Greater Occipital Nerve Block for Migraines

[InappropriateGavels]

Hello,

I'm looking to hear anyone else's experiences of having a GON block for migraines. I had one just over a month ago and it has made a difference, but it's a bit of a tolerance test and I'm interested to know what happened for other people when it was reviewed by their neurologist afterwards.

Before I had any treatment at all I was getting migraines every single day. I can't take triptans because of the frequency of the migraines and they also no longer work. I take the maximum dose of topiramate which has reduced the frequency down to every two to three days. Since having the GON block (on both sides) I've only had three migraines but they've been much more severe than the ones I'd been having daily, as in I haven't been able to function, cannot see properly, cannot stand up and can barely speak. The migraine-free periods between have been lovely, they weren't clouded at all, I actually felt like I could think clearly for the first time in years, but it leaves me wondering, is it worth it to have a migraine once per week which is so bad I can't even see?

Would love to hear anyone else's experience - especially if it changed after having multiple injections over a period of time.

Many thanks

@InnapropriateGavels I'd be very interested to hear how you got on after starting this thread. I'm having my first injection tomorrow, although I can only have the anaesthetic (not steroid) because I have quite severe osteoporosis and steroids accelerate bone mineral density loss.

I was never offered GON, I went on to botox after topiramate failed. It helped a fair bit but I was still chronic. I'm now on Ajovy and it's life changing - I'm down to a maximum of 5 migraines per month and able to take a triptan for every attack. It's incredible.

Sorry, posted too soon! 3 friends who have had GON had it each 3-4 rounds and then switched to botox.

Thank you @RedCarsGoFaster

The Ajovy sounds great, I must Google it. Sadly there are lots they can't try me on coz of my bones, but it's great to hear you've had success and I hope the big difference continues.

I had the shots at about 3pm and then walked and had a chai latte in Starbucks. Feeling a bit queasy and anxious now, just want to be home in bed but got a bus, tube and another bus first! Hopefully I won't panic on the way 😄 The procedure itself was less uncomfortable than I had expected, although it took really deep breaths to get through it. Really nice doctor who explained stuff well, which helped a lot. Lips feel a bit numb.

I had it done on both sides about 6 years ago. I had been on various medication - amitriptyline, topiramate and epilim. I paid privately to get it done because me and DP wanted to TTC and I was worried about taking the medication, or stopping and having lots of migraines. My migraines were caused by a brain injury. I still get the pain but it’s now just localised to the injury area rather than spreading across my whole head. They thought I’d need it redone every 6 weeks or so but I’m yet to need a second treatment.

@voxnihili it's brilliant that just one round of the shots has helped with your migraines for so long! I had a few head injuries as a child but it was back in the 70s and follow up was non-existent in those days (or at least where I lived it was). I'm sure my migraine history is connected with those traumas. Fingers crossed that, like you, I see some long-term improvement from the injections. I won't mind having them every few months if they're working.

Hope your plans to start a family paid off in the end, sounds like it was important to you.