Migraine onset after West Nile exposure?

My 15 yo son has and is now having a continous migraine. Has been on elavil and betablocker for 3 months. We have been to a large teaching Univeristy hospital er and spent a couple of nights in the hospital. They tried the usual cocktails iv reglan, compazine, toradol. No relief. Then tried iv morphine and demerol no relief. Iv mag and depakan did finally bring it down from a 10 to a 7 or 6. Hospital was like sorry about your tough luck.... there is no more we can do for you and Sent home . We went to their headache specialist the next day. Prescribed migranal and he tried it last night did nothing and he experienced no side effects..... thank goodness..... with migranal except for stuffy nose for a short period. The dr wants us to try again tonight. The first headache lasted 10 days, This one on its ninth day. He has tried imitrex multiple times with no relief. mri and ct good . Blood work good except it has positive west nile virus exposure. Wondering if anyone has a similar experience with migraines and west nile positive exposure test. He has miss 30 days of school. As parents..... my wife and I are devastated, hopeless, confuse, and angry that we cannot help our son. He is depressed and becoming hopeless also. Before this he never experience a headache was very active and did great in school. He was also started on topamax 50 mg for 7 days today then increase to 75mg . I still believe west nile is part of the problem. I am so hopeless and loss faith in everything. kc

KC, that is very discouraging. What did the doctors say about the west Nile positive result? Is there some treatment for that? Do you have a family history of migraine, or was there some other precipitating event when his migraines started?

I had headaches when in college but 800 mg of ibu usually knock it and they only last a day. Not many experts on west nile but the dr's think could be one of several factors.

As far as west nile exposure treatment protocol is a unknown area for the medical community unless it causes encephalitits or meningitis.

I would be hesitant to say that this is a chronic migraine disease, since it just so happened all of a sudden after West Nile. If I were you I would focus on the West Nile aspect and try to get doctors who are experts on that.

Please contact me. Our 15 year old son also tested positive for exposure to West Nile, but doctors stated did not actually have an active case. 77days ago he developed a sudden onset of a severe headache that has yet to leave. He was dizzy in the beginning and even passed out at one point. Luckily the dizziness has subsided. We have been in and out of the hospital twice so far and have been through all the miagraines regiment, none of which worked at all. He also had other virus's elevated in his body, with echo virus type 30 being extremly elevated. That virus is now considerably down, but head pain has not left. The second set of extensive blood work showed that the West Nile Virus exposure is still elevated. Our son never had miagraines before. He was a straight a, extremely active student and now has his entire life put on hold. Your story sounds so similar, please let us know if you have found out anything as to the cause of your son's pain.