M and Pain Meds

I read in many sites how the use of prescription pain meds for migraine is a terrible thing to do. I feel like a weak loser or addict, but without my pain meds I could not function or care for my family.

I have come to think that some life is better than no life. I am sure rebound is a risk but I am in so much agony most days that I just don't care. I've tried the med break and ended up hospitalized twice.

I'm only hoping I am not alone here. Thanks.

OF COURSE you are not alone.  most of us have tried all the non-prescription things ever mentioned to us, ad infinitum.  real migraines usually do not respond to those things.

personally, i have had to deal with these monsters for 45 years, and for the first 25 years i wouldn't even taken an aspirin, thinking i could somehow remove the pain with other methods.  sure, acupuncture and lifestyle and diet changes etc. may work for some, but if i hadn't had access to the triptan drugs for the past 20 plus years i would have had no life, as you said.  some life is definitely better than none.  

drug companies are evil in many ways, but the invention of triptans (plus pain drugs which also work for some) is a miracle.  they cure nothing, but allow one to have a decent life!  rebound, to my way of thinking, is a big crock.  neurologists who mention that to me see a big blur as i speed out their doors.  they haven't a clue how debilitating daily migraines (in my case) are.  dianne (working 30 hours/week, age 74)

Thank you for the support and for sharing your story! I feel so alone most days dealing with this monster. I fear others see me as a whiner. I probably do whine but I am in pain!

You are definitely not alone here.

I take ibuprofen, benadryl, promethazine and Reglan on a daily basis, just to have a halfways functional life.  I am on disability due to the migraines and fibromyalgia.  My neuro has also authorized my family practitioner to give me up to 150 mg of Demerol per month, which works well for me because I am a control freak and I like the idea of choosing my own dose given the intensity of the headache.  Usually I take 25 mg injection, but I usually have one doozy of a headache every month that requires 50 mg.  So far, I've only run out once, and my NP gave me the usual cocktail of dexamethasone, phenergan and Toradol, minus the demerol, and I did get enough relief to fall asleep.

Wishing pain free days for everyone,
Michele

I also think rebound risk is over blown. You just don't want to overdo it. I take a triptan and an Oxy for mine. It is the only thing that touches the pain and allows me to be semi functional.

I don't care who thinks using Rx pain meds for migraine is "a terrible thing." What are we supposed to do, particularly since nothing OTC even begins to touch the pain, and triptans work less and less well the more I take them? I also don't believe in the rebound theory. IMO, there's nothing rebounding. It's the triptans not working well enough in the first place.

It makes me really angry when I hear that M sufferers aren't supposed to be using Rx pain meds, or that we take too many, or that we rely on them too much, or that we're called addicts or abusers. Clearly, the people who say these things have never had a M. You know, docs hand out pain meds like candy for people with back problems. I've had back problems, and I've had many Ms, and let me tell you, the Ms are far more debilitating.

Sorry I'm ranting, but this really hit a nerve. No one really understands what we go through unless and until they have a M themselves. I have had friends who have had maybe one or two Ms in their lives, and when they have, they've called me the very next day and asked me, "How in the WORLD do you deal with this all the time?" Welcome to my world...although I will say the Cefaly is still working pretty well. (I have a spate of Ms when the seasons change, but otherwise I've been doing very well.)

I share everyone's feelings here. I think there is a lot of stigma around taking medication, especially pain meds. People assume if you take any medicine regularly there is something wrong with you, and if they are pain meds then you are an addict. It is hard to imagine how truly terrific migraine pain is until you suffer yourself. That is why I appreciate this community so much.

But early into my experience with chronic migraine, I tried and failed many times over to find a non-medicinal solution to the migraines. Looking back I probably suffered a whole lot more than I had to. Now that I've accepted taking triptans at the first sign of headache--something drs have been saying FOREVER--my quality of life has increased enormously. Sure it's not as great as if I didn't get the headache in the first place. But we work with the cards we are dealt.

I still haven't given up on the non-medicinal stuff. But rather a holistic approach is key. More on that in another thread.

You are not alone xox

I take Ibuprofen and Tylenol OTC for migraines or headaches sometimes and never have I had a rebound from this. I have a few times gotten Demerol injections for migraines and again the next day felt completely normal - no rebound nothing out of the ordinary. Like others said, the whole rebound idea is overdone. Doctors like to think you have "rebound" headache because that's a problem they can solve, whereas what they actually are looking at is chronic daily migraine or something similar which they can't solve.

No I feel you. I remember one time I had a migraine that hurt so bad that it turned into a seziure. This was because I felt too much pride to take my meds because I didn't think I needed it. Migraine pain is from another realm or another world. Its not human and it feels demonic. In the end, the pride is never worth the suffering. NEVER.

I was just discussing this with my Pain Management Doctor today.

Agree that I don't believe Rebound happens nearly as often as alot of doctors seem to think it does.

I have taken several "Drug Holidays" to demonstrate to a Doctor that in my case it wasn't happening and boy is that miserable!

After being on meds for years, you forget just how bad the pain was without them.

I totally dread going to the ER for a shot because you never know what school of thought your Doctor will come from.

Many will just say up front, "I don't give narcotics for Migraine period."  That just doesn't make sense to me.  

In my case, I have an MD and a Pain Management Doctor who tells me to go to the ER when a shot is needed, have tried everything, so no other option is available.

Last time the ER Doc called my Pain Management Doc at home at 10:00 at night.

I apologized to the PM Doc next time I saw him and he said he had no problem with the call but thought the Doc was an idiot!

I did have a Doc tell me at the ER one night that he believes unless there are obvious signs of drug seeking, you should always give the pain meds.

He said he would rather give a pain shot here and there to a drug seeker then to deny any patient in real pain their meds.

That makes sense to me.

One thing that really gets me right now, is when a Doc starts telling me how there are thousands of people over dosing on prescription pain meds and that is why I won't get any.

My response is WHY??  Why am I responsible for some idiot that is misusing pain meds?  These people who are misusing will find a way to get them no matter what regulations they put into place.  It will be us, (the ones that are legit) that will have a hard time getting them.  

Does that make sense?

It makes total sense, CindyW. I know these drugs are addicting, but, as someone else said, M pain is from a different realm. I'm sorry that some people have addictions to these drugs. I truly am. I am sorry they are treated like criminals; I think that's wrong, too. But, there but for the grace of God, I am not one of them, and I legitimately need something to ease the pain once in a while. Addicts will find the drugs no matter what laws or regulations are in place. The rest of us have to rely on doctors and pharmacists.

(BTW, acupuncture has worked well for me in the past, but insurance no longer covers it. Now I rely on the Cefaly--which also is not covered by my insurance, but was given to me as a gift from my sister-- and I have had to take drugs only four times since March, 2014. I still have Ms, but they have been much less painful. The change of seasons are my worst times for Ms, so, with the exception of about three weeks in the spring and three weeks in the fall, the Cefaly has worked really well for me. Note: I am not affiliated in any way with Cefaly. )

Cindy, when you say "Pain Meds" and "narcotics" which ones are you talking about?

I have been given morphine once in the hospital and it did absolutely nothing for my M pain. I always thought other opioids were equally as ineffective. But maybe they work for some people?

It is comforting to know that a lot of people have gone through the denial stage, trying to convince yourself that the paid will just go away. But let's be honest, it never happens. I am now quite relaxed about taking medication. If I need it, I will take it and I will take it as soon as possible. I do keep a note in my mig diary what I took and when so I know to rotate where possible, but really, pride is a dangerous thing. Just give me the drugs man!

Exactly, Kloos. Well said.

I thought I'd chime in that opiate pain meds do help my headache pain. I have NDPH (constant headache) plus some migraines. They have to be at the right dose though. They don't work for everyone. However, before giving up on them, if your doctor is willing, I'd try a few different ones, a higher dose if necessary. I've ended up on them daily (Methadone), the only thing that has consistently significantly helped. Plus Oxycodone as needed. There are sure negatives though. To consider this option further, a good pain management doctor is the way to go. It might take a few tries to find a good fit however. Best wishes.

For me anyway, narcotics do nothing at all for migraine in fact they seem to make it worse. The last time I was given any narcotics was after a major surgery and they caused a migraine. I only used the narcotic medication for about the first 12 hours after the surgery and refused it after that.

just to chime in with another person's opiate experiences.......none of them work on me at all.  haven't tried methadone and never will (i know a 30-yr old who died from a prescribed dose).

if none of the other heavy-duty opaties touch the pain, what's the point?  morphine, awful.  it made the pain worse and also made me throw up for 24 hours.  yikes!  

it's great that they do work for some, though.  dianne

Hi, I was wondering if ur migraines stem from ur neck? Google "suboccipital muscles" they are located at the back of ur neck. If they are really tight get an rmt massuese to work on loosening this area. Have u tried this?

Hi lavenderfield, and welcome to the forum.  

I have tried massage, physical therapy, e-stim and self hypnosis for the migraines.  None of them helped, and my wallet felt suspiciously lighter.  While I do have tension in my neck area, it got much worse when I was trying to get rid of it, so I stopped what wasn't working.

Michele

A strange thing about opiates - I have found they only work when given through an IV or a shot. When I've had them in the hospital or gotten an injection at the urgent care, they work fantasticly. The non-migraine pain whatever it is, is cured, and when I've gotten them for migraines the pain becomes bearable.

BUT... at home, with a prescription, trying to take the pills does not work AT ALL. Doesn't have any effect on any sort of pain, migraine or not, and makes me vomit and itchy all over. It's like when it goes through my stomach it doesn't work but when it goes into my blood, it works like it's intended to.

Seaine: Not too surprising as often the digestive system shuts down with a migraine. Folks who experience that effect might want to try meds which avoid the stomach, using alternative administration methods such as injections (several options), suppositories (Dilaudid/Hydromorphone & Morphine), or nasal spray (at least Stadol comes this way). Of course there are also Triptan options like that. Unfortunately even among doctors willing to prescribe oral opiates for migraines, they are less likely to prescribe one of those forms, even as an occasional rescue med. Best wishes.