Migraines

Anybody already hired with the FAA get migraines?
I'm working on getting hired and have had migraines my whole life. Only recently have I been getting treatment though. It seems that treating them when they happen with painkillers means you have to wait 24hrs or so before you can actively control again. The alternate route is to take something to prevent them, like off-label anti-depressant or blood pressure meds. I've heard that no matter the dosage of anti-depressant it's not waiverable, but I'm not sure about the blood pressure meds.
I'm just wondering how anybody out there copes with theirs. Any input is appreciated, I don't want something like this to prevent me from getting hired.

The following drugs are FAA approved on a case by case basis only and depend upon the manifestation and severity of the migraine:

* Axert (Almotriptan Malate)
* Beta-Blockers (when labeled & approved by the FDA for migraines)
* Caffergot
* Calcium-Channel Blockers
* Imitrex
* Innopran XL (Propranolol Hydrochloride)
* Maxalt (Rizatripatan)
* Sansert
* Zomig (Zolmitriptan)

You may also want to contact this guy:

Larry F. Wilson, M.D.
Federal Aviation Administration
Medical Division, ACE-300
DOT Headquarters Building
901 Locust Street, Room 350
Kansas City, Missouri 64106-2641
(816) 329-3250, (800) 832-6421, FAX (816) 329-3266

There is one for every region, the FAA regional flight surgeon.

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Your friendly neighborhood Lawn Gnome

migraines... keep it to yourself, lol.

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~controller since 99'

Excellent info LG, thank you! Is that available online somewhere? I'd like to check out some other meds as well. I've been in contact with an FAA nurse and she's helping me solve this issue, now I just have to wait for the doc to return from vacation...
As to keeping it to myself...I only wish I could...I guess it will help that radar rooms are relatively dark and quiet...

You may also want to look into non-drug solutions -- Massage Therapy.

My girlfriend is a massage therapist and she does wonders for those with migraines. Find someone that practices Trigger Point Therapy and give it a shot.

From her website:

Trigger Point Therapy

Trigger Point Therapy (also known as Myotherapy) is a bodywork technique that involves applying pressure to tender muscle tissue in order to relieve pain and discomfort. The goal is to eliminate pain, increase range of motion and flexibility, re-educating the muscles into pain free habits by applying optimal pressure to the trigger point, after warming up the muscles and tissue.

Trigger points can present themselves as referred patterns of sensation such as sharp pain, dull ache, tingling, pins and needles, hot or cold, as well as can create symptoms such as migraines, nausea, ear ache, equilibrium disturbance, or blurred vision. Trigger Point Therapy can help alleviate headaches, TMJ, neck stiffness, whiplash, carpal tunnel like symptoms, tennis elbow, bursitis, frozen shoulder, back pain, low back stiffness, sciatica, and even shin splints.

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I fly paper airplanes

I really would prefer a non-drug solution, but nothing has worked thus far, I suppose I can try Trigger Point Therapy or Acupunture, but I don't have the $ for that. I went and saw the doc and a blood pressure med is next in line to keep the migraines at bay...we'll see what happens...

in my experience the blood pressure meds made life worse as the side effect list of almost all of them contains, survey says, headaches.