I recently wrote asking if anyone out there has or is currently dealing with chronic headaches post surgery.  My son, soon to be 14 yrs. old, had bilateral surgery in 99.  He had had headaches before surgery and definitely still suffers from them now.  They have seem to have gotten worse over the past several months with him having them almost every single day.  They do vary in intensity but he has missed alot of school and social engagements.   His neurologist has been following him carefully (with MRIs, etc) and has put him on a calcium channel blocker (Norvasc) for prevention of headaches.  Unfortunately, he is still suffering from them altho they have gotten SLIGHTLY better.  I was wondering if any of you who have these headaches have had other forms of treatment(s) that have worked.  One person had written that her daughter was put on CoEnzyme Q10 which has been helpful.  I would like to find out more about that. Needless to say, I am very desperate to get him some relief!!
Thanks so very much!!
Gretchen

My son Robert, now 12 years old.  Has been taking CO Q10 for over 2 years now.  Robert weighs about 75 lbs and takes twice a day 200 mg.
Robert only has headaches once every 2 or 3 months.  He life is alot like a regular kid now.  robert used to lay around and missed out on alot.  You should get a prescription for CO Q10, because over the counter varies to much in dosages.  Hope this helps
Julie

AD Hershey et al. Coenzyme Q10 deficiency and response to supplementation in pediatric and adolescent migraine. Headache 2007 47: 73-80:

Children and adolescents with low CoQ10 were recommended to start 1 to 3 mg/kg per day of CoQ10 in liquid gel capsule formulation. On this dosage after 97 days the total CoQ10 level improved from 0.60 +/- 0.20 microg/mL to 1.20 +/- 0.59 microg/mL whilst (P < .0001), while the headache frequency improved from 19.2 +/- 10.0 to 12.5 +/- 10.8 (P < .001) and headache disability assessed with PedMIDAS improved from 47.4 +/- 50.6 to 22.8 +/- 30.6 (P < .001).

So, for a 75lb child the equivalent dosage would be (75/2.2 x 1) to (75/2.2 x 3) = 34 - 102 mg per day.

Looking at the other studies mentioned in the earlier post with adult dosages of 150 - 300 mg per day that would work out to (75/165 x 150) to (75/165 x 300) = 68 - 136 mg per day.

As far as I could check, these are the main studies on CoQ10.

Jamil

Hi to those still interested!

I have produced a summary document on C0Q10 relevant to migraines with the information simplified and referenced to actual studies. I do not know if there is a way to upload this as a word file.

So, anyone interested, let me know how it's done and it will happen!

Jamil

Hi Jamil
I have a question I'm wondering if adults can take coenzyme Q10? I am 23 and suffter from terrible mirgraines and I'm having my first surgery on Friday but the doctor doesn't know if the headaches will go away. I am just wondering if adults can take this right now my neurologist has me on topamax which I'm not sure is working becuase my migraines come 4 times a week. They are really painful and keep down sometimes up to a couple of days depending on how bad it gets.
Thanks,
Aimee

Hi there,

I am not a doctor so cannot advise anyone to take anything. I can do research however and I believe people should have access to the same information that influences / teaches health professionals to do the things they do.

So, the evidence I have looked at on CoQ10 suggests the following: Around half of people (adults and children) who take it end up with their headache days reduced in half.
The dosage they use is from 150-300mg for a 165lbs weight person. The side effects are for 3 in every 200 people who take 100 mg CoQ10 daily with rashes, nausea, and epigastric (upper abdominal) pain.
For those taking 600 - 1200 mg daily 40% reported mild side effects, including headache, heartburn, fatigue, and increased involuntary movements.
So for migraine the dosage limit would be 300 mg and the side effects affecting between 1.5% - 40% of patients.
Things to note if you plan on taking CoQ10: It can lower your blood pressure - systolic blood pressure by up to 17 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by up to 10 mm Hg for 120 mg daily dose. Blood sugar: inconclusive evidence with slight lowering of blood sugar for 200mg dose daily. Weight loss: amongst obese people on a very calorie restricted diet taking 100 mg dose daily.

Now i have the references for all this for those who need to check rather than take my word for it (cos everyone makes mistakes) but I can at this moment only email you the document.

CoQ10 as a remedy has as good an effect as Topamax but with far less side effects. Did you know that a 100mg dosage of Topamax caused paresthesia in 51% of migraine sufferers? That is arm and leg numbness, pins and needles: symptoms which can easily be mistaken for TIA / stroke by MM sufferers. Rxlist.com also shows that 15% suffered from fatigue, 15% from anorexia, 13% from nausea, 11% from diarrhoea etc.

There are other remedies out there: Paracetamol, Ibuprofen and Sumatriptan / Triptans are preferred by the medical profession. Triptans are a big no no for MM sufferers as they cause blood vessels to tighten up. All have side effects, a lot of which anyone can check on for themselves.

I will make some efforts to bring other options to peoples mind on this including Vitamin B2, Magnesium, Feverfew and Butterbur. However, please note that the quality of evidence is important, dosage, side effects, interaction with other drugs, the patients own characteristics etc all play a part. It is not easy to work through all this for an average person but on the other hand it is difficult to overly trust someone else who may or may not do the right thing.

Jamil

Jamil, 

Thank you so VERY much for all of the info that you have provided re. use of CoQ10 with Migraine sufferers!!  I too am so grateful to you for this (and I have to say, very impressed - you really know your stuff).  I have a call into Matt's dr. and I will see if the CoQ10 may be a better option for Matt instead of the Topamax.  I hate to see Matt have to deal with those side effects that it has on top of the HAs. 

Will have to keepyou posted.
Gretchen