I gots a wee bit of a ??? to ask ya...

So, as some of you know, I'm sitting in a hospital right now and have been here since last week Monday. Anyhoo- last night I had a horrible headache and I think that low CSF was the cause (I know what it feels like when it's low or high, or in between). They even had to call the house doctor to come and look at me- apparently I didn't look too hot lol. My neurologist just made his rounds, so I just saw him. He said that he was going to put me on a caffeine drip or something? idk exactly what he said, all I heard was caffeine and drip lol. I know that sometimes caffeine helps with my headache pain (I do not drink or consume any caffeine on a daily basis- hate coffee, hate soda) so I know that these headaches are not caffeine withdrawal headaches.

So my question is this... Isn't a caffeine drip going to make me feel very energized or even hyper? I mean, a little relief from this pain would be nice but I don't want to be literally running around the unit taking my IV pole on walks lol. Has anyone else had a caffeine drip type thing? I'm also kinda confused, because the benadryl that they are giving me (100 mg- apparently that's the max dose they can give to anyone so I must be in pain) for my headaches makes me super loopy and tired, but then if I have this caffeine drip, won't they kinda make my body confused? Because one medication is telling my body to sleep and don't get up you'll fall over, and the other one will be saying RUN!!!!!!!! AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!

I did question my doctor this morning and he said that there shouldn't be that much of an interaction with the two drugs. Plus I'm in a one-of-a kind place that treats headaches and the docs here only really specialize in treating headache pain, so I totally trust what they recommend. It has worked so far, so I have no reason not to trust him.

Excedrin migraine and tension headache medications both contain caffeine, because caffeine DOES help alleviate headaches. When I feel a nasty one coming on and I don't have any Excedrin, I take Tylenol and drink a coke to help with the pain.

Sometimes, if I haven't had enough to eat, the caffeine will cause me to have jitters, but I don't get super hyper. I think you'll be fine, especially because you ARE under the care of doctors.

Originally Posted by emrldsky

Excedrin migraine and tension headache medications both contain caffeine, because caffeine DOES help alleviate headaches. When I feel a nasty one coming on and I don't have any Excedrin, I take Tylenol and drink a coke to help with the pain.

Sometimes, if I haven't had enough to eat, the caffeine will cause me to have jitters, but I don't get super hyper. I think you'll be fine, especially because you ARE under the care of doctors.

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Oh, I totally know the power of caffeine for a headache. I've just never heard of it in an IV infusion form. My neurosurgeon always telling me to drink things that have lots of caffeine in them. As a matter of fact, the last time I was in the hospital after a surgery, all he wanted me to drink was stuff with caffeine. I've also been prescribed Fiorinal as well as Fioricet.

As for the Excedrin thing... It does absolutely nothing for me. Tylenol, Ibuprofen, nothing works. That's why I'm sitting in a hospital unit that specializes in the treatment of headaches and migraines.

You're totally right though, about being under the care of doctors (and nurses). I know Dr. Urban wouldn't prescribe me something that he would think would hurt me.

Thanks for the advice!

I think the best person to ask would be the doctor...or maybe even the nurse can explain.

Originally Posted by Kiwideus

I think the best person to ask would be the doctor...or maybe even the nurse can explain.

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The nurse had no idea what I was talking about until she talked with the unit pharmacist. I can't talk to the doctor right now because he is in clinic during the day. He only comes in the early morning. I'm thinking of asking the nurse to come to see me so he can explain better what I should expect from it. Apparently this sort of treatment, using a caffeine drip is EXTREMELY rare. None of the nurses have ever heard of it. I even heard the pharmacist pull the nurse aside right as she was going to give me Toradol and he said "we're going to do something extremely different and extremely rare". Haha that's always comforting.... NOT!!! And on top of everything I'm still waiting to get some news from my neurologist about him speaking with my neurosurgeon way back in Wisconsin. It's very complicated and complex- I just hope that they don't send me back to Wisconsin (the hospital is around 3 hours from here) just for some testing, like a lumbar puncture, shunt flow study, CT scan, etc. I know that this hospital is capable of that lol and it doesn't make sense to drive all that way if it turns out that there's nothing wrong. Idk anymore, I'm at my wits end. I've been here since Monday, and I miss my kitties. And I've only had one day where I had visitors this entire time. I feel quite alone and very bored. I'm so bored that I asked to go to biofeedback TWICE today... now that's just pure desperation (for those of you who know what biofeedback is). At least I have my AA meeting tonight on another unit... I just feel like curling up into a little ball and disappearing from the world for a few hours.

Originally Posted by mismaris777

Oh, I totally know the power of caffeine for a headache. I've just never heard of it in an IV infusion form. My neurosurgeon always telling me to drink things that have lots of caffeine in them. As a matter of fact, the last time I was in the hospital after a surgery, all he wanted me to drink was stuff with caffeine. I've also been prescribed Fiorinal as well as Fioricet.

As for the Excedrin thing... It does absolutely nothing for me. Tylenol, Ibuprofen, nothing works. That's why I'm sitting in a hospital unit that specializes in the treatment of headaches and migraines.

You're totally right though, about being under the care of doctors (and nurses). I know Dr. Urban wouldn't prescribe me something that he would think would hurt me.

Thanks for the advice!

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Those don't work for me once the migraine is set in. If I take them before it's full blown, I do alright. Once I do have a migraine, the only thing I can do is find a dark, quiet room where I can place a cold cloth over my eyes, cry a bit, and eventually (hopefully) fall asleep.

I'm glad that you are being taken care of, though. I can't imagine having pain that doesn't go away and needing to be monitored that closely.

Here's some for feeling better and finding a solution!!!

Originally Posted by emrldsky

Those don't work for me once the migraine is set in. If I take them before it's full blown, I do alright. Once I do have a migraine, the only thing I can do is find a dark, quiet room where I can place a cold cloth over my eyes, cry a bit, and eventually (hopefully) fall asleep.

I'm glad that you are being taken care of, though. I can't imagine having pain that doesn't go away and needing to be monitored that closely.

Here's some for feeling better and finding a solution!!!

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Yeah, the types of headaches that I get aren't really typical migraines. They are caused by a number of things. The worst headaches I get are ice pick headaches. Those come on without any warning, last a few seconds, and are the most painful thing on earth. I had one once when I was driving and I literally almost ended up in the ditch (there was a curb to stop me lol). Apparently I clench my fists together and grind my teeth when I get those too. And it's hard to treat a headache like that because no one really knows the true pathology of those, and I can't predict them so it's like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I'm still waiting for that dang caffeine drip- good thing that there is a pharmacy class/group at 2 pm that I will go to. The pharmacist that is running that group is the one that is trying to get the medication up here right now for me, so he'll know what I'm talking about hopefully.

The migraine medicine I have has both caffeine in it and something that makes me drowsy. I feel really sleepy and out of it after taking it..
Also drinking sugar free soda actually helps my headaches too...

ive never really had a migrane so cant offer anything to help you

i do know about painkillers though, i had whiplash and nothing touched the pain of that

this may sound crazy but could acupuncture not help?

So you haven't had it yet? Let us know how it goes. Sounds like you're having a very trying time right now. I don't envy you being stuck in the hospital for a moment!

Originally Posted by mismaris777

TApparently this sort of treatment, using a caffeine drip is EXTREMELY rare. None of the nurses have ever heard of it.

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Never heard of it and neither have any of the doctors I currently work with. I think they're yanking your chain and going to give you something that is a placebo in hopes that you will trick your body into thinking it's getting something that will help.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

Never heard of it and neither have any of the doctors I currently work with. I think they're yanking your chain and going to give you something that is a placebo in hopes that you will trick your body into thinking it's getting something that will help.

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Trust me, it was no placebo. I'm still suffering the effects of it right now. Basically what it was was a normal IV saline bag with caffeine in it. It is a real treatment for certain types of headaches. My headaches are pretty rare, so this type of treatment is very rare. It was basically to hold me over until they could talk with my neurosurgeon on what the next step was. I'm at the Diamond Headache Clinic Inpatient unit- if you google it you'll see how unique this place is. They treat headaches with IV benadryl, just one of the weird things that they do. And they are constantly having medical trials and studies done. People come from all over the world (literally) to be here. It's not like your average run of the mill neuro unit in some regular hospital. It's totally different. And the main reason that some of you probably don't believe me or support this, is that most of the people that come here suffer from some kind of migraine. I do not suffer from migraines. I suffer from pretty much anything dealing with the head, the worst being ice pick headaches and low CSF headaches (I have a lumbar peritoneal shunt) and it has been revised too many times to count over the past few years only. As a matter of fact, an ice pick headache hit me one time while I was driving and I pretty much went into a little ditch (good thing it wasn't too big or deep) but its so bad that apparently I grind my teeth when I get them.

For those of you who wanted to know what it was like... It was pure he**. I mean really really bad. My teeth were chattering, my body was shaking, it was just BAD. I've made a vow to myself that if they ever recommend this again, I shall kill the person that recommends it . Sucky part is that I wasn't even able to see if it was working on my headaches because it was giving me such anxiety that I wasn't even focusing on my headaches- I was more focused on praying for death lol. I would NEVER wish this on anyone, even my worst enemies. I trust each one of my doctors 110%- that's extremely important to me because for a little bit I had kind of a slice and dice neurosurgeon that would open me up the second I said "headache"

So yea, I'm still shaky, it's even tough to type. And now I have to wait till 10 to get my benadryl because I just got two shots in the booty

I came across this - it looks like there was a study at the Diamond Clinic so I don't think it is a placebo.

I think I forgot to add the link http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/caffpain.html Silly me!

Originally Posted by Kiwideus

I came across this - it looks like there was a study at the Diamond Clinic so I don't think it is a placebo.

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See? The Diamond Headache Clinic is constantly coming up with new things. Did you know that they created Imitrex? The one that targets migraines?

Hey Missy,

I missed this yesterday, and read thru the whole thread but still wanted to chime in.

I have never heard of a caffeine drip, it does sound like it has potential because I do know several OTC meds with caffeine in them.

I personally can't take those.... Too much caffeine (more than 1-2 cups of coffee a day) will make me very jittery, my eyes can't focus, and my body shakes.....

Which unfortunately, it sounds like you reacted badly to it. I'm not surprised since you don't drink coffee/cola, so your body isn't used to caffeine. I'm sorry you went thru that, and I wonder if they could try it at a lesser dose so that you could see if by chance it might help.... I mean at a very low dose. IV anything is strong, I wonder about trying a caffeine pill and seeing if it helps.

hun, hang in there.

Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

Hey Missy,

I missed this yesterday, and read thru the whole thread but still wanted to chime in.

I have never heard of a caffeine drip, it does sound like it has potential because I do know several OTC meds with caffeine in them.

I personally can't take those.... Too much caffeine (more than 1-2 cups of coffee a day) will make me very jittery, my eyes can't focus, and my body shakes.....

Which unfortunately, it sounds like you reacted badly to it. I'm not surprised since you don't drink coffee/cola, so your body isn't used to caffeine. I'm sorry you went thru that, and I wonder if they could try it at a lesser dose so that you could see if by chance it might help.... I mean at a very low dose. IV anything is strong, I wonder about trying a caffeine pill and seeing if it helps.

hun, hang in there.

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They did want to give it in a smaller dose this morning, but I just couldn't take it yesterday. I don't like it when something like that makes you wish for death. It did help a bit with the headache, but I think I was so focused on the jitters and teeth chattering that I couldn't notice anything else lol. So I refused it this morning. I might get it later, if I'm desperate. And right now I'm feeling sort of desperate. I was just in a group and there was an argument in the group between two women, and I was about to b*tch slap anyone. I ended up storming out saying "I'm leaving. I don't want to hear about this crap anymore! This is not why the groups were made for!" I tried to exit gracefully... however there really is no way to exit through closed doors with an IV pole... I pretty much fell out of the doorway. So I decided to dive right into the biofeedback room again, as for some reason this time I'm really loving it. Seriously- for the past couple days I've gone a couple times a day (it's not "that" required, but it's strongly suggested to do it by the doctors). So yea... that was today. And on top of everything, my mom had spinal decompression surgery this morning and I wasn't able to be there. So that's been my day... doesn't that sound like rainbows and butterflies?! lol. Sorry about the complaining- I just REALLY had to vent. Oh, and on top of that crap, I basically broke up with my best friend today. Feels like my life is in the crapper lol. But I know it will get better. I always think that God doesn't make things like this happen without any logic behind it. That's pretty much the only thing that is keeping me going here. I just have to keep telling myself that.

Originally Posted by Kiwideus

I came across this - it looks like there was a study at the Diamond Clinic so I don't think it is a placebo.

I think I forgot to add the link http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/caffpain.html Silly me!

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Yes, pills and coffee: Not IV.

It's been known for decades that coffee helps with headaches. That isn't anything new.

What I'm saying is that this "Caffeine Drip" sounds like a placebo to me.

It really isn't ethical, but I've been in situations as a nurse where we have given patient's placebos IE: normal saline and told them it was morphine, when we felt the person was drug seeking. With the exception of a few people, the normal saline had a wonderous effect on their level of pain.

I'm not saying that anyone here is drug seeking!!! I'm just using the above example to show how a placebo can be given to someone and have very real positive results.

The fact that the pharmacist took the nurse aside and told her loud enough for you to hear that they are going to do something different and rare and unique or whatever the wording was, makes me believe that what was given was probably a normal saline bag with a label on it, nothing more.

Wow that sounds horrible!

you find relief.

This study here: http://bja.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/91/5/718 states that caffeine is effective in both oral and iv dosages so I still don't think it is a placebo.

...it also sounds like what Marissa experienced was no placebo!