Headache and Migraine News

15 September 2008

Botox for chronic migraine?

The fight continues to get Botox officially recognized as a migraine treatment. On the 11th of September, the makers of Botox (Allergan) announced a new study that showed that patients using Botox had significantly fewer days with headaches (attacks?) than those who used a placebo.

The study, however, is being met with a great deal of suspicion. Why?

The problem is that an earlier study seemed to show that Botox didn’t make much of a difference. But the old study was calculating the number of migraine episodes, not the number of days. Is Allergan just tweaking the system to try to get numbers that work?

Well, obviously they have a vested interest. But don’t be quick to write off this study.

The truth is that the people “on the ground” – doctors and patients – have seen Botox work, and not just occasionally. Dr. Alexander Mauskop of the New York Headache Clinic is more optimistic. His clinic took part in the trial. He writes regarding the new Botox trial:

This report did not surprise us or our colleagues who routinely use Botox in treating patients with chronic migraines. The excitement we feel is due to the fact that many of our colleagues have been sceptical about the efficacy of Botox. Much more importantly, we hope that this definitive study will compel insurance companies to pay for this treatment.

This may simply be a matter of learning, little by little, exactly who Botox works for, and what its limitations are. Just because it doesn’t work for everyone, doesn’t mean it won’t help many.

The stakes are high as we continue to study Botox. If it really is effective for migraine, the cost is prohibitive for many people. But the company plans to file a license application with the American FDA in 2009, followed by applications in Canada and Europe, for use with chronic migraine.

Read more about Botox for migraine here.

12 September 2008

Symptoms of Abdominal Migraine

James Information 43

The symptoms of abdominal migraine regularly confuse doctors. It’s surprisingly common in children, so it’s equally surprising that so many people have never even heard of it!

The most recognizable symptom of abdominal migraine is the recurring abdominal pain. In between attacks, everything will be fine. But then the stomach pain returns, often lasting a whole 24 hours (anywhere from 1-72 hours).

As with many types of migraine, there is often no headache. The most common symptoms are:

Abdominal pain
No appetite (anorexia)
nausea/vomiting
pallor (going pale)

Aside from these, there may be headache, sensitivity to light, irritability, diarrhea, and dark shadows under the eyes. The symptoms of abdominal migraine are episodic – that is, they come in "attacks" with healthy periods in between, just like other types of migraine.

Sometimes these symptoms appear in adults, but normally they occur in children between the ages of 5 and 9. It can be very tricky to diagnose, and it’s important to rule out other possible issues (such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease and peptic ulcer). Sometimes children are diagnosed with cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) – recent studies are suggesting that CVS may actually be abdominal migraine.

It’s also important to deal with abdominal migraine because it can lead to other kinds of migraine in adulthood. It’s a big help to get a proper diagnosis and proper treatment early on.

Side note: Why are these abdominal symptoms included in the category of migraine? There are two main reasons. First, there are symptoms similar to many types of migraine – it comes in episodes, nausea is often present, sensitivity to light, etc. Second, researchers discovered that people with abdominal migraine symptoms often had other family members with more familiar types of migraine.

Remember, migraine is not just another name for a headache!

Communicating with your Doctor (Blog Carnival)

James Resources 0

It’s time for another great edition of the Headache and Migraine Disease Blog Carnival. Of course I encourage you to head over to Somebody Heal Me to check out all the articles, but let me highlight a few that are especially helpful (besides my own regarding children with headache or migraine).

The topic was communicating with your doctor, so many of these points were general tips for preparing for an appointment, what to say, and so on.

Some great tips over at rhymes with migraine (I’m cheating and getting a two-for-one on this one, because she also links to helpful articles at My Migraine Connection). For someone working with chronic headache or migraine, the question is Does your doctor know what you do at work?

More quick tips here for Improving Communication Between Patients & Doctors. More common sense points about How To Talk To Your Migraine Doctor

Last year an issue of HeadWay talked about this issue as well. Read How to talk to your doctor.

9 September 2008

Concerns about Topamax and Uric Acid

James Medications 1

A new study suggests that people taking Topamax (topiramate) for migraine may have increased levels of uric acid. What does that mean?

What’s Uric Acid?

Let’s back up a bit. It’s actually normal to have uric acid in your body. It’s simply a waste product that comes from food, that usually dissolves in your blood and leaves the body in urine. But problems come when your body starts producing too much, or getting rid of too little. High levels of uric acid in the blood is the result – this is called hyperuricemia.

Too much Uric Acid

Too much uric acid in the blood can be caused by many things – obesity, certain foods ("purine-rich" foods like sardines, gravy, beer and liver), certain diseases and certain medications.

The result can be conditions like gout, uric acid stones in the urinary tract, and buildups of uric acid in other parts of the body.

Where does Topamax fit in?

This was a small study of 97 patients, 53 who had migraine and who took topiramate. The migraineurs had significantly higher levels of uric acid.

I take Topamax – why should I care?

Every medication we take is a balance against pros and cons. This small study is not a reason to panic, but it is something worth talking to your doctor about, especially if you have a history of problems related to uric acid.

It’s also another indication that more studies need to be done on Topamax. It has been a help to many migraineurs, but we do need to be aware of the risks.

8 September 2008

Invisible Illness Week starts NOW

James News, Resources 0

Just a reminder that this is Invisible Illness Week! It’s starting right now.

Actually, the seminars start later today. Here is a list of the seminars, which will be broadcast via blog talk radio.

Some of the topics include:

Stress busters at work
Medications, Illness, Fertility and the desire for Motherhood
College and Chronic Illness
Illness and Faith
Friendships, Dating and Marriage: Can it all come together when you’re young and chronically ill?

As you can see, there’s quite a variety of topics, and those are only a few! There are some great speakers and great prizes to be won. So head on over and enjoy the week!

If you’re not able to listen live to the seminars, they will be available via MP3 afterwards, so stay tuned. For updates, check out the Invisible Illness Blog.