Migraine Update

I had my first apointment with my new neurologist yesterday.  She was very thorough in her questioning of my migraine history which goes back 20 some years. Trying to compare a headache from 20+ years ago  to recent ones was difficult but it helped her to understand me and my type(s) of headache.

I say types because Dr. H. believes that I have 2 types going on. First the Classic Migraine which I get a few times a year. I also have what is called Rebound Headache. This headache is a milder, there all the time, won’t go away no matter what I do, nagging, wearing me down type of headache.
I had heard of Rebound Headache. I knew what caused it. I have even tried to get out of the cycle myself. What I didn’t know was it could take 6 to 8 weeks for my body to detox from all the Tylenol that I had been taking to treat my milder headaches.

Tylenol causes Rebound Headache. And I had been taking WAY TOO MUCH.

Here’s the plan: STOP all products with acetaminophen immediately!

Second part of the plan:

• Taper off one of the preventive meds.  This is good because it has the potential for causing kidney stones and I have a history of kidney stones.
• Increase another preventive med
• Get a head and neck MRI
• See her back in 4 weeks to evaluate how things are going

I intend to do the following during this time:

1. Be very diligent about avoiding food additives.
2. Keep a written record of what I eat, weather, anything else that can have an effect on my headaches.
3. Avoid acetaminophen as diligently as I avoid MSG.

So, now I have a Doctor who understands what is going on is willing to work with me and actually seems to care about me as a person as well as a patient