Putting Our Heads Together

Migraines, headaches, pain, and HOPE!

I spent last week in Dallas at Dr. John Claude Krusz's clinic, ANODYNE Headache and PainCare. Dr. Krusz and I have written Ask the Clinician for almost five years now, but this was the first chance I'd had to visit his clinic and observe him with patients.

Dr. K's patients were very gracious; all of them allowed me to sit in on their appointments. Listening to him review a new patient's medical history was a great reminder of how much other issues can impact Migraine, headaches, and pain. Dr. K. asks all of his patients about their sleep patterns and whether they or anyone in their family have a history of problems with thryoid, diabetes, or other endocrine disorders. Sleep is always one of the first issues he addresses, telling patients that good sleep is essential to their treatment.

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Headache Stay Gone for Headaches and Migraines - Beware

For those of you who know me a bit, you'll know that the phone number 888-MYCURE8 is enough to set alarm bells sounding loudly in my head. The product associated with this phone number has been the subject of three SharePosts on our site, and it's time for me to respond.

The product in question here is Headache Stay Gone. (And, no, I will not link to their site here.) According to the site, the product  contains:

• rosemary
• peppermint
• ginger mint
• blue vervain
• slippery elm
• meadowsweet
• nettles
• basil
• hops
• white willow bark
• bioflavinoids

It is stated on the site that "Headache Stay Gone is affordable and free from side effects." Free from side effects? That is truly just impossible. These ingredients certainly do have potential side effects. I'm not going to take the time to track down every ingredient, but here are some potential side effects and notes of caution for some of them...

Continue reading Headache Stay Gone for Headaches and Migraines - Beware.

Namenda for Migraine and Chronic Headache Prevention

There are no medications available that were developed for the purpose of Migraine and headache prevention. However, there are over 100 medications that are now successfully being used for that purpose. We now have both anecdotal and clinical evidence that Namenda can be effective in the prevention of Migraine and headache.

Namenda (memantine HCL, Forest Pharmaceuticals) was approved for use in the United States in October, 2003, more than a decade after its use began in Europe under the brand names Ebixa and Axura. It's classified as an orally active NMDA receptor antagonist. Namenda (memantine hydrochloride) is approved for the treatment of "moderate to severe dementia of the Alzheimer's type."

Continue Reading Namenda for Migraine and Chronic Headache Prevention.

Migraines and Medications - Talk About Prescriptions Month 2007

Many of us with Migraine disease and headaches find ourselves in a position where medications are an integral part of our daily routine. Medications help prevent our headaches and Migraines, relieve them when we do have one, and improve our quality of life. Given that, it's important that we use medications safely and wisely.

Each year, the National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE) sets a theme related to safe medication use and provides educational materials to help patients use medications safely and effectively. Their theme this year is targeted specifically at senior citizens, but offers outstanding information and advice for everyone.

To help us all manage our medications and work a bit better with our doctors, I've put together a free Medications Management Workbook that you can download.

Continue reading Migraines and Medications - Talk About Prescriptions Month 2007.

Migraines, Dietary Supplements, and a Final FDA Rule

Dietary supplements are an important part of many treatment regimens for headache and Migraine prevention. When we buy supplements, most of us assume that we’re getting exactly what the label says we’re getting. That’s not always the case. Some supplements pose health risks. They may contain harmful ingredients or be improperly manufactured or handled.

On June 22, 2007, the FDA announced a final rule establishing current good manufacturing practice requirements (CGMPs) for dietary supplements. In addition, by the end of the year, industry will be required to report all serious dietary supplement adverse events to FDA.

Read Migraines, Dietary Supplements, and a Final FDA Rule

Marcia Cross on Migraines and Holidays

Not so desperate when it comes to her Migraines!

Marcia Cross is enjoying life, marriage, and a successful career as an actress. These days, she's possibly most recognizable as Bree Van De Kamp on "Desperate Housewives."

Did you know that Marcia is a Migraineur? She experienced her first Migraine at the age of 14, and it was terrifying. She didn't know what was happening to her. Today, she's speaking out about Migraine disease and the importance of being diagnosed and getting proper treatment.

I spoke with Marcia earlier this week, and it's my pleasure to share that conversation and her holiday tips with you!

• Read the interview - Marcia Cross on Migraines
• Read Marcia's Tips - Navigating Holiday Parties with Migraines

Topiramate (Topamax) for Headache & Migraine Prevention Can Increase Occurrence of Kidney Stones

Topiramate (Topamax) is a neuronal stabilizing agent (aka anticonvulsant medication) that is FDA-approved for and prescribed for headache and Migraine prevention.

Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas (UT Southwestern) have have completed a study showing that topiramate can increase the propensity for calcium phosphate kidney stones. Although there has been anecdotal evidence of this potential side effect and much discussion of it, this is the first study to formally investigate the issue and examine the mechanism of stone formation. Read our feature article.

Talk About Prescriptions Month - Preventing Medication Errors

What YOU Need to Know / What YOU Need to Do

Whether you have Migraine disease, a different type of head pain disorder, or another illness or condition entirely, medications may very well play an important part in your treatment plan and maintaining your quality of life. Unfortunately, medication errors are made. There is, however, a great deal we can do to help avoid them.

Consider these statistics:

• Each week, four out of five U.S. adults uses prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications or dietary supplements.
• Nearly one-third of adults will take five or more different medications.
• Americans fill nearly 4 billion prescriptions annually.
• Conservatively, the Institute of Medicine, in a recent report concludes that there are at least 1.5 million preventable ADEs in the U.S. each year - and it may even be much higher.

Read Our Feature Article.

Medco... Skip their customer service; it's useless!

Today, I can honestly say that I understand why some people buy medicaitons from those Internet pharmacies that don't require prescriptions!

Our medical insurance includes prescription coverage, and we're strongly "encouraged" to order our meds in 90-day supplies from their mail-order provider, Medco. In fact, we're so strongly encouraged that when we do order through Medco, our part of the cost is 25% of the prescription price; as opposed to the 50% we have to pay if we use local pharmacies for meds we take on a regular basis.

On June 30, I went to Medco's Web site and ordered refills of my Verelan PM and Singulair prescriptions. Over the weekend, I went to their site, and saw that the prescriptions weren't scheduled to ship until July 13. To make matters worse, I received an automated phone call this morning. The call informed me that shipment of my prescriptions had been delayed and instructed me to call customer service if I had less than a three-day supply on hand.

Given the fact that I'd taken the last of those meds yesterday, I called customer service. The agent estimated the delivery date to be July 20, 10 days away, and did a computer authorization for me to be able to pick up a 7-day supply at our local pharmacy. He said that was the best he could do.

Now, I'm not the best at math, but even I can tell that means I'd still be three days without medication. I wouldn't be concerned about some meds, but the Verelan PM is actually prescribed by three of my doctors for severe hypertension, coronary artery disease, and Migraine prevention. It's not just inconvenient for me to be out of that drug, it's potentially dangerous.

I emailed Medco's customer service department, and the only thing that was in their obviously copied and pasted email that hadn't been said on the phone this morning was that I could call one of their pharmacists of I have "any questions about the effects of missing doses of your medication." Well, I don't need to talk with a pharmacist to have that question answered. I've been very well educated by my doctors about the possible consequences of missing doses.

So, if you're making any decisions regarding insurance prescription coverage, and you have choices, I'd tell you to give careful thought before enrolling with Medco. Not only do they sometimes have problems with delays on delivery, they don't seem to be much concerned with the risks to patients of not having our medications.

Unique Education Series Setting Sail!

The statistics are shocking. Nearly 50 million Americans suffer from persistent pain. Nearly 36 million are affected by Migraine disease. At least 80% of the world's population will be affected by tension-type headaches at some time in their lives. These “invisible” illnesses can be disabling and can make those afflicted by them feel isolated, alone, and powerless.

Dr. John Claude Krusz, Helen Dearman, and Teri Robert have joined forces to form Pain Tamers™ At Sea to provide opportunities for chronic pain, headache, and Migraine patients to learn about their conditions and management techniques. In the setting of an ocean cruise, the goal of Pain Tamers™ At Sea is to provide a peaceful, relaxing setting for educational seminars combined with a short vacation. Feature article.