Dextroamphetamine sulfate, a very effective drug for pelvic pain relieved severe retroorbital stabbing pain in a woman with keratoconus who failed to respond to bilateral corneal implants.

PURPOSE

To determine if dextroamphetamine sulfate therapy could relieve severe headaches related to keratoconus of the eyes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Dextroamphetamine sulfate 20 mg daily was prescribed to a 45-year-old woman who complained of 20 plus years of severe stabbing retrorbital pain who was diagnosed with keratoconus but failed to gain relief from bilateral corneal implants.

RESULTS

Dextramphetamine sulfate quickly and very effectively relieved the pain which has remained completely abrogated for over five years. Proof that the improvement was not fortuitous was demonstrated by quick return of symptoms when the drug was temporarily stopped after 2.5 years of relief but quickly dissipated upon resumption of therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Headaches are common in women. It is the gynecologist (who is more familiar with the condition of sympathetic neural hyperalgesia edema syndrome because it is the most common cause of pelvic pain) who may be the physician to introduce dextroamphetamine sulfate as a treatment since this condition is unknown by many specialists in other fields.