grrrrr...headaches...

I saw my neurologist today - 1st time in 4 months. I have not been taking my prescribed meds at the high dose he wanted me to take - Cymbalta at 120mgs. It is an anti-depressant, but has been found to help with migraines, but at a higher dose than for depression. I could just about barely tolerate 60 mg, but anything more made me nap all the time - not an option with a 3 year old.
So he wanted to put me on Topamax AGAIN (this would be the 3rd time!) but I said I'd rather try the Cymbalta than deal with the tingling and dopey brain side-effects of Topamax. He even mentioned Sansert, something I took in 2001 - severe nausea and vomiting.

So, I mentioned I had been having visual auras and numbness & tingling in my hands & arms. He immediately gave me info about a clinical study about PFO, patent foramen ovale, which is a small hole in the heart that up to 40% of migraine sufferers have. 25% of all adults have this but it doesn not affect regular activity. So the initial screening is a doppler heart probe or a "bubble test". The treatment for PFO is a small device placed on the heart at the site of the hole.
Hey - I'm game for anything.
I have really only asked him for narcotics ONCE in the 7 years I have seen him (the week of my wedding). This time I asked for something like a sedative, tranquilizer, muscle relaxer...something. So I got more Zanaflex (muscle relaxer). I was under the impression I could not receive any more nerve blocks, due to scar tissue, but he said in case of a severe headache (during office hours, of course) I could get one nerve block a month.
So I signed the concent form for the bubble heart test and was on my way.
After I got home, one of the nurses called me and asked why he didn't continue the Botox treatment, that I had for the previous 2 years. We had discussed it while she was taking my vitals...I had 9 botox treatments but he decided they weren't as effective as in the beginning of the treatment. She said she talked to him and she would put through the proper referrals, etc. to start that treatment again. That is a relief. He thought for some reason I didn't think the Botox was effective, but I did benefit from the treatment. So hopefully those will start up again.