Re: a - therapy for headache

[Guest guest]

Penny, a,

I use cheap frozen peas, they're the best, I then stick them back in the freezer for later use, just make sure you don't eat them after they've been refrozen half a dozen times

Nelly

[infections] a - therapy for headache

a, I wish someone had told me about ice therapy for headaches a long time ago.

Since I've been having so many migraines, which I think are being triggered by sinus inflammation, I've been desperate to find something that works.

I recently started icing the back of my neck and rubbing small pieces of ice directly on my face, temples, forehead, and got a remarkable reduction in pain. The duration of the headaches was much shorter, too, even without the aid of migraine meds. Plus, I could semi-function (meaning I didn't necessarily have to be in a pitch dark room with no noise and could avoid throwing up, etc.

Since this was working well, and I found the more ice the better, I began wrapping bags of crushed ice in thin towells and trying to tie them all over my head and holding them on my face (even though I don't have face pain). As long as the ice stayed on, the pain was tremendously reduced. But it was a ton of work keeping it all in place & dealing with leaking water, especially when you've got a headache. Without the ice, though, I'd never have been able to function enough to even make the ice packs. So I started looking for something a little easier to use and came up with some pretty remarkable products which I've posted below.

If the photos don't show, just click on the links and you'll see a forehead/neck wrap. A face wrap. And the second link shows an entire head wrap.

http://www.painreliever.com/Headache-12.html

http://www.icewraps.net/neck-ice-wraps.html

I bought all three, because like I said, I found the more ice coverage, the better. I even think that possibly wearing these while sitting in a warm bath might work even faster.

If I were you, I'd try putting ice on your head/temples/face and back of your neck (you can also try putting your feet in a warm tub). If it's as effective in reducing your inflammation/swelling/pain as it is mine, then think about investing in these gel packs with the velcro closures so that you don't have to deal with all the work of keeping stuff tied onto your head, leaking ice, etc.

I think that once inflammation starts it becomes self perpetuating and is hard to stop (and may be why migraine meds often only work at the very first sign of migraine). In my case the ice therapy actually is able to interrupt and abort the inflammatory loop. In the back of my head, I'm hoping I can retrain my nerves to not be so sensitive, as I've read that there are imaging studies that have shown that once your headaches become chronic, your brain/nerves actually change as if they've been reprogrammed to overreact to inflammation. Perhaps by using this kind of therapy, we can program our brains back to their original, less sensitive state.

It's a cheap experiment, and most likely safer than a lot of meds. I highly recommend trying it. Like I said, I wish someone had emphasized this to me a long time ago, as a wole lot of people get relief with ice.

pennypjeanneus <pj7@...> wrote:

I will be most interested in the scientificly minded folks' reaction to this article on Lyrica for fms. My latest fiasco of treatment for my head pressure was a neuro who decided I have tension headaches. He prescribed, guess what, Lyrica. I read that when you stop it intracranial pressure will increase. Also, if you note one side effect seems to be fluid retention and weight gain. IF indeed I have intracranial hypertension I cannot imagine a WORSE DRUG TO TAKE. (Needless to say, I did not take this drug which is very expensive even with health insurance.) Furthermore, I cannot see where it fixes the underlying cause of anything. Am I missing something?Thanks for any replies,a>> Well, I guess at least it's good to know that FMS is starting to be taken seriously as a real illness, even if they don't know what it is.> > http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118245956340043894.html?mod=googlenews_wsj> > FDA Approves Pfizer's Lyrica> For Treatment of Fibromyalgia By JENNIFER CORBETT DOOREN> June 21, 2007 5:16 p.m.> > WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved Pfizer Inc.'s Lyrica to treat fibromyalgia, a poorly understood pain disorder.> The approval marks the first time a drug has been approved for fibromyalgia, which is believed to affect three to six million Americans, mostly women. Fibromyalgia is marked by widespread muscle pain, tenderness and fatigue. The condition traditionally has been treated with a mix of painkillers and antidepressants.> Lyrica, already on the market to treat nerve pain associated with diabetes and shingles, is designed to interfere with damaged nerves that cause pain. The drug had $1.2 billion in world-wide sales last year, and has been used by about five million people.> The FDA granted Lyrica priority review status, which cuts four months off the standard 10-month drug review time and is reserved for treatments the agency deems an advance over existing therapies on the market.> The approval was good news for Pfizer, which on Wednesday saw the FDA delay approval of its proposed HIV drug maraviroc. Pfizer also announced Wednesday it had ended development of a lung cancer compound, PF-3512676 for lack of effectiveness.> Romano, a vice president in Pfizer's global medical division, said Lyrica appears to "dampen" the hyperexcitability of the central nervous system.> The FDA said Lyrica reduces pain and improves daily functions for some patients with fibromyalgia.> "Today's new approval marks an important advance, and provides a reason for optimism for the many patients who will receive pain relief with Lyrica," said Galson, the director of FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. However, he cautioned that not everyone on the clinical studies experience a benefit from Lyrica.> The FDA said two studies involving about 1,800 patients, support approval for use in treating fibromyalgia with doses of 300 milligrams or 450 milligrams per day. Pfizer had also studied a higher 600-milligram dose for Lyrica.> One of the studies involving Lyrica lasted about three months and involved about 750 patients who were assigned to a 600-milligram, 450-milligram or 300-milligram dose of Lyrica or a placebo. It showed that 30% of patients on the highest dose had a 50% or more reduction in pain, as measured by a commonly used index, compared with 27% on the middle dose, 24% at the lowest dose and 15% on placebo, or a fake pill.> The most common side effects of Lyrica included dizziness and sleepiness. Blurred vision, weight gain, dry mouth, and swelling of the hands and feet also were reported in clinical trials, and the FDA said side effects appeared to be dose related.> The FDA said Pfizer has agreed to study Lyrica in children with fibromyalgia as well as a study in breastfeeding women.> Write to Corbett Dooren at jennifer.corbett-dooren@...>

[Guest guest]

Geez

We've been on forums for years and something that is commonly used to

control inflammation never rates a mention.

Unfortuantely we get bombarded by the high pant/pocket protector

camps to make us believe we have deficiencies.

> I will be most interested in the scientificly minded

folks' reaction

> to this article on Lyrica for fms. My latest fiasco of treatment

for

> my head pressure was a neuro who decided I have tension headaches.

He

> prescribed, guess what, Lyrica. I read that when you stop it

> intracranial pressure will increase. Also, if you note one side

> effect seems to be fluid retention and weight gain. IF indeed I

have

> intracranial hypertension I cannot imagine a WORSE DRUG TO TAKE.

> (Needless to say, I did not take this drug which is very expensive

> even with health insurance.) Furthermore, I cannot see where it

fixes

> the underlying cause of anything. Am I missing something?

>

> Thanks for any replies,

> a

>

> >

> > Well, I guess at least it's good to know that FMS is starting to

be

> taken seriously as a real illness, even if they don't know what it

is.

> >

> > http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118245956340043894.html?

> mod=googlenews_wsj

> >

> > FDA Approves Pfizer's Lyrica

> > For Treatment of Fibromyalgia By JENNIFER CORBETT DOOREN

> > June 21, 2007 5:16 p.m.

> >

> > WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday

> approved Pfizer Inc.'s Lyrica to treat fibromyalgia, a poorly

> understood pain disorder.

> > The approval marks the first time a drug has been approved for

> fibromyalgia, which is believed to affect three to six million

> Americans, mostly women. Fibromyalgia is marked by widespread

muscle

> pain, tenderness and fatigue. The condition traditionally has been

> treated with a mix of painkillers and antidepressants.

> > Lyrica, already on the market to treat nerve pain associated with

> diabetes and shingles, is designed to interfere with damaged nerves

> that cause pain. The drug had $1.2 billion in world-wide sales last

> year, and has been used by about five million people.

> > The FDA granted Lyrica priority review status, which cuts four

> months off the standard 10-month drug review time and is reserved

for

> treatments the agency deems an advance over existing therapies on

the

> market.

> > The approval was good news for Pfizer, which on Wednesday saw the

> FDA delay approval of its proposed HIV drug maraviroc. Pfizer also

> announced Wednesday it had ended development of a lung cancer

> compound, PF-3512676 for lack of effectiveness.

> > Romano, a vice president in Pfizer's global medical

> division, said Lyrica appears to " dampen " the hyperexcitability of

> the central nervous system.

> > The FDA said Lyrica reduces pain and improves daily functions for

> some patients with fibromyalgia.

> > " Today's new approval marks an important advance, and provides a

> reason for optimism for the many patients who will receive pain

> relief with Lyrica, " said Galson, the director of FDA's

Center

> for Drug Evaluation and Research. However, he cautioned that not

> everyone on the clinical studies experience a benefit from Lyrica.

> > The FDA said two studies involving about 1,800 patients, support

> approval for use in treating fibromyalgia with doses of 300

> milligrams or 450 milligrams per day. Pfizer had also studied a

> higher 600-milligram dose for Lyrica.

> > One of the studies involving Lyrica lasted about three months and

> involved about 750 patients who were assigned to a 600-milligram,

450-

> milligram or 300-milligram dose of Lyrica or a placebo. It showed

> that 30% of patients on the highest dose had a 50% or more

reduction

> in pain, as measured by a commonly used index, compared with 27% on

> the middle dose, 24% at the lowest dose and 15% on placebo, or a

fake

> pill.

> > The most common side effects of Lyrica included dizziness and

> sleepiness. Blurred vision, weight gain, dry mouth, and swelling of

> the hands and feet also were reported in clinical trials, and the

FDA

> said side effects appeared to be dose related.

> > The FDA said Pfizer has agreed to study Lyrica in children with

> fibromyalgia as well as a study in breastfeeding women.

> > Write to Corbett Dooren at jennifer.corbett-dooren@

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Penny. I will try ice as well as the heat I have been using.

If it works I'll order this. I really appreciate these ideas. I

finally broke down and took a Diamox this afternoon. Tonight I am

feeling a bit better. It really does look like the intracranial

hypertension, but what, if anything, will fix it remains to be seen.

a

>

> a, I wish someone had told me about ice therapy for headaches a

long time ago.

[Guest guest]

We have put a wet towel in a plastic bag in the freezer and used

this. So far I have felt like the cold would make me worse, but I

really should try it.

a

>

> Penny, a,

>

> I use cheap frozen peas, they're the best, I then stick them back

in the freezer for later use, just make sure you don't eat them after

they've been refrozen half a dozen times

>

> Nelly

> [infections] a - therapy for headache

>

>

> a, I wish someone had told me about ice therapy for headaches

a long time ago.

>

> Since I've been having so many migraines, which I think are being

triggered by sinus inflammation, I've been desperate to find

something that works.

>

> I recently started icing the back of my neck and rubbing small

pieces of ice directly on my face, temples, forehead, and got a

remarkable reduction in pain. The duration of the headaches was much

shorter, too, even without the aid of migraine meds. Plus, I could

semi-function (meaning I didn't necessarily have to be in a pitch

dark room with no noise and could avoid throwing up, etc.

>

> Since this was working well, and I found the more ice the better,

I began wrapping bags of crushed ice in thin towells and trying to

tie them all over my head and holding them on my face (even though I

don't have face pain). As long as the ice stayed on, the pain was

tremendously reduced. But it was a ton of work keeping it all in

place & dealing with leaking water, especially when you've got a

headache. Without the ice, though, I'd never have been able to

function enough to even make the ice packs. So I started looking for

something a little easier to use and came up with some pretty

remarkable products which I've posted below.

>

> If the photos don't show, just click on the links and you'll see

a forehead/neck wrap. A face wrap. And the second link shows an

entire head wrap.

>

>

>

> http://www.painreliever.com/Headache-12.html

>

>

> http://www.icewraps.net/neck-ice-wraps.html

>

> I bought all three, because like I said, I found the more ice

coverage, the better. I even think that possibly wearing these while

sitting in a warm bath might work even faster.

>

> If I were you, I'd try putting ice on your head/temples/face and

back of your neck (you can also try putting your feet in a warm tub).

If it's as effective in reducing your inflammation/swelling/pain as

it is mine, then think about investing in these gel packs with the

velcro closures so that you don't have to deal with all the work of

keeping stuff tied onto your head, leaking ice, etc.

>

> I think that once inflammation starts it becomes self

perpetuating and is hard to stop (and may be why migraine meds often

only work at the very first sign of migraine). In my case the ice

therapy actually is able to interrupt and abort the inflammatory

loop. In the back of my head, I'm hoping I can retrain my nerves to

not be so sensitive, as I've read that there are imaging studies that

have shown that once your headaches become chronic, your brain/nerves

actually change as if they've been reprogrammed to overreact to

inflammation. Perhaps by using this kind of therapy, we can program

our brains back to their original, less sensitive state.

>

> It's a cheap experiment, and most likely safer than a lot of

meds. I highly recommend trying it. Like I said, I wish someone had

emphasized this to me a long time ago, as a wole lot of people get

relief with ice.

>

> penny

>

> pjeanneus <pj7@...> wrote:

> I will be most interested in the scientificly minded folks'

reaction

> to this article on Lyrica for fms. My latest fiasco of

treatment for

> my head pressure was a neuro who decided I have tension

headaches. He

> prescribed, guess what, Lyrica. I read that when you stop it

> intracranial pressure will increase. Also, if you note one side

> effect seems to be fluid retention and weight gain. IF indeed I

have

> intracranial hypertension I cannot imagine a WORSE DRUG TO

TAKE.

> (Needless to say, I did not take this drug which is very

expensive

> even with health insurance.) Furthermore, I cannot see where it

fixes

> the underlying cause of anything. Am I missing something?

>

> Thanks for any replies,

> a

>

> >

> > Well, I guess at least it's good to know that FMS is starting

to be

> taken seriously as a real illness, even if they don't know what

it is.

> >

> > http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118245956340043894.html?

> mod=googlenews_wsj

> >

> > FDA Approves Pfizer's Lyrica

> > For Treatment of Fibromyalgia By JENNIFER CORBETT DOOREN

> > June 21, 2007 5:16 p.m.

> >

> > WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on

Thursday

> approved Pfizer Inc.'s Lyrica to treat fibromyalgia, a poorly

> understood pain disorder.

> > The approval marks the first time a drug has been approved

for

> fibromyalgia, which is believed to affect three to six million

> Americans, mostly women. Fibromyalgia is marked by widespread

muscle

> pain, tenderness and fatigue. The condition traditionally has

been

> treated with a mix of painkillers and antidepressants.

> > Lyrica, already on the market to treat nerve pain associated

with

> diabetes and shingles, is designed to interfere with damaged

nerves

> that cause pain. The drug had $1.2 billion in world-wide sales

last

> year, and has been used by about five million people.

> > The FDA granted Lyrica priority review status, which cuts

four

> months off the standard 10-month drug review time and is

reserved for

> treatments the agency deems an advance over existing therapies

on the

> market.

> > The approval was good news for Pfizer, which on Wednesday saw

the

> FDA delay approval of its proposed HIV drug maraviroc. Pfizer

also

> announced Wednesday it had ended development of a lung cancer

> compound, PF-3512676 for lack of effectiveness.

> > Romano, a vice president in Pfizer's global medical

> division, said Lyrica appears to " dampen " the hyperexcitability

of

> the central nervous system.

> > The FDA said Lyrica reduces pain and improves daily functions

for

> some patients with fibromyalgia.

> > " Today's new approval marks an important advance, and

provides a

> reason for optimism for the many patients who will receive pain

> relief with Lyrica, " said Galson, the director of FDA's

Center

> for Drug Evaluation and Research. However, he cautioned that

not

> everyone on the clinical studies experience a benefit from

Lyrica.

> > The FDA said two studies involving about 1,800 patients,

support

> approval for use in treating fibromyalgia with doses of 300

> milligrams or 450 milligrams per day. Pfizer had also studied a

> higher 600-milligram dose for Lyrica.

> > One of the studies involving Lyrica lasted about three months

and

> involved about 750 patients who were assigned to a 600-

milligram, 450-

> milligram or 300-milligram dose of Lyrica or a placebo. It

showed

> that 30% of patients on the highest dose had a 50% or more

reduction

> in pain, as measured by a commonly used index, compared with

27% on

> the middle dose, 24% at the lowest dose and 15% on placebo, or

a fake

> pill.

> > The most common side effects of Lyrica included dizziness and

> sleepiness. Blurred vision, weight gain, dry mouth, and

swelling of

> the hands and feet also were reported in clinical trials, and

the FDA

> said side effects appeared to be dose related.

> > The FDA said Pfizer has agreed to study Lyrica in children

with

> fibromyalgia as well as a study in breastfeeding women.

> > Write to Corbett Dooren at jennifer.corbett-dooren@

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I've always been afraid of the cold, too. Maybe because I'm hypothyroid and used to always get chilled so easily (not anymore, since I've been on abx). Also, at physical therapy once for a hurt knee, I had an experience with some kind of penetrating heat device which made my knee feel so much better. Then they put ice on it and I was in agony! The therapist ignored the pain and me as if I were crazy, so I didn't go back there. But maybe that's why it took me so long to get serious about applying ice to my head. Especially since nothing seems to work against the migraines so why would something as simple as ice? I'm really sorry I thought this because it's a huge help. So much that I'm using it as a preventative, and sometimes think about doing it even when I don't have an outright headache. Probably because I have constant inflammation and pressure that I'm not even that aware of (never was until I took the

Benicar). Anyway, if you're going to use as much ice as I do, I'd recommend keeping your body warm with socks & a blanket or warm clothes as I found at least during one migraine episode that my body temp reduced considerably and I got pretty darned cold. pennypjeanneus <pj7@...> wrote: We have put a wet towel in a plastic bag in the freezer and used this. So far I have felt like the cold would make me worse, but I really should

try it.a>> Penny, a,> > I use cheap frozen peas, they're the best, I then stick them back in the freezer for later use, just make sure you don't eat them after they've been refrozen half a dozen times> > Nelly> [infections] a - therapy for headache> > > a, I wish someone had told me about ice therapy for headaches a long time ago. > > Since I've been having so many migraines, which I think are being triggered by sinus inflammation, I've been desperate to find something that works. > > I recently started icing the back of my neck and rubbing small pieces of ice

directly on my face, temples, forehead, and got a remarkable reduction in pain. The duration of the headaches was much shorter, too, even without the aid of migraine meds. Plus, I could semi-function (meaning I didn't necessarily have to be in a pitch dark room with no noise and could avoid throwing up, etc. > > Since this was working well, and I found the more ice the better, I began wrapping bags of crushed ice in thin towells and trying to tie them all over my head and holding them on my face (even though I don't have face pain). As long as the ice stayed on, the pain was tremendously reduced. But it was a ton of work keeping it all in place & dealing with leaking water, especially when you've got a headache. Without the ice, though, I'd never have been able to function enough to even make the ice packs. So I started looking for something a little easier to use and came up with some pretty remarkable

products which I've posted below. > > If the photos don't show, just click on the links and you'll see a forehead/neck wrap. A face wrap. And the second link shows an entire head wrap. > > > > http://www.painreliever.com/Headache-12.html> > > http://www.icewraps.net/neck-ice-wraps.html> > I bought all three, because like I said, I found the more ice coverage, the better. I even think that possibly wearing these while sitting in a warm bath might work even faster.> > If I were you, I'd try putting ice on your head/temples/face and back of your neck (you can also try putting your feet in a warm tub). If it's as effective in reducing your inflammation/swelling/pain as it is mine, then think about

investing in these gel packs with the velcro closures so that you don't have to deal with all the work of keeping stuff tied onto your head, leaking ice, etc. > > I think that once inflammation starts it becomes self perpetuating and is hard to stop (and may be why migraine meds often only work at the very first sign of migraine). In my case the ice therapy actually is able to interrupt and abort the inflammatory loop. In the back of my head, I'm hoping I can retrain my nerves to not be so sensitive, as I've read that there are imaging studies that have shown that once your headaches become chronic, your brain/nerves actually change as if they've been reprogrammed to overreact to inflammation. Perhaps by using this kind of therapy, we can program our brains back to their original, less sensitive state. > > It's a cheap experiment, and most likely safer than a lot of meds. I highly recommend trying

it. Like I said, I wish someone had emphasized this to me a long time ago, as a wole lot of people get relief with ice.> > penny> > pjeanneus <pj7@...> wrote:> I will be most interested in the scientificly minded folks' reaction > to this article on Lyrica for fms. My latest fiasco of treatment for > my head pressure was a neuro who decided I have tension headaches. He > prescribed, guess what, Lyrica. I read that when you stop it > intracranial pressure will increase. Also, if you note one side > effect seems to be fluid retention and weight gain. IF indeed I have > intracranial hypertension I cannot imagine a WORSE DRUG TO TAKE. > (Needless to say, I did not take this drug which is very expensive > even with health insurance.) Furthermore, I cannot see where it fixes > the underlying cause of anything. Am I missing something?>

> Thanks for any replies,> a> > >> > Well, I guess at least it's good to know that FMS is starting to be > taken seriously as a real illness, even if they don't know what it is.> > > > http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118245956340043894.html?> mod=googlenews_wsj> > > > FDA Approves Pfizer's Lyrica> > For Treatment of Fibromyalgia By JENNIFER CORBETT DOOREN> > June 21, 2007 5:16 p.m.> > > > WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday > approved Pfizer Inc.'s Lyrica to treat fibromyalgia, a poorly > understood pain disorder.> > The approval marks the first time a drug has been approved for > fibromyalgia, which is believed to affect three to six million > Americans, mostly

women. Fibromyalgia is marked by widespread muscle > pain, tenderness and fatigue. The condition traditionally has been > treated with a mix of painkillers and antidepressants.> > Lyrica, already on the market to treat nerve pain associated with > diabetes and shingles, is designed to interfere with damaged nerves > that cause pain. The drug had $1.2 billion in world-wide sales last > year, and has been used by about five million people.> > The FDA granted Lyrica priority review status, which cuts four > months off the standard 10-month drug review time and is reserved for > treatments the agency deems an advance over existing therapies on the > market.> > The approval was good news for Pfizer, which on Wednesday saw the > FDA delay approval of its proposed HIV drug maraviroc. Pfizer also > announced Wednesday it had ended development

of a lung cancer > compound, PF-3512676 for lack of effectiveness.> > Romano, a vice president in Pfizer's global medical > division, said Lyrica appears to "dampen" the hyperexcitability of > the central nervous system.> > The FDA said Lyrica reduces pain and improves daily functions for > some patients with fibromyalgia.> > "Today's new approval marks an important advance, and provides a > reason for optimism for the many patients who will receive pain > relief with Lyrica," said Galson, the director of FDA's Center > for Drug Evaluation and Research. However, he cautioned that not > everyone on the clinical studies experience a benefit from Lyrica.> > The FDA said two studies involving about 1,800 patients, support > approval for use in treating fibromyalgia with doses of 300 > milligrams or 450 milligrams per day.

Pfizer had also studied a > higher 600-milligram dose for Lyrica.> > One of the studies involving Lyrica lasted about three months and > involved about 750 patients who were assigned to a 600-milligram, 450-> milligram or 300-milligram dose of Lyrica or a placebo. It showed > that 30% of patients on the highest dose had a 50% or more reduction > in pain, as measured by a commonly used index, compared with 27% on > the middle dose, 24% at the lowest dose and 15% on placebo, or a fake > pill.> > The most common side effects of Lyrica included dizziness and > sleepiness. Blurred vision, weight gain, dry mouth, and swelling of > the hands and feet also were reported in clinical trials, and the FDA > said side effects appeared to be dose related.> > The FDA said Pfizer has agreed to study Lyrica in children with > fibromyalgia as well as

a study in breastfeeding women.> > Write to Corbett Dooren at jennifer.corbett-dooren@> >>

[Guest guest]

just a p.s. I used to use heat too. I think it's somewhat comforting, but I don't think it's the right thing for expanded blood vessels, swelling or over excited nerve endings. Believe me, ice is far more effective than heat in actually stopping inflammation. Heat's good for cramps. Or injuries...once the inflammation has gone down then it works to promote increased blood flow for improved healing. pennypjeanneus <pj7@...> wrote: We have put a wet

towel in a plastic bag in the freezer and used this. So far I have felt like the cold would make me worse, but I really should try it.a>> Penny, a,> > I use cheap frozen peas, they're the best, I then stick them back in the freezer for later use, just make sure you don't eat them after they've been refrozen half a dozen times> > Nelly> [infections] a - therapy for headache> > > a, I wish someone had told me about ice therapy for headaches a long time ago. > > Since I've been having so many migraines, which I think are being triggered by sinus inflammation, I've been

desperate to find something that works. > > I recently started icing the back of my neck and rubbing small pieces of ice directly on my face, temples, forehead, and got a remarkable reduction in pain. The duration of the headaches was much shorter, too, even without the aid of migraine meds. Plus, I could semi-function (meaning I didn't necessarily have to be in a pitch dark room with no noise and could avoid throwing up, etc. > > Since this was working well, and I found the more ice the better, I began wrapping bags of crushed ice in thin towells and trying to tie them all over my head and holding them on my face (even though I don't have face pain). As long as the ice stayed on, the pain was tremendously reduced. But it was a ton of work keeping it all in place & dealing with leaking water, especially when you've got a headache. Without the ice, though, I'd never have been able to

function enough to even make the ice packs. So I started looking for something a little easier to use and came up with some pretty remarkable products which I've posted below. > > If the photos don't show, just click on the links and you'll see a forehead/neck wrap. A face wrap. And the second link shows an entire head wrap. > > > > http://www.painreliever.com/Headache-12.html> > > http://www.icewraps.net/neck-ice-wraps.html> > I bought all three, because like I said, I found the more ice coverage, the better. I even think that possibly wearing these while sitting in a warm bath might work even faster.> > If I were you, I'd try putting ice on your head/temples/face and back of your neck (you can also

try putting your feet in a warm tub). If it's as effective in reducing your inflammation/swelling/pain as it is mine, then think about investing in these gel packs with the velcro closures so that you don't have to deal with all the work of keeping stuff tied onto your head, leaking ice, etc. > > I think that once inflammation starts it becomes self perpetuating and is hard to stop (and may be why migraine meds often only work at the very first sign of migraine). In my case the ice therapy actually is able to interrupt and abort the inflammatory loop. In the back of my head, I'm hoping I can retrain my nerves to not be so sensitive, as I've read that there are imaging studies that have shown that once your headaches become chronic, your brain/nerves actually change as if they've been reprogrammed to overreact to inflammation. Perhaps by using this kind of therapy, we can program our brains back to

their original, less sensitive state. > > It's a cheap experiment, and most likely safer than a lot of meds. I highly recommend trying it. Like I said, I wish someone had emphasized this to me a long time ago, as a wole lot of people get relief with ice.> > penny> > pjeanneus <pj7@...> wrote:> I will be most interested in the scientificly minded folks' reaction > to this article on Lyrica for fms. My latest fiasco of treatment for > my head pressure was a neuro who decided I have tension headaches. He > prescribed, guess what, Lyrica. I read that when you stop it > intracranial pressure will increase. Also, if you note one side > effect seems to be fluid retention and weight gain. IF indeed I have > intracranial hypertension I cannot imagine a WORSE DRUG TO TAKE. > (Needless to say, I did not take this drug which is very expensive

> even with health insurance.) Furthermore, I cannot see where it fixes > the underlying cause of anything. Am I missing something?> > Thanks for any replies,> a> > >> > Well, I guess at least it's good to know that FMS is starting to be > taken seriously as a real illness, even if they don't know what it is.> > > > http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118245956340043894.html?> mod=googlenews_wsj> > > > FDA Approves Pfizer's Lyrica> > For Treatment of Fibromyalgia By JENNIFER CORBETT DOOREN> > June 21, 2007 5:16 p.m.> > > > WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday > approved Pfizer Inc.'s Lyrica to treat fibromyalgia, a poorly > understood pain disorder.> > The approval

marks the first time a drug has been approved for > fibromyalgia, which is believed to affect three to six million > Americans, mostly women. Fibromyalgia is marked by widespread muscle > pain, tenderness and fatigue. The condition traditionally has been > treated with a mix of painkillers and antidepressants.> > Lyrica, already on the market to treat nerve pain associated with > diabetes and shingles, is designed to interfere with damaged nerves > that cause pain. The drug had $1.2 billion in world-wide sales last > year, and has been used by about five million people.> > The FDA granted Lyrica priority review status, which cuts four > months off the standard 10-month drug review time and is reserved for > treatments the agency deems an advance over existing therapies on the > market.> > The approval was good news for Pfizer, which on

Wednesday saw the > FDA delay approval of its proposed HIV drug maraviroc. Pfizer also > announced Wednesday it had ended development of a lung cancer > compound, PF-3512676 for lack of effectiveness.> > Romano, a vice president in Pfizer's global medical > division, said Lyrica appears to "dampen" the hyperexcitability of > the central nervous system.> > The FDA said Lyrica reduces pain and improves daily functions for > some patients with fibromyalgia.> > "Today's new approval marks an important advance, and provides a > reason for optimism for the many patients who will receive pain > relief with Lyrica," said Galson, the director of FDA's Center > for Drug Evaluation and Research. However, he cautioned that not > everyone on the clinical studies experience a benefit from Lyrica.> > The FDA said two studies involving

about 1,800 patients, support > approval for use in treating fibromyalgia with doses of 300 > milligrams or 450 milligrams per day. Pfizer had also studied a > higher 600-milligram dose for Lyrica.> > One of the studies involving Lyrica lasted about three months and > involved about 750 patients who were assigned to a 600-milligram, 450-> milligram or 300-milligram dose of Lyrica or a placebo. It showed > that 30% of patients on the highest dose had a 50% or more reduction > in pain, as measured by a commonly used index, compared with 27% on > the middle dose, 24% at the lowest dose and 15% on placebo, or a fake > pill.> > The most common side effects of Lyrica included dizziness and > sleepiness. Blurred vision, weight gain, dry mouth, and swelling of > the hands and feet also were reported in clinical trials, and the FDA > said side

effects appeared to be dose related.> > The FDA said Pfizer has agreed to study Lyrica in children with > fibromyalgia as well as a study in breastfeeding women.> > Write to Corbett Dooren at jennifer.corbett-dooren@> >>