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I have had severe migaines for 28 years

My name is Ann, I just turned 60 years old a week or so ago. I worked as a Registered Dietitian as my career and in my early 30's was employed by Indiana University Hospitals and took advantage of 50% reduction in tuition to seek admission to medical school--plus worked full time, had 2 small sons, and had recently remarried.

My body reacted to the stress with unreal headaches - abandoned med school and ended up with a Masters degree and changed to a lower stress job.

However, the headaches remain to this day. My husband is very supportive and we have sought options all over the US, starting of course with Indianapolis. One pain specialist in Indy even misinformed of my diagnosis - admitted me to a locked psychiatric unit with the diagnosis of suicidal depression - I told admitting nurses I was being admitted for migraine control -continually told them I WAS NOT SUICIDAL and refused to sign some questionable paperwork which ended up being our saving grace as that charlatan doc's office did not precertify my admission, leaving a $9,000 hospital bill. Plus when I went back for my pospost hospital check-up, the physician assistant had me confused with some other woman with the same last surname.

We found out he was a psychiatrist and no even a neurologist - no where in his offices or paperwork stated that so the pieces started falling in place and we fought and won. We have been to Diamond Headache clinic in Chicago - inpatient as well as outpatient without success. I have been to every other headache specialist in the Indianapolis area and now am with an MD based out of Methodist Hospital who gives me Botox treatments that usually help and through him went to Mayo Clinic Phoenix for 2 weeks in July which I have to say was a tremendous help.

My biggest roadblock is I cannot tolerate the NSAID category of pain medications which is what the doctors want to prescribe in place of narcotic pain meds. I am left Migranal nasal spray as my only home medication - I am limited to 2 uses per week and if that fails, sadly I am at the mercy of the "immediate care" type clinics. My family MD only gives toradol injections but my pain does not respond to it and that concoction containing Reglan is not for me either as Reglan makes me very, very agitated. Being my age, and like this week - I am on my 3rd migraine since last Saturday, 2 injections and fighting this one - my rear end is a mass of scar tissue and the entire deal is frightening.

It is rare that I have weeks like this with the Botox - last time the doc gave the injections differently and my thoughts are he should have left them as they were haha that he would listen to me but he put Botox in places I never have pain. Plus I was promised this would end at menopause and when it did not happen was told since my headaches were not related to my monthly cycles - they were not going to stop - that was a very bum deal. But here I am still hanging in there, not the best but life is livable.

 

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