How can you tell if its a rebound headache???

Hi all, can anyone help me out? Is the pain different from a migraine or rebound headache or does it feel the same? I've googled it and I can't find an answer.

I only take preventatives and all I have at home for pain relief is Motrin 800 mg and Amerge 2.5mg. I don't have any narcotics at home, but I had a migraine last week that required me to go into my doctors office, she gave me Dilaudid, phenergan, Toradol and Benadryl IV. This was exactly a week ago today and since last saturday I have a migraine. I haven't taken any motrin or amerge just in case it is a rebound headache, but the pain feels the same as my regular migraine, right temple and excruciating! Could this be a rebound from Dilaudid, if so how long does it last? I always thought rebound headaches felt like hang overs, but this does not feel like a hang over!!

Thanks

I wonder this myself sometimes. I do sometimes have a "hangover" headache where it's a pounding headache that gets much worse when I stand up, or sit down, or basically move. It's still one-sided just like a migraine. But it nearly always turns into a regular migraine. Sometimes I wonder if rebound migraine really exists, or maybe it's exactly the same as a regular migraine it's just a "rebound" because it was caused by medication. BUT it seems impossible to know if it was caused by meds or if it was going to happen anyways!

Thank you for your response. Do u know how soon after the med a rebound would occur?

I would imagine between 2 hours and 24 hours later. I only say this because I have found some food triggers, and depending on which trigger they cause a headache as soon as 2 hours (sodium nitrates) or as long as a day later (artifical food coloring). I'd guess it's the same for a medication because it's based on how long it takes for a migraine to develop and how long it takes your body to digest the med.

I last had dilaudid last thursday, i havent taken motrin or amerge since last tuesday! So i should assume its not a rebound?

If it were me, I would assume with that many days inbetween the med and the migraine, that it is not a rebound. I always think of a rebound as being the very next day.

I have had rebound headaches in the past. It was when I was taking Percoset for the migraines. I knew they were rebounds because they just felt different to me. I can't really describe it. They would occur about 2 hours after the Percoset wore off.