Kathleen,
I have had CDH for many years too. I am on Zoloft as a preventative. Lots of
docs use the antidepressants for headache. It does not take the HA away but
helps me cope with it and over time does help the intensity. I still have
them every day but they are worse without the Zoloft. I also take norgesic
forte for pain. It is an older med and has a muscle relaxant in it, caffeine
and maybe aspirin. I guess you can't take aspirin though. The generic is
Orphen. I find it helps me if the headache is not too severe. I use Maxalt
sometimes too, but usually only about 2 times a month. Dealing with small
children is very hard when you have a headache everyday. I hope you find
something that helps soon.
Good Luck,
Carolyn

> From: "katiespotpourri" <kathleenpb@...>
> Reply-To: chronicdailyheadache@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2003 00:14:07 -0000
> To: chronicdailyheadache@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [chronicdailyheadache] New Member
>
> Greetings:
>
> I have had CDH for about 13 years. I started out in my early
> twenties with migraines after an industrial injury. I had classic
> migraines to start with. Then, after about five years of a few
> migraines a month, then I started having really bad headaches at
> work. Within a few months of that, I was having constant headaches -
> and have had them every since. I now not only get the daily
> headaches and classical migraines, but also get common migraines and
> cluster headaches. I used to get quite a bit of migraine medication,
> but when my husband's employer changed insurance companies, I was
> limited to three tablets every 20 days. I used to take narcotic pain
> relievers to deal with the constant pain, but then I developed a GI
> problem that was due to the daily use of narcotics. I have now been
> off all pain relievers for about four months, and my headaches just
> keep getting worse.
>
> My doctors have tried Neurontin, but I had a horrible reaction to it
> and cannot use it. I am hesitant to use any anti-seizure medication
> as my problems with Neurontin were so severe. I've had several CAT
> Scans and MRI's over the years, but they found nothing - well, other
> than my brain, that is.
>
> I get tired of headaches. The things that make my headaches worse
> are light, noise and smells - sun light, lamps, etc., we have three
> small children, and live in a crappy neighborhood where everyone
> considers it their right to blow their horns for their friends to
> come out and let the rest of us enjoy their blasting music, and
> chemicals, perfume, some herbs (lavender kills me), stuff like that.
> My biggest migraine trigger is light - strobes, flashing light,
> reflected light off mirrors, windshields, bumpers, etc. I have no
> known food triggers and avoid foods with chemical additives.
>
> Right now, I just suffer. Tylenol doesn't do a thing, and I can't
> take most of the others due to a blood clotting disorder. I'm so
> tired of having a headache that I could just scream. It certainly
> doesn't make me much fun as a mother and I try to avoid going outside
> just to stay out of the sun.
>
> I can't find a migraine medication that is cheap enough that my
> insurance company will let me have enough to try to keep my pain at a
> reasonable level, and there is nothing that I have used that works
> other than narcotics for my constant headache and I can't take those
> any longer.
>
> If any of you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them. My
> doctor is very open to trying things to give me some relief, but we
> sure haven't found anything yet. When they don't even know what
> causes headaches let alone migraines (yea, some of them think they
> do, but I doubt it) how in the world are they suppposed to treat it.
> And I just love the doctors who try to say that if they can't find a
> reason for it, then they can't treat it - like it only exists if they
> say so.
>
> I hope you all are having a better day than I am.
>
> Kathleen in Escondido
>
>
>
>
>
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