Where I've been.

In my quest for a cure--or relief of any sort, really--I've been through several doctors and many medications.  Here's a list of the medications I've tried:

1. Midrin
2. Elavil
3. Topamax
4. Cymbalta
5. Paxil
6. Inderal
7. Zomig
8. Maxalt
9. Imitrex
10. Treximet
11. Axert
12. Zonegran
13. Flexeril
14. Dolgic
15. Ultram
16. Lortab
17. DHE
18. Toradol
19. Reglan
20. Verelan
21. Tylenol 3
22. Demerol
23. Phenergen
24. Dilaudit
25. Stadol
26. Darvocet
27. Zofran
28. Lamictal
29. Prednisone
30. Morphine
31. Depakote
32. Seroquel
33. Piroxicam
34. Migrelief
35. Vitamin D
36. Nadolol
37. Lexapro

Yes, thirty-seven. After these thirty-seven medications, my current doctor deemed me "unresponsive to medication."  That's not quite what you want to hear when you're in constant pain--especially when all tests have returned normal and no one can find a cause.

Which brings me to where I am now.  I'm still on a few preventatives, none of which offer real relief, but they do allow me to carry on a pseudo-normal life.  I take Darvocet, Piroxicam, and Zofran when the pain and nausea get unbearable.  I recently had occipital nerve injections, which offered a day or two of relief each time.  Because the injections helped some, I may be eligible for an occipital nerve stimulator, which is implanted under the skin and sends electrical impulses to the nerves so they don't feel pain.  I have an appointment with a pain management doctor in a few weeks to be evaluated for a stimulator.  I'm praying this is the answer.  We'll see.