Butterbur???

[Captain Deb]

Has anyone out there used butterbur as a migraine preventive? In the Bill Young workshop CD transcript he mention putting some of his patients on this herb who were intolerant to some of the side effects of some of the more modern calcium channel blockers and other preventives. He also mentioned using it in addition to some of these drugs.  Here's a link to a scholerly article: http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/abstract/63/12/2240. I may just have to go get some of this stuff!

Capt Deb

[jerseygirl]

Capt Deb,

I just saw something recently on the herb and here is the link:

http://search.lef.org/cgi-src-bin/MsmGo.exe?grab_id=0&page_id=2510&query=migraine&hiword=MIGRAIN%20MIGRAINEIN%20MIGRAINES%20migraine%20

I don't have headaches anymore but I sure did at one time and I know I would be willing to try anything to obtain relief! I hope your experiment works wonders.

 Eve

[GRACE1]

Thank you two for the links.  This would definitely be worth a try.  Great info!

Grace

[Omaschwannoma]

Hey Deb,

I too read about butterbur and migraine, but I still didn't believe my head pain was migraine and the ice pack is working for what I believe to be occipital neuralgia.

This doesn't help you I know, but in addition to my looking up migraine meds I found Dr. Silberstein did study on CoQ10 as preventive, but you have to take 3 months regimen before seeing results and the studies look promising, unfortunately this product is $50-60/pop!  WHAT? 

Along with CoQ10 they use B12 so I wasn't ready to "fork" over the $$'s when I think I've found my cure---ice! 

I posted sometime ago that I was down to 2 headaches/month, lasting three days.  I do have flashes, sometimes bright white dots moving about here there and everywhere everyday anyway that don't seem to be associated with head pain.  I have been icing when I feel the neck/scar/occiput nerves firing their numbing arrival and I've gone one month without a full blown three-day nauseating headache.  I knew I never had migraines before surgery, nor after surgery, but they all kept telling me "Sounds like migraine to me."

I for one would try all the above mentioned if you are sure your problem is migraine related and perhaps if the CoQ10 works, then you could get this expensive product through your doctor and insurance? 

[Captain Deb]

Karen,
I spoke with my neurologist about "what's the difference between occipital neuralgia and a migraine," and he said that the only difference really is in the symptoms, specifically, the light sensitivity and nausea and throbbing pain is associated with the migraine, whereas the ON pain is more stabbing.  They  both originate in more or less the same area.  I forgot to ask him about the butterbur, but I kind of know his answer would be, "you could try it." Remember this is the same guy who took 3 years to refer me to a specialist and 5 1/2 years to get me to a pain clinic for a nerve block (not all his fault--insurance issues). But he's one of 4 neurologists in this small town and I don't feel like starting over with anyone else.

Glad the ice is working for you!

Capt Deb

[Omaschwannoma]

Hey Deb,

Well that's interesting bit o news.  Can't say my pain is stabbing though, oh well......sigh.  Guess I'll never know the real reason for my head pain, but will keep up with the ice packs, actually it's a huge "eye" pack filled with gell and fits the occipital/neck muscles perfectly.  Hope you find more and more relief along with the nerve block.  Be happy that at least you have a neurologist to see as in my town the one I saw had mis-diagnosed me as stressed and went far too long (2 years) before getting correct dx, then hooked up with another one in town and it's looking as though she isn't any better--sigh.  So that's why I've do my own experimenting as it were to find relief. 

[Sue]

Capt Deb, how are you doing, now that some time has elapsed since your pain management treatment?  I think you had a nerve block shot thingie.  Is it still doing it's job?


Just curious

Sue in Vancouver USA

[Captain Deb]

I'm going about 3-4 weeks between shots these days.  Don't know how long I can keep getting the shots as prednisone is not too good for you. I'm sure the doc will let me know.  By the time I went for my last shot it was 6 weeks and I had had 2 migraines in one week and was really unable to do much other than sit on the sofa.  3 days after the shot I cleaned the house and now I'm up in the studio painting! Well, I'm posting and putzing around, but at least I'm up in the studio and off the couch!

Capt Deb

[Sue]

Well then, I hope your system can take the shots for a long time because they seem to have helped you and that's a very good thing.

Sue in Vancouver USA