seem to do much for me except make it hard for me to think clearly. I called it morontin. I now take topamax. I didn't think that it helped that much until I stopped taking it. About 2 weeks later I was running to CVS to refill the script. I had done the lyrica and tegretol as well. For me the topamax has been the best, but everyone is different. I must say though, that nothing makes me headache free. The meds make it where I'm not laid up in the bed everyday with one so bad that I can't function.

Funny you call it Morontin, because when I was on Topamax, I called that medication "Dope-a-max". Made me feel like a zombie.

Different strokes for different folks I guess.

Hey Jay,

My blood pressure becomes as issue when I'm tense or when I exercise too hard. I use accupuncture and relaxation for the stress. (I decided against SSRIs after reading a study out of Toronto's Sunnybrooke Hospital that indicated they could actually make things worse for TBI patients).When I exercise, I have to monitor my heart rate to make sure it stays below a certain number of beats per minute - or my head explodes.

How much tegretol are you taking?

Cheers