Thanks so much for the update. As you can imagine, those of us still suffering with this endless headache are very interested in how Anthony is doing!! What does cauterizing muscles involve? My neuro remains super skeptical unfortunately. Anyway, I am delighted to hear things are still going well. I hope the headache days are behind you both. Have a good week.

Cal

Will let you know next week how it is going, but this has really changed our lives for the better.

Cheers
Maria

I was just wondering if you have any update as to your boyfriend’s progress following his surgery for NDPH? Is he still doing well? Has his head pressure/pain disappeared? I do so hope so.

Any and all information gratefully received.

Best Wishes

Cal

All the best everyone.

Thanks you so much for your very detailed response. It was kind of you to take the time to answer my questions. It is great when people return to forums to clarify points rather than disappear. Anthony’s headache sounds identical to mine! If I win the lottery I will be booking a flight to South Africa.

I hope he contrinues to do well; you might update us all on his progress.

Best wishes to you both.

Cal

It is a pleasure, and if there are any other questions, I will gladly answer if I can.

Cheers
Maria

I will try and answer these questions to the best of my ability.

Cal hope this helps:

1. Anthony has not responded well to any migraine medication for many years. He has tried everything imaginable without success. Dr Shevel did recommend things like Maxalt, Cafergot and Tramecet. The Maxalt and Cafergot he took while we were waiting for Dr Shevel to come back from Austria where he attended the World Congress for Controversies in Neurology.
2. Anthony’s headaches/migraines have always been very strange to me. He does not suffer from vomiting, photophobia or any other symptoms that I have when I get a migraine. He explains his headaches as a constant, dull, pressure that is sometimes manageable and lately have been crippling. This has affected his work (been off work 2 – 3 days a week for the last 6 months), he takes a great deal of medication to try and “knock himself out” so that he does not have to deal with anything or anyone, especially the constant pain in his head.
3. Dr Shevel diagnosed both vascular and muscular components. So they ligated the arteries where they cross the capsule of the temporomandibular joints, then they ligated the occipital arteries in the occipital area, the frontal arteries in the temporal area and the posterior auricular arteries behind the pinna of the ear. They then also cauterized one of the muscles on the top of his head that has a trigger point. Further muscles may need to be cauterized but that all depends on how Anthony is feeling in a few weeks.
4. No particular tests were done prior to the surgery, although you have to remember that this was a last resort for us as Anthony tried everything else that the Headache Clinic had to offer. Prior to the operation they do blood tests and a CT Scan.
5. How familiar the doctor is with NDPH I think you would need to ask him. In South Africa the basic advice you get from GP’s, Neurologists and others is – do some physiotherapy, eat healthy food, cut out stress, take a holiday, get a new job, take a pill and get over yourself. Not many people including Anthony and I had ever even tried to put a name to what he had, until we decided on the operation and like so many people I was sceptical about Dr Shevel and his cure. I was looking for someone on the internet to tell me that this was just going to be a waste of time and a great deal of our money. Unfortunately I found nothing to help us decide. So we took the plunge, like I said, we had nothing to lose.

In response to Melissa’s question – Anthony spent 5 days at home after the operation. He has some muscular pain (which is normal after an op), some discomfort sleeping, as he has two cuts on either side of his head and two at the back. He takes anti inflammatories and that’s about it. Like he says, everything else he can live with for two reasons, firstly the headaches are gone and secondly the current side effects he is dealing with he knows will go away eventually. For a better understanding of what Dr Shevel does I would suggest you go to the Headache Clinic’s web site as this will explain everything.