a candid look at managing and living with headaches & migraines

• Home
• About

Archive for January, 2008

Antiepileptic Drugs Linked to Increased Risk of Suicidal Behaviors and Thoughts

Patients taking antiepileptic drugs had nearly twice the risk of suicidal behavior or thoughts than those taking a placebo, according to FDA analysis. Epilepsy drugs are commonly prescribed for migraine or headache prevention. FDA informed healthcare professionals that the Agency has analyzed reports of suicidality (suicidal behavior or ideation) from placebo-controlled clinical studies of eleven [...]

Headache NewsBlog By Headache Specialist Alexander Mauskop

Alexander Mauskop, director of the New York Headache Center, regularly posts his thoughts on current headache news on the aptly named Headache NewsBlog. He dispels myths and examines closely media coverage of headache news. Here’s a taste of Mauskop’s blog, but look over Headache NewsBlog to get the full flavor. Current News Surgery for migraines [...]

Sleep Struggles? Share Your Story

Sleep is a precious resource that many people, particularly those with chronic illness or pain, don’t get enough of. If you’re a woman who has triumphed over your sleep problems, Laurie from A Chronic Dose wants to hear your story for an article she’s writing. The National Sleep Foundation is an amazing resource for those [...]

What Do You Think of Your Doctor?

I need your input. I’m forever being asked what I know about particular headache specialists or clinics. I know the ones I’ve seen and that’s about it. You’re the expert on what you’ve experienced. Please share your opinion by commenting on the doctor who treats your headaches. Fine print: You may identify the doctor or [...]

Doctors Paid to Prescribe Generic Drugs

Health insurers have provided doctors with financial incentives to prescribe generic medications, according to an article in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal: Health plans are drawing scrutiny for offering financial incentives to entice doctors to prescribe cheaper generic medicines, including paying doctors $100 each time they switch a patient from a brand-name drug. Pharmaceutical companies have [...]

Trying Again After Migraine Cancels Plans

I woke up Tuesday wishing I could be somebody other than me. My head hurt and I was nauseated, dizzy, sensitive to light and sound. . . . You know, the usual grab bag of symptoms. I can handle that, but I’m not happy when a migraine tromps on my plans. Hart and I have [...]

Resting My Eyes

Looking at the computer screen is killing my head right now. I’m composing a post mentally and will write it when my eyes aren’t so sensitive. I hope that’s later today. . . .

Physical Therapy: Weak Muscles, Scar Tissue & Posture

Physical therapy looks like a promising migraine/headache treatment for me. We made progress in the first two sessions and my third tomorrow. His take makes a lot of sense to me. Weak muscles in my back are partly to blame for neck pain. Envision your back as a lollipop stem. The tasty part of the [...]

Migraine: A Surprisingly Visible Invisible Illness

Writer Anne Lamott describes someone with a migraine as having “a sort of death about the eyes.” As with pretty much everything she writes, her words draw a perfect picture. I noticed long ago that I get dark circles under my eyes during a migraine. After reading Lamott’s line, I realized my eyes also appear [...]

Kerrie’s 2007: A Year to Forget

There was a theme consistently underlying my 2007 posts: My migraines were BAD. The year started with five months of being woken up by a migraine nearly every night and ended with more than two months of horrendous all-the-time migraines. I felt more beaten down than I have in the last three years. Before you [...]