For about 24 hours now I've had this strange headache on the right side of my head. It feels like an electric shock or razorblade goes through my head about every 1-10 minutes. My right shoulder also hurts. I went to the hospital and got a shot of Imitrex and it did no good at all. They gave me Vicodin but I'm kinda wary about taking it at all. What I'm really worried about is aneurysm. I had a CT scan a month ago and it came back normal...Does this mean I shouldn't worry about aneurysm? The doctor refused to give me a CT scan this time... :confused:

Help?

Imitrex doesn't work well for me either. I take Relpax and it works great. I've also taken Maxalt and Frova...those worked very well for me too. It sounds like you have a migraine so I wouldn't worry about an aneurysm. Why don't you try the Vicodin if that's what they gave you? I hope you feel better soon.

Go to a Neurologist that specializes in headaches. Check your local yellow pages for a Headache Clinic (that is where you will usually find them) and/or call the hospital for recommendations.

Good Luck

Headache's still going...kinda dizzy too. *sigh* This sucks. Don't know if I should take a Xanax to keep it from freaking me out (I have panic disorder) or a Vicodin to stop the pain.

*sigh*

4th day of the headache...or is it 5th? I don't know anymore. Not even Vicodin stopped it. This is really weird. Any more suggestions?

I just wanted to let you know that a CT scan will usually detect something unusual ....So they will prompt (the Radiologist ) will suggest a MRI etc... That is what happened to me...They saw something....thought it was a tumour...wasn't sure..So off I go to another hospital for a MRI..That is when they found I did have a aneurysm...Then I was off to a university for a angiogram, to found out it is inoperable....Now it has been almost 5 years and the pain is hard to live with.. Your headaches sounds like "Tic D" or icepick headache. Really painfull but there is meds that will work (if) that is the proper DX...They are anti-seizure meds...Your in my prayers.....Cindy

I just wanted to let you know that a CT scan will usually detect something unusual ....So they will prompt (the Radiologist ) will suggest a MRI etc... That is what happened to me...They saw something....thought it was a tumour...wasn't sure..So off I go to another hospital for a MRI..That is when they found I did have a aneurysm...Then I was off to a university for a angiogram, to found out it is inoperable....Now it has been almost 5 years and the pain is hard to live with.. Your headaches sounds like "Tic D" or icepick headache. Really painfull but there is meds that will work (if) that is the proper DX...They are anti-seizure meds...Your in my prayers.....Cindy

This question is for Studey if you read this. What prompted your CT scan and what pain symptoms have you been living with for the past 5 years?

Well I woke up one morning and all of a sudden I get this horrible headache...I call it a thunderbolt headache....It has stayed with me ever since and has never gone away..It is basically behind my left eye..(where the aneurysm is located ) But whaT I have found out...That my aneurysm is right beside my 5th cranial nerve and for every heart beat it rubbed the nerve or banged it...Which it done it for the last 4 years and now it has done damage..my neurosurgeon beleives...He tried to put in a stent and bend it in a way from the nerve~~so it would not touch it with every beat but I hurt just as much as a did before surgery...But~~~I don't know if it is because it was allready damaged or the surgery just didn't work. The pain can be unbareable.......Let alone knowing you have a time bomb in your head every day,,,It can get on your nerves to say the least...But if you are so nervous about having a aneurysm....Ask your Doc for a MRA, That will show your arteries of your brain (or a CTA ) They are great test. And takes about 15 minutes....You will know FOR SURE if you have the monster or not...I pray you don't, Hugs, Cindy

Go to the Doctor.

Cindy...... what will they do about your aneurysm? do you just have to wait until it bursts?

Ann

So far that is what has happened.....Except......Last August 2004, I had a MRI cause my headaches was getting even worse with worse dizziness.. Found out my annie was getting bigger....By the time, I had my stent put in Jan 2005, It had almost doubled in size (stated Nuerosurgeon ) So He put in a stent and was gonna put in coils......but....after the stent was placed...I had a sroke and the surgery had to be stopped and coils was not placed....The stent does not go through all the way through the annie either..This was was checked August 02, 2005 No sucess, (checked by angiogram...)My neurosurgeon told me at that time....That he could not do any other surgery for me...It is way to dangerous.....That For me to take narcotics for my head pain...And go with my life.......My annie is still filling up with blood and the stent is not working......But I do get releif knowing it hasn't grown since the surgery....So maybe, the stent stopped it from growing out of control.....which is a miracle all on it's own.....I take every little thing I can......My pain is a horrible, terrible pain..I wouldn't wish on my worse enemy....Let alone the fears of this deadly monster....There are 2 Docs in Pittsburg, Pa. That are doing miracles with brain surgery and with complicated annies like mine....My husband and my PCP has talked about Me and my husband going down there and having a consult.....So there is still some hope......Maybe.....I got this thing when I was 38 years old, I'm 43 now. I allways thought these would be my best years (my years ) after the babies grew up.....A little time for myself.....Now I have alot of time for me and with it comes severe pain and no future......What people needs to know is if they get a sudden headache, one like no other.....They need to go to the E.R. and get a Ct or a MRI. Usually either test will find a problem.. This is your life...And most annies can be fixed...Mine is just to deep in the brain and if they were to do a braib by-pass (mentioned a few times ) that I would be disabled beyond despair or die...So I live my chances every day.....And you know what really upsets me.....I have been fighting SSDI for 4 years..And still don't have it yet...Go figure....Hugs, guys, Cindy

Im so sorry to hear the problems you are having....seems like someone could do something! My mom passed away from an aneurysm almost 4 years ago, it devistated us all, we had no idea that she had one, and i dont know if she knew or not, but i doubt she would have ever gone through a brain surgery even if she had known. i just hope you can get some help, and be well:)

Awn38,
I hope that the Docs has told you that aneurysm are family related......That if your mom had one that it is in your best and your siblings interest to be checked with a MRA or a CTA to make sure that you guys don't have a hiding monster......I'm not trying to scare you but...there are alot of studies out there that are showing that this monster does runs in families...And that it is better to find out before a rupture (in control inviroment ) that after..The odds demand it....50% people with a rupture die , 50% people that live 25 % of that will have a severe disability..Now if they can find it before hand under controlled circumstances.....The odds are VERY good.......If you and your sibling haven't had a simple CTA or MRA.....Please.....Get one scheduled....ASAP.....Hugs, Cindy.....Oh, your family doc can do this, HUgs

Cindy,
Do you know if a CT scan without the dye can detect an anuerysm?

Jen

With mine it detected something..They thought it was a tumour.. It would detect something is out of order...Then the radiologist MUST report anything out of order.....Then like with me, they suggested a immediate MRI..So the hospital that I was at, didn't have one, so they shipped me over to a bigger hospital with the MRI machine..Now ,without contrast, I don't know, I know the contrast helps.....If you are really stressing, it is probably best to get a CTA ~~It chacks the arteries, They can give you meds if you are allergic to them, Steriods and phenergan and some others, Thats what my husband does..Thats what I'd do, just to make my mind better, It's not good to be stressing so much.. Hugs and Good luck, Cindy

hi studey,my heart goes out to you and your family for what you are going through every day.
almost 5 years ago when i was 3 months pregnant i banged my head and the next day woke with the worst headache id ever experienced.over the years ive developed numerous symptoms,my doc says i have chronic/severe daily headaches,migrainey but mostly severe presure as if my hole head wants to explode and every movement hurts..alot! severe pain behind eyes even if head doesnt hurt,more in left,dizzy,double,blurry vision,shootint/stabbing pain in head/neck,achey neck,tired and the list goes on!!! i was never ill untill this.
for the best part of the 5 years i was convinced i had an aneurysm despite a clear mri as was told by one doc they dont show all the time if small.everday i waited for something in my head to burst! silly i know but ive never known pain and illness like this!! its only been this year i decided to get my act together and to stop worrying,ive gone back to college at the age of 29 and was alot calmer until i read your post this week about having an aneurysm for the past 5 years and now im paniking again as i thought if i had one it would have ruptured by now,obviously not!!!
do my symptoms sound similar to yours?
is it possibble yours could stay unruptured?what pain meds do you take?
i now just take ibprofen if i take them in time they usually work for a couple of hours for the main big headache but not the rest of pains.
i hope you dont mind my questions,take care,jellebeans x

Been reading these posts about headaches and aneurysms and I am no expert but have my experience. I"m 28 and had an unruptured aneurysm found by MRI last year (it was then surgically clipped). I had asked my doctor for the MRI due to worsening headaches and dizziness and had convinced myself I had MS. The aneurysm was an incidental finding and reportedly unrelated to the headaches or dizziness--which I still have and am now being treated for TMJ and migraines.

There is a fair bit of research out there on aneurysms relative to family history, likelihood of rupture (depends on age etc). At the time of diagnosis I was told the annual rate of rupture is 1% but it is cumulative so if I wait 10 years it is 10%. But many people live with them and never know or live with them and never have trouble--I wasn't willing to risk it but not everyone has the choice.



If you have a worsening or suddenly new headache best advice is to see a doctor / go to the ER just as if you had sudden or worsening chest pain.

A CT without contrast should pick up an aneurysm but with contrast is better in terms of seeing the entire cerebrovascular system.

jellebeans, I don't mind the questions, I just wanted to make a comment to Mayansun post, It is very important, that if you all of a sudden, get a horrible headache like no other...Get yourself to your Doc or ER. I also have went to many Docs that said that my headaches was NOT related to my aneurysm.....It is very sad, that they made me suffer those first 2 years..Like I did....Shame on themmm. They never once thought about banging on my 5th cranial nerve....It took 1 neuro surgeon to see my films and ask me 10 questions and know what was wrong. A very good NS, At that ! Dr. Yeh from Cincinati, OHIo. Mayfield Clinic. They have a great team of docs down there bt the way...For everything Neuro imaginable........Anyway Jellebeans, I've been on everything narcotic....from a-z. What has worked the best for me has been Kadian but that got kind of expensive..It's a 3 peir on my husband insurance 50 dollars co-pay. With everything else......I'm on methadone now..Cheap, good narcotic for nerve pain. Has been a life saver but it has it's side effects also...Take anywhere from 50-100mgs a day. Hugs, Cindy

Your headaches may be nothing, they may be something. I have a HEADACHE. Mine is after effect from 2 brain surgeries 20 years ago. Without any (relevant) symtoms, without any warning, I had a seizure that resulted in a CT scan that resulted in my surgeries. I am one of the "lucky" ones. I ended up with 2 shunts to drain an arachnoid 3rd ventricle cyst.

So take the advice of all concern and get a CT and/or MRI scan.

Now, a couple of questions:

Has your diet changed recently?

I went on a diet 5 years before my surgeries and lost a lot (60 lbs) of weight. Initially I had terrible headaches until I realized I had been advised at the onset of my diet to hold off on the underarm deoderants; I did, and the headaches quickly subsided.

Are you eating an adequate amount of anti oxidents?

A habit I picked up as a result of my diet was to incorporate lots of fruits and vegetables (5-6 servings fruits, 5-7 servings vegetables) in my daily diet. With my usual intake my headache goes from manageable to "I don't want to get out of bed!". Unfortunately few around me (I live by meself) appreciate this, and so if I go out and do not have what is my normal "intake", the next day I can feel horrible. also, check with your family doctor. Taking a Vitamin E (1000 IU or 400 I pill may help.

But most importantly, see if it is felt that a CT or MRI scan (with or without contrast - let the doctor decide) is warranted. And if you feel you are not getting the response (help) you need, see another doctor. I can't tell how times I have read of people whose symtoms w ere dismissed as insignificant only to have an incident of dire consequence happen a year, 6 months or even a few weeks later.

Good luck.

drifter05155

If you are going to have a CT you should have it with contrast. I take Benedryl and prednisone before mine and I have no problems at all with the dye. I was having strange headaches, I've had migraines for 25 years, that were different so they did two CT scans. Both showed an aneurysm. I had an angiogram 2 weeks ago and it showed my aneurysm is deep in my brain also and probably cannot be coiled. I would have to undergo brain surgery. Both the neurosurgeon and the neuroradiologist said my headaches are not related to the aneurysm. I have been having very strange headaches continually the past two days. Lots of sharp pains, burning pain and pressure. I am seeing the neurosurgeon today. Living with this little monster certainly is a life-changing event. Anyone having odd headaches, please get a CT scan with contrast. It is no big deal and it takes only 10 minutes. Even the angiogram was no big deal to me.

hey i also have a panic disorder and a pain on the right side of my head thats freaking me the hell out :(