Testimonials

January 16, 2010

Steven Linder, M.D.
Medical City Dallas, Suite A307
7777 Forest Lane
Dallas, Texas 75230-2507

Dear Dr. Linder,

Our 14-year-old daughter Sophie sustained a concussion on October 5, 2009, and suffered an intensely painful post-concussive headache for 5 weeks. She was out of school for two weeks, and at school for half-days for three weeks, as a result of the headache. The headache pain was localized in a specific area of the brain, near her right temple. The headache pain did not move around her head. Sophie tried several pain-relief type medicines (Tylenol, Advil, Extra-strength Excedrin, ____________ and ______________ as prescribed by you originally for Sophie’s migraine headaches) for her headache, but nothing worked. Finally, out of desperation, I contacted Rusty Lozano at the Center for Biofeedback & Behavior Therapy, whose card you gave me September 8, 2009.

On Sophie’s 35th straight day of suffering from the post-concussive headache, Monday, November 9, 2009, Sophie met with Mr. Lozano. Within the 50 minute appointment time, Rusty helped Sophie stop her headache pain without the use of any drugs.

Sophie was pain-free for 24hrs, until a headache returned again at the end of Sophie’s shortened school day. Interestingly, this headache was presenting different pain than the post-concussive headache pain Sophie suffered for 35 days. This headache pain was like the migraine headache pain that Sophie has experienced in the past, where the pain moves around her entire head. We called Mr. Lozano as soon as Sophie was home from school, and over the phone, Mr. Lozano “talked” Sophie through a series of “steps” which relieved Sophie from headache pain again. The process took about 7-9 minutes.

Sophie was pain-free again, but only for a couple of hours, when the migraine-styled headache returned. We called Mr. Lozano again, who again talked Sophie through some steps that helped Sophie again stop her headache pain a second time. This was the final headache. Sophie has not had a migraine headache since November 10, 2009.

Sophie has been seeing Mr. Lozano for five appointments at this point. She has not suffered any headaches since Mr. Lozano “talked” her through her last one on November 10th. Interestingly, however, while vacationing during Thanksgiving with extended family, Sophie started to feel the beginning of a migraine. She immediately started going through the steps that Mr. Lozano had taught her, and the beginning pain of a migraine went away. Sophie said the whole process took about 10-15 minutes.

As a mom, I’m really excited about what Sophie has learned from Mr. Lozano. She can stop headache pain from escalating into a migraine and completely eliminate headache pain, all without the use of any drugs. Thank you for referring me to Mr. Lozano.

Sincerely,
Kelly Van Den Handel

Hi Dr. Lozano-

I just wanted to thank you for all of your help, and to express my continued amazement and thankfulness at and for the helpfulness of your biofeedback therapy techniques, in regards to Savannah’s chronic daily tension headaches over the past 8-10 weeks. It was the thing which was first effective in alleviating the headache pain, and in giving her a sense of control over her health and daily routine.

Savannah began having headaches during the last week of February, and they lasted all day, every day, and were unrelieved by any OTC remedies. Her pediatrician diagnosed her with tension headache, and ultimately referred us to a pediatric neurologist. Before we were able to make an appointment with the neurologist, we ended up checking Savannah into Dallas City Children’s Hospital, due to the severity of the headache. She was treated with IV medications and released improved after 24 hours. Dr. Moein saw Savannah during her stay, and she performed a physical exam and confirmed the pediatrician’s diagnosis of chronic tension type migraine. Dr. Moein prescribed a blood pressure medication (Nadolol) on 3/4 and told us that it could take several weeks to reach full efficacy. Within 24 hours of Savannah’s release from the hospital on 3/4, the headache was back at full strength. As the weeks went on, we went through every possible test (CT scans, MRI/MRV/MRA scans, blood tests- all, thankfully, normal) trying to find a physical cause for these ever-worsening headaches. We also tried acupuncture, and massage. Neither provided any lasting relief.
Savannah has also been seeing a clinical psychologist, in order that she may learn some coping mechanisms for handling daily stressors (academic, social, etc.), and that therapy has been very helpful, though the headaches continued. After several more weeks during which the pain was unrelieved, and the discomfort was worsened by Savannah’s inability to sleep, on 3/21 Dr. Moein added a daily course of amitriptyline as an adjunct to the Nadolol originally prescribed as a preventative. This had no immediate effect on the severity of the headaches, though thankfully it did help her to sleep at night. Several weeks later on 3/25, we tried a four day hospital admission for IV administration of 16 courses of dihydroergotamine, often used for treatment of intractable migraine. She was much improved at the end of four days, and we were encouraged, but again, the headache returned full strength within 24 hours of discharge. A few weeks later, on 4/8, we tried a 4 day course of Frova (frovatriptan), to no appreciable effect. The final option seemed to be a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to see if the headache was attributable to increased intracranial pressure.

Dr. Moein had written us a prescription for biofeedback therapy and referred us to you at our first visit with her. At that time, I was unfamiliar with biofeedback therapy, and was anticipating relief from the preventative medications within a few weeks. As the weeks went by, our concern became that the headache was caused by some physical malady. Toward the end of April, Savannah’s particular headache symptoms did not seem to indicate need for a spinal tap, but were still unrelieved. I felt we were essentially out of options, until I remembered the scrip for biofeedback therapy.

Savannah’s first visit to CBBT was 4/18. Within 11 minutes of beginning the assessment and working with you on the therapy technique, her headache was completely gone. It was the first relief outside of her hospital stays that she had experienced since her headaches began at the end of February. Although the headaches initially returned relatively quickly, she was able to practice the techniques (‘sweeps’) that you taught her, and gain control over her symptoms and her daily routine. In addition to the initial visit on 4/18, you all did a full baseline work up on 4/22, and then she had an additional visit the following week for further training on the technique, along with a couple of telephone sessions in the interim when she was unable to get full relief on her own with the sweeps. Shortly thereafter, I believe the preventative medications she had been taking since 3/4 finally began having some effect, as she was not complaining of headache even when she hadn’t used the sweep technique yet that day. However, any time the headache began to return, or to increase in intensity, she was able to use the sweeps to lessen, or completely eradicate, the pain. Due to the multiplicity of modalities/medications, it is hard to know how much effectiveness to attribute to each, however, I am certain that the biofeedback techniques were the first to help, and that what you are teaching Savannah is essential to her recovery from the existing chronic daily headache pattern within which she was trapped. Certainly they created the perception within her mind that she had some personal control over the problem (We jokingly called the technique ‘summoning her Patronus’ – from the Harry Potter series: The more she practiced, the more proficient she became, and the more confidant she became that she could successfully use the sweeps.) Savannah has been much improved during the past three weeks, and continues to practice her sweeps daily.

I would be happy for you to share this letter of recommendation with any of your potential patients, and would wholeheartedly recommend the technique you have developed. My only regret is that we did not come to you much earlier, and that the technique is not more well-known. Thank you for your developments with this therapy, and your availability and concern, in helping Savannah and our family with what has been a very challenging time.

Warm regards,
Bridget Moyer

Dear Rusty,

I want to thank you so very much for helping my son Eric. When he came to you he was being home schooled because his migraines were so bad he had become a prisoner in our own home. The least little noise and he would be in so much pain he couldn’t stand it.

Due to the type of headaches he had, he could not take tryptans and the daily doses of maintenance meds were not helping at all. Thankfully, his neurologist recommended we see you.

He was very skeptical when we started, but after the first half of the first session you were able to help him gain the only relief he had in months! The day I took him to the emergency room for migraine and we called you – that was a remarkable day. While waiting to be seen, he spoke with you for 10 minutes and poof! the headache was gone. We were able to leave the hospital without ever having seen a doctor.

Rusty, you and your skills were a blessing for us. I tell everyone who asks about how my son is doing all about you and your wonderous treatments.

Thank you so much for your help!

Sincerely,
Amanda