Severe headaches from intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri) abrogated by treatment with dextroamphetamine sulfate.

PURPOSE

To determine if sympathomimetic amines may relieve migraine headache pain from pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) similar to its effect on helping other types of migraine headaches that were recalcitrant to other therapies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A woman with severe migraine headaches which did not respond to treatment with acetazolamide was treated with dextroamphetamine sulfate sustained release capsules 25 mg daily.

RESULTS

The patient demonstrated marked improvement within a month. The marked decrease in headache pain has persisted over a year. Her papilledema also completely disappeared.

CONCLUSIONS

The sympathetic neural hyperalgesia edema syndrome can manifest as PTC. Besides headaches, other symptoms that the patient manifested were part of this syndrome including chronic fatigue, inability to lose weight despite dieting, and backache. All of these additional symptoms also improved with sympathomimetic amine therapy.