Migraine pain symptoms and conditions

I am new to Topamax. Just started for severe/horrific migraine pain - I have been getting migraines that lasted 8 days long without relief for the past few years, popping imitrex like m & m's. Mine seem to be related to a drop in barometric pressure as well as to being perimenopausal. They were ruining my life. I am currently on the 25 mg in the am dose and 50 mg pm dose schedule to titrate up to 50 mg twice daily. So far I have had only 2 migraines in the past 30 days instead of 8-16!!! I am a much happier person- I can't even describe it. People at work even tell me I LOOK different! I do however, have some intermittent tingling/numbness in my fingers mostly, passes quickly, little back pain, and some little headaches that come and go. I can so deal with these. I have only had to take Tylenol or Motrin on three occasions in the past month. I used to take two imitrex and still had take 400mg of Motrin and 1000 mg of Tylenol just to numb my migraines. Can I tell you I used to be somewhat non-functional and still go to work everyday- I am a nurse!
So far Topamax has given me my life back because I seriously considered driving into a tree one day on my way to work before starting it. Wish me luck.

Ok, so here is a new one for you. I have had migraines for a very long time, since I was a teenager, and never really sought physician treatment because in our family a headache was "nothing to cry about". So, now that I am married with 4 kids and an advancing career, having migraines on a weekly basis isn't something I can live with anymore. So I went to my doctor. He said what about preventing them with Topamax. I know what Topamax is, I'm a nurse, I know what the potentials are, but I had not really heard of the side effects when using it in a perfectly healthy person. ANd I must say it has to be my own fault for saying "sure" and not investigating first. WARNING= Topamax is a drug for seizures, effecting the central nervous system, and will have effects on a healthy person's central nervous system. Now, not doing my research I will also not have known that you are supposed to be titrated very slowly up with increasing doses, starting at a suggested dose of 15-25 mg per day for the first week the 50 then to 100, etc. I was begun at 50 mg/day for a week then 100 mg a day thereon out. Please, if you experience the symptoms the pharmacy warns you about, but they are exaggerated, go back to your doctor!! Here are my symptoms by day
Days1-3- Normal effect- tingling hands/feet, taste loss of some drinks, foggy unable to think clearly
Day4-5- horrible head pain, back of my head, not like my migraine pain, stabbing and pins/needles in hands/feet, still can't taste, nausea, dizziness, confused (like I couldn't find my way to my doctor's office confused)
Day 6- And I am entirely embarrassed to say this one because I am a nurse, and I know what it implicates... Pseuedoseizure. I was in the doctors office, in the waiting room and I could not control my muscles. I knew it wasn't a seizure because I could hear some of what was going on around me, but something was not right. I couldn't move anything and I didn't remember everything. And all the above symptoms, along with. But, naturally normal CT...
Day 7- It happens again... And this time I have some right sided weakness and all the above, that's it, it has to be the Topamax, we are done. It's only been a week, so cold turkey.

That is my experience with Topamax, and unless I am actually seizing, it is a journey I will never take again, I have 4 little ones that depend on me too much. PLEASE research before you try whatever is handed to you!!

I had an agonizing migraine this Saturday, with all the usual delightful symptoms: pain, violent vomiting,... Went to the ER. After many hours I was hooked up to an IV with Tegretol (an anti-seizure med that's effective with migraine) and Reglan (for the nausea). Within a couple of minutes after the IV drip started I realized something was wrong. My migraine pain was actually increasing. I felt a desperate sense of being connected to this IV that was feeding me drugs whose effects were suddenly unexpected. Then things spiraled from there. I went into a panic. This sense of panic was unlike anything I have ever experienced in my life (and I've had my share of hospital horrors). I thought my heart was going to explode. Luckily my friend was next to me. I told him to get a nurse. I told the nurse frantically that I didn't know what was happening to me, I was freaking out, but I begged him to do something. He said I was probably having an "anxiety attack", which can happen with Reglan ("anxiety" sounds like a euphemism for what I was living through, but whatever...). He moved quickly, and hooked up some Benadryl to the IV. I also asked him to get me out of the dark, airless room I was in, as I felt like I was going to choke from the claustrophobia. Between the Benadryl (which apparently counters the panic effects of a Reglan reaction) and standing out in a spacious, well-lit hallway, I felt a couple of degrees removed from hell. Anyhow, there's my Reglan tale. R.M., Newton, MA

Hi all, I have had the Mirena since May of 08. I had twins in Feb of this year and was given the little plastic ring for birth control. That gave me TERRIBLE migraines. i hardly ever even have headaches let alone migraines. It was impossible to take care of twin infants along w/migraine pain. I really shouldn't be on estrogen anyway because of a clotting problem in my family. So my doctor recommended the Mirena. I wanted it anyway because I can't remember to take pills now, (I'm a little busy.) Since I had it put in I have been losing my hair in unbelievable amounts which my doctor attributed to my just having twins. My depression and anxiety meds are NOT working anymore. My fourth and fifth toes on my right foot are completely numb and stiff, almost like I have arthritis or something. I have NO interest in having sex w/my husband. But after taking care of twins, who does?? Just kidding. I am not very happy with this IUD, but have decided the alternative (being pregnant) is not a better option at this time. So, for now I will continue to be a bitchy, balding, arthritic, celbate mother of two. Good luck to everyone else

Has anyone experienced hypersomnia with Topamax? My son just started taking it a couple of weeks ago and now I can't wake him up in the mornings. Not just tired... but literally unwakeable. Then he has sleep drunkenness once he eventually wakes up in the middle of the morning. I have taken him off it to see what happens.

I am a 43 year old female who, until I found this site, thought I was dying of bone cancer - I am not even kidding. I just finished the last of my 10 day prescription for Avelox (for bronchitis and sinusitis). And I feel like I have been beaten about the head and body. Honestly, every part of my body aches and I can barely walk. I have absolutely no energy; throbbing and shooting pains up and down my arms and legs. Not to mention sharp pains in my chest area periodically. I have very clouded and unclear thinking abilities; and my neck and head hurt so bad not even an 800 mg ibuprofen helps. Oh and let's not forget the chills which are right down to the bone - I cannot get warm and I have yucky night sweats to boot. I would most certainly be interested in a class action lawsuit. I really hate that I took 10 days worth and wonder when I will start feeling better. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE AVELOX - it is not worth the painful side effects! The prescription flyer I received with the medication did not mention any of the side effects I encountered.

I am a 34 year old and have been taking Yaz for almost a year.

I had some minor side effects until this past month when everything came apart at the seams. I do not know if yaz is the culprit - but the number of women with the EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS as me listed here SCARES THE HELL OUT OF ME.

My "minor" sude effects were the following:

* No period for 5 months
* No sex drive (was not the case before taking Yaz)
* Panic attacks / anxiety (no history fo this. My doc has now put me on Zoloft.)
* Bloating / weight gain
* Brown blotches (like age spots) on one side of my face

This is NOTHING compared to the last month of my life. Basically my life has sucked for the last month. Roughly a month ago my symptoms started with a red rash on the left side of my face and pain in my left ear that led to a migraine that has not gone away at all. (The pain level goes between a 5 and 10, but never lower than a 5.) The rash went away in 2 days, but my ear still hurts today (a month later).

My vertigo began roughly 5 days after the onset of my rash and ear pain and has been non-stop since. I've taken phenergan, valium, etc. - but they are not working. I get spinning/dizzy every time my head moves (up, down, left, right) and with up and down eye movement. It seems like my migraine pain intensifies when my vertigo hits me. If I lie completely still - I have no vertigo - but my migraine is still there. To make matters worse, I have become very disoriented, like I am in a fog all of the time. I am only 34 years old and feel like I am losing my mind. I cannot remember simple words at times and have a tough time completing sentences.

All of these symptoms coincide exactly to the day I began a new packet of the birth control pill called YAZ (Yasmin). I had taken this brand of pill for a year, and though it has worked (not pregnant) I have had some minor side effects up until the last month. The biggest side effect is that I have not had any period at all for the last 5 months. I have also had anxiety (no past history) and have no sex drive (not my normal self.) I stopped taking the pill about a week ago - after reading literally thousands of people with the same side effects I am experiencing on a website called medications.com (My neurologist also told me to stop taking it.)

I am NOT having ringing in my ears or loss of hearing. I mention this because I know other ailments have these as symptoms.

I have already been seen by my dentist, physical therapist, ENT, 2 neurologists and a gyn. So far - they are not helping. I have even been hospitalized for 5 days and all they really did was try and dope me up to sleep and had me take a very potent anti-migraine drug called DHE that must be administered over a 36 hour period via IV. Guess what? It did not work.

The most scary thing is that even though I get severe vertigo any time I move my head (even to the point of waking me up while I sleep) - NOT A SINGLE DOCTOR EVEN MENTIONED I MIGHT HAVE BPPV ( BENIGN PAROXYSMAL POSITIONAL VERTIGO) and they did not test for it at all. They were all interested in treating my month-long migraine with anti-migraine drugs. They all swore up and down that my vertigo was related to my migraine. They also said my fogginess was because I was "tired and sick" and many migraine sufferers are that way.

After my husband and I searched the internet and found dozens of websites, we are pretty much convinced that I have BPPV. We are going to get in front of a vestibular specialist ASAP.

So you know, I have been through a CT scan, two different MRIs, basic blood work on my white cell counts, thyroid levels, potassium, etc.

They have ruled out a sinus infection, brain tumor, pituitary tumor, stroke, blood clots, etc. They have simply treated me with anti-migraine medication - and it has been worthless. I have taken Topomax, Frova and DHE (the drug mentioned above) and my migraine is still there. These drugs have not helped one bit. My neurologist swore that the DHE would do the trick. Guess what? He was wrong.

I discharged myself from the hospital yesterday and am now at home.

I just want my normal life back. I cannot drive, work, take care of my family, etc.

My two biggest questions are:

DOES ANYONE KNOW IF BPPV CAN CAUSE MY MIGRAINE? The reason I ask is that the doctors all think that the migraine is causing my vertigo. All along they have been treating my migraine (with zero success) and have been giving me valium and antivert to simply mask my vertigo (no success there either.) No one has tried to really diagnose and treat my vertigo. Is it possible if I get my vertigo fixed my migraines will disappear?

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT BIRTH CONTROL PILLLS CAUSING BPPV? I saw woman after woman on medications.com have the same symptoms of vertigo, migraines and brain fog while taking the birth control pill Yasmin. I also know that my avalanche of symptoms eerily coincided with my first pill from a new pack. If they are related, I am most interested in what to do to get my hormones back on track in an effort to stop my vertigo.

This is all driving me crazy. A month ago I was absolutely normal. Now I am 100% disabled. I just want my life back.

Please help!

Most important, the propoxy took away all the migraine pain. However, I also had ringing in my ears and a heaviness in my thighs when I walked. Not pleasant. I think I'll try to get by for now with Extra Strength Tylenol.

I have ben on Topomax now for 2 month for Servere Migraines. Although I am Free from Migraine pain I suffer from bad eye burning, extreme weight loss/lack of interest in food, and I now need anger management. I may not stick with it.

I started taking Rifampin 12/15/04 prescrribed by my hepatologist, for itching related to PBC. The next couple weeks, I had some nausea and loose stools, but attributed that to the high fat holiday eating. After the holidays I got a migraine that never stopped for 6 weeks. I also developed almost daily nausea, weekly vomitting, loose stools, lack of appetite, one cold after another and two abcessed teeth within one month. I had an endoscopy two weeks ago to try and determine the cause of vomitting blood and the GI upset. I tried many different prescriptions for migraines with minimal relief. I had two trips to the emergency room for GI and migraine pain. Finally my internist suggested I stop the Rifampin as headaches and GI upset were listed (not to mention 3 pages of other side-effects and problems). Within 4 days my headaches were gone and within a week my nausea and vomitting had stopped. My surgeon (who did the endoscopy) stated he had no doubt that the Rifampin was the cause of the GI upset and was glad I had stopped taking it. He said it would probably take a good month for my GI system to recover.

I have had both the Imitrex pill and injection . The shot seemed to work alot better with the migraine pain and less for my nausea. The E.R. Doctor gave me two of the Imitrex pills for future Migraines. About 3 months went by and it hit me while taking my husbands 87 year old grandmother and my 3 yeat old son camping. I felt the shooting pain and blurred vision in my right eye and luckily had my pill to try. This was the first time I had tried the pill and was not even prepared for the what was about to happen. After 15 min. of the taking the pill I felt so hot like someone had just shot boiling water in my veins. There was no way I could have did anything the pain, nausea, and numbness were much more for me to handle. My husband had to come had stay with us and in one hour my migraine was tolerable, but the imitrex still left me very uncomfortable.