Please Help - Headaches & Migraines Message Board

Millie112 · 05-12-2007, 08:47 PM

I've been suffering from headaches for almost 2 weeks now. My headache began on Wed. May 2. I get headaches from time to time and usually just take a tylenol or excedrine and they go away within an hour. This headache stayed with me. At first the pain felt almost like a migraine, it was in the middle of my forehead and somewhat over the eyes. Then the pain moved to my temples and it felt like I had pressure. Now the pain is all over and moves through out the day. Sometimes I feel it right in the middle of my forehead, sometimes I feel it in my temples, lately it feels like I'm being pricked with needles at the top and back of my head. I even feel it behind my eyes, near my ears and I can feel my head pulsating when it gets really bad. The pain stays with me 24hrs a day but usually gets worse at night. I feel constant pressure in my head.

Monday, May 7th I had an MRI done as ordered by my nuerologist. I had my appoitment with her on Thursday and she said that the MRI was normal and she believes that I'm suffering from a migraine. I was put on celebrex twice a day for 5 days. Today was day 3 since I've been taking the pills and when I woke up in the morning the pain was extreme so I called her and she switched me to nabumetone and told me to take this for the next 2 days. The pain has not the least bit subsided.

I've researching the web and according to most sites migranes don't last for more than 72hrs. Also, I'm not sensitive to light, sound and don't feel nauseous I just have this constant pain. I'm not a doctor and have absolutely no medical backround but I have had a migraine before and hearing any sound, seeing light just makes the pain so much worse. Also whenever I have a migraine I feel nauseous and will vomit. I haven't had the same feeling with this headache. I'm so scared and frustrated with this, I don't know where else to turn to. I want to trust my doctor and believe that the woman who graduated from Cornell and later attended Mount Sinai medical school knows what she is talking about but at the same time I've had this damn pain for almost 2 weeks and it wont ease up the least bit.

Has anyone ever had this type of headache and if so what did you do to get rid of it?

zach016 · 05-13-2007, 12:21 AM

Hi Millie,

Sorry that you are having h/a problems!!

There are so many things it can be that I don't think you need to question your Dr. yet.

"Most" migraines last anywhere from 4-72 hours but not all. You say that you have had migraines in the past andthis is different. What have you taken in the past for your migraines? You mention exedrine or tylenol and getting rid of them in one hour, are you referring to getting rid of your past migraines with the exedrine or tylenol?

If you rate your pain on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the worst pain you have had, where are you at with this h/a and where have you been at with migraines in the past?

It is good that your Dr. has had you in for an MRI and that was OK.

Have you been taking any type of analgesic on a daily or every other day basis lately? Have you stopped drinking coffee or other types of caffeine?

I asked about the analgesics because that could be you are having 'rebound' headaches. Withdrawing from caffeine can bring on a bad h/a in some people too.

Your syjptomes and lack of your 'normal' migraine symptomes really fit with "transformed migraine".. Sensitivity to light, sound and other symptoms can change when your h/a turns to chronic daily headaches. But you don't mention that your migraines have been coming more frequent lately ????

There are still many different things for you to try. Here, I've found that a Neurologist is good to rule out 'bad' things thaat might be causing bad head pain by ordering an MRI and/or CAT scan. If that comes up OK, they usuallyy have one or two medications that they try and then - unless they are also a headache specialist - can't help much more. Is there a headache specialist that you can make an appt. to see sometime down the line??

You may want to find a GOOD TO EXCELLENT chiropractor who may be able to help. Spend time finding a really good one though.

I get accupressure massages and find them very very helpful. She does some accupuncture too, but it is the accupressure massage that is the most helpful.

How has your sleep been? It''s best to force yourself on a schedule when you are having bad h/a problems. Go to bed at the same time every night and get up the same time every mornning and if you can't sleep after 20-30mins. get up and read or something else relaxing until you think you can get to sleep but don't 'linger' in bed.

??

Zach016

Millie,,

Does the part below sound like what you are experiencing??//

Characteristics of TM:

A pattern of daily or almost daily headaches that seem to be a mixture of tension-type headaches and Migraine attacks.
Pain that drops in severity to mild to moderate.
Pain isn't always accompanied by phonophobia, photophobia, or nausea.
Other Migraine symptoms may persist including unilateral pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, and aggravation by other triggers

Zach

Millie112 · 05-13-2007, 06:44 PM

Zach,

Thank you so much for your reply. I haven't drank coffee, anything with caffiene in over 2 years. I try to stick to a very healthy lifestyle, I always watch what I eat and go to the gym often. Before I'd get a couple of headaches a month, migraine headaches I'd get very rarely maybe once every 3-4 months but whenever I had a migraine I'd take an excedrine and would be fine within a couple of hours.

When I first started having this headache I popped everything under the sun trying to get rid of it. The doctor told me about rebound headaches and so I haven't taken tylenol or anything that isn't prescribed by a doctor in 6 days.

I'm starting to wonder if this maybe this is a sinus headache? I feel worse when I'm outside and living in Ny everything blooms in May. I did mention to my doc that I feel worse outside but she still insisted that this is a mirgraine. Tomorrow I'm thinking of making an appoitment with an allergist because this is just getting out of hand. I'm usually a very active person and lately I can't do anything because of this darn headache.

zach016 · 05-14-2007, 06:56 AM

Hi Millie,

Rebound h/a - IMO - are over-diagnosed, but they do exist. Unfortunately the way to get rid of them is to stop taking analgesics for 8-16 weeks (depending which specialist you talk to) AND, they get worse before they get better.

It is great that you have been able to get rid of your h/a with Exedrine in the past. Most of the people I talk to - including myself - don't respond at all to meds. like that.

It is the right time of the year for bad allergies so maybe you are on the right track there?? Let us know??

Good luck
Zach

dustoffkid · 05-14-2007, 07:26 AM

All of your symptoms paint the picture of a sinus headache, actually. Have you tried Sudafed with your Tylenol? You may be surprised (oh, and drink a LOT of water with the Sudafed so you don't dehydrate).