Dilaudid for treating migraines

Okay, seriously... I am so sick of hearing doctors talk about addictions and that's why they won't prescribe it, blah, blah, blah. If someone is having severe or chronic pain and a pill helps them, then friggin' give it to them, otherwise tell manufacturers to stop producing it. My god, not everyone who takes narcotic pain medication is an addict, will become an addict, or takes it with that in mind. I'm seriously so sick of every doctor and nurse looking at you like you're crazy when you say you're in pain. It's like automatically, they assume you're drug seeking and it's extremely irritating to people who have real pain. If everyone is so worried that patients will become addicted, overdose, etc. then stop making the stupid drug and don't prescribe it. Otherwise, give up your medical degree and go into Addictions Counseling.

I'm a migraine sufferer too; started having headaches as a teen and they are getting progressivly more frequent and worse as I get older (46); my MD says they usually run a 30 year course! Well it's been 30 years and I'm still waiting... I currently take Immitrex but hate the side effects: nauseau, throat and toungue weirdness I'll call it, not really swelling but it just doesn't feel right. Like that feeling you get in your throat when you want to vomit and your saliva begins to produce rapidly! (sorry tmi)... I'm looking for a new medicine but I don't want to become addicted to an opiate. When you have the headaches you'll do anything to get rid of it!.. I even tried taking one of my sons Oxycontin 30 mg and it didn't even touch it! Just made me sick as a dog throwing up the next day! I have headaches or migraines 2-3 times a week and I'm currently unable to work.. Just venting here, not any real question since I doubt anyone can help me. :'(

I had migraines every other day for years and finally started taking Norvasc to lower my blood pressure even though I had low blood pressure already.  When I took it the first day I was thrilled I had 2 days in a row without a headache!!!  Occasionally I get a migraine but not more than 1 a month.  I have had to increase the dose but have tried to drop it down again.  Apparently it relaxes the blood vessels so that it lowers the threshold to cause a migraine.  It really gave me my life back.

I am a 34yr old male and have suffered with migraines since the age of 6.  I have memories of being 6-7yrs old and being rushed into the ER doctors feared I had meningitis.. 

After suffering with them and dealing with them on my own up till the age of 19 I finally went to 4 doctors.  3 neuros.  I was finally diagnosed with Chronic Intractable Migraines.  I have migraines 3-5 days out of the week. 

I have and use Imitrex tablets and injections, and if I use them as soon as I feel the migraine coming on with 800MG's on Advil I can usually get it under control. 

As far as you people that are stating that you are taking and have been given Dilaudid for migraines, BE CAREFUL!  I have MANY other severe medical issues and have been given dilaudid many times via IV for post surgical pain, and other issues causing severe pain.  A LOT of people Dilaudid actually gives a SEVERE migraine.  My most severe migraine was after being given dilaudid for post surgical pain.  I asked my PCP about it and she stated its not the active drug itself but the preservatives in it.  DHE-45 also is known for causing severe migraines because of its preservatives. 

What we have to remember what works for one person will likely not work for another.  When I was first diagnosed I was sent to a pain management specialist and they placed me on Oxycontin and lortab.  Took the Oxycontin 3 times a day regaurdless of whether I had a migraine or not, and then the Lortab PRN (As Needed)..  I was on the Oxycontin for nearly 8 years, and getting off of these drugs was by far the HARDEST thing I EVER have had to do.  So those of you that DO use narcotics just be careful.  The doctor that prescribs them for you now will not be around forever, and its MUCH harder to find doctors to prescrib narcotics for migraines these days.  Our local ER's will not even consider giving narcotics for migraines and hasn't for the past 4 years.  They just will NOT do it under any circumstances. 

I still have a prescript of Norco that I have to use occasionally, but I use them sparingly even though my current doctor would prescrib me up to 120 a month.. but not just for migraines.. I have A LOT of nerve damage from multiple past surgeries on both of my lungs.  I dont use near that number.  I might use 60 a month on a bad month. 

Just be careful..  If you use narcotics and find that your having worse migraines, ask your doctor to change your prescript to something else that uses a different preservative and see if that will help. 

Im rambling its 4:30AM and im still wide awake.. so just wanted to share that little tidbit! 

 

 

This is a really old thread, but I want to put in my experience as well. I am almost 29. Like many of you, I am a woman who has suffered from migraines for years. They are def hormone related, stress related, I HAVE TO EAT TIMELY - snack, etc, and when I get a fever I WILL GET A MIGRAINE! That is what happened today. Strep throat always puts me in the ER. I am very careful NOT to ask for narcs because yes, they will think you are a junkie. I took my bottle of Fioricet with me just to show them, they were pretty nice about giving me something strong. They gave me Dilaudid and Zofran, I don't think that Zofran works well for me. I didn't get nauseous but it made my jaw and ears hurt. I am just really resistant to medications in general. I've been taking narcs for migraines for years, but I only take them maybe once a month at this point, so having a resistance is ridiculous to think about. I do take other pain pills because I had a work accident and just had back surgery. I am on percocet for pain, among other drugs, that is why I think they chose Dilaudid. It seems to be the drug of choice for those to are resistant to narcs. I am disappointed with the ER and will be filing a complaint on Monday. I left with a terrible headache, I wasn't screaming crying anymore, but I was shedding tears.

I want to say that usually Fioricet works pretty well for me. I only get migraines occasionally now, and I try to take meds sparingly in general. Triptan drugs do NOT work for me, they do the opposite, INTENSIFY my migraines and send me to the ER directly! Midrin is a joke for me as well. I have tried everything. Fioricet seems to work sometimes, so maybe try that if you haven't guys.

Stretch daily, take long walks, try to be stress free. I have noticed that the happier I am the less headaches I have, BUT I have to still eat timely or I could get one! Figure out what works for you and stick to your routine. DON"T GIVE UP! We can't let these things run our lives!!!

I'm 53 years old, I've been getting migraines since I was 31. Several have said they'd decrease as I get older, they have not.  I have been on 3 different anti seizure meds, with side effects that i finally decided I cannot live with. I have upwards of ten migraines per month, once in a while i'll have eight and that is a good month. I love the Imitrex, but I am pretty sure I have to take it more days per month than I should....at least the past couple of months. I seldom have to go to the ER or Urgent Care....last time was July 2011. It was the first time I went to Urgent care instead of the ER.....I think I got an injection of Toridall and Phenegren, I left with a dull headache and it came back a few hours later. I called the pharmacist to ask if I could take an Imitrex, he said yes and so with that whole combo, it was gone. My physician gave me dilaudid suppositories, only six, I got them before we moved out of state in 2011, I just used the 2nd one last night. It did not work, at 4 AM I had a screaming migraine. I did an Imitrex injection and right now, 12 hours later, I am pain free. When I got up at 8 AM - I still had a dull ache and my head was sore, like it had been through something tramatic. The BEST thing to make a BAD one, where I'm throwing up, go away, and I ONLY go to the ER if I'm throwing up, once I start that, I know it's going to go downhill.....Demerol injection and something for the sickness, like Phenegren. For some reason they'd rather give you another pain shot now day, someone said Demerol is an "OLD" drug, whatever that means.

I have had migraines for twenty three years. I'm only thirty one years old. I end up in the ER up to twice a year due to migraine attacks that last three to five days. Today I was actually in the ER twice. The first time the doctor didnt listen to me about what I needed medication wise. So he gave me three injections of dilaudid. For about fifteen minutes it would ease my pain and it would come back. He discharged me and I still had a bad migraine. Three hours later my migraine was worse than when I went to the ER. So I went back. I had a better doctor and she gave me what I asked for. It's often called a headache or migraine cocktail. It has benedryll, toradol, and some kind of anti nausea med in it. This always works. This time it got rid of most of the pain but the dilaudid had given me a rebound headache so I still have a moderate migraine. For anyone with a long lasting migraine I would ask for that cocktail. I also am on topamax daily and use frova as my triptain. If anyone lives close to Chicago look up The Diamond Headache Clinic. They specialize in all forms of headaches. They worked wonders for me. But my insurance doent cover them any more.

Imitrex is good to dial your migraine back considerably, as well as reduce noise and light issues. I have suffered with migraines almost 25 years, and I use Imitrex 25mg with Ibuprofen 4000mg. I repeat Imitrex in an hour.if I don't get relief. No narcotics. Saved my life! Praying all who suffer will find comfort in God first, then speak to your doctor about the regimen above. I know how devastating they can be as I have them 8-10 days a month.

Sorry, I meant Ibuprofen 400 mg, not 4000

Everyone in here needs to stop eating wheat, graines, and yeast.

Have you ever tried fioricet or fiorecet w/codeine. thet work fantastic foe my migranes.

any new info? Is Relpax still working?

My sister saw a migraine specialist who put her on ritalin. She takes only a very low dose but it has changed her life.

I have been on hydromorphone 8mg for at least the last 2yrs. When I started taking it, it was like a miracle drug but now, like any other pain med, it doesn't work as well. I can take 1 1/2 pills & it only dulls the pain. when this happens, I have to go to the ER for a morphine IV. The only problem w/ this is that now that the laws have changed, the docs are afraid to give it unless you can PROVE you are having severe pain. How the hell do you PROVE you are having a migraine headache? I have all the signs & symptoms but they still don't want to believe. In answer to your question, yes, it will help- for a time. After that, you'll be SOL again. Hope this helps!!! Good luck!!

Dilapidated w as s the only thing that took my headache away also. Within seconds it was gone.