Migraine Drugs Category

Medication Overuse Headache- (MOH) - A big dilemma.

The following comment is from Stephen Silberstein, M.D.,  director of the Jefferson Headache Center and professor of neurology, Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia

“One of the greatest bugaboos we see every day in headache centers is patients with chronic daily or near-daily headache, who are overusing medication. It is our most common problem. These patients have often not responded to treatment and in an attempt to treat themselves, actually make the problem worse. This is not addiction or an attempt to get ‘high’; rather, it is motivated by the patient’s desire to relieve pain and dysfunction. Migraine preventive therapy is grossly underused.”

Do you find yourself taking more and more medications to try to keep your migraines/headaches under control? Do you find that one or two days after taking your medications that your headaches return?  Do you use more than three triptan drugs a week?  Are you taking OTC drugs 15 days or more out of every month?

If your answer to any of the above questions is “YES”, then you may very well be suffering from Medication-Over-Use-Headaches.  The drugs you are taking are actually causing you to experience more headaches, even if they temporarily help the headache at hand.

Triptans, ergot drugs, opiates (morphine, codeine, meperidine (Demerol), oxycodone (Oxycontin) (Butorphanol) and OTC pain pills can all cause medication over-use headaches (MOH). If people use 3 or more triptans a week they will probably get rebounds, the same for opiates and if they are using Excedrin or other OTC pain pills 12-15 days a month or more, they will definitely get rebound headaches as well.

TIME TO DETOX

Research has shown that withdrawing (detoxing) from these drugs can in many cases reduce the total number of headaches you experience as well as the intensity of those headaches.  Withdrawal is not easy and the symptoms of withdrawal can be challenging, but the results are definitely worth it for most sufferers.

For triptans, the detox period during which there may be withdrawal symptoms, like continuing headaches, nausea, vomiting, and disrupted sleep will last about 4-5 days on average. 

The symptoms may last up to 8-10 days for withdrawing from opiates, ergots or OTC drugs.

The literature and research states that it is important to start taking a preventive treatment product prior to or at the same time you start the detox program. (see www.MIGRELIEF.COM) We recommend starting MigreLief one week before withdrawing from the drug that is being over-used.

There seems to be little difference in the ultimate results and success whether people withdraw “cold turkey” or gradually.

Keep a rescue pain medication available that is different from the medication that has been over-used, for emergency situations, only!

So if you are withdrawing from triptans or opiates, keep ibuprofen or Excedrine Migraine available, BUT JUST FOR EMERGENCIES WHERE THE PAIN CAN NO LONGER BE TOLERATED.  USE THE RESCUE MEDICATION VERY SPARINGLY; YOU DON’T WANT TO SWITCH FROM OVER-USING ONE DRUG FOR A NEW ONE. (THAT WILL GET YOU NO WHERE!).

If withdrawing from OTC medications, keep a triptan or opiate drug available for an emergency rescue situation only. 

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO STAY VERY WELL HYDRATED. DRINK AS MUCH WATER AS POSSIBLE.

At the end of 5-10 days, depending upon what medication you are withdrawing from, you should find that your rebound headaches have significantly diminished or disappeared.

Your use of the offending medication should be either eliminated or substantially reduced.  Be sure to keep taking MigreLief daily because preventive products are very important to the success of this program.  Continue to take  MigreLief to maintain the benefits you have achieved.  

45% OF SUFFERERS WHO GO THROUGH THIS PROCEDURE MAY RELAPSE.  IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE USE OF THE PREVENTIVE AND KEEP THE USE OF RESCUE MEDICATIONS TO AN ABSOLUTE MINIMUM TO PREVENT RELAPSE.

To the Best of Health,

Curt Hendrix, M.S., C.C.N., C.N.S.

Remember When a Billion Dollars Used to Be a Lot of Money?  Well It’s Not Enough for the Pharmceutical Companies. Migraine Drug Sales are Expected to Almost Double Over the Next 8 Years.  One Must Ask Oneself Why?

One of the world’s leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, Decision Resources, recently reported that the market for migraine therapies will increase tremendously in the next 8 years.  If all of these pharmaceutical drugs advertise how effectively they put an end to migraine pain, then why are their sales projected to almost double over the next 8 years, going from 3.3 billion to 5.8 billion by 2021.

The population is not expected to come close to doubling in this time period, so does this mean that there will be twice as many people who have migraines? Could this mean that these drugs are actually causing more migraines in the people who use them? The answer is YES!

The concept of “MOH” (medication-overuse-headaches) is well-known and written about by dozens of neurologists and headache/migraine experts in published medical journals. It basically states that using both prescription and over-the-counter drugs too often to treat migraine pain actually results in an increased number of new migraines. These additional new migraines caused by over use of these drugs are also referred to as rebound headaches.

A recent article which reported this projected increase in migraine drug sales also stated that “the largest unmet need for migraine sufferers was in the use of prophylactic options (products that prevent the migraines from occurring rather than just taking something to try to reduce the pain after a migraine has already started).

The article went on to state that no new prophylactic options are projected to be available before 2021. Fortunately, one of the best, safest, effective, non-drug options to maintaining the normal cerebrovascular function that you have on your migraine-free days, is available right now at CVS stores throughout the U.S. as wells as on CVS.com and MigreLief.com

IF YOU SUFFER CHRONIC MIGRAINES – MIGRELIEF WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

Curt Hendrix, M.S., C.C.N., C.N.S.

As the end of the year approaches and employees enrolled in Section 125 FLEX PAY PLANS calculate the dollars left in their flexible spending account due to the “Use it or lose it” policy,  it is a good time to remember that MigreLief is considered an OTC (over the counter) item that qualifies for reimbursement under your flex-pay plan.

Pursuant to Revenue Ruling 2003-102, over-the-counter drugs that are used to alleviate or treat personal injuries or sickness are now reimbursable through health care flexible spending accounts. Employees’ flex pay pretax contributions are not subject to federal, state, or social security taxes.

Per the IRS  – Eligible expenses include, “Dietary supplements or herbal medicines to treat medical conditions in narrow circumstances.”

MigreLief qualifies however, as of 2011 qualifying OTC items require a note from your doctor.

Many MigreLief users have been prescribed MigreLief by a neurologist, general practioner or other healthcare professional for medical purposes. If you use MigreLief for managing your migraines, approach your healthcare practioner for a prescription to be placed on file with your flex-pay plan administrator so you can purchase it monthly with your pretax dollars.

Studies have shown that employees on average lose approximately $100 annually in forfeited balances within their employee health care flex spending accounts because any money remaining in your flexible spending account on Dec 31 disappears and is retained by your employer.

If you have money in your flex-pay account at year end, stock up on MigreLIef or other items from the list below to avoid losing those dollars.

Many other OTC items you may not have considered also qualify for reimbursement with a note from your doctor.  The following is a list of common non-prescription over-the-counter items the IRS has determined to be primarily for medical care and eligible for reimbursement, and dual purpose items that are reimbursable with a physician’s statement.

Note:  This list does not include all reimbursable items but is the best guidance provided by the Internal Revenue Service to date.

ELIGIBLE EXPENSES

Allergy medicine

Antacids

Bactine

Band-Aids/bandages

Anti-diarrhea medicine

Bug-bite medication

Calamine lotion

Carpal-tunnel wrist supports

Cold medicines

Reading glasses

Cold/hot packs for injuries

Condoms

Contact lens cleaning solution

Cough drops

Spermicidal foam

Diaper rash ointments

First aid cream/First aid kits

Hemorrhoid medication

Incontinence supplies

Laxatives

Liquid adhesive for small cuts

Menstrual cycle products for pain/cramps

Motion sickness pills

Muscle or joint pain products

Nasal sinus sprays/strips

Nicotine gum/patches for stop-smoking

Pain relievers

Pedialyte for ill child dehydration

Pregnancy test kits

Rubbing alcohol

Sinus medications

Sleeping aids to treat insomnia

Sunburn ointments or creams

Thermometers (ear or mouth)

Throat lozenges

Visine and other eye products

Wart remover treatments

Dual purposes OTC items

The following list of dual-purpose over-the-counter items can be reimbursed if used for medical purposes. They must be accompanied by a medical practitioner’s note stating the item is to treat a specific medical condition and not a cosmetic procedure.

Acne treatment (Retin A) only to treat a specific medical condition such as acne vulgaris

Dietary supplements or herbal medicines to treat medical conditions in narrow circumstances

Fiber supplements under narrow circumstances

Glucosamine/chondrotin for arthritis or other medical conditions

Orthopedic shoes and inserts (only the cost difference between orthopedic and nonorthopedic shoes will be reimbursed)

Hormone therapy and treatment for menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats

Pills for lactose intolerance

Prenatal vitamins

St. John’s Wort for depression

Sunscreen

Weight-loss drugs to treat a specific disease including obesity

Medical expenses eligible for reimbursement under a Section 125 cafeteria plan

Acupuncture

Adoption related medical costs

Air conditioner filters for allergy relief

Alcoholism treatment

Ambulance services

Attendant for blind or deaf student

Autoette

Birth control pills

Blind persons accessories (seeing eye dog, Braille training, special schooling)

Capital expenditures (home modifications for handicapped)

Car modifications for handicapped

Childbirth prep classes (mother only)

Chiropractors

Christian Science treatment

Contact lenses (including replacement insurance)

Cosmetic Surgery (non-elective only)

Crutches

Deaf persons accessories (hearing aids, special schooling)

Dental fees

Dentures

Diagnostic fees

Doctors’ fees

Domestic aid (in home nurse)

Drug addiction treatment

Dyslexia language training

Electrolysis (medical reasons only)

Elevator for cardiac conditions

Eye exams and glasses

Fertility enhancement

Fluoride device

Guide animals

Hair transplant (surgical and medical reasons)

Hearing aids

HMO’s

Hospital care (in-patient)

Indian medicine man

Insulin

Insurance premiums (medical post-tax only)

Iron lung

Lab fees

Laetrile (legal use)

Laser eye surgery

Lead paint removal

Learning disability (doctor recommended special schooling fees)

Legal expenses related to medical condition

Lifetime medical care prepaid-retirement home

Limbs (artificial)

Lodging (for medical care away from home)

Long Term Care Services (qualified medical only)

Meals (medical care away from home)

Medical conferences (relating to illness)

Nursing home (medical reasons)

Nursing services (home care)

Operation (legal, including abortion)

Organ Donor

Orthodontia

Orthopedic shoes

Osteopaths

Oxygen equipment

Prescription Drugs -

Psychiatric care

Psychotherapists

Sexual dysfunction treatment

Sterilization

Stop Smoking Programs (and related stop smoking prescription drugs only)

Swimming pool (for polio or arthritis treatment)

Telephone equipment (for hearing impaired)

Television close caption prescribed by doctor

Vasectomy

Weight loss programs (doctor prescribed for medical reasons)

Wheelchair

Wigs (alleviation of physical or mental discomfort)

X-rays

If you have not opted in to your firm’s flex-pay plan, you may want to consider it during the next enrollment period.  Many other items you use regularly may be covered and it is a good way to cut taxes.

Though some flex pay plans offer an explicit choice of cash or benefits, most today are operated through a “salary redirection agreement”, which is a payroll deduction in all but name. Deductions under such agreements are often called pre-tax deductions because salary redirection contributions are not actually or constructively received by the participant. Therefore, those contributions are not generally considered wages for federal income tax purposes,  nor are they usually subject to Federal Insurance Contributions Act tax (FICA)  and Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA).

So remember to save your receipt the next time you purchase MigreLief and submit it along with a note from your doctor for reimbursement.

~ The MigreLief Team

.

We are excited to announce the availability of MigreLief Triple Therapy™ with Puracol, Original and Menstrual formula (+M) at thousands of CVS Pharmacy stores nationwide.

You asked for it… you got it!

MigreLief customers have often asked for more convenient access to MigreLief through retail chain stores. It was the #1 suggestion in response to our many surveys and we are thrilled to have made it happen.

CVS is the first major drug store chain to carry MigreLief nationwide, with over 7,000 store locations across the United States. CVS
We are pleased that easier access to MigreLief and higher visibility on CVS shelves will give the 30 million migraine sufferers accross the United States a greater opportunity to discover this effective, non-prescription alternative to a lifetime of merely treating the symptoms of migraine.

Proven Track Record – Healthcare Professionals and Consumer/Patients Trust MigreLief

As a safe, nutritional approach to managing migraines, MigreLief has been the supplement of choice for chronic migraine sufferers since 1997, many of whom were introduced to MigreLief through their neurologists or other healthcare professionals.

MigreLief was formulated to address the underlying nutritional deficiencies and imbalances that can cause migraines and are common to many migraine sufferers.  As MigreLief’s popularity continues to grow, migraine sufferers are becoming increasingly aware of the need to maintain healthy and normal cerebrovascular tone and function. (“Cerebrovascular” refers to the blood vessels that supply the brain.) MigreLief’s Triple Therapy ingredients (3 mechanisms of action) help you to maintain the already normal cerebrovascular function you have on non-migraine days.  (MigreLief Ingredients)

New to the MigreLief Community?

Here is why MigreLief should be your FIRST CHOICE if you suffer chronic migraine headaches:

• * It works!
• * Triple Therapy ingredients are proven to lower the frequency and intensity of migraines and are listed in The American Academy of Neurology’s Guidelines for Migraine Prevention.
• * Taken daily as you would a vitamin
• * Multi-patented formula
• * Addresses the underlying nutritional deficiencies and imbalances that can cause migraines
• * Helps to maintain normal cerebrovascular tone and function
• * No harmful side-effects
• * Safe for men, women and children over the age of 2.
• * Neurologists, leading headache clinics, pharmacists…recommend
• * May be combined with other migraine medications or used by itself
• * Created by Curt Hendrix, M.S., C.C.N., C.N.S. -Chief Science Officer of Akeso Health Sciences and Concourse Health Sciences;  Named as Principal Scientific Investigator in multiple NIH (U.S. National Institutes of Health) governmental grants studying the benefits of natural medicines on disease.

Be sure to look for MigreLief at a local CVS Pharmacy near you…AND TELL A FRIEND.
(CVS Retail Store Locator)

To the Best of Health,

~ The MigreLief Team

Some butterbur products may contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), and that’s the major safety concern.

PAs can damage the liver, lungs, and blood circulation, and possibly cause cancer. Butterbur products that contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are UNSAFE when taken by mouth or applied to broken skin. Broken skin allows chemicals to be absorbed into the body. Do not use butterbur products unless they are certified and labeled as free of PAs.

Short-term treatment with Butterbur 

 PA-free butterbur products are considered POSSIBLY SAFE  when taken short-term, by mouth appropriately. PA-free root extracts seem to be safe when used for up to 16 weeks in adults. There is some evidence that a specific PA-free butterbur extract (Petadolex, Weber&Weber, GmbH & Co, Germany) can be safely used in children who are 6-17 years old for up to 4 months.

Not enough is known about the safety of using PA-free butterbur products on unbroken skin. Don’t use it.

BUTTERBUR SIDE-EFFECTS

PA-free butterbur is generally well tolerated. It can cause belching, headache, itchy eyes, diarrhea, asthma, upset stomach, fatigue, and drowsiness. However, it seems to cause less drowsiness and fatigue than cetirizine (Zyrtec). Butterbur products might cause allergic reactions in people who are allergic to ragweed, marigolds, daisies, and other related herbs.

So please consult your doctor before taking Butterbur for migraine treatment. 

Giving up your search for effective migraine control?

If you are sick and tired of migraines, but even more sick and tired of treatments that haven’t worked, now is the time to hang on to hope and set your skepticism aside.

YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BUT YOUR MIGRAINES!

skep·tic

The skeptic is not affected by the clever advertisements that pop up in the margins of internet pages  or by a well thought out advertising campaign.

Why?  Because…

MIGRAINE SUFFERERS SKEPTICISM IS WELL FOUNDED DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE DISEASE AND THE NATURE OF MANY COMMON TREATMENTS

WHEN THE MEDICATION YOU TURN TO, TURNS ON YOU

Merely addressing the pain and other symptoms of migraines with popular prescription medications and over the counter drugs known as “Abortives” can lead to recurring headaches otherwise known as medication overuse headaches.  It’s very discouraging when the drugs you turn to…turn on you.  Medications used to stop your migraines can actually increase the frequency and tendency of your migraine attacks making you more dependent on the medication.  (Breaking the cycle of Recurring Migraines)

According to Dr. Andrew Charles director of the Headache Research and Treatment Program in the UCLA Department of Neurology,  “Migraines beget migraines… The more of them you have, the more vulnerable you become to having another.”  Neurologist Jan Lewis Brandes, founder of the Nashville Neuroscience Group stated, “We’ve begun to see from researchers that the frequency of migraine attack is linked to permanent changes in the brain, and I think that changes the playing field for patients and those of us who take care” of them, we really need to think carefully about how to control the frequency of attacks and really need to do it earlier rather than later.”

Another cause of recurring migraines are frequently used over-the-counter drugs such as Excedrin Migraine.  It is commonly known that sufferers purchase this drug (caffeine, acetaminophen and aspirin) to stop a migraine once it starts.  What is becoming more commonly known is that if used too frequently, it may become less effective, and also cause recurring migraines. headaches.

Even when choosing prevention (which is a far more sensible alternative to continually treating the pain) some sufferers find themselves choosing between the lesser of two evils when opting for side-effect prone prescription drugs.  For some migraine suffering skeptics, it’s the shear number of years they have suffered and the various treatments they have tried that has left them weary and leery.

More than the cost associated with unsuccessful treatments many sufferers have lost hope of ever controlling their migraines and may always be skeptical of the next possible solution to cross their path.

This attitude is well expressed in a  recent comment posted by a visitor to our Facebook page;

“I am a migraine sufferer too and have been fooled into this and that “preventative” many times before.  …Don’t get too excited about ANOTHER ‘new miracle medicine’ people.  There will be another one in a few months!”

You can get a good sense of this person’s frustration and long time disappointment.   So much so, she attempts to spare the online community of fellow migraineurs the same fate and issues a warning to sufferers everywhere of what she believes to be just another cruel offering of false hope.  If you are presently a chronic migraine sufferer, you no doubt have already experienced such false hope and frustration.

HOW DOES ONE HELP A SKEPTIC HELP THEMSELVES WHEN IT COMES TO MIGRAINE CONTROL AND IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE?

A skeptic will not waste their time on yet another promising product.  They need a “GUARANTEE” that it will work.  But anyone familiar with the dietary supplement industry knows, guarantees, and claims of  treatment and cures are not permitted.

Furthermore, migraine skeptics are not impressed with experts;  remember they’ve listened to experts in the past and still suffer migraines.

We at Akeso Health Sciences, the creator and manufacturer of MigreLief, often post clinical trials backing our preventive supplement and often inform the public that all three of MigreLief’s ingredients are listed in the American Academy of Neurology’s Evidence Based Guidelines for Migraine Prophylaxis (prevention).   We have also referred to leading doctors, neurologists and pharmacists that recommend MigreLief based on its track record.

Again, this means nothing to a skeptic, after all… Who are these people anyway?

The sheer number of online unsolicited feedback and reviews from all sources should be enough to convince anyone, but again, not the skeptic.  Thanks to social media however, the public has another place to turn for honest feedback and first hand knowledge…each other.

We are so confident that you will be pleased with your results after  trying MigreLief for 90 days, we will refund 100% of the purchase price if you are not satisfied for any reason.

Don’t take our word for it.  Do your homework, check us out, ask around and discover the results others have achieved with MigreLief.   You owe it to yourself, to give this all natural dietary supplement a shot at drastically reducing the frequency and tendency of your migraines and possibly ridding your life of them completely.

Just two tablets a day for 90 days…it’s simple, inexpensive, healthy, natural, and comes with a money back/satisfaction guarantee.

TRY MIGRELIEF FOR 90 DAYS…

Although many people have experienced positive results in much shorter time, we recommend using it for 90 days, sufficient to build blood levels for maximum effectiveness.  As a preventive, MigreLief addresses the underlying nutritional deficiencies and imbalances common to many migraine sufferers.

(Read more about the SCIENCE OF MIGRELIEF and correcting dysfunctional brain processes that can lead to migraines)

If you decide to give MigreLief a try,  below is a coupon for $5.00 off 3 bottles of MigreLief (a 90 day supply.)  Be sure to download our migraine diary below to track your progress. Let us know how you’re doing by visiting our Facebook page or contacting us through the  ‘Ask a Health Advisor’ link on MigreLief.com with any questions or comments.

Best of luck,

The MigreLief Team

TRACK YOUR PROGRESS
DOWNLOAD THE MIGRAINE DIARY & TRIGGER TRACKER 

Click here  – MigreLief Ingredients and Product Details

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Prescription pain killers such as Vicodin (hydrocodone) OxyContin (oxycodone), Opana (oxymorphone) and methadone can cause significant rebound headaches in chronic migraineurs who use these drugs.

The over-use of these drugs is alarming. There were enough prescriptions written for these drugs in 2010 to medicate every adult in America, around the clock for a month. The drug companies are laughing all the way to the bank.

In 1999, 4000 deaths due to these drugs were reported. Just 9 years later that number increased more than 350% to 15,000.

We are the most medicated country in the world, yet our life expectancy is not even in the top 40 countries of the world.  Our medical insurance costs are the highest in the world, but we are nowhere near the healthiest people in the world.

Now additional studies are showing that triptan drugs like Imitrex, Zomig, Frova, Maxalt and Relpax, which are used to try to reduce the pain of migraines, are dangerous for people with heart disease.  The drugs constrict arteries which is a dangerous mechanism for people with heart problems.

Yet the study reports that physicians are prescribing these drugs to people with heart problems who shouldn’t be taking them. In fact the study reported that 22% of people with heart conditions were prescribed a triptan during one year.

A well-known headache physician, Stewart Tepper of the Cleveland Clinic reporting for WebMD states, “That figure is very upsetting, I never would have thought it was that high.”

Add this concern to the fact that if over-used, these drugs cause additional migraines to occur as rebound headaches due to medication over-use, and it becomes clear that getting off of these drugs and preventing migraines from happening in the first place, should be the goal of all chronic migraine sufferers.

Go to ww.migrelief.com  to start on your drug free pathway to finally controlling your migraines.

Curt Hendrix, M.S., C.C.N., C.N.S.

Dr. Marc Siegel and Dr. David Samadi weighed in on Fox News Live this morning regarding a recent study that supports a connection between migraines and depression.  He stated, “90% of all headaches we have are migraines. It’s a very good study but we don’t know if it’s the fact that you have migraines that make you depressed… maybe your lifestyle changes, maybe it’s intractable, because you are so bothered by the headaches.  Or is there something that the migraine does to the brain that alters it and makes it more prone to depression?”

“It’s 80% more likely you’re going to get depressed if you have a migraine.  So the message for people out there is be on the lookout for depression if you get migraines,” Dr. Siegel concluded.

Dr. Samadi stated it was just an observational study, not cause and effect, nevertheless useful information.  “If you get migraines, talk to your physician because there could be signs and symptoms of hidden depression.”  The doctor can then discover the depression and treat both the depression and the migraines with medication at the same time he suggested.

Two things should be noted about this morning’s news cast commentary.

First of all 90% of all headaches are not migraines.  There are two types of headaches, primary and secondary.  90% of all headaches are known to be “Primary Headaches,” whose subcategories include tension-type headaches, cluster headaches and migraines, tension –type being the most common.

Primary headaches are merely headaches that are not caused by underlying medical conditions while secondary headaches are the end result of some other medical condition such as inflammatory headaches due to a brain tumor, infection, or trauma.

Secondly, I wanted to suggest that any migraine sufferers considering prescription drug treatment for both their migraines and depression should be aware of a possible danger known as “Seratonin Syndrome” which I’ll explain at the end of this article.

The study referred to by Fox News was a recent Canadian study that concluded that people who get painful migraine headaches may be at a higher risk for developing clinical depression.

According to Reuters Health, Dr. Peter Goadsby, professor of neurology and director of the Headache Center at the University of California, San Francisco, said research linking depression and migraine headaches goes back several decades. He called the study a “useful contribution” to existing research.

Geeta Modgill, lead author of the study and her group gathered data from the Canadian National Population Health Survey, which profiled over 15,000 people and followed up with them every two years between 1994 and 2007.

Overall, about 15 percent of the people in the study experienced depression and about 12 percent experienced migraines throughout the 12 years of the study.

Cases of depression were significantly more common among people who had migraines at the beginning of the study – 22 percent of migraine sufferers got depressed, versus 14.6 percent of those who didn’t have migraines.

That made participants with migraines 80 percent more likely than people without the headaches to develop depression, and the link held up after adjusting for other influences like age and sex.

People with depression were also 40 percent more likely to develop migraines than the non-depressed.  The association disappeared when the data were adjusted for stress and childhood trauma, however.

The study also cannot determine cause and effect for the link seen between depression and migraine.

The research, published in the journal Headache, also implies that the relationship may go both ways, and people with clinical depression could have a higher risk of developing migraines.  The researchers conclude that the finding could have been due to chance.

Despite no evident mechanism, Modgill said, “Something is going on here.”

Migraine and depression sufferers should know the signs of both ailments since each might be at a higher risk for the other condition.

WHAT IS A MIGRAINE?

The frequency and intensity of migraines can vary among sufferers but commonly is characterized by

• a throbbing headache often localized to one side of the head.
• intense head pain usually gradual in onset, then progressively more painful.
• sometimes accompanied by a pronounced sensitivity to light and sound or nausea and vomiting.
• a dull, deep and steady pain or throbbing and pulsating if severe
• can occur any time of the day, through it often starts in the morning.
• pain in the temples or behind one eye or ear, although any part of the head can be involved.
• may be accompanied by a variety of sensory warning signs or symptoms, such as flashes of light, blind spots, temporary loss of vision or tingling in your hand or face (MIGRAINE WITH AURA)
• pain lasting a few hours or up to one or two days,
• occurrence varies – once or twice a week, or only once or twice a year.

WHAT IS DEPRESSION?

According to the DSM-IV, a manual used to diagnose mental disorders, depression occurs when you have at least five of the following nine symptoms at the same time:

• a depressed mood during most of the day, particularly in the morning
• fatigue or loss of energy almost every day
• feelings of worthlessness or guilt almost every day
• impaired concentration, indecisiveness
• insomnia or hypersomnia (excessive sleeping) almost every day
• markedly diminished interest or pleasure in almost all activities nearly every day
• recurring thoughts of death or suicide (not just fearing death)
• a sense of restlessness — known as psychomotor agitation — or being slowed down – retardation
• significant weight-loss or gain (a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month)

Because of the migraine-depression connection, I wanted to bring up a topic I covered in an earlier MigreLief Blog Post – the danger migraineurs face when attempting to treat both depression and migraine headaches at the same time with prescription drugs.

WARNING:  ANTI-DEPRESSANTS AND MIGRAINE DRUGS -
POSSIBLY A LETHAL COMBINATION!

Migraine sufferers should be aware of the dangers of combining some anti-depressants with prescription migraine medications.  Unfortunately, the mechanism of action of many antidepressants is to increase serotonin (a feel good neurotransmitter) levels in the brain. Triptan drugs like Imitrex, which are used to reduce or end the pain of a migraine attack also work by stimulating serotonin receptors.

This combination of antidepressants and triptan migraine drugs, can lead to too much serotonin in the brain. This is not a good thing and can result in a potentially life-threatening condition known as “serotonin syndrome.”

In some people, just the use of triptans drugs such as Imitrex or Zomig alone can result in unhealthy levels of serotonin, leading to serotonin syndrome. This risk increases substantially if these people are also taking an antidepressant like Pristiq or any other of several antidepressants known either as SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) or SNRI (serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors).

The symptoms of “Serotonin Syndrome” are:

Rapid heart rate and high blood pressure
Agitation or restlessness
Confusion
Dilated pupils
Loss of muscle control or twitching muscles
Heavy sweating
Diarrhea
Headache
Goose bumps
Shivering

In severe cases of serotonin syndrome life-threatening symptoms can occur:

High Fever
Seizures
Irregular heart beat
Unconsciousness

If you and your physician decide to use this combination of drugs, you must be monitored very closely for any of these signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome.

If your migraines are bad enough, your physician may decide to stop the antidepressant so that you can use the triptan drugs with less risk (though as mentioned above, they alone, in some users can cause serotonin syndrome).

A win-win solution for many migraine sufferers who are also suffering with depression is to switch to the all-natural migraine prevention supplement, MigreLief.  There is no additional risk of Serotonin Syndrome when using MigreLief.

Prevention is clearly the best option to a lifetime of treating the pain.

Curt Hendrix, M.S., C.C.N., C.N.S.

WHEN THE MEDICATION YOU TURN TO FOR HELP
…TURNS ON YOU

You’ve probably heard it all before.  At least 30 million people in the U.S. alone suffer from migraine headaches;  75% are women.

For those who have chronic migraines (pain 15 days a month or more), the pain can be so debilitating that just waiting for it to go away, is not an option.  So those sufferers resort to either over the counter pain medications like Excedrin Migraine or prescription medications like Imitrex, or Zomig (called Triptans).

These types of medications work to varying degrees depending upon the person.  But, even when they work, all is not rosy.  Many people become so dependent upon these types of drugs in an attempt to get some relief, that without realizing it, they start using them more and more.  In fact, they start over-using them.

Of course the question needs to be asked, “Why would a person who originally starts out using them say, once a week, get to a point where he or she is actually using them several times a week?

The answers to this question, though not obvious when you are desperate and in pain, are very simple. Either the migraines are occurring more frequently, the migraines are more painful, or the drug isn’t working as well as it originally did.

Either way, which ever answer fits your particular situation, the prognosis is not good. You now need these drugs even more because your problem is now worse…NOT better.

The responsible, occasional use of these kinds of drugs is not an issue.  They are safe and effective when used sparingly and serve a definite purpose. However, when over-used, a whole other bunch of risks come into play.

Dr. Fred Sheftell, a well known headache doctor, is upset and concerned that these medications contain no warnings on their labels. He states “There’s nothing that I know of where any of these products say anything about the genesis of rebound headaches and chronic daily headache…I’d like to see that.”

The following is an excerpt from an article posted in ABCnews 20/20. It highlights just how complicated and even dangerous this dependence upon these drugs can become when people feel they have no other options to deal with their migraine pain.

A Vicious Cycle –Excerpted from ABCNews 20/20

“Here’s how experts think rebound starts. Normally, when you take a pain reliever for an occasional headache, the medicine turns off pain receptors in the brain. But in a person prone to headaches — especially migraine headaches — pain relievers taken more than two to three days a week on a regular basis can make the pain receptors more sensitive than usual.

Consequently, as soon as the medicine wears off, these hyper-sensitive receptors turn on to produce a new headache. That leads the headache sufferer to take more medicine, which, in turn, leads to more headaches — a truly vicious cycle. Before long, most rebound patients are taking headache medicine every single day.

This vicious cycle nearly killed Eric Peterson, a 26-year-old veterinary student. But what will shock you is how little medicine it took to get him in trouble. Peterson’s problems started in high school with migraine headaches that hit him a couple of times a week.

“I think I started with an ibuprofen type. I wasn’t finding a tremendous amount of relief with that. I tried Excedrin and found that controlled things nicely for me,” Peterson said.

Daily Habit Can Trigger Serious Health Problems

Initially, Peterson was able to manage his headaches by taking two Excedrin just two to three times a week, but that was enough to lead to rebound headaches. Soon, Eric was taking the pain relievers every day, which was very bad for both his head and his stomach.

Peterson’s health problems became painfully clear last summer at a Chicago Cubs game. “We were walking up the stands to find our seats and I became very dizzy and light-headed and nearly passed out,” he said.

Years of taking Excedrin had eaten away at Peterson’s stomach lining. He was sitting in the stands slowly bleeding to death. Just four hours later Eric wound up in a hospital emergency room. Doctors were able to save his life, but they told him he could no longer take over-the-counter pain killers.

This was frightening news for Peterson, who had become so reliant on the pain relievers. He was more concerned about how he was going to manage his headaches than he was about the damage to his stomach. “I didn’t know how I was going to cope from day to day without having to be able to take that medication,” he said.

Stop the Medicine, Stop the Pain?

Duane Soderquist, 25 years ago, was in a situation very similar to Peterson’s. Soderquist said, “I think I had seven free headache days in 10 years.”

It was Soderquist’s case that caught the attention of Dr. Joel Saper, a neurologist and founder of the Michigan Head-Pain Neurological Institute in Ann Arbor. A pioneer in the treatment of rebound headaches, Dr. Saper said it was Soderquist who first opened his eyes to the fact that over-the-counter medications could imprison a brain in rebound headaches.

• Soderquist had seen 20 doctors for his excruciating daily headaches. At that time, no one realized that his headaches were a result of the hyper-sensitive pain receptors in his brain turned on by the handfuls of over-the-counter medication he was taking every single day. Soderquist said he was taking about 50 tablets a day.
• Dr. Saper hospitalized Soderquist, taking him off the medication. “I thought I was gonna die for three days,” Soderquist said. But then an amazing thing happened. Once the medication had cleared from Soderquist’s system, his headaches stopped — for the first time in 10 years. Dr. Saper said, “That’s when I learned the power and the potency of the rebound effect and the need to take people off those medicines.”
• Today, Soderquist is virtually headache-free and enormously grateful to Dr. Saper. “The day I left and went home after not having a headache — there at the hospital, the last day — it was just like somebody took a house off my back,” Soderquist said.
• Nearly 90 percent of the patients at Dr. Saper’s headache clinic are diagnosed with rebound headaches and each one takes the same first step: Stop the medicine.
• Eric Peterson was actually able to detox at home, but he admits it was brutal. “For probably about three days I just had intolerable headaches. … It was probably the most miserable three days of my life,” he said.
• But the payoff was worth it!  Eric is finally free from daily rebound headaches and he’s managing his occasional migraines with preventive medications and newer treatments like biofeedback.
  

Can You Get Hooked?

• So, do these cases mean you could get hooked on the over-the-counter pain medicines you’re taking? It’s important to remember that if you’re taking these medicines for other problems, like arthritis, it’s usually OK. Rebound headaches can be triggered by the overuse of a wide variety of over-the-counter and prescription medications.
• But if you’re starting to take medicines more frequently for headaches be careful. Also remember that migraines are the kind of headache most likely to lead to rebound.
• Dr. Saper said it’s most important that frequent headache sufferers consult a physician. “If you’re using this medication more than two or three days per week on a regular basis,” Dr. Saper said, “talk to your doctor about the possibility of rebound headache.”
  

The Caffeine Connection

It is infuriating to think that products like Excedrin Migraine contain caffeine.  It is well known that caffeine is addictive.  People trying to wean off caffeine go through major symptoms of drug withdrawal, including more headaches.   Dr. Alex Mauskop director of the New York Headache Clinic stated that “Getting off caffeine is one of the best things that migraine sufferers can do to reduce the frequency of their headaches.”

Yet this is much easier said than done and the makers of these products know it!

If any of the following signs apply to you, you are probably experiencing Rebound/Medication Overuse Headaches and have probably realized by now, that spending the rest of  your life taking pain medications is NOT the answer.

•You suffer from headaches daily or every other day.

•Your pain intensifies about three hours after your last dose of medication.

•Your pain medications don’t work as well as they used to.

•You take more medication, but your headaches are worse.

•You rely on more pills, and you take them more often.

•You take medication even for mild headaches, and you often try to ward off a headache by using a medication.

•You take pain relievers three to four days a week, and you average more than three tablets per day. (This depends on the kind of medication you’re taking, so you’ll need your doctor’s advice.)

•Your pain runs the gamut from mild to moderate to horrible. Usually, the pain is a dull ache that you feel on both sides of your forehead and, sometimes, on the top or back of your head.

•Your headaches occur much more frequently.

To get your life back, it may be time to stop the insanity, take yourself off auto-pilot, break the cycle of misery and opt for prevention.  It is clearly the most logical and safest approach.   When I created the natural migraine preventive supplement, MigreLief, it was my firm belief that  preventing migraines before they start, is preferable to spending a lifetime treating the symptoms and risking undesirable or even dangerous side-effects.

To the Best of Health,

Curt Hendrix, M.S., C.C.N., C.N.S.

Curt Hendrix, creator of MigreLief, is interviewed on Lifetime’s Balancing Act.

Mr. Hendrix discusses causes and treatment of migraines, especially as related to women who suffer from migraine headaches.

More than 30 million people in the US suffer from migraines, and more than three-quarters are women. The key is not to treat the symptoms, but prevent the severe headaches from ever forming. We’ll show you how to do it naturally.  Watch The Balancing Act interview below.