Putting Our Heads Together

The Price of Migraine Medications and the 2008 Election

One of the biggest complaints Migraineurs have is access to Migraine abortive medications, especially the triptans - Imitrex, Maxalt, Zomig, etc.

The problem isn't getting a doctor to prescribe triptans. Doctors prefer to prescribe abortive medications that can actually stop a Migraine in its tracks rather than pain medications that can do nothing but mask the pain for a few hours.

So, what IS the problem? It all comes down to the price of triptans. Triptan prices range from $18 to $70 per dose, an average of $25 per dose, and Migraineurs frequently use two doses to treat a single Migraine attack. This presents us with two main problems:

Read Migraine Medication Prices and Election '08 to see how we can affect change!

 

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Weather triggered Migraines - can we predict them?

For many of us, changes in the weather are a horrid Migraine trigger. Some doctors prescribe medications we can take in hopes of preventing Migraines when we know a weather change is coming. Even for those who don't take medications, it's helpful to know that a potential trigger is coming so we can be more prepared. The trick is knowing that weather change is on the way.

On the Weather Channel web site, a new tool is available that can help track what may be coming -- their Aches & Pains Forecast:

The Aches & Pains index forecasts the potential for weather-related pain issues on a scale of 0 - 10. The index is calculated using barometric pressure, absolutely humidity, chances of precipitation, temperature, and wind.

On the Weather Channel site, you can enter your zip code and save a page customized to your needs. If you're planning to travel, you can enter any zip code to check conditions at your destination.

How well doe the Aches & Pains Forecast work? I don't know yet, but I intend to use it and find out. Give it a try and let me know how it works for you.

For more information about weather as a trigger, see Migraines Often Triggered By Change In the Weather.

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New Headache and Migraine Disease Blog Carnival

The holiday season can be a fun time of year filled with high expectations, special events, family and friends, and lots of great food. But it is also a minefield for headache and Migraine sufferers. The first edition of the Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival is filled with commiseration and ideas to help you cope.

A blog carnival is a blog "event" where blog entries from different bloggers, all on the same general theme, are featured. The Headache & Migraine Disease Blog is sponsored by Diana Lee on her wonderful blog, "somebody heal me." Thanks, Diana!

Visit the Headache & Migraine Disease Blog Carnival!

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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.

Continue reading Migraines, headaches, pain, and HOPE!

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For the Migraineurs in your life -- Great gifts under $20!

How is your holiday shopping coming? If you're like me, it seems to get more and more difficult to find the right gifts for everyone. And we all understand that finding appropriate gifts at reasonable prices is more difficult each year.

Let's see if we can make things a bit easier. I've been looking around the Internet and have some gift suggestions for the Migraineurs and headache sufferers in your life, each under $20.00...

Continue reading For the Migraineurs in your life -- Great gifts under $20!

Hemiplegic Migraine - Genetic Testing May Be Helpful

Hemiplegic Migraine (HM) is a rare subtype of Migraine with aura (MWA) that is often misunderstood and misdiagnosed. There are two variations of HM:

1. Familial Hemiplegic Migraine (FHM) runs in families.
2. Sporadic Hemiplegic Migraine (SHM) often has Migraine in the family history, but not HM. 

The symptom that differentiates HM from other types of Migraine is hemiparesis, which is temporary, one-sided paralysis or motor weakness. Otherwise, HM symptoms are the same as those of Migraine with aura. Most Migraineurs who have HM also have Migraine with or without aura.

Findings of a study performed in the Netherlands suggest that genetic testing could be helpful in properly diagnosing and appropriately treating hemiplegic Migraine...

Continue reading Hemiplegic Migraine - Genetic Testing May Be Helpful.

Famous Migraineurs Game - Have Some Fun!

Living with a disease like Migraine stinks! I'm not sure why it is, but we often find it interesting to know what famous people share in our misery. Can you name famous people who have or had Migraine disease? I'll give you a few...

• Lisa Kudrow
• Stephen King
• Thomas Jefferson
• Elvis Presley

Here's a way to take your mind off things for a while and have some fun. Try our Name the Famous Migraineur Game!

Quiz - Is Your Doctor Right for you?

Having the right doctor as our treament partner is essential to good Migraine and headache management.

How is your doctor? Are you comfortable talking to him or her? Does he or she answer your questions?

Find out if your doc is top notch, or if it's time to start looking for a new one with this quick quiz, Is Your Doctor Right for You?!

Migraine and Headaches - 10 Tips for Enjoying the Holidays

Holidays are times to enjoy, but those of us with problem Migraines and headaches can find ourselves actually dreading the holiday season. Ho ho ho, HA!

Don't give up on the holidays though. If there's a positive side to Migraine disease and headaches, it's that there are many things we can do for ourselves to reduce or avoid episodes. Not only does this let us reduce our pain, it also gives us some control over our disorders and restores some of the control over our lives of which those disorders seem to rob us. Let’s see how to give some of that head pain the boot!

1. Get those ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZs!

Too much, too little, or disrupted sleep is a very common Migraine and headache trigger. Experts recommend that we set times to go to bed and get up and stick to those times, even on weekends and holidays and during vacation. If you often wake with a Migraine, don’t feel rested after a night’s sleep, or experience excessive daytime sleepiness, talk to your doctor about your sleep patterns.
More: Transformed Migraine Related To Sleep Problems

2. Avoid dehydration.

For some people, even mild dehydration can trigger head pain, so drinking lots of fluids is essential. Take a bit of care with what you’re drinking as some fruit juices and caffeine can be triggers. Proper hydration is essential to good health in general, so you’ll be working on more than head pain prevention!

More: Dehydration - An Avoidable Migraine Trigger

Continue reading Migraine and Headaches - 10 Tips for Enjoying the Holidays.

Cortex Area of Brain Thicker in People with Migraine

A study published in the November 20, 2007, issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, indicates that people with Migraines have differences in part of the cortex, an area of the brain that helps process sensory information, including pain.

The study found that part of the cortex area of the brain is thicker in people with Migraine than in people who do not have the neurological disease.

“Repeated Migraine attacks may lead to, or be the result of, these structural changes in the brain... Most of these people had been suffering from Migraines since childhood, so the long-term overstimulation of the sensory fields in the cortex could explain these changes. It’s also possible that people who develop Migraines are naturally more sensitive to stimulation...

This may explain why people with Migraines often also have other pain disorders such as back pain, jaw pain, and other sensory problems such as allodynia, where the skin becomes so sensitive that even a gentle breeze can be painful.”

study author Nouchine Hadjikhani, MD
Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston

 

Migraine disease, for some Migraineurs, means only occasional and easily treated Migraine attacks. For others, Migraine is a life-long chronic disease, and Migraine attacks have a quit significant impact on their lives. Questions abound about whether Migraine attacks cause serious and /or permanent changes in the brain...

Learn more about this important study in Cortex Area of Brain Thicker in People with Migraine.