I may not have been clear on my point about pain.  It is easier and faster
to stop migraine before the stage of nausea or extreme pain.  And
afterwards it is almost impossible.  My point was that painkillers ALONE
won't stop it before or after in many or most cases.
Nancy



Date sent:              Sun, 29 Sep 2002 22:44:10 +1000
Send reply to:          "T. S. Eliot Discussion forum." <[log in to unmask]>
From:                   PETER DILLANE <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:                Re: Some Queries, was Re: Deluge...
To:                     [log in to unmask]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Nancy Gish" <[log in to unmask]>
> Migraine is not much touched by painkillers alone before or after it
starts.
> But for many people it is stopped by the prescription medication that
> includes a muscle relaxant.  That is because it is vascular, muscular,
> and chemical.  Having had them for years and once for a period of about
> two years every day, I know a good deal about controlling them.  Not
> everything works for everyone.  Fortunately, mine are mainly controlled
> now. Nancy

Pain being an individually owned and private thing I hesitate to throw in
my two pennies but it might be useful. It is usually said that gastric
stasis makes absorption of painkillers poor in migraine. So once you have
the nausea the game is up. Snorting sumatriptan helps some people
though.
But if psychiatry is in the dark ages then pain management is still
further behind -( with due respects to Doc Gavin  - I know surgeons cure
while the rest of us just prescribe).

While I am on the wire I would add that this internet thing is the reverse
of those  experiments in doing what you're told. You know where the
authority figure tells you to keep administering the shock to the person
you can hear screaming then sobbing then moaning then silent in the next
room. And we mostly keep hitting the button. What happens here is the
person keeps up a bluff good cheer or provocation or whatever but you
can't hear screams or sobs or moans. Sometimes we don't even notice the
silence. I think I may also have suggested Kate was Scheetzie back again (
apologies K), but I should know better. I was much embarrassed a while
back when I suggested a contributor was too urbane and polite to be a real
person and then had to back pedal when he became distressed.

Cheers     Pete