Hi Carsheles,
thanks for sharing your experience. I'm hesitant to put my daughter on the Topamax. One of the side effects mentioned on another board is short term memory problems......My daughter is already experiencing short term memory and some other problems with understanding what people are saying.....
She doesn't take alot of medications right now because she doesn't like how they make her feel. She has had good luck with Axert.

Yes, Topamax can be a tough one. I had bad experience with the side effects at a very low dose. I had what my family called "Topamax Rage". I walked around angry for no reason at all.

Funny that you say she's doing well with the Axert. It seems to be the only Triptan that I've had success with. I currently use it.

You might want to discuss Prozac as a preventative. It has helped me a lot and the side effects are few. Prozac doesn't give you that sedated feeling that most other migraine medications give you. But on the down side, my side effect with Prozac is insomnia so I have to take Ambien daily in order to sleep.

My current list of medications, after trying tons of others is:
Daily preventative - Prozac
Abortive - Axert
Rescue - Fioricet
Sleep aid - Ambien

For me, these are the medications that have worked the best with the least side effects, but everyone is different. Your daughter might have to try many combinations before she finds what's best for her.

Once again, good luck.

I also suffer from daily migraines. The blood vessels in my right eye break due to the pressure. My neurologist had put me on Topamax and I didn't find any relief from it. I also began to get extremely forgetful. My husband would have to help me with sentences because I was not able to think or remember simple words. I've stop taking it and feel so much better. I have found that Axert and Amerge work best. Amerge made me a little tired but that was it. Relief was almost immediate from both drugs and I don't suffer from "cherry eye" as my children put it, as much as I used too. Good luck!

It seems that a person that suffers regularly from migraines needs combinations of meds. Carscheles, what do you use the prozac for? I know it only as a anti-depressant. How does it help you? What do you mean by fioricet as a rescue?
My daughter starts the day with a low headache. As the day progresses into the nite its usually at its worst.......We have been off of the axert for a few days because the we switched pharmacies and they had to order it.

To you both, did you have problems with memory or (as I call it, brain scrambling) after the severe headaches started. I tell my daughter things and it gets mixed up in her brain. I think that might be part of her memory problem. Its almost like she has had brain damage. She has not done drugs..;o) She is a homeschooler and since being ill with the headaches she never leaves home very much anymore. She is studying at the local high school to get her GED. Sometimes she makes it twice a week. Also with the headaches she is nausiated alot.......dizzy and she seems to be having eye problems.

Thanks for listening....;o) I feel helpless as a mom...........

hannasnana,

The doctors use a "step" approach in treating chronic migraines.

The first step would be a daily preventative. There are actually no FDA approved migraine preventatives so the doctors prescribe medications that they know relieve migraines but are not actually considered migraine medications. These could be SSRIs (Prozac, etc), Anti-epileptic medications (Topamax, etc), Heart medications, and so on. The added benefit of giving Prozac is that there is medical evidence that a great number of people with migraines also have depression.

Next step would be an abortive. You would take this on the days your daily preventative wasn't working. Usually these are in the drug class of Triptans. Some Triptan names are Axert, Amerge, Imitrex, Zomig, Frova, and so on.

Third step would be a rescue medication. If you took your maximum dose of abortive and still had a whopper of a headache, this is where you take something to "rescue" you. Fioricet is a mild sedative, acetaminiphin, and caffiene combination. Fioricet/Fiorinal (aspirin instead of acetaminiphin) are the most common rescue medications for migraine because they seem to work for most migraine patients. Other rescue medications would be your pain killers & muscle relaxers.

Obviously the most important step is to find a great preventative which would cut down on the use of abortives and rescue meds.

Yes I have memory problems, dizzy problems, and ocassional naseau too. When you say she has eye problems do you mean the headache is in her eye area or do you mean that her vision gets distorted? I am one of those people who have Classic Migraine which means I get a visual aura (bright shining wavy lines) before a migraine.

Has she had a CT Scan yet? I would request one if she hasn't - just to rule out anything else.

You both have been so helpful! Yes, a head CT scan was the first test our GP ordered. It came back normal. She also had a blood panel, MRI, and spinal X-ray that all came back with normal results.

We have noticed that different foods trigger an allergy reaction which triggers a migraine. Interesting, that these foods never bothered her before. They are some of the typical ones, strawberries, peanuts, large amt of chocolate (whole candy bar vs. some chips) refried beans.....etc...When I start to see her ears turn red it is a signal for me that she is having a reaction so she takes zertec which really helps..........then she takes an axert to head off the headache. We have found that helps........We are keeping these foods from her. I will take her off the diet sodas and see if that helps.....

I think saying "scrambled brains" is a great description for whats happening with her. She had this starting without any medications help. Thats why my husband and I don't want to put her on the Topomax.

I will keep tuning in her for suggestions. I'm going to try a few natural alternatives too. Thanks!!!!!! ;o)

Her headaches began in March with a 10 day migraine. It was her first one. At the beginning of her headaches, there was time in between them. Something like stress or over working her body would set them off. I'm sure there is a blend of severe headaches alternating with migraines. Its become a blur. I have to ask my daughter specific questions........like, rate the pain 1 to 10. What else are you feeling........thats in order to tell if shes having a severe headache or a migraine. In the beginning she started out with ibuprohen and tylenol. Then we moved on to floricet and viciden. She doesn't like how she feels with the stronger meds so she takes ibuphroen...

She has moved onto axert......It worked at first but its not working anymore.........We are going to start her on Xanex for stress. In two weeks we have an appt. with our regular GP. She is a wonderful Doctor who listens, and cares personally for each patient. I think she will help us to get onto a routine with meds. I am going to talk to her about all that everybody has shared with us about the different routines for medications for the migraines.
I will also ask our Dr. about the corolation between epilepsy and migraines.

I really appreciate all of you sharing! THANKS!

Thanks Jamjo. :wave:

We are also finding that certain foods and supplements start an allergic reaction and if not caught in advance will set off migraines. When I see her red ears and red face........I start questioning her about "what she just ate"....;o) Then we know thats on the "do not eat" list. ~sigh~........She also takes an allergy pill along with an axert.

I hope her migraines is something she will grow out of.......They sure do altar your life. I'm sure after awhile everybody finds what works for them in meds and foods and can get back to their lives. We have learned alot from everyone that has shared on the board. I'm taking my daughter to her regular GP this week and hopefully together, with all the information I have learned, and her expertise we can help my daughter get back into life with out as much pain. :)