Comments on: Headache and Migraine: Too many not seeing a doctor

By: James

James — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:35:24 +0000

Faren, I think patients can really change things by being knowledgeable about their own treatment, and also by not “putting up” with doctors who are not giving them proper treatment.

No, it’s not always the doctor’s fault… they’re often (I would like to say usually!) doing the best they can with the resources they have. But as patients we need to realize that we can make a big difference.

By: Faren

Faren — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:28:56 +0000

James- I think you hit the nail on the head. I was focusing on the fact that society felt it was normal.. but it also really does have to do with being taken seriously. I have considered going back to medical school so many times as I’ve just really lost faith in the medical community. It’s bleak, and I tend to be an optimist, but I’ve been to countless doctors and alternative therapists and was given nothing more than painkillers. So one does start to give up.

Faren
http://curetogether.com/Migraine/

By: James

James — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:58:41 +0000

There is no doubt it’s a HUGE problem finding a qualified specialist in the first place. Is that why people don’t see a doctor to being with though? Because they think the doctor won’t understand? That may be the case.

But at least when you see a doctor at the very beginning, you’ve given it a try, and you’re hopefully at the very least a little wiser. You’ve given a doctor a chance to at least rule out some serious causes for your pain. And hopefully you have a better idea what to do the next time you see a doctor.

The whole issue of trying to find someone who can really help is the topic for another post! But it can be very frustrating!

By: Jessica

Jessica — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 02:19:05 +0000

I know for me I saw my PCP for about 4 months… going in every 3 weeks complaining about my headaches. She just kept telling me it was stress. Finally she prescribed amitriptyline… which when my mom filled the script it freaked her out so she called my doctor to complain and it was then this i finally got the referral to see a neurologist. Unofrtuneatly the neurologist couldn’t find anything to help my headaches. However about 6 months later I left for school in a larger city with a teaching hospital. After getting a referral to the headache clinic there and a 3 month wait for an appt. I was diagnosed and my headaches were under control. Now I’m waiting to see a different dr for an occipital nerve stimulator and it’s a 4-5 months wait for an appt. with her.

For me at least it’s always just been an up hill battle w/ my PCP not taking my headaches sersiously and then having to wait to see the apporiate specialists.

By: Faren

Faren — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:27:33 +0000

I think society does feel that migraines and headaches are normal, so the lack of doctor visits doesn’t surprise me either. I get Migraines, but more often– chronic headaches and the triggers are so random. I’ve been to too many docs, but I probably didn’t start going until I noticed it being chronic after 1-2months. I read a study/theory that shows onset is usually not triggered by just one thing, but several building up. This makes it even harder to pinpoint direct causes. I just started working for a new research company and it provides a platform for migraine sufferers to share what causes/triggers the pain (you can openly see which causes are most common and new triggers you may not have realized). It also allows anyone to anonymously share variant symptoms and evaluate treatments: http://curetogether.com/Migraine/

We can all help each other,
From one migraineur to another,
Faren