Personally, I would change dr's NOW. If the family doctor is so weak, he/she will not make their own decision, that is not good. Is there another big medical center/school they can go to? This is a form of child abuse, and I would call the neurologist, tell him that, and then contact a lawyer.. Call the American Medical Assoc NOW, and have the parents put in the complaint With a family history, please do not take a chance. Not sure what Central Sleep Apnea is, by DH is on Cpap machine because he has sleep apnea that is heart/diabetic related. But he has never had those headaches.
What city is your family in? That might help us (KT) recommend a different medical center.

How horrible. In fact, I think this is inhumane. Hopefully, the treatment of the Apnea will cease her Migraines.

My mom had them forever...I can remember numerous times she was in bed with the shades and curtains drawn making my parents bedroom super dark. She'd occasionally ask one of us kids to make her a piece of toast and a cup of tea. She ended up going to Mayo Clinic, but even after that she still got Migraines. I've had a few, myself...they are NO FUN!

I agree they are no fun. At 13 though could they be hormone induced? Not sure how to treat these but just a thought. That's the type that I had, not that it made a difference. They still couldn't really treat it. Actually, I would think it would be easy to tell if a person is faking or not. The pain of a migraine is so severe and can last for a very long time, someitimes days. If your granddaughter acts "normal" some of the time but not "normal" when someone is watching, then I'd agree that she just wants to get out of school. But since she has such a family history of migraines, I really doubt that she is faking. I'd get a second opinion for sure. This doctor is a schmuck.

I have a friend that had a migraine for over two weeks. She tried everything and they ran all sorts of tests with nothing coming up as abnormal. She was desperate so she tried acupuncture and she claims it worked great. She still goes in every once in a while for some type of adjustment. She was like your granddaughter in that she had lots of family that suffered and she started suffering around the same age as your granddaughter.

I agree with the others about the regular MD. They should be on her side and help get your granddaughter a second opinion. He's an even bigger schmuck!

How horrible to treated like that! Yep, I'm with marie about obtaining a new Dr.

I suffered with migraines from about 10 y/o to 18. They would build and build until I would finally throw up, then the pain would begin to ease off. Unlike your GD, I hated school and sometimes used them to get out of doing things I didn't want to do. My parents caught on, though. It's fairly easy to tell if someone is faking, IMO. No young one is going to lay in bed all day pretending to be sick. Thus how my parents knew when I was faking. I could hardly stay in bed long enough for the bus to leave :)

I am so sorry that your GD was treated in such a way. Hope your daughter takes her some place else for evaluation.

That was my first reaction when reading your post. Find a new doctor. I was watching a program either yesterday or today on sleep apnea in young children. This one little girl was tested and is now on the machine they put you on at night and she is doing wonderfully ever since. Her school work is better....her whole life is better. I was absolutely amazed to learn that sleep apnea affects young children. Now that doctor who diagnosed her probem, I would stick with.

For the sleep apnea, there is a CPAP or APAP machine she can use at night to keep her airways open for a better night's rest.

Migraines run in my family too.

I used to get slamming ones at her age, but rarely get them now.

When I do, it helps me sit on the edge of the tub with my feet in hot water and an ice pack on the back of my neck.

I strongly agree with the advice to get a second opinion from a different doctor.

Since migraines are often hormone-related, that's exactly the age that girls often do start with them.

My dd suffered from abdominal migraines for a couple of years before they were finally diagnosed--simply because abdominal migraines (no headache, but hours of uncontrollable vomiting) give the appearance of a stomach or intestinal problem.

When we got her to a CHOP pediatric gastroenterologist, he diagnosed the problem in a couple of minutes and (mind you this was 20 years ago) said that there weren't really any tests he could do for migraines unless she was in the throes of one, but he did send her to Children's for a bunch of tests to confirm his suspicion that her problem was NOT in her digestive tract.

All that being said? I'd encourage the parents to find a top-notch children's neurologist (possibly the dept. head at the best children's hospital in your area). Even if they have to travel to another city to find a decent dr. It's appalling that this so-called professional would even suggest that a child suffering like that was faking. Migraines are no joke--I get the regular ones, myself. Luckily, DD has mostly grown out of hers. And over the years, but she and I have learned what trigger ours so we avoid as much as possible those things, we've learned to be aware of the first symptoms and we immediately do the things that help us ward them off (at least some of the time) so that most of the time, we can either keep them at bay or at least keep them manageable so we can continue with our lives. But it takes years for that kind of personal research to bear fruit--migraines are very individual and it is going to take your GD years to learn how to manage hers, I imagine--since it involves a lot of research and trial and error to work out the best approach.

There is one thing, though, that I probably should mention--much as I hate to defend the dr. Some migraine meds have serious side-effects. One my dd used to take is now off the market because it affected circulation to the point of where some patients were losing fingers and toes because of taking it! If the dr. truly isn't certain a child has a migraine problem it would be irresponsible for them to prescribe the kind of heavy-duty meds that are used to alleviate them. I don't really think that's the entire picture here, but it is something to consider, I guess.

Are you sure you're not missing part of the story? With the family history, the fact that the doctor would think it was faking without maybe a parental nudge, seems more than odd.

Possibly he was only suggesting to try pulling off meds to see if that would help (as I believe some meds can cause more problems or even rebound headaches) and that got misinterpreted as his thinking she was faking?

I only say that because I can't imagine a family doctor going along with it (unless this child had a history of faking illnesses or something). You can run into run quacky doctor, but generally not two. Have the parents found her a new neurologist and family doctor yet?

That is horrible for your daughter!! How mean!! Change drs., Patti. I feel so sorry for your daughter..I know Nothing about migraines but if your daughter is maintaining good grades despite the fact she has those migraines and hates missing school, SHE IS NOT FAKING! That dr. has a problem!! Vent on!! But change Doctors!

Yup -- right up there with changing doctors..and reporting the attitude also.
By the way, I was watching Dr Oz show -- ginko is a natural remedy for headaches including migraines.. but it does raise insulin levels... Pursue the central apna issue also!

I think malingering (faking) is a fair question to raise. It can happen & of course needs to be ruled out. (It can also "run in families" as a learned coping mechanism.) Some people get totally chagrined @ the mere mention of it, let alone having it as a definitive pronouncement. The neurologist doesn't know your GD like you or her parents do, so he's right to bring it up. Further still, he has no way of knowing how objective you/parents are when rejecting this possibility.

That said, sometimes when dr's can't get to the root cause of an illness or symptoms, they will "blame" the pt. (as in, it could never be their own lack of skills or knowledge) & erroneously use malingering as the only thing left as a diagnosis.

Maybe the central sleep apnea has something to do with the migraines? Certainly that needs pursued. Carla raises a good point about possibility of misunderstanding the family dr in regards to med?? Whatever, migraines are tough to endure & tough to find (if ever) a cause. I think a 2nd opinion with a pediatric neuro is a good idea & it sounds, from your description, that your GD needs pain meds when the migraine strikes. I'm sure it's difficult for all of you to see her suffering.

I too wondered about removing the meds...for a period to see if the migraines were rebounds or migraines (and I don't know what kind or how long she's been on different meds). I do know that a wise person(Sandy-IA) told me that only take pain meds for the migraine 2-3 days max, then even if the migraine isn't gone you have to NOT take them for a few days as migraines have this 0dd thing where they crave the meds. I'm not saying your DGD is addicted to pain meds, or anyone for that matter, but the migraine rebound is caused by the meds. It's odd and hard to explain in a short entry. Stopping the meds for a few days can make it go away OR if then restarted in a few days, one or two doses can then work. Now that's with pain meds..this is NOT the case for the preventatives (I take meds daily for my migraines), and the abortives have their own directions.

All that said, not all neurologist understand migraines. I had one that actually prescribed pain meds to be taken dailey for my migraines. Good thing I followed Sandy-IA's advice and not his!!!

Good luck! Magnesium and Vit B2 (Not B complex, just B2) can also help migraines. I have a headache calendar my headache specialist Neuro gave me if you'd like me to send it to you pm me.

Vickey-MN

My best friend developed migraines in high school, so bad she had to stay home and be home-schooled. And that was back in the 60's. She excelled at school and was class saluditorian. The headaches eventually went away. The bad news is her nephew is having headaches and he's only 10.

Let us know how situation is improving--I hope.