Q: I have been suffering from chronic migraines and headaches since 2003. I also suffer from fibromyalgia throughout most of my body. I have been to several doctors and neurologists over the years and tried several medications, but nothing works to alleviate the pain.
I have also been to the emergency room for the migraines. Most recently, I had a migraine for four days and finally had to call 911. They gave me an IV cocktail to rid me of the nausea and pain. When that did not work, they gave me a drug that eased the pain in my head enough to send me home. I managed to sleep through the night but still had a throbbing in my head the next day.
My most recent neurologist said he can do nothing more to help me because he does not think they are true migraines and he does not treat fibromyalgia pain sufferers. I have a really bad case of fibromyalgia, which started in September 2003. Before that, I never had a migraine. My first visit to the ER with a migraine was in February 2004, and it lasted a total of nine days.
I have tried to tell the doctors the pain comes from my upper back, neck and shoulders, which, in turn, triggers the migraines and chronic headaches. Some last for days, and even the Imitrex does not work. I am on Topamax (200 mg per day) and Verapamil (180 mg per day).
If I do wake up in the morning without a headache, I will have one within a few hours because all of my neck muscles get sore from holding my head upright. Even resting my head back on the softest pillow in a reclining position does no good. The muscles on either side of my neck and the tops of my shoulders are tender to the touch all the time. Sitting upright aggravates them and radiates pain upward into my neck and head.
No one listens to me. They only seem to want to mask the pain instead of trying to find and treat the real problem. I am a Medicaid recipient, and the only rheumatologist in my area will not see me. She has refused the referral. Traveling makes me ill, so going to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where there is another rheumatologist, is physically and economically impossible.
I suffer from so much chronic pain that I cannot do much of anything during the day. I am light sensitive and heat sensitive. I have all of the shades drawn in my home and cannot go outside. I also cannot stand loud noises. Other than quickly checking e-mails, I do not use my computer much anymore. Even fixing a bowl of cold cereal has become difficult for me. It pains me greatly to type this message. Do you have anything you can suggest that will help me? —Ellen R.
A: It is certainly challenging to have two significant disorders that are often completely incapacitating. Unfortunately, the complexities of your condition require careful professional evaluation, including a review of previous treatments, diagnostic tests and cooperative work in a multidisciplinary environment to try to find an answer. Going to a university medical center, such as the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, might be one of the best ways to find solutions for your unique situation. I wish you success in finding answers that will afford you an improved quality of life.
Frederick Freitag, DO, Baylor Health Care System, Dallas
