[F][/font]What I'm wondering is if Percocet can be "stair-stepped" with 1)Ibuprofen 2)tylenol 2's or 3) vicodin... I have prescriptions for all 3...the percocet is the main one I have to take for chronic migraine and a degenerative neck problem...but sometimes the meds. don't work the way they should...by "stair-stepped" I simply mean taking one of the other 2 meds listed above approximately 2 hours after initial dose of Percocet. I hate having to take meds! But when I have to, I want the pain to stop so I can get through work/kids/church etc.
Thanx!
XoXo
Mychele

KeepItSimpleStupid

See previous post - EDIT: Added item #6: Ativan

J-9:

Antipsychotic and anti-epeleptic meds are supposed to be candidates for preventatives.
Namenda is the really odd one - An Alheizmers drug.

The trouble with migraines is that there is no flowchart to follow based on type of migraine, It's a try this, try that sort of approach.

Do you have anything to add for weather migraines?

I have them pinned to the absolute value of the magnatude of the second derivative of barometric pressure vs. time exceeeding 0.040 in/hr^2.

J_9

Interestingly enough, that's about what I have my son's weather related asthma pinned down to.

I was particularly interested in the Abilify, as one of the side effects is headache, as well as the more serious side effects that tend to accompany it.

As for the weather, for my son it helps, and I notice it helps my headaches (I am not a migraine sufferer though) to keep the house high in humidity when I see this coming on. With my little one I get some early signs, such as a cough (you might get auras), that warns me to check the weather. If humidity is going to rise, I get the dehumidifier going, if it is going to fall....I start humidifying immediately.

Don't know if it will work for migraines, but anything is worth a try.

MycheleXoXo

Sheeshy! That is quite the impressive list! err...cocktail I'm lucky to have the percocets I have...although there is talk of possibly going to Oxycontin...that one, to be honest with ya, scares me...heard too many horror stories I guess...but at this point I'd be willing to try it...I am having such a hard time maintaining my job on top of being a mommy and wife who someday wants to write a book...(no more nursing school for me, but that's a whole other sordid tale)...take this past Christmas...Christmas Eve-E.R. able to make it through the day and evening of wrapping and preparing for the early morning rush. Christmas Day-spent entire day on the couch totally incapacitated until my husband took me back to the E.R. only to find the same doc who did little to help the day before, only now he's upset cuz I'm there again...day after? I start my period...managed to get through most of the work day...by 5 I'd thrown up at work twice and had to leave only to make yet another trip to the E.R. This doc gave me the usual injection of 50mg demerol and 25mg phenegren...came home, went to bed and literally had to drag myself to work the next morning. This is typical for me. Honestly I'm at the point that I just don't know what to do anymore...used to be able to smile and laugh my way through the countless docs and meds...now? I barely smile or laugh, period. (no pun intended )

I've been on the following: (bear in mind I KNOW I'm forgetting some)
Inderol(spelling?)
one other high blood pressure med I can't remember/beta blockers I can't remember
Zoloft
Celexa
Serzone
Elavil
Xanax
Prozac
Wellbutrin
Frova
Imitrex
Relpax
Zomig
Maxalt
Lyrica
Topomax
Depacot
Ambien (for sleep purposes only...still take on occasion)
Klonopin
Neurontin (not sure why but was given for one month and taken off)
Demerol 50mg and 100mg injections (prescribed)
Compazine
some new anti-nausea med...Tigaine? Tigan? (currently taking)
Tylenol 2's and 3's
Darvocet
Vicodin and Vicodin ES
Lorcet
Percocet (currently taking-5-325 tabs.)

Ummm....I THINK that's it...prolly not though after 16 years it's hard to remember all you've had to take...i know there was another drug that my neurologist said wasn't FDA approved but he had me taking 2 a day for a few months...cannot for the life of me remember what that one was...apparently it was supposed to be for women with severe PMS cramping??? No idea...

At times it is extremely frustrating...with all the narcotic hype doc's are becoming more and more rigid in what they'll prescribe...to date that is all that helps me...find me something that works and I'll be happy...until then? Could you please just help with what you've got?

My next appt. is Jan. 9th...I'll have to let you know if anything changes...for now I'm stuck with the nausea med I can't remember the name of and 3 percocets per day max...I also have the ambien 10mgs if needed (rarely) and take 2.5-3 xanax (.5mgs each) per day for panic/anxiety disorder...that be it sir... Nothing like your cocktail!

I will have to run that list past my doc just to see the apoplexic (spelling?) fit it sends him into!
Thanx!
XoXo
Mychele

KeepItSimpleStupid

Looking over your list: Celexa, Serzone, Maxalt?, Ambien, Klonopin, Demerol, Compazine, Lorcet I haven't tried. Ambien I have no desire too.

I've tried the other's of yours in some capacity even though they were not on my list. Your list is impressive too.

I can see that you definately have a problem with intensity. I have a problem with frequency (~ 1/3 of the year) Mine is worse in May and Sept. I've never gone to the ER.

I'll tell you this though. I believe that there is minimal danger with the the high-power narcotics if your trigger is present. Take the drug when no trigger is present - all bets are off. BTW, Ocycontin really has no toxicity level. It's just too much causes respiratory depression in people. The value of "Too much" is differerent for everybody.

You might be able to surgically stop yours. I might be able to stop mine if I move. Where I don't know.

I only gave you the migraine meds. I'm on a lot more for other conditions, Try 23+ prescriptions; some refrigerated injectables (max 6x/day). And I get most of them in 90 day supplies. The migraine meds though, are PRN (as needed).

KISS

KeepItSimpleStupid

Here is one I came up with for you to ask about trying:

An Option to Explore for Preventing Menstrual Migraine

MycheleXoXo

See? Told ya I'd forget some! I've tried the "pill" approach...that was very early on...made my migraines go craaaazy so my doc said absolutely no more hormone treatments of any kind! See, typically I will get hit pre-during-post menstrual...that leaves me about one week of "ok" time...which at times isn't really ok...when you get the severe migraines you can feel
like your recovering from the flu for 1-3 days after which sometimes left only 4 days a month I'd feel ok...my husband even (1/2) jokingly suggested I get a hysterectomy and my doc about had a fit...said that we don't have any idea what menopause is going to do to my migraines so to "force" the menopause could severely set me back and there is no point in doing that at the age of 34 (at the time...37 now)...
I've also had nerve block injections...8 in the neck and then just recently 1 in the nerve above my left eye...that one SUCKED soooo bad! I had such a bad reaction to that (headaches and swelling in the nerve and left side of head) doc decided no more of that.

The migraines aren't nearly as frequent as they used to be...now it's typically 1-3 days before with the peak on the first day of the period...at times I'll get hit as the cycle winds down...but I can honestly say that I can't remember the last time I didn't have a headache. I get one every single day...just gotta try to figure out, do I take the Percocet? Is it gonna explode? Or is this just a headache and 800mgs of Motrin will work? That's prolly one of my biggest issues...never knowing...a simple headache can and often will turn into a migraine if I can't control it...

Ahh well..."suck-is-life" No, I don't mean all of life sucks either...just the headache/neckaches/migraine part...the no answers part...I've really tried to keep positive throughout all this (tho it's been getting much harder here of late)...no point in getting down about it...not gonna solve it and then I'm just that much more frustrated and miserable
Thank you KISS...seriously! Any input you (or anyone has) is tremendously helpful and appreciated!
XoXo
Mychele

MycheleXoXo

Forgot to address this one...(oops! Sorry!) WoW...that's about all I can say! That is a lot to have to take daily! Do you find it hard to maintain the discipline required and/or the responsibility required to take all of those things? I barely take anything compared to that and I keep a very strict journal that I write what I took and when so I never forget or get stuck in a spot not knowing for sure what it was I took and when...

This question kinda goes along the lines of the thread currently going about staying on our meds and why we go off of them knowing the consequences But seriously...how do you do it??
XoXo
Mychele

KeepItSimpleStupid

I find it hard managing the "Pharmacy store" and the FSA re-imbursements, It takes a lot of effort. Type II insulin dependent diabetes with complications, Asthma, Migraine and allergies to ragweed and tree pollen are the biggies. Many meds are PRN and some the doses have to vary.

It's important to be able to "stair-step" as you call it and it's important to trea at the first sign of migraine. Oxycontin comes in 10mg tablets so you can determine how much you need. You can take the standard "n tablets" and probably add 1 every 30 minutes untill you get relief. They work for 12 hrs. My diary is not as comprehensive. It includes how much, but not when and something about the event that caused it.

My "arsenel" is mostly rescue meds while "we" search for preventatives. I should be searching for a new doctor. My best one moved 300 miles away.

MycheleXoXo

That would be ideal, wouldn't it...to finally be able to prevent the pain so the rescue isn't needed or needed as often!?! It's the search that is becoming so frustrating...so to your need to find yet another doc? Lord have mercy and good luck! Seriously! I truly hope you are able to find "the one" quickly w/o too many hit-n-misses!

Question-I didn't understand when you said above "you can take the standard 'n tablets' and probably add 1 every 30 minutes until you get relief."

What's the standard "n tablets" refer to?
And I thought you couldn't take anything (except ibuprofen) once you took the time released Oxy pill...?
Thanx!
XoXo
Mychele

KeepItSimpleStupid

Ah. My doctor search is not so urgent because my PCP will prescribe all current meds. and I usually let him do so with permission from all the other docs. The neurologist always communicates with him anyway. I am seeing another neurologist in the same office which isn't very helpful. He's one of those non-believers. Says until you get rid of "the stress", I don't want to try anything else. My old neurologist gave me some leads, but I havn't followed up on any of them. One is about 1-1.5 hours away. One 45-1 hr away. One about 45 min away. And one within 30 min. And if I wanted, my old Neurologist about 300 miles away.

The standard "n"

Oxycontin comes in 10, 20, 40 and 80 mg. YOU CANNOT SPLIT OXYCONTN - EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. We determined that 30 mg would generally get rid of the headache. i.e three 10 mg tablets.

If I want to take 10 mg and 30 min later take 10 more and 30 min later take 10 more, so be it. If I want to take three 10's at a time, no problem. My standard "n" is 3. Three 10 mg tablets. I might only use oxy for one or two 24 hour periods then I get a rest (maybe days, maybe weeks unless it's May or September. I'll mix Fiorinal and Oxycontin at onset because the Fiorinal will start to work before the oxy kicks in.

example from my diary: April-May (4 wks): Seventeen 10 mg oxycontin over 7 days, 2 mg lorazepam over 2 days, 0 percoset, 0 Zomigs. I don't count Fiorinal.

Ativan and oxy - no way. I can only take Ativan at bedtime.

I came up with Oxycontin when I purchased "Professional's Handbook of Drug Therapy for Pain". Springhouse. ( www.springnet.com ) at Borders Books. `