Waking up early every morning with bad sinus headache - Sinus Problems Message Board

2talll · 12-31-2004, 09:33 AM

Any suggestions to get rid of this problem that has been going on for a couple weeks now. The only thing that makes it remotely bearable is taking my flonase, a 12 hour decongestant and 2 Aleve before I go to bed to go along with the vaporizer. And even that doesn't eliminate it- it just makes it so that I can fall back asleep without having to go take something for it (sinus headache tablets mostly but if they are real bad I take Excederin Migraine).

What else should I try? Last three times this happened and I went to my doctor he said that he can't find anything wrong so he won't give me anything for it. If I go to the medical center and see my GP, he'll give me antibiotics for it but they don't seem to do anything so I have to deal with it for a week before he gives me something stronger.

It's getting to the point that I don't even want to go to bed anymore and am considering sleeping on the couch in the living room.

te34resa · 01-01-2005, 08:22 AM

I absolutely understand what you're saying, I get this problem really badly too and have sometimes sat up if I really have to avoid a headache next day. I wish I could offer a solution but all I can do is offer a few suggestions I'm still trying. Does it make any difference with the position you sleep in or what/how many pillows? I've often found mine are worse if I forget and fall asleep on too many pillows. The pain often then seems related to my neck, I suppose it must all be connected. Are you too warm in bed? I'm trying to wean myself off hotwater bottles which just make my head worse. I try to tuck my head downwards when I sleep as I have a tendency to tip my head back a bit. Might be worth trying, if you find something else that works, please let me know. Teresa

2talll · 01-01-2005, 05:08 PM

For me, it seems that the LOWER my head is the worse it gets. It's almost like if my head gets too low then everything rushes up into my head and makes it worse. I tried using newer pillows that were fluffier and it was a little better for a couple days.

I have noticed that the mornings that I wake up too hot are the mornings that the headaches are worse. However, I've turned the electric blanket down the past couple nights and it doesn't seem to make much of difference. I use the electric blanket because I found out that if I had the heat up enought to sleep comfortably that gave me headaches because the heat dried out the air too much.

Here's what I am going to try tonight. I just went out and bought the hypo-allergenic mattress cover and the pillows, I'm hoping that will help because for the most part I'm ok during the day if I can get rid of the headache and am not too tired from the lost sleep. I'm also going to keep my window open a crack to see if that will help at all sicne I noticed that when I am outdoors my sinuses generally feel better during the winter. I'm also going to try the hydrogen peroxide thing tomorrow- hopefully I won't wake up with a headache so I can do the flushing- if not I'll try to do an "inhaling" to see if that will clear up my sinuses.

I'll let you know how things happen tonight and how I feel in the morning.

2talll · 01-02-2005, 07:31 AM

Here's the report on last night for you:

Before bed all I took was some sinus nighttime (I think it was Tylenol) and Flonase (at least I think I took it-I was kinda out of it because of the rough day I had). No Aleve, no, sinus headache.

I had a little trouble sleeping, most likely because the pillows are firmer than I am used to and I eventually froze my but off so I had to shut the window. That being said I woke up feeling pretty good this morning- just a slight headache over my right eye- which is most likely a good sign since most of the pain has been on my left side I guess that means that it's breaking up enough if it's changing sides. That being said I am still planning on taking the Tylenol Sinus throughout the day day todey- someone told me that if you stop taking it as soon as you start feeling better you aren't completely taking care of it, especially when you get used to the normal sinus pain.

One this that I forgot to mention last night it I tried putting the Vicks Vapo Steam into my vaporizers instead of the Kaz inhallant and there is a big difference. Since the Vicks is right in the water the vaporizer can send it out into the air better. I have a vaporizer downstairs in my livingroom and I can smell the Vicks throughout the house so I know it's getting around. It seemed like the Kaz inhallant didn't get that far into the air- only right near the vaporizer.

I'm going to try to have my bedroom window open for a few hours BEFORE I go to bed and then shut it when I go- that way I won't wake up so cold.

Hope this helps you out some.

te34resa · 01-03-2005, 08:45 AM

Hi How's your head doing, any better?