Migraine Headaches Support Group

Hi all:

I have been suffering chronic, left-sided headaches since April 2005. They started two months after I fell on the ice four times in a two week period. I am seeing a neurologist who originally thought it may be Intracranial Hypertension; MRI was normal and eye doctor ruled out papilledema. She hasn't completely ruled it out and is having me try my second migraine medicine to see if it truly indeed is migraines and not IIH.

The first one, Maxalt, did nothing for me. The second one, Treximet, I am unsure of.

I am on my fourth dose since Thursday. I took one Thursday night, fell asleep, woke up and the pain came back two hours later. I took another one and it seemed to take the "edge" off the pain, and I was mostly pain-free until Friday night. I took my third dose then and the pain seemed to hold off until Sunday night, when I took my fourth dose. It took two hours to work, and I am still not sure if it's working.

It is now Monday afternoon and the pain is creeping back again. After four pills, wouldn't the pain be gone if it truly was a migraine?

My pain waxes and wanes on its own, and the (mostly) pain-free Saturday and Sunday could be due to the fact that it's a long weekend and I am mostly relaxing.

My questions are:
* Is it unusual to have to take so many of these pills in such a short period of time?
* How do I tell if the medicine is working?

The reason why I am asking is because the neuro wants me to call her office this Thursday if the pills are not working. She is going to order another test (spinal tap) to rule out Intracranial Hypertension. I really do not want to go through this if the pills are working...but how do I tell?

Thank you.

K.
Posted on 05/25/09, 02:05 pm