Help, please!!!! - Headaches & Migraines Message Board

britneyglick · 04-24-2009, 11:41 AM

Hi everyone...
About 7 months ago I had an accident with one of my clients, I work as a mental health counselor and he basically attacked me. I had severe swelling around the right side of my back and about a day after the incident a severe headache began. It starts at the base of my skull and literally shoots up the right side of my head, almost at the pace of my heartbeat. It goes on almost all day everyday and sometimes the pain is so bad I want to throw myself off a bridge... literally. I'm taking all sorts of pain killers, which are now causing severe stomach aches. I don't know what to do, I'm seeing a neurosurgeon, an acupunturist, a chiropracter and massage therapist and nothing seems to take the pain away. Has anyone ever had something like this.. I feel helpless and the depression aspect of chronic pain is beginning to set in.... I'm a 26 year old female... PLEASE if you know of anyone or have heard of anything like this WRITE ME... I'm so desperate for anybody's help PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE thank you so much

matt3507 · 04-25-2009, 12:52 AM

Britney,

I am sorry for your troubles. I am a chronic pain sufferer myself and I completely understand your depression. You are doing the right thing seeing professionals. A therapist or psychiatrist could not hurt. I am not a pro. but I would recommend against the chiro. I have neck issues and manipulations have always made me worse. The main piece of advice I have for you though is about your stomach pain. When you take your meds have 2 large cups of water with them and put some food in your stomach. Also if you take more than 1 kind of meds. space them out by at least an hour if you can. I had major stomach pain also from my meds. I had to stop all meds for weeks and it was hell. Now I can take meds again and I just drink the water and have food and no stomach pain. If you are having severe stomach pain do not fool around with it. Tell your prescriber and maybe you can get your meds thru a patch. What has your neuro. told you? Have you had x-rays, cat-scan, or mri's? Smart people will be on here to post and help you within a couple days. Hang in there, you are young and your body will heal in time and you will forget this ever happened.

Take care, matt

tinabean34 · 04-25-2009, 06:43 PM

I am so sorry for your situation. I have been suffering with chronic pain for 5 years now and it is a nightmare. I wish it on no one. I as the other person that posted to you would get rid of the chiro, I went and what it did for me was make it worse. Some do well with physical therapy so that may be an avenue you may want to pursue. That is up to you. As it happens it didn't help me either. I feel your pain and I feel your depression. I still have bouts of depression and why me feelings. It is an adjustment and and adaptation to your life. You have to find what works best for you and go with that. Sometimes it take a long time to get there. What about the cortisone shots where the pain is the worst? If the pain meds make you sick they can give you something to help with the nausea and at least you can get a break from the pain. That is the first thing that needs to be dealt with because it will wear you out and wear your perspective down little by little. Have you been referred to a chronic pain clinic. Have you tried taking half a pill or a quarter to see if that sits well? What kind of meds have you tried so far?
I hope I can help.
I know it's hard and agonizing, take a deep breath. There are many different roads and answers out there.
Tina

britneyglick · 05-02-2009, 07:36 PM

Thanks matt... I appreciate the advice... My neuro just keeps throwing more and more meds my way, I'll try the water though, hopefully that helps a bit. The medical system is just frustrating, everyone seems to just want to give me medicine, long-term pain patients just seem to be a bother to doctors... Keep me up if you have anymore advice..

britneyglick · 05-02-2009, 07:40 PM

Hi Tina... I'm just trying to be patient but it's exhausting, as you know. I've tried imitrex, vicodin, flexoril and a new headache med called ergotamine, which is a caffeine tablet, but it makes me sick and really shaky. I'm hoping to get an intensive MRI done in the next few weeks, I've just been having a lot of trouble with insurance... Oh how I wish for socialized medicine... If you ever have advice, please let me know, and I'm going in for cortizone shots in a couple weeks, hopefully if a few spots in my back are hit, it will lighten the pain in my head, we'll see.. thanks for the response