I may be going to the ER for a migraine...help!

Specialties Emergency

Published

Usually I go to my migraine forum for support but I thought I'd ask your input.

Many may already know that I have a note from my PCP that states i may need narcotics as last line of treatment. I follow up every 3 months and have never missed an appointment. I take Imitrex, Naprosyn and Motrin and whatever else I can use. I take 80 mg of Propranolol a day. I've been to the ER 4 times last year and I 'm still nervous when I feel I may need to go back. Should I chill out or what? I consider myself the ideal migarineur but what do you all think? Do I deserve the eye rolling I get from the nurses?

Thank you :kiss

Ps: I feel like this one may get out of control but i only go after 72 hours.

I don't go earlier because it may go away due to drugs already taken. My BP is 189/90 right now. PAIN!!

I know this is not the place to get medical advice but all I want is support seeing as I may not get it IN the actual hospital.

I feel like this one may get out of control but i only go after 72 hours.

I don't go earlier because it may go away due to drugs already taken. My BP is 189/90 right now. PAIN!!

I really hope you've gotten the treatment you needed by now. My husband has near-constant migraines and we are no strangers to emergency rooms. :crying2: We've had a couple of eyerollers but overall, the nurses have been fantastic.

His BP is normally 110/60ish but it has been known to go even higher than yours in the midst of a bad headache. I hope you're feeling better today.

Amy

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

OH bless your heart. I got one last night during a heated discussion w/the dh. It just hit me like a brick and BAM I was no good for the night. I had to take a bunch of meds, tylenol, motrin, benedryl just to get it to dim down enough to close my eyes. It lasted well into the night and today I am all hung over from the benedryl. I find my migraines are linked to my menstrual cycles mostly (the timing is right this time) and stress. I feel for you, boy do I . I felt like my head might explode last night and I could not move a muscle w/o the throbbing pain feeling like a shot in the head. You have my sympathies. Are you any better today????

I don't go to ER either. I just wait them out, sometimes a couple days. I wish I could give myself a shot of toradol in the butt right now, it's still with me but much better, almost like a hangover headache. I don't go to ER, feel like it's a waste of their time. Maybe I would if they last more than a day or two...but so far, between laying down in a dark room, taking benedryl, motrin and tylenol and using cold compresses on my head, I managed to get them in control. That and once my cycle starts, the abate. It's hell, knowing each and every month, I have to go thru these in varying degrees. Some are worse than others, aren't they? Anyhow I hope youare better, I really do! I totally relate to you.

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Four quick ideas that might help and, most likely, will not hurt you. If you and your doc have already tried these, just bear with me.

1. Midrin- a prescribed drug that has been used for a while, tends to live in the shadow of newer, more widely advertised meds. It's cheap, non-narcotic,and I myself had few side effects. You just keep taking it until the HA stops.

2. Phenergan- this one surprised me. I had some left over after a bout with pneumonia and took it because of vomiting secondary to a migraine (yep, I'm a puker). My GP said that Phernergan is actually effective for the HEADACHE itself, even without nausea or vomiting, and that the exact mechanism for why this is effective is not really known. My husband does the Phenergan thing for a headache (he gets the dreaded cluster type and ends up in ER sometimes) and it DOES work!

3. Feverfew- herbal med, some people swear by it. It just really upset my stomach, personally. But do some research..it might be worth a shot.

4. Do you have REALLY long, heavy hair? My mom and my best friend are chronic migraine sufferers who had waist length hair, and both reported a HUGE drop in the number of headaches after getting a dramatic haircut! It really is not a coincidence! I also read about this in a few magazine articles too.

I am sure that you have already tried the food diary too, to see if certain foods are triggers. Go to the ER!! That is what it is there for, esp. with an elevated BP! If you have an eye-roller, then you most likely have a lazy nurse. Call the pt. satisfaction line when you feel better, and let them know that you would NOT be likely to return to that hospital. The PR folks are pretty savvy...they know that a hospital can be shut down by a low census, particularly in a bad economy, and the whole focus of their job is to keep that from happening.

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LadyBugLass,

My mother-in-law swears by Midrin!! It has been wonderful for her!! I haven't had the same luck with it, but it works great for her!!

Phenergan- I'm a puker too -- gotta love it huh!? . I have found that Phernergan is sometimes effective for the HEADACHE itself if I catch it relatively early.

Feverfew- Tried that too -- I had GI issues -- cramps, nausea,.... so I don't use it any more

And the hair thing?! I too had waist length hair, and found my frequency headaches did decrease some after I got a haircut! Not a huge reduction, but some! I do have baby fine hair so it's not heavy.

The food diary was fairly helpful. Certain foods are often triggers. In my case, the environmental molds are the huge triggers! Can't go out and rake/play in the leaves, can't be out when the guys are mowing -- especially if it has been raining recently. If I eat certain foods when I am NOT feeling one coming on, I do OK -- eat those same foods when I know there is a HA brewing -- miserable!!!

So many contributing factors -- so individualized!!So many treatment options!! We are considering a surgery to enlarge the foramen magnum to decrease the irritation of the brainstem which occurs when the systems inflamation occurs -- rather radical -- haven't decided on that yet -- seems like a HUGE procedure -- and no real surety of success----

So, in the mean time, am developing a trust/competency level with the new doc and am trying all the stuff we tried before -- to make him happy -- and,

Go to the ER as necessary.

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I got logged out before I could finish so I'll try again.....

Canoehead: I hear you. I'm sorry. :imbar I never thought of your side of things. Thank you for your input. I won't judge before i'm through the door again. Its like Rusian roulette every time. You never know if you'll win

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missmercy: Its only been 32 hours but i'm still functioning...have no choice..I have a final tomorrow. I'm typing this with sunglasses on though. :cool:

My first functioning migraine!!!! I've done pretty much all the things one must do to avoid migraines and I've been guinea pig at my ER beaucoups!

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Sharann: How do you know when people are faking when some have normal vitals?

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Dawn and Amy: Thanks guys. I wish we had more than 2 ERs here. We have 2 other not so big ones but you know what happens when you start ER hopping. It shows up on the computer

Than you're in 'fer it. :coollook:

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Smilingblueeyes:

My fiancee's favorite expression when I get a "brick": "SEEEE....look what all your hollerin' got 'ya!" (me------- Grrrrrrrr )

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Thank you for your support. I love you guys. I'm getting some looks here from my roomates...its the cool glasses...for the screen glare :chuckle If I need to go to the ER..I'll go. And pray I get treated ok. But who knows...this could be the one I can ride out!!! I'm not as strong as Smiling Blue eyes though so we'll see. I'll let you know. Thanks again.

PS: BP now 176/80 Getting better.

PPS: About the hair thing....I'm too vain to cut it. It's so purtty.

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Ok Ok ..... I'm bumping this to the front...I want you all to read what I wrote.

In glasses......looking like a wierdo.....for you :p

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

heheheeh take care and feel better!

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heheheeh take care and feel better!

Uuummm. .....overseas places?....like Canada? You need some new role models.........yes you do..........(besides Brittany)!!!!!! :chuckle

still in the game.......

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I think I am getting a "sympathy migraine. Woke up w/ a lulu this AM -- still go to work -- since today is aan office day it should work out -- my rule is: if my vomiting episodes are an hour apart -- I can work -- once the vomitting hits every 1/2 hour or 45 mins -- I'm home in a flash -- Loaded the purse with Maxaalt melts, phenergan and benadryl -- we'll see how it goes -- am hoping that it really just a nasty sinus/weather thing -- will know it was if it goes away in an hour or two.:rolleyes:

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Specializes in ER.

z- I sure hope you are feeling better by now.

If not- the hell with the looks- go to the ER, and when you get treated like crap, just "consider the source" ;) (plus written complaints to everyone you can think of)

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I just have to share with with you guys. My boyfriend thinks this is so funny. On my very first travel assignment I got a ripper of a migraine and had no idea where to go in Tallahassee. so my boyfriend called one of these free standing urgent care places in the yellow pages and took me in. I so this really sweet and compassionate physician who took my migraine history. She asked me what I normal took when I got to this point and I told her Demerol 50mg with phenergan 25mg IM and go home and sleep it off. She says "well I will give you Vistaril whatever and Stadol 10mg". I didn't think anything of it, I had never had either before and had never worked with Stadol. Well, let me tell you.....my boyfriend had to practically carry me to the car. :rotfl: He apparently told me he was going to stop at the K-mart down the street to get radiator fluid for the car as we had a leak in the radiator. Well, the windows were down in the car as the air conditioner was out and it was June. I was totally zonked to the world. He came back to the car and stood at my window and asked if I was Ok and I said in a really loud voice "Who are you? Where am I? This isn't Michigan? Where is My Dad? I don't know you." H e said he jumped in the car so fast and got out of there because here was this white woman carrying on with this huge, brown Native American man he thought he was going to get in trouble. :rotfl: I haven't had Stadol since and he always takes me right home after I get my shots. :)

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Specializes in Telemetry, Case Management.

dawnc, that is a funny little story!!! And it's even cuter because you weren't trying to be funny when you said that to him!

z's, keep your hair! I have migraines too and have hair down to my butt. My oldest DD thought her hair caused hers so she cut it and said her headaches had quit, but at the same time, she changed jobs (and stress levels). The headaches came back even with ear length hair once she got into stressful situations again! She is now in RN school (STRESSFUL), but is growing her hair back out because it's easier to take care of while in clinicals if she keeps it long and in a tail or bun!!

I feel for you girls, I would have to have to go a strange dr with a screamin' migraine. It makes my toes curl to think about it.

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