Migravent

Manage your Migraines from your iPad or iPhone- Five Useful Tips

January 19th, 2012

Did you know that you could keep track of Migraines on your iPhone…that you can make our own custom migraine symptoms app for your iPad? It’s true! With very little technical know-how, you can tweak your favorite Apple device to remind you when to take your migraine medications, find the nearest pharmacy in a heartbeat, and stay on top of the latest in chronic pain management.

Tip #1: Make your own app- it’s easy!

Here’s a dilemma- you want to keep up with your favorite migraine blogs from the convenience of your iPhone home screen, but…there’s no app for that! If only you could just paste an icon onto your home screen that would take you straight to the pages that you use most. Well, you can, and it’s simple.

Go to your favorite page. For example, let’s make an icon for the Migravent order page.

Click on the arrow at the bottom of the screen.

Now, choose “Add to Home Screen.”

The official title of the home page is Vita Sciences but you can change it to Migravent; just remember to keep it short and easy to identify.

That’s it! Now you have a shiny new custom-designed icon on your home page that you can’t get at the iTunes store. You can use this great trick for any website. Use it for pages that you use often, or just for something that you want quick access to in case of emergency. Pretty nifty, huh?

Tip #2: Set up pill reminders!

The iTunes app store offers lots of daily reminders that are inexpensive. You can track everything from your menstrual period, to your migraine triggers, to your bills. Sure, you could buy a pill reminder for 99-cents, but why bother? Your iPhone already came with an excellent calendar, and it’s just humming to remind you to take your migraine medications, vitamin supplements, or to order a new bottle of Migravent! You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to program it, either. Here’s how:

Go to your calendar. Click the “+” sign at the top right corner to add an event. (Question: When did remembering to take your migraine treatment become an event? Answer: When you found the one that gets rid of your migraines!)

Okay. Type in all the important details, like the name of the migraine remedy (Migravent), repeat sequence (daily), and the specific times you want to get your reminder. Steve Jobs must have foreseen that chronic pain patients would need to use this, because he cleverly programmed two alerts to remind you to take your meds; one initial reminder, and then another one, in case you missed the first warning because you were busy beating your head against the wall…

And here’s your gentle reminder to take your Migravent!

Tip #3: Find free migraine apps on iTunes!

iHeadache- The name says it all. This clever app helps you keep track of your migraine triggers with their innovative migraine headache diary.

10 Clues your should Include in your Headache Diary Today

The WebMD iPhone app offers valuable up-to-date medical information in the same practical, easily accessed format as viewed on their website. Check on the latest in migraine research, painkillers, and chronic pain symptoms.

20 iPad Apps for Migraine Sufferers

Tip #4: Google Map your nearest pharmacies!

Google Maps is another excellent iPhone tool for people who don’t have the time…or the opportunity to run to their desktop every time they need to locate their nearest pain clinic, ER, or 24-hour pharmacy.

If Walgreens is your pharmacy of choice, then store their address in your contacts file. Google Maps can access any of your contacts from the search bar- Just click on the little blue book icon.

Tip #5: Follow migraine groups on Twitter!

Finally, you don’t like to be in the dark. 24-7, people are talking about things that importantly impact your life; things like Overcoming Social Isolation in Migraine Disorder or 34 Migraine-Inducing, Stomach-Turning Toxic Chemicals in Perfume.

You want to join in on the conversation, and be “in the know,” right? The best way to do that is to follow them on Twitter. This way, if the FDA decides to ban your one and only migraine medication, like butterbur supplements, you can be among the first to Occupy Migraine Research. ;-)

Learn more about migraine headaches, migraine awareness, and more:

Why do Migraines cause Nausea and Vomiting?

Killer Migraines Might be Fatal after All- Mortality Rates among Migraine Sufferers

What are the Signs of Migraine Attack? 30 Migraine Symptoms

Tags: chronic pain, chronic pain management, Migraine apps, migraine medications, migraine remedy, migraine symptoms, migraine symptoms app, migraine treatment, migraine triggers, Migraines, migravent, Vita Sciences Migravent
Posted in Migraine Medication | No Comments »

Migraine Atlas Sheds Light on Chronic Headaches around the World

January 17th, 2012

Millions of people around the world suffer from excruciating chronic headaches; migraines, tension headaches, and cluster headaches cause stabbing head pain, nausea, vomiting, stroke-like symptoms, and extreme hypersensitivity to lights, sounds, and scents. Why then are so many people ignorant to the agony felt by fellow coworkers, friends, teachers, and parents who suffer this devastating illness?

The World Health Organization (WHO) and Lifting the Burden collaborated together to publish the Atlas of Headache Disorders and Resources in the World 2011, in the goal of encouraging migraine awareness and more funding for migraine research.

Here are some interesting topics covered in this publication that reflects data collected from Africa, the Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, South-East Asia regions, and the Western Pacific.

Social Security Disability for Migraine- 5 Tips for Filing

How many people in the world suffer from chronic headaches?

According to the Census Bureau, there are 6.7 billion people in the world today. Based on data collected from countries that participated with the WHO research, approximately 10% of all adults suffer from migraines, adding up to 670 million migraine patients around the world- and that figure does not include adolescents.

“Worldwide, migraine on its own is the cause of 1.3 % of all years of life lost to disability”

What percentage of headache sufferers receives a diagnosis?

About 40% of people who suffer from severe headache disorders ever seek medical diagnosis and treatment.
Among professional consultations for headache treatment, tension headaches and migraine headaches make up the vast majority.
Approximately 50% of headache sufferers self-medicate.

5 Simple Ways to Build a Migraine Support System of Friends

How many hours of training are devoted to headache disorders?

Worldwide, an average of 14 hours of medical training are spent on migraine and other chronic headaches- 4 hours of undergraduate training and 10 hours of specialist training per course. Individual countries that affect the average are the Americas, which offer 25 hours of specialist training, and the Eastern Mediterranean, which devotes a mere 2-hour segment of undergraduate training to migraine research.

“Headache on 15 or more days every month affects 1.7 – 4 % of the world’s adult population, according to these studies.”

What percentage of the population prefers natural migraine treatments?

A surprising number of people all over the world favor alternative and complementary therapy for relieving the symptoms of migraines. Specific pain therapies discussed were acupuncture, physical therapy, and naturopathic medicine, which encourage the use of herbs, vitamins, and homeopathic tinctures for complete health care.

In Southeast Asia, 80% of healthcare providers supported the use of naturopathic treatments for headache disorders, while 60% endorsed the use of acupuncture.
In Europe, 68% lean towards physical therapy as a preferred migraine remedy.
The African countries are among the least likely to experiment with dietary supplements for migraines.

Is Adult ADHD Giving you a Migraine? Maybe…

January 16th, 2012

If you’ve tried every other migraine remedy to relieve crushing migraine headaches with no success, maybe it’s time you tried remedies for ADHD. According to recent findings, an unusually high correlation exists between migraine disorder and adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

ADHD- It’s not just for kids anymore

In a new approach towards understanding ADHD, scientists have started including adult ADHD patients in their research, finding that many grown-ups suffer the same sort of social awkwardness and psychiatric problems faced by children with ADHD. Although the rate of attention deficit hyperactivity in adults is much lower than in children- 1-4% versus 2-12%- the consequences are just as devastating.

Symptoms of adult ADHD

Some of the most common symptoms of ADHD in adults are:

Anxiety
Depression
Mood swings
Work problems
Impulsive behavior,
Low attention span
Restlessness

How does ADHD correlate with migraine headaches?

It’s unknown if ADHD and migraines have a causative relationship (where one causes the other), or simply a comorbid (simultaneous) association. Some suspect that anti-ADHD medications contribute to migraine headache symptoms, while others wonder if a deeper explanation is in order.

In a European study on adult ADHD and migraines, scientists made some interesting observations:

They found a significantly higher occurrence of migraine headaches among adult ADHD patients than in the general population.
Despite the fact that migraine illness is a neurological chronic pain disorder, where ADHD is a cognitive and behavioral disorder, the two conditions seem to share a comorbid relationship.
ADHD patients with migraines are more likely to suffer from depression than ADHD patients who don’t get migraine headaches.

Beat Migraines with these 5 Magnesium-Rich Foods

Surprise- Magnesium eases migraine and ADHD symptoms

In a European study on magnesium and children with ADHD, scientists found that children who took magnesium and vitamin B6 supplements experienced significantly reduced symptoms of hyperactivity, aggressiveness, or attention problems in school after only two months of vitamin supplementation. Many researchers today speculate that ADHD may indicate a magnesium deficiency.

Likewise, numerous studies focusing on magnesium and migraine headaches have confirmed a dramatic decrease (40%) of migraine symptoms with the introduction of routine magnesium supplements, suggesting a possible correlation with migraine disorder and magnesium deficiency.

Overcoming Social Isolation in Migraine Disorder

January 12th, 2012

Migraine headaches are excruciatingly painful, exhausting, and scary, but almost worse than the head pain and nausea of migraine disorder is the inevitable sense of isolation- the feeling that you are alone, adrift on a raft amidst a sea of tumultuous waves of pain. Social isolation is common in chronic pain illness, but by learning some valuable coping skills, you can beat the odds.

One migraine is a lonely number

If you suffer severe migraine attacks-, consuming headaches that prevent you from doing anything but lying in a dark room for hours until the pain recedes- then you’re likely to spend a lot of time by yourself, possibly hours, perhaps days. For many who get chronic migraines, there is no other option. Unfortunately, for many migraineurs, the isolation lingers long after the pain disappears.

Fear is…well, fearsome

The need to curl up into a cocoon is physical and mental at the same time, and it’s motivated by fear:

Fear of having a migraine attack when you’re unprepared

This is probably the number one reason that many migraine patients choose to stay home between migraine flare-ups. It stems from an underlying fear of losing control, which is a symptom of anxiety. In some cases, fear of having an anxiety attack (or migraine) is worse than the attack itself!

What you can do: If you’re anxious about traveling or going out to eat at a new restaurant, then prepare an emergency “escape plan,” but only use it if you feel strong migraine attack surfacing. Assign a designated driver.

Print out a Google map of nearby pharmacies and emergency clinics.
Store a bag of necessary medical supplies in your purse, laptop bag, or car glove compartment. Include things like a spare pill bottle with migraine medicine, disposable cold/hot packs, and a sleep mask.
Make copies of your medical records, and store them on a flash drive. If you do have a severe migraine that requires attention, then it will be a lot easier to get help from busy ER doctors if you have proof that you’re not just suffering from a common headache.

How to make your own Emergency Migraine Attack Survival Pack

Fear of letting others down- friends, family, coworkers, or caregivers

Chronic illness doesn’t just affect the patient- it permeates over your entire social network. Friends want to help, but don’t know how. Coworkers feel awkward, and some make insensitive remarks. (You’re so lucky you get to stay home!) Your spouse and children, not realizing the severity of your pain, have unrealistic expectations. (Mom, can you take me and my friends to the mall after dinner?)
What you can do: You can have a healthier relationship with your friends and loved ones, but it’s not going to happen on its own. Visiting a family counselor is an excellent way to strengthen communication, providing a safe environment for family members to say what’s on their minds, no holds barred. You get to air your grievances, they get to ask what’s been on their minds, and a nonbiased professional directs your communication towards the common goal of finding some real solutions.

Want a Cure for Migraines? 10 Ways you can help

Fear of changing social or personal roles

You were once voted most likely to succeed, but now you feel like you’re most likely to wind up in a coma from frequent migraine attacks. It’s hard to go from being the caregiver to being the caregiven. Once upon a time, you were the decision maker in your marriage…now the roles have switched, and you’re sometimes astonished (and disappointed) at your loved one’s ability to step in and take charge while you’re in the throes of a migraine. When things change drastically, you sometimes want to pull down the curtains, close your eyes, and pray for things to go back to the way they were- before migraines.

What you can do: Rethink the notion of roles. Who you are is a role that changes invariably, with or without your approval. You are more than your job title, your illness, or your Facebook username. Like the caterpillar that creates a cocoon and emerges as a butterfly, you can look deep inside yourself, do a mental inventory, and come out empowered.

6 Migraine Myth-conceptions

Fear of losing control of anger

Migraine stigma is the pits- try as you might to rise above it all, some people will continue to disappoint you every time. We’ve all been in a situation when we’ve felt that others were judging us unfairly or denying us our basic human rights. Still, that is no reason to pull away from society altogether.

What you can do: Join a community with other migraine patients like yourself! Start by asking around at local hospitals. There might be a support group in your area where you can shoot the breeze with other chronic pain sufferers who know what you’re going through. Remember, it’s not called complaining when the feelings are mutual. If you’re a techie, then scour the internet for blogs, online support groups, migraine awareness groups, and social media sites that cater to migraine disorder. By joining even one small Facebook group, you feel less alone, and less likely to lose your temper the next time somebody makes you feel like an outcast.

Best Twitter Pages to Follow for Migraine Sufferers- Top 40

Did you find this useful? Please feel free to post your comments below!

Sources:

Social isolation: a practical guide for nurses assisting clients with chronic illness- PubMed, NCBI

Fears and Depression In Chronic illness

Images: Meredith_Farmer

Tags: chronic pain, migraine and depression, migraine disorder, migraine headaches, migraine isolation, migraine stigma, Social isolation
Posted in Stress and Migraines | No Comments »

Migraine Symptoms throughout the Ages- Not a Whole Lot has changed

January 11th, 2012

If you’ve ever fantasized about drilling a hole in your head to get rid of migraine symptoms, know that you are not alone, and that you are not the first. Since prehistoric times, migraine attacks have caused immense agony, driving sufferers to try shocking, and often dangerous, experiments to end the constant nausea, vomiting, and excruciating migraine headaches.

Don’t try this at home

Archeologists believe that the first migraine treatment might have been trepanation, the drilling of holes into the skull to find relief from migraines (and sometimes life itself). Cave paintings and skull remains from 9,000 years ago suggest that early man believed that boring a hole into your head would cure migraine headaches, in addition to epileptic seizures, and mental disorders. So convinced (and desperate) were migraine sufferers to find relief from debilitating headaches and nausea, that trepanation continued to be the migraine treatment of choice until as recently as 17^th century Europe.

Killer Migraines Might be Fatal after All- Mortality Rates among Migraine Sufferers

Other bizarre (and horrifying) treatments for migraines have included brandishing hot irons to the head, bloodletting, inserting of garlic into an incision made in the temple, and witchcraft.

Ancient Greeks were nauseated by migraines

Hippocrates must have suffered migraines with aura back in 400 BC. He vividly described typical migraine attacks, from the first symptoms of aura- strange hallucinations, nausea, and disorientation, to pulsating head pain, and then the relief from vomiting. Ancient Greek physician Galen of Pergamon coined the term “hemicrania” (half-head) to describe the crippling headaches, which was later translated as “migraine.” Like other contemporary philosophers, he deduced that migraine symptoms like vomiting, queasiness, stomach cramps, and lightheadedness confirmed a connection between the stomach and the brain in migraine illness.

Migraine triggers remain the same

In the Middle Ages, scientists and philosophers identified certain migraine triggers as being the source of migraine attacks. Early physicians recognized extreme light sensitivity, migraine food triggers, and hormonal changes that afflict women during pregnancy, menstruation, and menopause as common migraine triggers. Today, scientists confirm over 100 migraine triggers, including food, hormones, weather, air pressure, and lifestyle habits.

Avoiding Migraine Triggers- Here, There and Everywhere

Migraine stigma today

Famous author and migraine sufferer Joan Didion got it right when she said, “That no one dies of migraine seems, to someone deep into an attack, an ambiguous blessing.”

Migraines strike millions of people today, and experts still disagree on exactly what causes migraines and how to treat them. The most widely held belief today is that migraines are neurological, that inflammatory chemicals in the brain interact with your nerves and blood vessels, triggering a migraine attack. But as any migraineur knows, the ramifications of migraine disorder extend beyond the mere physical pain symptoms. Migraine patients often suffer depression and anxiety, as family members, friends, and employers fail to recognize their symptoms as a disability, and continue to refer to their migraines as “another headache.”

Lights…Camera…Migraine! 10 Curious Facts about Light Sensitivity

January 9th, 2012

Darkness rules the den of a migraine sufferer- no bright lights or glaring television screens here. Shades and curtains are pulled down, bed is unmade, and the sign on the door warns, “Migraineur’s lair- Enter if you dare.” No, light is no friend of mine when a migraine headache strikes. Take me to the Batcave, Robin- it’s going to be a doozy.

Photophobia, or Go away from the light!

It’s not your imagination; lights are a major migraine trigger for millions of other chronic headache sufferers. Besides migraine photophobia, sensitivity to bright lights, other causes of light hypersensitivity are eye damage, drug side effects, excessive contact lens wearing, and meningitis.

Below are 10 interesting facts about light sensitivity and migraines:

#1- Photophobia is neurological. When you get a migraine attack, your pupils allow too much light to enter, overstimulating your retina, which in turn send pain signals to the optic nerve.

Night Terrors, Migraines, and Insomnia- 7 Nightmare Headaches

#2- You can’t escape bright lights. Unless you live in a cave, migraine triggers are everywhere. Fluorescent “curly lights” are the norm in most indoor environments, as are glowing computer screens and plasma flat-screened televisions. Car headlights shine in your eyes even on sunny days.

#3- If light gives you blinding headaches, you’re in good company. Photophobia is so common it affects 85% of all migraine headache patients.

#4- Bright-eyed and blinking: Among the people most likely to suffer from light sensitivity are migraine patients, people with cataracts, and those with light-colored eyes.

Migraine Headache Frequently Asked Questions- the Top Ten List

#5- Photophobia happens even when you don’t realize it. Even when you’re not having a migraine, you are more sensitive to lights and sounds that don’t bother non-headache sufferers. Like a magnet, your eyes and ears absorb every irritating sound and flickering light in the background.

#6- Photophobia is one-sided. Migraines characteristically strike one side of the head. Similarly, light sensitivity causes eye pain on one side of the head- in most cases, the same side as the migraine.

#7- Photophobia affects blind migraineurs, too. Scientists wanted to know if bright lights are a migraine trigger for the blind. They examined twenty blind individuals who suffered from migraines, including six who had no perception of light. When subjected to bright light, the blind migraine patients who could identify light patterns reported exacerbated migraine symptoms, while the six subjects who could not detect light saw no difference in migraine severity.

Headaches can Cause Blindness- 4 Facts about Ocular Migraines

#8- Seeing red? Good. In a famous study, migraine patients who wore red-tinted contact lenses for 5-90 minutes experienced significant headache relief, and some even experienced a complete remission of migraine headache symptoms.

Rainbow Colored Sunglasses that Prevent Migraines

#9- Old age: finally, something to look forward to. Some scientific data suggests that symptoms of migraines like nausea, vomiting, and photophobia may significantly decrease by the time you reach fifty.

#10- If you can see it, you can feel it. Bright lights migraines, but so do other photophobia triggers. In addition to light, other factors that cause eyestrain are intense colors, geometric patterns, and flickering. Looking at large, stark white walls may induce a migraine attack. So can glimpsing designs with contrasting colors- black and white bar codes, zigzags, and zebra stripes may cause excruciating eye pain. Also, low-contrast flickering objects seem to bother migraine headache sufferers more than non-migraineurs.

Sources:

Why light makes your migraine worse

A neural mechanism for exacerbation of headache by light

Why Bright Light Worsens Migraine Headache Pain

Photophobia

Images, from top:

Glen Orbik, Thomas Weidenhaupt, mageo, M a x y, @Doug88888

Tags: Chronic headache, Light hypersensitivity, Light sensitivity migraines, Lights and headaches, Lights and migraines, migraine attack, migraine headache, migraine triggers, Migraines, Photophobia
Posted in Migraine Triggers | No Comments »

Migraine Art Offers an Inside Look into an Invisible Disease

January 5th, 2012

Migraine art exhibits are hard to watch; sometimes gruesome, always disturbing migraine art portrayals of migraine symptoms like migraine aura, excruciating migraine headaches, and stomach-clenching nausea allow migraineurs to give skeptics a glimpse into their struggles with chronic pain.

Migraine stigma affects everybody

“If only you could see what migraines feel like, you would be more sympathetic.”

That’s the motto of many a migraineur having to deal with agonizing migraine headaches and public skepticism at the same time. While migraines may happen once or twice per month, their ominous presence lingers 24/7, threatening to disrupt work, pleasure, sleep, and all the other nuances of daily life.

Migraine art raises awareness

“Migraines make me feel useless, depressed, and alone.”

Depression is one of the most troubling aspects of migraine illness. Despair magnifies pain, making it harder to cope with severe headaches, vomiting, nausea, and eye sensitivity. You feel like you can’t contribute to society, can’t perform your work duties, can’t function in a family unit- all because you never know when the next migraine attack is going to strike.

With the popularity of migraine art, millions of chronic pain sufferers know that they are not alone at all, and that they are part of a society of migraine patients facing the same struggles that they themselves endure.

What’s that Smell? Migraine Sensitivity and Olfactory Auras

Migraine is a documented illness

“Migraines are not an excuse to get out of work- they’re part of a neurological disorder.”

Migraine art dates back to the 12^th century, hundreds of years before doctors first began documenting illustrations of scintillating scotomas, a visual phenomenon that occurs with migraine aura, mere minutes before a migraine attack.

It is widely believed that Lewis Carroll, the man behind the Alice in Wonderland tales, experienced migraine auras frequently, as evidenced by character descriptions like the elusive Cheshire cat, or Alice’s not feeling “quite myself.”

Go Ask Alice: Migraine Auras in Wonderland

Epic Fail! Top 10 Migraine Analgesic Errors Doctors Make

January 4th, 2012

Most doctors responsible about prescription analgesics for migraines…except when they’re not. In a study on analgesic prescription errors, a startling number of doctors made severe, possibly life-threatening mistakes in filling out prescriptions for migraine treatments like ibuprofen and Sumatriptan to patients of migraine headaches and other chronic pain disorders.

Researchers double-check doctor’s orders

Scientists from the Albany Medical Center wanted to find out how competent most doctors are in filling out painkiller prescriptions for their patients of chronic illness, including migraines. So, for five years, they gathered prescription information provided by a teaching hospital in New York. The results, published by The Journal of Pain, indicated a need for better patient-doctor communication, a foolproof system for chronicling patient therapies, and perhaps a more stringent check system for under-experienced doctors.

Sorry about that…

Out of 714,290 analgesic prescriptions, 2,044 (.29%) were prescribed incorrectly.
Out of the medical errors identified by researchers, 22% could have resulted in severe injury.
Roughly, 14% of potentially serious drug mix-ups involved children.
The error rate among pediatric prescriptions is twice as high as the error rate for drugs prescribed to adults.

Are Doctors Overprescribing Painkillers for Migraines? Fox News Report

Top 10 Mistakes Doctors Make

Doctors prescribing analgesics to children and adults made mistakes on many different levels. Below are some of the most common slip-ups:

1. Oops! Wrong drug

Sometimes, doctors made mistakes in prescribing the wrong painkiller for pain symptoms like migraines, confusing oxycodone with morphine or methadone.

2. Oops! Wrong dose

Overdoses of drugs like fentanyl or morphine, or underdoses of gabapentin for neuropathic pain were also recorded.

3. Oops! Wrong patient

Sometimes, pharmacists catch errors resulting from mixing-up of patient files.

4. Oops! Wrong frequency

In certain situations, physicians looking over medical records fail to notice dosage modifications, and prescribe incorrect instructions.

5. Oops! Wrong route

Dosing instructions for triptans for migraine headaches were written inconsistently of its route of delivery.

6. Oops! Wrong dosage form

Dosages for morphine and oxycodone were erroneously prescribed.

7. Oops! Wrong administration directions

Researchers notes instances where doctors gave incorrect instructions for administering analgesics to patients of migraine.

8. Oops! Forgot about contraindications

Patient-specific conditions like gastrointestinal bleeding were overlooked in prescribing pain medication.

9. Oops! Forgot about drug interactions

Interactions between one drug and another contributed to several errors.

10. Oops! Forgot about drug sensitivities

Ibuprofen was ordered for a patient who is allergic to NSAIDs, and morphine was prescribed to a patient with a recorded adverse reaction to morphine.

Rude Headaches, Ruder Pharmacists- 6 Ways to Avoid Conflict

Which analgesics are often prescribed incorrectly?

For the investigation, scientists classified prescribed analgesics by drug class and drug delivery method. The following pain medicines were prescribed in error for migraine headache relief and other chronic pain symptoms.

Acetaminophen

Oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs): Nabumetone, Naproxen, Celecoxib, Ibuprofen

Combination products: Aspirin/caffeine/Butalbital, Acetaminophen/Propoxyphene

Immediate release (IR) oral opioids: Buprenorphine, Codeine, Propoxyphene

Long acting/controlled release (LA) oral opioids: Oxycodone SR, Morphine SR

Transdermal Fentanyl

Injectable opioids: Meperidine, Morphine

Tramadol

Patient-controlled analgesics (PCA): Morphine, Fentanyl, and Hydromorphone

Adjunctive agents- Gabapentin, Pregabalin

Triptan for migraines: Sumatriptan

Topical local anesthetics- Capsaicin, Phenazopyridine, Benzocaine

Which analgesics have the highest error rate?

Of all the analgesic drugs included in this study, the ones most often prescribed incorrectly are:

LA opioids: 19.7%
Combination drugs: 13.2%
Injectable opioids: 13.1%
Oral NSAIDs: 11.2%

Drugs that Prevent or Stop Migraine Attacks, plus Side Effects: Part II, Preventative Medications

January 2nd, 2012

Which migraine drugs are best for relieving migraine headaches, and which migraine treatments are best for preventing migraine attacks? Below are the most popular migraine medications, including possible dangerous side effects.

From Part I:

Two strategies for migraine relief

Pain relief- Also known as acute or abortive treatment, these types of drugs are taken during migraine attacks and are designed to stop symptoms that have already begun.
Preventative- Prophylactic migraine drugs are taken regularly, usually every day, in order to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. Most prophylactic migraine medicines do not treat other migraine symptoms (nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, light sensitivity, migraine aura), but instead aid in preventing migraines by controlling vascular swelling.

Natural Migraine Remedies Surge with Prescription Drug Deaths

Migraine medications that prevent migraine attacks

If you suffer frequent debilitating migraine attacks that do not respond to pain relievers, then your doctor may wish to prescribe migraine prophylaxis treatments. Also, “migraine with aura” patients qualify for preventative migraine treatments that reduce the frequency and duration of migraine attacks, in addition to significantly reducing the severity of migraine symptoms.

Heart disease medications

Beta blockers- Propranolol (Inderal La, Innopran XL)
Calcium channel blockers- Verapamil (Calan, Verelan)
Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors- Lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril)

Caution: Cardiovascular medications for migraines may cause drug and alcohol interactions, dizziness, drowsiness, lightheadedness, wheezing, depression, vivid nightmares, cold hands and feet, asthma, diarrhea, nausea, slow heartbeat, and swollen ankles.

Antidepressants

Tricyclic antidepressants- Amitriptyline, nortriptyline (Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil)
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)- Paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), fluoxetine HCl (Prozac), Celexa
Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)- Venlafaxine (Effexor, Venlafaxine HCL)

Caution: Antidepressants may cause drug interactions. Side effects include irregular heartbeat, dizziness, nausea, headache, fatigue, weakness, weight gain, increased appetite, reduced sex drive, and dry mouth.

Anti-seizure medications

Valproate (Depacon)
Topiramate (Topamax)
Gabapentin (Neurontin)
Lamotrigine (Lamictal)

Caution: Anti-seizure medications for migraine may cause drug interactions. Long-term use of anti-seizure medications may cause pancreatitis, liver damage, memory loss, nausea, vomiting, cramps, weight gain, impaired vision, hair loss, and dizziness. Some epilepsy drugs like Depacon may cause birth defects if taken during pregnancy.

Migraine Medications That are Dangerous During Pregnancy

Antihistamines

Cyproheptadine

Caution: Antihistamines may cause drug interactions. Side effects may include drowsiness, dizziness, nervousness, irritability, disorientation, hallucinations, insomnia, allergic reactions, impaired vision, tinnitus, low heartbeat, dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, jaundice, hepatitis, anorexia, sore throat, chest pains, respiratory congestion, increased appetite, chills, and headache.

Botulinum toxin type A (Botox)

Caution: Botox injections may cause side effects like difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, muscular weakness, muscular pain, visual impairments, itching, irregular heartbeat, chest pain, bruising, bleeding, swelling, redness, sore throat, fever, cough, runny nose, flu symptoms, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, stomach cramps, loss of appetite, dry mouth and eyes, tinnitus, increased sensitivity to light, and headache.

Alternative Migraine Treatments: Thinking outside of the Botox

Alternative migraine treatments

Natural remedies for migraine headaches offer headache sufferers a chance to reduce migraine symptoms without dangerous side effects.

Herbal and nutritional migraine remedies

Butterbur
Magnesium
Coenzyme Q10
Riboflavin

Caution: Butterbur supplements may contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids- seek butterbur extracts that are free of hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids. As with all medications, allergic reactions may occur. Seek advice from a doctor before starting any new migraine treatment, including natural migraine remedies.

Drugs that Prevent or Stop Migraine Attacks, plus Side Effects: Part I, Pain Relief

January 2nd, 2012

Part I: Migraine pain relievers

Two strategies for migraine relief

Pain relief- Also known as acute or abortive treatment, these types of drugs are taken during migraine attacks and are designed to stop symptoms that have already begun.
Preventative- Prophylactic migraine drugs are taken regularly, usually every day, in order to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. Most prophylactic migraine medicines do not treat other migraine symptoms (nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, light sensitivity, migraine aura), but instead aid in preventing migraines by controlling vascular swelling.

Medications that relieve migraine symptoms

NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and simple analgesics

Ibuprofen- (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin)
Acetaminophen- (Tylenol)
Aspirin- (Bufferin, Bayer)
Ketoprofen- (Orudis)
Naproxen- (Naprosyn, Aleve)
Combination migraine painkillers- (Excedrin for Migraines)

Caution: Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers are not strong enough to relieve severe migraine headaches. Long-term side effects may include ulcers, internal bleeding, and rebound headache.

Are You on the Rebound with Your Headache?

Narcotic painkillers for migraines

Codeine
Meperidine HCl (Demerol)
Darvocet
Butalbital, acetaminophen, caffeine (Fioricet)
Fiorinal
Percocet
Vicodin

Caution: Narcotic painkillers are habit forming and a high risk for fatal overdose; side effects include allergic reaction, seizure, feebleness, loss of consciousness, clammy skin, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, shortness of breath, low blood pressure, anxiety, and increased sweating.

Are Doctors Overprescribing Painkillers for Migraines? Fox News Report

Triptans

Sumatriptan (Imitrex)
Rizatriptan (Maxalt)
Almotriptan (Axert)
Naratriptan (Amerge)
Zolmitriptan (Zomig)
Frovatriptan (Frova)
Eletriptan (Relpax)

Caution: Triptans may cause nausea, dizziness, and muscular feebleness, not recommended for patients of heart disease or stroke

Ergot

Ergotamine (Ergomar)
Dihydroergotamine (DHE, Migranal)

Caution: Side effects of Ergot may include vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, hypertension, chest pain, sneezing, sore throat, fever, visual impairments, numbness in hands and feet, cold hands and feet, weakness in legs, muscular pain, itching, dry mouth, disorientation, anxiety, and fatigue.

Anti-nausea

Metoclopramide (Reglan)
Prochlorperazine (Compro)

Caution: Anti-nausea medications may cause fatigue, diarrhea, dizziness, joint pain, restlessness, sleep difficulties, hair loss, anxiety, constipation, impaired vision, and headache.

Parenteral corticosteroids

Dexamethasone (Baycadron, Cortastat, Decadron, DexPak)

Caution: Dexamethasone may cause difficulty sleeping, disorientation, dizziness, increased appetite, increased sweating, indigestion, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, nervousness, depression, mood swings, allergic reaction, changes in menstruation, seizures, muscular pain, joint pain, unusual swelling, fever, sore throat, cough, pressure behind eyes, and headache.

Next: Drugs that Prevent or Stop Migraine Attacks, plus Side Effects: Part II, Preventative Medications

Tip #1: Make your own app- it’s easy!

Tip #2: Set up pill reminders!

Tip #3: Find free migraine apps on iTunes!

Tip #4: Google Map your nearest pharmacies!

Tip #5: Follow migraine groups on Twitter!

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Sorry about that…

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