New Daily Persistent Headache

I'm 41 now, and I've had NDPH for going on 6.5 years. I was a civil litigation attorney at a small firm, and things were really beginning to gel for me at work. The one day I woke in the middle of the night with the worst headache of my life. When it didn't go away, I went to Kaiser, and my docs diagnosed me with a migraine. It didn't take long for me to realize that I couldn't work anymore. I was quickly introduced to another side effect of the NDPH, cognitive slowing. After burning through all my vacation and sick time, it was obvious that my inability to make deadlines or even understand the cases or documents I was reading precluded me being a lawyer. Thankfully, I had private disability insurance that has helped me pay the bills, and though I live alone, a supportive family to pick up the slack.

None of the drugs I've tried has helped, and while I haven't tried as many as some of you in this thread, I've certainly had my share, including botox and a course of DHE. My pain level varies between a 4 and 8 on most days with light and sound sensitivity, and I've just about worn my docs out with the "What next?" question. I feel as if I'm done with the prescription meds. The side effects were awful, and with so many of them, you have to take them for a while before you can tell if they are effective (or not in my case). I've also been to the Stanford Neuroscience Pain Clinic, where one of the doctors (Dr. Cowan) has chosen NDPH as his research field. I've been meaning to sign up for his study, even though his treatment recommendation didn't work either. Most of my doctors shrug their shoulders now, unsure what to tell me. My primary has just suggested narcotics, not as a cure, but to attempt to improve my daily quality of life, even if I'm not able to go back to work. I'm considering it, but don't feel I'm quite ready for that step, esp considering the rebound headaches!

Last year, I was referred to an acupuncturist by a friend who had been cured of her infertility, and after a month of treatment, I saw results. I've had one brief (3-hr) window where my pain level was virtually eliminated, and that was after an acupuncture treatment by this out-of-plan provider. My nausea and vertigo have also been nearly nonexistent since I've been doing acupuncture. Because of that, I'm still working with the acupuncturist, and even though I haven't had a repeat of that amazing, unbelievably blissful 3 hours, I hold out hope that if it happened one, it can happen again. I also continue to make dietary changes and have discovered a dairy intolerance (though I went to a nutritionist early in my illness and tested negative for food allergies and sensitivities). Each day, I aim to stagger the healthy activities (swimming or playing with my dog) and the necessary activities (dishes, laundry) with my time laying down reading or just being still in a dark, quiet place, with an ice pack on my head. That has helped reduce the number of days I'm in bed all day. I also just started doing biofeedback - referred out of plan by my neurologist, again for only 6 visits. If I'm remembering correctly, the mayo clinic site has a good description of biofeedback and its benefits.

I would encourage all of you to try alternative treatments like this, outside of an established health-care plan, if necessary. I say this because western medicine doesn't have an answer or cure for NDPH, and who's to say that the "one pill to fix it all" approach isn't the wrong one for this condition? Eastern medicine is all about bringing balance back to the body. I like the idea of bringing balance back into my life and that everything I do has an effect on my head. And my current treatment plan is a lot easier on my body than all those meds. Kaiser offers acupuncture, too, but they are limited in the number of treatments (6 per year per condition/referral) as well as the scope of their treatment (limited based on referral diagnosis). Obviously, you will want to do your research on providers. I've met some weirdos in my journey and was so happy to find a reputable and knowledgeable provider. Currently, we're working on a liver detox, as my digestive organ pulses seem to be tied to my pain levels. I'll let you all know if there's any progress! Good luck to all of you.

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I'm 41 now, and I've had NDPH for going on 6.5 years. I was a civil litigation attorney at a small firm, and things were really beginning to gel for me at work. The one day I woke in the middle of the night with the worst headache of my life. When it didn't go away, I went to Kaiser, and my docs diagnosed me with a migraine. It didn't take long for me to realize that I couldn't work anymore. I was quickly introduced to another side effect of the NDPH, cognitive slowing. After burning through all my vacation and sick time, it was obvious that my inability to make deadlines or even understand the cases or documents I was reading precluded me being a lawyer. Thankfully, I had private disability insurance that has helped me pay the bills, and though I live alone, a supportive family to pick up the slack.

None of the drugs I've tried has helped, and while I haven't tried as many as some of you in this thread, I've certainly had my share, including botox and a course of DHE. My pain level varies between a 4 and 8 on most days with light and sound sensitivity, and I've just about worn my docs out with the "What next?" question. I feel as if I'm done with the prescription meds. The side effects were awful, and with so many of them, you have to take them for a while before you can tell if they are effective (or not in my case). I've also been to the Stanford Neuroscience Pain Clinic, where one of the doctors (Dr. Cowan) has chosen NDPH as his research field. I've been meaning to sign up for his study, even though his treatment recommendation didn't work either. Most of my doctors shrug their shoulders now, unsure what to tell me. My primary has just suggested narcotics, not as a cure, but to attempt to improve my daily quality of life, even if I'm not able to go back to work. I'm considering it, but don't feel I'm quite ready for that step, esp considering the rebound headaches!

Last year, I was referred to an acupuncturist by a friend who had been cured of her infertility, and after a month of treatment, I saw results. I've had one brief (3-hr) window where my pain level was virtually eliminated, and that was after an acupuncture treatment by this out-of-plan provider. My nausea and vertigo have also been nearly nonexistent since I've been doing acupuncture. Because of that, I'm still working with the acupuncturist, and even though I haven't had a repeat of that amazing, unbelievably blissful 3 hours, I hold out hope that if it happened one, it can happen again. I also continue to make dietary changes and have discovered a dairy intolerance (though I went to a nutritionist early in my illness and tested negative for food allergies and sensitivities). Each day, I aim to stagger the healthy activities (swimming or playing with my dog) and the necessary activities (dishes, laundry) with my time laying down reading or just being still in a dark, quiet place, with an ice pack on my head. That has helped reduce the number of days I'm in bed all day. I also just started doing biofeedback - referred out of plan by my neurologist, again for only 6 visits. If I'm remembering correctly, the mayo clinic site has a good description of biofeedback and its benefits.

I would encourage all of you to try alternative treatments like this, outside of an established health-care plan, if necessary. I say this because western medicine doesn't have an answer or cure for NDPH, and who's to say that the "one pill to fix it all" approach isn't the wrong one for this condition? Eastern medicine is all about bringing balance back to the body. I like the idea of bringing balance back into my life and that everything I do has an effect on my head. And my current treatment plan is a lot easier on my body than all those meds. Kaiser offers acupuncture, too, but they are limited in the number of treatments (6 per year per condition/referral) as well as the scope of their treatment (limited based on referral diagnosis). Obviously, you will want to do your research on providers. I've met some weirdos in my journey and was so happy to find a reputable and knowledgeable provider. Currently, we're working on a liver detox, as my digestive organ pulses seem to be tied to my pain levels. I'll let you all know if there's any progress! Good luck to all of you.

Jump to this post

I'm 41 now, and I've had NDPH for going on 6.5 years. I was a civil litigation attorney at a small firm, and things were really beginning to gel for me at work. The one day I woke in the middle of the night with the worst headache of my life. When it didn't go away, I went to Kaiser, and my docs diagnosed me with a migraine. It didn't take long for me to realize that I couldn't work anymore. I was quickly introduced to another side effect of the NDPH, cognitive slowing. After burning through all my vacation and sick time, it was obvious that my inability to make deadlines or even understand the cases or documents I was reading precluded me being a lawyer. Thankfully, I had private disability insurance that has helped me pay the bills, and though I live alone, a supportive family to pick up the slack.

None of the drugs I've tried has helped, and while I haven't tried as many as some of you in this thread, I've certainly had my share, including botox and a course of DHE. My pain level varies between a 4 and 8 on most days with light and sound sensitivity, and I've just about worn my docs out with the "What next?" question. I feel as if I'm done with the prescription meds. The side effects were awful, and with so many of them, you have to take them for a while before you can tell if they are effective (or not in my case). I've also been to the Stanford Neuroscience Pain Clinic, where one of the doctors (Dr. Cowan) has chosen NDPH as his research field. I've been meaning to sign up for his study, even though his treatment recommendation didn't work either. Most of my doctors shrug their shoulders now, unsure what to tell me. My primary has just suggested narcotics, not as a cure, but to attempt to improve my daily quality of life, even if I'm not able to go back to work. I'm considering it, but don't feel I'm quite ready for that step, esp considering the rebound headaches!

Last year, I was referred to an acupuncturist by a friend who had been cured of her infertility, and after a month of treatment, I saw results. I've had one brief (3-hr) window where my pain level was virtually eliminated, and that was after an acupuncture treatment by this out-of-plan provider. My nausea and vertigo have also been nearly nonexistent since I've been doing acupuncture. Because of that, I'm still working with the acupuncturist, and even though I haven't had a repeat of that amazing, unbelievably blissful 3 hours, I hold out hope that if it happened one, it can happen again. I also continue to make dietary changes and have discovered a dairy intolerance (though I went to a nutritionist early in my illness and tested negative for food allergies and sensitivities). Each day, I aim to stagger the healthy activities (swimming or playing with my dog) and the necessary activities (dishes, laundry) with my time laying down reading or just being still in a dark, quiet place, with an ice pack on my head. That has helped reduce the number of days I'm in bed all day. I also just started doing biofeedback - referred out of plan by my neurologist, again for only 6 visits. If I'm remembering correctly, the mayo clinic site has a good description of biofeedback and its benefits.

I would encourage all of you to try alternative treatments like this, outside of an established health-care plan, if necessary. I say this because western medicine doesn't have an answer or cure for NDPH, and who's to say that the "one pill to fix it all" approach isn't the wrong one for this condition? Eastern medicine is all about bringing balance back to the body. I like the idea of bringing balance back into my life and that everything I do has an effect on my head. And my current treatment plan is a lot easier on my body than all those meds. Kaiser offers acupuncture, too, but they are limited in the number of treatments (6 per year per condition/referral) as well as the scope of their treatment (limited based on referral diagnosis). Obviously, you will want to do your research on providers. I've met some weirdos in my journey and was so happy to find a reputable and knowledgeable provider. Currently, we're working on a liver detox, as my digestive organ pulses seem to be tied to my pain levels. I'll let you all know if there's any progress! Good luck to all of you.

Jump to this post

I'm 41 now, and I've had NDPH for going on 6.5 years. I was a civil litigation attorney at a small firm, and things were really beginning to gel for me at work. The one day I woke in the middle of the night with the worst headache of my life. When it didn't go away, I went to Kaiser, and my docs diagnosed me with a migraine. It didn't take long for me to realize that I couldn't work anymore. I was quickly introduced to another side effect of the NDPH, cognitive slowing. After burning through all my vacation and sick time, it was obvious that my inability to make deadlines or even understand the cases or documents I was reading precluded me being a lawyer. Thankfully, I had private disability insurance that has helped me pay the bills, and though I live alone, a supportive family to pick up the slack.

None of the drugs I've tried has helped, and while I haven't tried as many as some of you in this thread, I've certainly had my share, including botox and a course of DHE. My pain level varies between a 4 and 8 on most days with light and sound sensitivity, and I've just about worn my docs out with the "What next?" question. I feel as if I'm done with the prescription meds. The side effects were awful, and with so many of them, you have to take them for a while before you can tell if they are effective (or not in my case). I've also been to the Stanford Neuroscience Pain Clinic, where one of the doctors (Dr. Cowan) has chosen NDPH as his research field. I've been meaning to sign up for his study, even though his treatment recommendation didn't work either. Most of my doctors shrug their shoulders now, unsure what to tell me. My primary has just suggested narcotics, not as a cure, but to attempt to improve my daily quality of life, even if I'm not able to go back to work. I'm considering it, but don't feel I'm quite ready for that step, esp considering the rebound headaches!

Last year, I was referred to an acupuncturist by a friend who had been cured of her infertility, and after a month of treatment, I saw results. I've had one brief (3-hr) window where my pain level was virtually eliminated, and that was after an acupuncture treatment by this out-of-plan provider. My nausea and vertigo have also been nearly nonexistent since I've been doing acupuncture. Because of that, I'm still working with the acupuncturist, and even though I haven't had a repeat of that amazing, unbelievably blissful 3 hours, I hold out hope that if it happened one, it can happen again. I also continue to make dietary changes and have discovered a dairy intolerance (though I went to a nutritionist early in my illness and tested negative for food allergies and sensitivities). Each day, I aim to stagger the healthy activities (swimming or playing with my dog) and the necessary activities (dishes, laundry) with my time laying down reading or just being still in a dark, quiet place, with an ice pack on my head. That has helped reduce the number of days I'm in bed all day. I also just started doing biofeedback - referred out of plan by my neurologist, again for only 6 visits. If I'm remembering correctly, the mayo clinic site has a good description of biofeedback and its benefits.

I would encourage all of you to try alternative treatments like this, outside of an established health-care plan, if necessary. I say this because western medicine doesn't have an answer or cure for NDPH, and who's to say that the "one pill to fix it all" approach isn't the wrong one for this condition? Eastern medicine is all about bringing balance back to the body. I like the idea of bringing balance back into my life and that everything I do has an effect on my head. And my current treatment plan is a lot easier on my body than all those meds. Kaiser offers acupuncture, too, but they are limited in the number of treatments (6 per year per condition/referral) as well as the scope of their treatment (limited based on referral diagnosis). Obviously, you will want to do your research on providers. I've met some weirdos in my journey and was so happy to find a reputable and knowledgeable provider. Currently, we're working on a liver detox, as my digestive organ pulses seem to be tied to my pain levels. I'll let you all know if there's any progress! Good luck to all of you.

Jump to this post

I'm 41 now, and I've had NDPH for going on 6.5 years. I was a civil litigation attorney at a small firm, and things were really beginning to gel for me at work. The one day I woke in the middle of the night with the worst headache of my life. When it didn't go away, I went to Kaiser, and my docs diagnosed me with a migraine. It didn't take long for me to realize that I couldn't work anymore. I was quickly introduced to another side effect of the NDPH, cognitive slowing. After burning through all my vacation and sick time, it was obvious that my inability to make deadlines or even understand the cases or documents I was reading precluded me being a lawyer. Thankfully, I had private disability insurance that has helped me pay the bills, and though I live alone, a supportive family to pick up the slack.

None of the drugs I've tried has helped, and while I haven't tried as many as some of you in this thread, I've certainly had my share, including botox and a course of DHE. My pain level varies between a 4 and 8 on most days with light and sound sensitivity, and I've just about worn my docs out with the "What next?" question. I feel as if I'm done with the prescription meds. The side effects were awful, and with so many of them, you have to take them for a while before you can tell if they are effective (or not in my case). I've also been to the Stanford Neuroscience Pain Clinic, where one of the doctors (Dr. Cowan) has chosen NDPH as his research field. I've been meaning to sign up for his study, even though his treatment recommendation didn't work either. Most of my doctors shrug their shoulders now, unsure what to tell me. My primary has just suggested narcotics, not as a cure, but to attempt to improve my daily quality of life, even if I'm not able to go back to work. I'm considering it, but don't feel I'm quite ready for that step, esp considering the rebound headaches!

Last year, I was referred to an acupuncturist by a friend who had been cured of her infertility, and after a month of treatment, I saw results. I've had one brief (3-hr) window where my pain level was virtually eliminated, and that was after an acupuncture treatment by this out-of-plan provider. My nausea and vertigo have also been nearly nonexistent since I've been doing acupuncture. Because of that, I'm still working with the acupuncturist, and even though I haven't had a repeat of that amazing, unbelievably blissful 3 hours, I hold out hope that if it happened one, it can happen again. I also continue to make dietary changes and have discovered a dairy intolerance (though I went to a nutritionist early in my illness and tested negative for food allergies and sensitivities). Each day, I aim to stagger the healthy activities (swimming or playing with my dog) and the necessary activities (dishes, laundry) with my time laying down reading or just being still in a dark, quiet place, with an ice pack on my head. That has helped reduce the number of days I'm in bed all day. I also just started doing biofeedback - referred out of plan by my neurologist, again for only 6 visits. If I'm remembering correctly, the mayo clinic site has a good description of biofeedback and its benefits.

I would encourage all of you to try alternative treatments like this, outside of an established health-care plan, if necessary. I say this because western medicine doesn't have an answer or cure for NDPH, and who's to say that the "one pill to fix it all" approach isn't the wrong one for this condition? Eastern medicine is all about bringing balance back to the body. I like the idea of bringing balance back into my life and that everything I do has an effect on my head. And my current treatment plan is a lot easier on my body than all those meds. Kaiser offers acupuncture, too, but they are limited in the number of treatments (6 per year per condition/referral) as well as the scope of their treatment (limited based on referral diagnosis). Obviously, you will want to do your research on providers. I've met some weirdos in my journey and was so happy to find a reputable and knowledgeable provider. Currently, we're working on a liver detox, as my digestive organ pulses seem to be tied to my pain levels. I'll let you all know if there's any progress! Good luck to all of you.

Jump to this post

I'm 41 now, and I've had NDPH for going on 6.5 years. I was a civil litigation attorney at a small firm, and things were really beginning to gel for me at work. The one day I woke in the middle of the night with the worst headache of my life. When it didn't go away, I went to Kaiser, and my docs diagnosed me with a migraine. It didn't take long for me to realize that I couldn't work anymore. I was quickly introduced to another side effect of the NDPH, cognitive slowing. After burning through all my vacation and sick time, it was obvious that my inability to make deadlines or even understand the cases or documents I was reading precluded me being a lawyer. Thankfully, I had private disability insurance that has helped me pay the bills, and though I live alone, a supportive family to pick up the slack.

None of the drugs I've tried has helped, and while I haven't tried as many as some of you in this thread, I've certainly had my share, including botox and a course of DHE. My pain level varies between a 4 and 8 on most days with light and sound sensitivity, and I've just about worn my docs out with the "What next?" question. I feel as if I'm done with the prescription meds. The side effects were awful, and with so many of them, you have to take them for a while before you can tell if they are effective (or not in my case). I've also been to the Stanford Neuroscience Pain Clinic, where one of the doctors (Dr. Cowan) has chosen NDPH as his research field. I've been meaning to sign up for his study, even though his treatment recommendation didn't work either. Most of my doctors shrug their shoulders now, unsure what to tell me. My primary has just suggested narcotics, not as a cure, but to attempt to improve my daily quality of life, even if I'm not able to go back to work. I'm considering it, but don't feel I'm quite ready for that step, esp considering the rebound headaches!

Last year, I was referred to an acupuncturist by a friend who had been cured of her infertility, and after a month of treatment, I saw results. I've had one brief (3-hr) window where my pain level was virtually eliminated, and that was after an acupuncture treatment by this out-of-plan provider. My nausea and vertigo have also been nearly nonexistent since I've been doing acupuncture. Because of that, I'm still working with the acupuncturist, and even though I haven't had a repeat of that amazing, unbelievably blissful 3 hours, I hold out hope that if it happened one, it can happen again. I also continue to make dietary changes and have discovered a dairy intolerance (though I went to a nutritionist early in my illness and tested negative for food allergies and sensitivities). Each day, I aim to stagger the healthy activities (swimming or playing with my dog) and the necessary activities (dishes, laundry) with my time laying down reading or just being still in a dark, quiet place, with an ice pack on my head. That has helped reduce the number of days I'm in bed all day. I also just started doing biofeedback - referred out of plan by my neurologist, again for only 6 visits. If I'm remembering correctly, the mayo clinic site has a good description of biofeedback and its benefits.

I would encourage all of you to try alternative treatments like this, outside of an established health-care plan, if necessary. I say this because western medicine doesn't have an answer or cure for NDPH, and who's to say that the "one pill to fix it all" approach isn't the wrong one for this condition? Eastern medicine is all about bringing balance back to the body. I like the idea of bringing balance back into my life and that everything I do has an effect on my head. And my current treatment plan is a lot easier on my body than all those meds. Kaiser offers acupuncture, too, but they are limited in the number of treatments (6 per year per condition/referral) as well as the scope of their treatment (limited based on referral diagnosis). Obviously, you will want to do your research on providers. I've met some weirdos in my journey and was so happy to find a reputable and knowledgeable provider. Currently, we're working on a liver detox, as my digestive organ pulses seem to be tied to my pain levels. I'll let you all know if there's any progress! Good luck to all of you.

Jump to this post

I'm 41 now, and I've had NDPH for going on 6.5 years. I was a civil litigation attorney at a small firm, and things were really beginning to gel for me at work. The one day I woke in the middle of the night with the worst headache of my life. When it didn't go away, I went to Kaiser, and my docs diagnosed me with a migraine. It didn't take long for me to realize that I couldn't work anymore. I was quickly introduced to another side effect of the NDPH, cognitive slowing. After burning through all my vacation and sick time, it was obvious that my inability to make deadlines or even understand the cases or documents I was reading precluded me being a lawyer. Thankfully, I had private disability insurance that has helped me pay the bills, and though I live alone, a supportive family to pick up the slack.

None of the drugs I've tried has helped, and while I haven't tried as many as some of you in this thread, I've certainly had my share, including botox and a course of DHE. My pain level varies between a 4 and 8 on most days with light and sound sensitivity, and I've just about worn my docs out with the "What next?" question. I feel as if I'm done with the prescription meds. The side effects were awful, and with so many of them, you have to take them for a while before you can tell if they are effective (or not in my case). I've also been to the Stanford Neuroscience Pain Clinic, where one of the doctors (Dr. Cowan) has chosen NDPH as his research field. I've been meaning to sign up for his study, even though his treatment recommendation didn't work either. Most of my doctors shrug their shoulders now, unsure what to tell me. My primary has just suggested narcotics, not as a cure, but to attempt to improve my daily quality of life, even if I'm not able to go back to work. I'm considering it, but don't feel I'm quite ready for that step, esp considering the rebound headaches!

Last year, I was referred to an acupuncturist by a friend who had been cured of her infertility, and after a month of treatment, I saw results. I've had one brief (3-hr) window where my pain level was virtually eliminated, and that was after an acupuncture treatment by this out-of-plan provider. My nausea and vertigo have also been nearly nonexistent since I've been doing acupuncture. Because of that, I'm still working with the acupuncturist, and even though I haven't had a repeat of that amazing, unbelievably blissful 3 hours, I hold out hope that if it happened one, it can happen again. I also continue to make dietary changes and have discovered a dairy intolerance (though I went to a nutritionist early in my illness and tested negative for food allergies and sensitivities). Each day, I aim to stagger the healthy activities (swimming or playing with my dog) and the necessary activities (dishes, laundry) with my time laying down reading or just being still in a dark, quiet place, with an ice pack on my head. That has helped reduce the number of days I'm in bed all day. I also just started doing biofeedback - referred out of plan by my neurologist, again for only 6 visits. If I'm remembering correctly, the mayo clinic site has a good description of biofeedback and its benefits.

I would encourage all of you to try alternative treatments like this, outside of an established health-care plan, if necessary. I say this because western medicine doesn't have an answer or cure for NDPH, and who's to say that the "one pill to fix it all" approach isn't the wrong one for this condition? Eastern medicine is all about bringing balance back to the body. I like the idea of bringing balance back into my life and that everything I do has an effect on my head. And my current treatment plan is a lot easier on my body than all those meds. Kaiser offers acupuncture, too, but they are limited in the number of treatments (6 per year per condition/referral) as well as the scope of their treatment (limited based on referral diagnosis). Obviously, you will want to do your research on providers. I've met some weirdos in my journey and was so happy to find a reputable and knowledgeable provider. Currently, we're working on a liver detox, as my digestive organ pulses seem to be tied to my pain levels. I'll let you all know if there's any progress! Good luck to all of you.

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I'm new. How do I get connected to the new daily persistent headache/dizziness group!

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