Days of DHE

I just saw the neurologist and have decided to try an IV treatment of DHE (dihydroergotamine) over the next few days. It will cause me to get sicker first but should hopefully break the headache cycle. I have tried the DHE once in the past and had a lot of vomitting with it, so I am very nervous. Since this headache has not broken in 14 days I am pretty much ready to try anything. I am a lil stirr crazy up in this hospital room but at least my Dr. is open enough with me about what is going to happen with the DHE. It is a drug that is not too commonly used but is proven effective in most "true" migraine sufferers. It attacks the headache at its source by binding the receptors in the brain that release seretonin. The DHE can cause rebound headaches that are often caused by opiate based painmedication such as vicodin. Vicodin will only dull a true migraine not take it away which is why when it wears off the pain is very much still there. I have found vasoconstrictors to be helpful but they just have broken this headache. I also will totally cut out food high in an amino acid called tyramine while I am on the DHE (ex: snow peas, msg, soy sauce(miso) pickles, aged meat or cheese, nuts, alcohol, yeast( specific breads and yogurt). I usually avoid all of these food but will stay stricter with the diet on the DHE.

Someting else that is being talked about for patient like me that does not respond well to oral medications. Is Ketamine infusions... http://www.anesthesia-analgesia.org/cgi/content/full/97/6/1730 If you want to learn more about the ketamine infusions and how they work.