Hello all, new here. Apologies if this has been posted in the wrong section.
I have been on Keppra 500mg twice daily and Vit D 400ui once daily. I don't get any side effects from the Keppra as I know a lot of people out there do get some. It seems to work pretty well for me.
For the past 2 weeks I have been experiencing headaches most of the day. I have been in touch with my neurologist and he has come back with an email and in it states the following advice:
In particular, I would suggest he
1. Stops all forms of caffeine completely
2. Stops all painkillers (including nurofen, paracetamol, codeine etc., and that he stays off these other than emergencies (eg up to 5-6 bouts per year). He will likely experience worsening of his headache / migraine for particularly the first week or two, and it may be a bit up and down in the subsequent few weeks
3. Ensure 3 litres fluid per day
4. Ensure regular meals and regular times to bed and to get up.
If he is still having significant migraine following this, then alongside maintenance of the above lifestyle, he could be given a migraine preventative (eg options such as propranolol or candesartan, as per primary care headache guideline.
Finally, the commonest time for migraine is first thing in the morning or from early hours. It only becomes more significant if this is happening on a daily basis despite eliminating medication and caffeine use.
Now in regard to point 1 concerning caffeine for around a year I have had an espresso first thing and a cappuccino at work on my break, but the only thing that has changed in the past 2 weeks is I have popped into Starbucks for an americano (which contains 2 espresso shots). So for the past 2 weeks Monday-Friday my caffeine intake looks like this:
06:30 espresso
08:00 americano from Starbucks
10:45 cappucino from vending machine.
Now after researching I have found out that Starbucks have a very high caffeine content in all their coffee. Could this really be the reason I am experiencing these headaches?
If we look at point 2 he wants me to stop all forms of pain killers!? I'm not sure how this is possible as even before I had epilepsy I would get a headache more than 5-6 times a year. That's not even taking into account if I need painkillers for a sore back, toothache, cold and flu etc..
I also have suspected Plantar Fasciitis, which I am taking Co-dydramol (paracetamol and codeine) for. I have been prescribed these 4 times a day, but I only use these when I need to as I don't like to rely on them. I'm not really sure why I am being told to stay off painkillers as I am sure they don't cause headaches.
Point 3 & Point 4 I already do without thinking about needing to do so.
I have been on Keppra 500mg twice daily and Vit D 400ui once daily. I don't get any side effects from the Keppra as I know a lot of people out there do get some. It seems to work pretty well for me.
For the past 2 weeks I have been experiencing headaches most of the day. I have been in touch with my neurologist and he has come back with an email and in it states the following advice:
In particular, I would suggest he
1. Stops all forms of caffeine completely
2. Stops all painkillers (including nurofen, paracetamol, codeine etc., and that he stays off these other than emergencies (eg up to 5-6 bouts per year). He will likely experience worsening of his headache / migraine for particularly the first week or two, and it may be a bit up and down in the subsequent few weeks
3. Ensure 3 litres fluid per day
4. Ensure regular meals and regular times to bed and to get up.
If he is still having significant migraine following this, then alongside maintenance of the above lifestyle, he could be given a migraine preventative (eg options such as propranolol or candesartan, as per primary care headache guideline.
Finally, the commonest time for migraine is first thing in the morning or from early hours. It only becomes more significant if this is happening on a daily basis despite eliminating medication and caffeine use.
Now in regard to point 1 concerning caffeine for around a year I have had an espresso first thing and a cappuccino at work on my break, but the only thing that has changed in the past 2 weeks is I have popped into Starbucks for an americano (which contains 2 espresso shots). So for the past 2 weeks Monday-Friday my caffeine intake looks like this:
06:30 espresso
08:00 americano from Starbucks
10:45 cappucino from vending machine.
Now after researching I have found out that Starbucks have a very high caffeine content in all their coffee. Could this really be the reason I am experiencing these headaches?
If we look at point 2 he wants me to stop all forms of pain killers!? I'm not sure how this is possible as even before I had epilepsy I would get a headache more than 5-6 times a year. That's not even taking into account if I need painkillers for a sore back, toothache, cold and flu etc..
I also have suspected Plantar Fasciitis, which I am taking Co-dydramol (paracetamol and codeine) for. I have been prescribed these 4 times a day, but I only use these when I need to as I don't like to rely on them. I'm not really sure why I am being told to stay off painkillers as I am sure they don't cause headaches.
Point 3 & Point 4 I already do without thinking about needing to do so.
