Migraines.. is this normal treatment?

ohmeowzer RN, RN · Mar 5, 2008

i can't give medical advice , but has your mom had a ct scan or mri to r/o other conditions that may cause headaches? i hope your mom finds help with her headaches..

mommyoffour · Mar 5, 2008

Thanks for the reply. She has had pretty much every test her doctors can think up.

I am not meaning to ask for medical advice.. just wanted to know if this sounds like normal procedure. I don't want to get anyone into any trouble by answering.

Dolce, RN · Mar 5, 2008

Wow, sure doesn't sound like standard protocol for headaches. I would really question a PCP who prescribes morphine shots for migraines. Is there anyway she could be seen by another PCP for a second opinion? She might need a complete neuro/psych workup and, if possible, a contract with a pain doctor. Sounds like she is at high risk for narcotic dependence.

BabyRN2Be · Mar 5, 2008

This is a good forum in which to ask your question because I remember in the recent past this almost exact question came up. If you look back in the previous threads, you may be able to find it.

I'm sorry that I can't remember the subject line of that thread, but it did talk about the various ways in which ED's will treat migraines.

I wish you and your mom the very best, and I hope that she gets the help and relief that she needs, narcotic or not. I can attest to the fact that narcs aren't the best ways to handle migraines when they do happen (in my specific case). For me, Toradol works wonders along with a little peace.

Best wishes.

tsalagicara · Mar 5, 2008

Doesn't sound like standard protocol to me, either, but who knows? What I do know is that narcotics can be highly addictive and can cause some pretty bad withdrawal symptoms. I suffer from migraines, so I can only tell you what has been my experience. I've only been prescribed narcotics one time (Vicodin) for a severe migraine that had been going on for several days. The medicine helped me sleep, but the migraine came back. I find that what works for me is medicine to help prevent the migraines. Also, MaxAlt works really well for me too, but I have to take them at the onset of the migraine. Of course, that's just what works for me. I hope your mom finds something that will help ease the migraines and prevent them from forming. I empathize with your mother; I know just how debilitating migraines can be. Good luck and kindest regards!

lucky1RN · Mar 5, 2008

"This is a good forum in which to ask your question because I remember in the recent past this almost exact question came up. If you look back in the previous threads, you may be able to find it. "

Here's the link to that thread

https://allnurses.com/forums/f18/how-do-you-treat-headaches-278941.html

rgroyer1RNBSN, BSN, RN · Mar 5, 2008

No this doesnt sound normal. Read that rorum alot of us er nurses has discussed this issue more then once seeing as how this as become a growing issue in our proffesion. It sounds a little fishy that he gives her MS. And it also sounds fishy that they drive 30 min. away to another er. She needs to see pain management and neuro. more then likely, Im not giving advice but that sounds like the issue to me.

Blee O'Myacin, BSN, RN · Mar 6, 2008

First off, hello to everyone. I am new here and a future nursing student.
This question has to do with my mom, who gets migraine headaches and has for the last 20 or so years.
She has what I think is a very strange care plan and it worries me that she is getting addicted to pain meds. (again, she was a oxycotin (sp) addict about 8 years ago)
Her PCP prescribes her 2 shots full of morphine each week, that she picks up on Tuesdays. Shockingly enough, whenever I happen to talk to her on a Tuesday or late Monday night she ALWAYS has a migraine. Since those 2 doses rarely get to the week's end, they end up in various ER's.
They refuse to go to the ER that is 10 mins away because of "mean doctors". She claims that the only meds that make her migraines go away are narcotics.
So they go to the ER that is about 1/2 hour away.. but only after they call to make sure a certain doctor isn't working. Sometimes when I visit, she'll have me call to ask what doctor is working the ER because she thinks they know her voice. (?)
And you can bet that whenever they are out of town on vacation, etc they will hit the local ER at least once.
I am in such a weird position because my dad totally defends her if I question anything. I am just worried about her being around to see all of her grandkids grow up.
Is this how migraines are really treated?

No. Migraines are not usually treated that way. All of you can do with some intervention and therapy. You need to stand up to your mother and stop calling ERs to ask for certain doctors. It's feeding into her addiction. I'm not qualified to judge whether or not she's really having migraines, nor am I trying to - but she and your father need serious help.

The doctors at the closer ER aren't "mean"- they are trying to take care of people using standard of care. Anyone else is just giving her what she wants so she'll just leave the ER.

Sorry if this is hard to swallow, but you are describing a drug addict.

Blee

ERRNTraveler, RN · Mar 6, 2008

Sorry if this is hard to swallow, but you are describing a drug addict.

My thoughts exactly...... Typical drug-seeker behaviors.....

mommyoffour · Mar 6, 2008

Thanks for your reply. I don't know what I can do from this far away, besides talk to my dad about it on the phone. (I live east coast, they are midwest) When I do try to talk about it, he acts like I am accusing them of some terrible crime.

My dad shot her up with morphine yesterday (of course! It was Tuesday!) and he told me that she gets "wired" instead of sleeping after she gets it, she stays up all night. And of course she sleeps ALL day on Wednesday. I tried to get a hold of her several times and she never answered. Called dad at work.. 'oh she's sleeping.. she was up all night.' I called this evening.. she's still sleeping.. he'll wake her up for American Idol. Called during American Idol. She said she was going to bed right afterward. I am starting to feel like when she was sleeping 23 hours a day on that oxycotin again.

I don't know why any dr. would give someone who has a history of addiction 2 injections of morphine a week to do with as they wish.

She claims she can get a migraine with someone simply turing on the light in a room if she is sitting there in the dark. I am starting to really get angry, and I feel like a bad daughter because I don't believe her anymore! I just don't believe that I can make tacos while she is visiting and boom! Migraine from the smell! Or that she can see a police car drive by with their lights on and BAM! migraine!

I hope I don't come off as coldhearted. I just don't know what to do about it.

Thanks again!

Larry77, RN · Mar 6, 2008

When people call our dept. to find out what doctor's are working we will not tell them...this is very fishy behavior and makes her sound like a drug seeker.

Our normal tx for migraines is Benadryl/Reglan with 1 liter NS bolus. Our group has agreed not to treat chronic migraines with narcotics as this is not the standard of care and can cause rebound headaches that are much worse than the initial migraine.

If she actually is having migraines she should explore possible causes like allergies or diet and look for alternatives for tx besides living in the fog of narcotics.