HealthCareMagic is now Ask A Doctor - 24x7 | https://www.askadoctor24x7.com

question-icon

Suggest Treatment For Severe Migraine, Dizziness And Nausea

default
Posted on Tue, 18 Oct 2016
Question: After waiting 5 days with a migraine, dizziness and nausea, I thought I picked up a virus. On the 5 day I saw the white spot on one tonsil and bleeding on the other tonsil. I thought maybe it was strep instead and went to see my doctor, they gave me prednisone and a strep test. An hour or two after taking the prednisone the swelling went down and the white spot when away... So, was it more likely a virus? And the white was pus... I know I will probably get the answer in a few days, but it's bugging me and I just would like an educated opinion. This is the first time I am taking prednisone for something that isn't a massive allergy.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Rahul Tawde (5 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Following answers to your queries...

Detailed Answer:
Hi my dear,

I have gone through your medical history carefully and understood your concern.

Migraine, dizziness, nausea with swollen tonsils and white pus are signs of tonsillits. At the first days, you might have picked viral infection, which might have been complicated with infection of the tonsils (tonsilitis).

If strep test (culture) will confirm strep, then antibiotics will be prescribed orally.
So, you just need to wait for the test result.

If negative for strep, then, the white thing on the tonsils could have been stones or debris (impurities).

Prednisone is an anti-inflammatory medication of steroid group. Both infections and allergy are associated with inflammatory processes in the body. Prednisone is a very potent anti-inflammatory drug, and can reduce such inflammation easing the symptoms.

Hope it answered to your queries. Let me know if I can be of further help.
Dr.Sejdini
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng
doctor
default
Follow up: Dr. Rahul Tawde (8 hours later)
Hehehe, mostly you are telling me to be patient and wait on the results. Ah well, worth a shot, it's just had I known it was viral, I wouldn't have really gone to the doctors until it was much worse, for symptom management. Someone like me who knows too much biology cannot help contemplating it.

Different related question as I don't know near as much about drugs as I know about infections and human anatomy.

Last Friday is when my migraines started. I am now on prednisone as I stated earlier, which is an anti-inflammatory. One would think that with the anti-inflammatory action that my migraine would lessen or go away, but that is not the case. Any ideas?

I have been switching between robaxacet (tylenol/methocarbamol) and aspirin, enteric coated to try to reduce the headache. My doctor said I should be headache free with the prednisone. At least with the prednisone I am not, as nauseous, or sleeping all the time.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Rahul Tawde (14 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Headache should be subside by prednisone,depends on the severity infection

Detailed Answer:
Hi back my dear,

I have just received your follow up and can answer as following:

Prednisone is a potent anti-inflammatory drug of steroid group. It can ease the inflammation, ease the migraine/headache.

However, please take note that the medication will take a few days to give notable results if taken orally; if by injection, the result will be notable within a few hours.

I'd advise the same to continue switching between robaxacet and aspirin and continue taking prednisone as directed by your doctor.

Once you get the lab results, you can start antibiotic treatment. Otherwise, if negative, and if confirmed it is viral, then, can discuss with your doctor for anti-viral therapy.

However, we cannot decide anything until results are in. Just continue with anti-inflammatory meds. Do not forget gargle with warm water and salt.
Keeping honey as much as you can in the mouth until totally melted can also help together with oral antiseptic spray or lozenges.

Hope it helps. Let me know the test results when you get them.
Dr.Sejdini
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng
doctor
default
Follow up: Dr. Rahul Tawde (14 hours later)
Welp, the test came up negative and therefore is most likely truly viral. Wish I knew how they test for it, I am curious about staining and what not. Those laboratories in Uni were always fun. For example, are they testing only for strep or do they just look to see all bacteria there and would see if Neisseria was there etc.

So, basic symptom management and aspirin it is! I find the prednisone is helping me to keep doing my school work this week (at home), but the virus/and perhaps mental stress is causing the migraines together, I get about 4 pain free work hours before the headache hits again. (I will be avoiding babysitting. )

I keep wondering if it's not so much swelling as much as blood vessel constriction is causing the headaches. Considering that aspirin, which acts also as a blood thinner is the only medication that seems to even touch my headache. I have also noticed, that my blood pressure has gone up to BP 120/82 with HR 87, when normally it loves to rest around BP 93/69 with HR 101, when at home and relaxed. Not that I can prove that to my doctor as they only get the 120/80 readings when they look. Go stress!

I have been curious so I have tested myself for fun, mainly due to my allergies which like to cause me fainting spells, but also never leave a very bored (and sick) biologist researcher with a pressure cuff.

If you can answer this:

On very, very different note as an infectious disease specialist. I have been researching different human genetic mutations and polymorphisms that cause resistance to infectious diseases.

So far:
Factor V Leiden: counters S. aureus and Y. Pestis
Cystic fibrosis: counters cholera
Tay-Sachs: counters TB
Sickle cell: counters malaria
and some new genes have been found to counter HIV

You are probably very busy, I understand, but do you happen to know of any others to add to my research list? If not, I figured it couldn't hurt to ask. This is a pet research project of mine and it will help me focus on something besides how miserable I feel.

Thank you, very much for your time.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Rahul Tawde (10 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Following answers to your queries.....

Detailed Answer:
Hi back my dear,

Usually, the rapid strep test is done prior to throat culture in order to exclude strep or start immediate treatment if positive.

In case, the rapid test is negative, then they would culture the throat swab in different reagents to exclude all other pathogens:
- first stain for Vincent's organisms if clinically suspected
- then, inoculation of culture media. Different culture/agar media are used like blood agar for Streptococci and S.aureus, A.haemolyticum; chocolate agar for H. influenzae commonly.
Depending on clinical presentation, other specific media can be used although not routinely.

Adding to the list of your research interest, exposure to fungal toxin (Aspergillis and Penicillium fungi) can increase the chance for PKU (phenylketonuria) mutations. Basically, my work is co-operation with clinical presentation of patients more than with research. By the way, yours is a very interesting research. Hope you'll conclude it successfully.

Hope that helps.
If no more queries, please close this discussion, and kindly rate my answer.
Good luck.
Dr.Sejdini
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Veerisetty Shyamkumar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Rahul Tawde

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :1980

Answered : 1 Question

premium_optimized

The User accepted the expert's answer

Share on

Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties

159 Doctors Online

By proceeding, I accept the Terms and Conditions

HCM Blog Instant Access to Doctors
HCM Blog Questions Answered
HCM Blog Satisfaction
Suggest Treatment For Severe Migraine, Dizziness And Nausea

Brief Answer: Following answers to your queries... Detailed Answer: Hi my dear, I have gone through your medical history carefully and understood your concern. Migraine, dizziness, nausea with swollen tonsils and white pus are signs of tonsillits. At the first days, you might have picked viral infection, which might have been complicated with infection of the tonsils (tonsilitis). If strep test (culture) will confirm strep, then antibiotics will be prescribed orally. So, you just need to wait for the test result. If negative for strep, then, the white thing on the tonsils could have been stones or debris (impurities). Prednisone is an anti-inflammatory medication of steroid group. Both infections and allergy are associated with inflammatory processes in the body. Prednisone is a very potent anti-inflammatory drug, and can reduce such inflammation easing the symptoms. Hope it answered to your queries. Let me know if I can be of further help. Dr.Sejdini