Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Rebound Headaches & Seizures

I esxperienced my first migraine headache in January of this year, so severe that is caused me to pass out of the grocery store. It would not have been so bad but I landed face first on a concrete floor. I was started on Topamax and thought things were going to start to get better. As far as other medical conditions I have RA and take Darvocet for pain, sometimes daily, sometimes not at all. I also take daily preventative meds for the care of the RA. This Tuesday I had a terrible migraine come on and I tried a new med for break thru headaches, Relapax. I was impressed, it worked in like 30 minutes. I felt well enough to take a walk with my husband and the dogs. We got about two blocks from the house and I started feeling ill. I started feeling lke I had in January at the grocery store, I alerted my husband, he quickly secured the dogs, got me to soft ground and that is all I remember, I woke up in the ambulance as we pulled in the the ER. I was out for 20 minutes, same as before.
They ran EEG', CAT scans, etc. their final take on all this was it was a seizure and that the headaches were a result of rebound from the Darvocet and possibly the Topmax. I had to go cold turkey off the Darvocet and all pain meds for two weeks to clear it out of my system. The pain of the last two days has been nearly unbearable. I am more confused today than before, how can I have used the Darvocet for over 10 years with no issues and then for it to suddenly start causing me to have seizures? Can someone help me with some answers?
Can I safely go back on the pain meds after the two weeks, I do not go back to see my docs until last next week, so many questions and I want to have a lot of questions to take in to the Doctors office with me.
Thanks for letting me unload and thanks in advance for all your help in figuring out this puzzle.
2 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
I'm having the same problem,except the fainting, at 9:15 this morning.I thought I was going to pass out for a minute ON the bath room floor so I laid down.Then I took some advil and it doesn't seem to be working and I'm 10 yrs. old!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
How are you? Pain relievers may offer quick relief for pain but there is a limit. Taking pain medication more than two or three days a week, may actually be contributing to the headaches rather than easing them. This is known as rebound headaches. Your body adapts to the medication and the only way to stop rebound headaches is to reduce or stop taking the pain medication that's causing them. Within a week to 10 days, withdrawal symptoms and headaches may become less intense and less frequent. After you've broken the rebound headache cycle, you and your doctor can find a safer way to manage your headaches. After withdrawal, your doctor may prescribe a daily preventive medication which can help control your pain without risking another cycle of rebound headaches. Until you see your doctor next week, you avoid headache triggers, get enough sleep, reduce stress and do not smoke  or skip meals.

I hope this helps. Take care and keep us posted.
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Migraines and Headaches Community

Top Neurology Answerers
620923 tn?1452915648
Allentown, PA
1780921 tn?1499301793
Queen Creek, AZ
1756321 tn?1547095325
Queensland, Australia
Avatar universal
Trinity , TX
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
In this special Missouri Medicine report, doctors examine advances in diagnosis and treatment of this devastating and costly neurodegenerative disease.
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.
Discover some of the causes of dizziness and how to treat it.
Discover the common causes of headaches and how to treat headache pain.
Two of the largest studies on Alzheimer’s have yielded new clues about the disease