Manda

The doctor prescribed Topamax, 25mg, one a day for 7 days, then twice a day. Also scheduling a CT scan of my noggin to see if there's anything living in there.

They may be starting to cluster. I hadn't had any of these (migraines, but no suicide headaches) since mid-December or so. I had one Sunday that started at 1:45. Another today about the same time. It's starting to ease a bit now, as long as I stay still. Of course, I'm home alone with Emerson today and she's hungry now. I've noticed that bending over makes it "surge" if that makes sense. Throwing back caffeine like there's no tomorrow, but it doesn't seem to budge it. I think it takes too long. I finally was able to schedule a doctor appointment. I go Friday at 2:45 to my GP. Hoping for a neuro consult. Maybe a CAT scan too.

Thanks so much for all the input and support, everyone. I really appreciate it. I didn't get to make an appointment today, as I was visiting with my mom all day. All the doctors in my town are requiring applications due to the current trend of doctor shopping for narcotics. Not a problem for me, as I believe the last time I had a prescription for narcotics was in 2008 when I had my appendix removed. I even refused them after Em was born. I'm not breast feeding, so that's not a big issue. Please note that what I say next is not meant in a judgmental way AT ALL. I'm not hip on using some of the less-than-legal busting methods personally, just because I'm a ridiculously straight arrow and totally paranoid about anything like that. If some kind of prescription or O2 might help, I'm all for it. I just can't do the other busting methods. Maybe I'm just a wiener. :-( That being said, please understand that I don't judge any of you for using whatever methods you use for your pain and prevention. I'm the live and let live type and I say as long as nobody's getting hurt, roll with it. I really hope that doesn't make me less welcome here.

Hi everyone. I'm Amanda, 27, from WV. I think you guys might be the answer to some prayers... A little background: I've suffered migraines from about puberty. Only a few that left me in tears, but some real teeth grinders. I gave birth to my daughter on 8/10/11. During that process, I got a bad (wet tap) epidural. The epidural needle entered my spinal column and caused a spinal fluid leak resulting in a spinal headache. That was some killer pain. Any time I stood up, it felt like something inside my head was going to explode. It was like a bomb going off in there. It lasted 6 days, then I just magically woke up pain-free. When Emerson (my daughter) was about 3 months old, I started having more killer headaches. The pain was worse than the spinal headache, but very localized. Always right around my left eye. Always the same side, the same place. It felt like my eye was about to fly out of my head and unleash a maelstrom of destruction the likes of which the world had never seen. It just felt like pure energy in there. It was enough to make me scream at times. Just absolutely crippling. Until today, I thought maybe it was a side effect of the bad epidural. It didn't make sense, because it was so localized. The spinal headache was everywhere, but this was in a smaller spot. So then I wondered if I had a tumor or something. That level of pain is NOT NORMAL. Of course, I couldn't get to the ER or doctor during an attack. They were over before I could get there. In some reading, I learned about cluster headaches. Suicide headache is right. There have been numerous times that I've said the pain would stop if I could just blow a hole in the side of my head. I only recently got health insurance again, and I will be going to the doctor soon. Some things make me wonder if these are truly CH though. I can't predict them. They come at a moment's notice, with little to no warning, and then are over as quickly as they came. I'm left feeling tired and maybe a little bruised. Kind of a dull all-over ache in my head. During the attack, it feels like my eye is... wrong somehow. I'm sorry. I'm not sure how to explain it. Maybe swollen? Droopy? Like the pupil isn't reacting correctly or quickly enough? Also, there's no rhyme or reason to when they happen. So many links say that they happen on a schedule almost. The same time every day. Mine don't. They seem totally random. Takes me by surprise, beats me to death, then leaves the way it came. Anyway, I just wanted to say hi. Any insight you could give would help. Or tell me I'm crazy and it's not CH and I need to go away. At this point, I just want answers.