There have been a multitude of news articles recently about research coming out of the Montefiore Headache Center about the overuse of medications causing mediation overuse headache (rebound) and leading to chronic Migraine.
While it’s good that this information is being widely promoted, some people need to do more research into the topic before putting their hands to the keyboard. One example of this is an article published on redOrbit.com on Tuesday, “Migraine Medication Can Become Addictive.”
This research has nothing to do with addiction, and the researchers aren’t saying that using Migraine medications can lead to addiction. When someone is addicted to medications, they’re no longer taking them for relief of pain; they’re taking them for the emotional boost they get from them. That is not at all what this research is about.
Migraineurs have enough problems with public perception and stigma without fools using words like addiction where they’re totally inappropriate. We don’t need the stigma of the word “addiction” following us around too.
So, to the staff at redOrbit: If you don’t know what you’re talking about, don’t write the articles or headlines. In addition to the potential damage you’re doing Migraineurs with this headline, you’re making yourselves look stupid.
Best,
Arabella ♥
I’ve been so annoyed with these articles ALL week and wanting to see something like this written- putting the original information out there CORRECTLY, and taking to task the worst of the (gobs of) bad articles.
Thank you, Arabella, for writing this.
Thank you for this blog & posting! I’ve suffered from migraines since age 11 (I’m 58 now). After developing an allergy to Migranol & later on, kidney function troubles, I can no longer take currently available drugs. I am thankful to have found your blog, so I no longer feel the need to sift through junk stuff trying to find truth! Your post today really struck a erve! I took a bad fall at home, back in 2001, which caused TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). After that my migraines ‘transformed’ into a permanent chronic condition.
The first neurologist I consulted about the headaches insisted I had ‘rebound’ headaches from taking too much pain medicine. He inferred I was addicted & depressed, suffering from ‘the change’ (despite the med/surg history he made me fill out that included ‘complete’ hysterectomy in 1974!). My 2 main MDs (internist & physiatrist – MD specializing in rehabilitation) who both had diagnosed post-concussive syndrome, had send me for consult.
Trying to be a compliant patient, I followed his orders to discontinue all pain meds except for Celebrex for severe spine pain. I rapidly got much worse headaches because the real problem was no longer getting help. He insisted that Toradol injections would stop the headaches, & refused to believe me when I said it might as well be saline. He also decided depression was causing the headaches & put me on Effexor. I wasn’t depressed, & it caused me to get clinically depressed & I got referred to a psychiatrist.
After 8 wks of unbelievable suffering, I asked him why he didn’t consider the opinion of the other 2 MDs, that my research (I was working in pharmacology clinical trials) backed up their diagnosis of brain injury. He said if I didn’t like what he said, I could go somewhere else. So I fired him, & waited another month before getting to see my current neurologist in Feb 2002.
Meanwhile, my physiatrist ordered a neuropsych exam, & the specialisdt concluded I had brain injury & migraines resulting in visual distortion, which added to the pain. So, I fired the psychiatrist, too ~ at least he finally admitted I really didn’t need antidepressants.
My new neurologist, appalled that the 1st had done no tests, did a full workup & MRI revealed right frontal lobe lesions that were causing my symptoms. I also have neuropathy around the trauma site, & she gives me a monthly nerve block that helps for about 2.5 weeks. I have chronic pain at the trauma site & it triggers migraines that last 3-10 days. So very rare is the day I don’t have a migraine. I use OxyContin for the pain (I also have fibromyalgia).
I live in constant fear that some MD I may have to see when mine are unavailable will decided I’m ‘taking too much’ or call me an addict. I use the drugs because I NEED it, not because it makes me feel ‘good’ ~ I get ZERO highs. And I can function. Without drugs I’d be bedridden. Thank you for telling the truth!
Am I seeing things, or did the redorbit just take the AP article and retitle it? Well, and scramble around some of the other wording a bit?
The title of the original article was “Avoiding the painkiller overuse rut in migraines” which is completely different from the title of the redorbit article about addiction.
Um…is that allowable? Wonder if AP is aware?
The original article was fine. What redorbit did was inexcusable.
Jude, I’m so glad to hear you didn’t give up, and that you fired those morons!
Arabella,
This is a great post. Although the original article was talking about medication overuse headaches (MOH), there is some truth in the headline that redOrbit used. Depending on the medication, pain sufferers can become drug dependent.
Debbie,
Yes, we can become dependent for pain relief and end up with MOH. BUT, that’s not addiction. An addict takes meds to get high or get an emotional boost. That’s way different from dependence.
Arabella
Brava, Arabella!
I don’t think these people even read the abstract, let alone the journal articles related to the articles they write. Seems to me it’s all about writing headlines that will get attention — no matter how incorrect they may be or the damage they may cause.
Good job calling them on it!
Abi
[...] post is in response to Arabella’s post regarding the difference between medication overuse headache (MOH) and addiction. We are both responding to redOrbit’s article Migraine Meds Can Become Addictive (BTW, the [...]
Hi Arabella,
I just e-mailed you. I am so happy to see you write about this topic…I am doing one myself. You would be shocked at how even some doctors live in the dark ages about this.
My husband is a doctor and has to educate people all the time that if you are in pain you will up your pain meds…it means NOTHING OF ADDICTION!
ADDiction is defined as….drug seeking for pleasure!
I don’t think we have pleasure during a migraine! So many of us have to deal with this…GREAT JOB!
Liz
http://www.migrainecommunity.blogspot.com
My fellow on Orkut shared this link and I’m not dissapointed that I came to your blog.
I stumbled across this site while looking for migraine information. Jude’s story sounds a lot like mine. Lucky for me my Primary Care Physician is very sympathetic to my problem. I’m 46 and have been dealing with migraines for seven years now. I’ve been to Specialists, Neurologists, Chiropractors, a musculoskeletal MD, all with no relief. The part I can relate to is being treated like a drug seeker.
I went to a nationally known pain clinic seeking help and I felt like I got the bum’s rush out of there. After filling out a multi-page medical history form, sending my records ahead of my appointment, then going through a 45 minute interview with a nurse, the doctor concluded I was having rebound headaches and told me to stop all pain meds and see him in two months. I’ve had MRI’s, MRA’ head CT’s countless blood tests, a list of drugs trials a mile long, and this guy (in one visit) concludes it’s just rebound headaches. I left feeling like I was talked down to and made to feel like a narcotics seeker. I didn’t make the second appointment.
I tried cortisone shots, at a local pain clinic which just made my neck hurt. So now there is a four week program at Physical Rehabilitation hospital I’m going to try, but it’s expensive and my insurance covers 70%; the rest comes out of my pocket. So, I have to save some money before I can go.
I’m lucky I can still work, but by the end of the day I’m reaching for the pain killers. I’ve been accused of being an addict, told to take Extra Strength Whatever because “That’s what I take for headaches”. Yeah, if it were only just headaches. I’ve also been told to “toughen up”. People don’t understand what chronic pain is until they it happens to them.
Thanks for letting me vent.
-Daniel
Daniel,
Sorry you’ve been through so much. Sadly, neither neurologists nor pain management doctors are necessarily Migraine specialists. Many of us have found that the way to turning things around was to find a real Migraine specialist.
Best,
Arabella