Posted on 01/05/2011 9:28:01 PM PST by MacMattico
A bit off topic, although Obama does tend to give me severe headaches.
I have a 12 year old daughter that has been suffering from pretty severe migraines for about two years, 2-3 a week, about 3 bad ones a month, w/out aura. I had migraines as a kid, into adulthood, and in my early forties still get one or two severe migraines, w/ aura per year. I use Maxalt for these, the only thing that even sort-of works, and I still need to lay down and ride it out for several hours.
The neurologist wants to put my daughter on a daily preventative. We agree with this, and she has tried a preventative before. The migraines had gotten better for a while so he had stopped daily meds, but she needs them, unfortunately, even at this young age. It effects her daily life so much.
We have tried Topamax (wasn't to bad, thought she was having some concentration problems and moodiness, now think this may have just been preteen daughter normal behavior, as it's still pretty much the same), Periactin (she gained 10 pounds in one month, which she lost as soon as this drug was stopped), and Lamictal (did nothing). The only two other drugs the neurologist will try is Elavil ( an old school antidepressant that is associated with large weight gain) and Inderol, a high blood pressured med associated with weigh gain and one that he said because she has low blood pressure to start with, may cause her to pass out! What kind of choices are these? We are looking for a new doctor/second opinion, but because a lot of people on this sight seem to know a lot about different subjects, I thought I'd ask for any advise/opinions. My daughter is an excellent athlete and student and these headaches are debilitating. Any ideas? Does anyone know if there's a way to combat the cognition problems caused by Topamax?
I’m not certain whether this comment is for you or one of the posters.
I emailed this thread to my daughter who has had to leave medical school (Neurologist) because of massive migraines. She asked me post this:
Recommend that she try Propranolol as a preventative medication. It’s for high blood pressure & can be safely used with other types of drugs. It doesn’t cause weight gain and is a cheap generic. It has been a God send for me as it GREATLY reduces the number and severity of migraines I get. It dilates blood vessels in the body, lowering blood pressure, but constricts vessels in the brain meninges, preventing migraine.
ever been checked for this?
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hydrocephalus/DS00393
sounds like what my daughter had.
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