is this normal....a cry for some guidance..

my migraines are on the increase (i'm typing this having had yet another aura + headache) I'm desperate for some help, my doctor says no medicine works for me as I've tried everything. My headaches are now occuring every week and still increasing. I had one yesterday morning then this morning and now this evening all are preceded with the classic aura....i'm at my wits end really beginning to feel depressed...I will have to take tomorrow off work yet again ( and believe me they are not sympathetic)....what can I do???

Have you tried a large cold pack, normally used on the back, for your head? I usually wrap the large flat pad around my head as best I can and lay back in the lounge chair for at least an hour. My cold pack is kept in the freezer. My granddaughter finds this helps her as well. Peppermint oil liberally applied to my head helps somewhat also especially for a milder migraine.

Definitely seek out a new doctor, ideally a neurologist who is a true headache specialist, seeing headache patients all day every day. Often neuros only see headache patients as a small percent of their practice, and don't take a true interest. Even if you are already seeing an actual headache specialist, just a new opinion should open up some options. The major headache & migraine societies have lists of recommended doctors by city/state which you can cross reference with your insurance coverage.

It is pretty impossible to have literally tried everything, as there are hundreds of meds that could be used (although many are similar to each other), a handful of procedures/injections, and many many alternative therapies, plus combinations of them all. If your condition has changed, its also possible something may work that didn't before (especially at a different dose, trying it longer as often meds aren't trialed long enough, or in combo with something else).

Most doctors have a small bag of tricks they regularly use that they are comfortable with, and typically there isn't anywhere close to complete overlap in those tricks if you see a different doctor. It sounds like something different needs to be done...its unacceptable for a doctor to say nothing else can be tried. Also, there are lots of treatments that aren't rx meds, like nerve blocks, Botox, Cefaly, supplements, acupuncture, massage, physical therapy.

What is the current average frequency and duration of your migraine attacks? You say "are now occurring every week", which could mean a few different things and may make a difference in the advice you get. If they are really frequent (such as meeting the diagnosis criteria for chronic migraine, which is headache > 15 days/month, of which at least 8 are migraine), then you may want to look into finding a doctor who has privileges at a hospital which does chronic migraine IV treatments (often inpatient), to try to break your current cycle.

Otherwise, or if that isn't feasible (I can say I've never had that opportunity even with a constant headache for 10 years), during a time of increasing migraine attacks which aren't responding well to treatments, often something like a steroid pack is tried. If you can hit the reset button you may be more likely to respond to any daily preventative meds which are tried.

For acute treatment of a bad attack, I do best with a large combination of things, such as a triptan, NSAID, opioid, and nausea med, then using my SootheAway ice system (its like an ice pack but stays cold constantly with circulating water and has pads shaped specifically for the forehead & temples or occipital area), heat on my neck, and resting.

I find it really tough to treat the pain once it gets bad though (the earlier the better with meds), so at a certain point, if possible, I'll take something to help me sleep and just go to bed early. Everyone responds differently to treatments. Hang in there! Best wishes.

thank you both for taking the time to give me some good advice. I do have a neurologist and yesterday (as I was off work with a migraine!) I wrote her a long letter and would hope that her response would give me some some renewed faith. When my GP said will that's it! we've tried everything and nothing works I did feel a little depressed and on my own but I now see there are alternatives. I expect working with the neurologist will be more beneficial to me and I hope she returns to me with some positive suggestions....I will keep you informed

So sorry your migraines are becoming more frequent and that work isn't sympathetic.  

I used to be in that same boat too and it was awful and frustrating.

It was a wonderful idea to write a letter to your Neuro.

Hopefully she can come up with some things for you to try or refer you to someone else who can.

I have been at this for 23 years now.

To be truthful Neuros (and I have been referred to many) didn't do a thing for me.

All they wanted to do was start the same list of therapies and drugs that I had already tried many times over.

Had a great MD that I worked with for almost 15 years til he retired and he sent me to Neuros, Headache Specialists, massage therapist, Optomologist, and a few others I can't remember.

I have been thru all the standard therapies many times over and some that weren't so standard but nothing helped the frequency or intensity.

Finally had to go on Disability in 2007 and when my Doctor retired three years ago he referred me to a Pain Management Doctor.

They have me on three different pain meds which work wonderfully for me.

I used to end up in a melt down due to days of pain at least 3 times a month and end up in the ER where I would get a shot for pain and that would usually work but was expensive and everyone knows how frustrating the ER can be for chronic pain patients.

Haven't been to an ER in almost a year so it's a really big improvement.

Please don't give up.

Just keep seeking out a Doctor til someone finds something that will work for you.

It takes alot of time and is frustrating but well worth it in the end.

Wish I could do something to make you feel better.

Please let us know what your Neuro says.

Cindy