headaches

Ever since the age 14 I have had a headache at least once a day. It's honestly a shocker when a day happens where I don't have one. I'm not sure if it's the stressful environment I live in, or if it's something medical. Unfortunately I've deveoloped some kind of weird pain/burning in my stomach and I've looked at web-sites, and from what they've said I might have given myself an Ulcer with how much Excedrin I take (being as it has aspirin in it). i would opt for something else but the only thing that seems to work is Excedrin. I've tried Tylenol, Advil, Aleve, Bayer, Mortin, and of course the mentioned Excedrin, but it's the only thing that helps. I've even taken pills that were just the Acetaminophen, thinking maybe it would help, but apparently it's the mixture of the Acetaminophen and the Aspirin that do it for me. I really don't want to have to start taking a cocktail, and with the possibility of maybe giving myself an ulcer to avoid my pain, I want to know if there is something else I can take, that has no aspirin, that won't end up maybe causing an ulcer, or agitating one if I do have one. I also want to know what could cause daily headaches, which sometimes actually return after I get a break from the one I took care of with the first dosage of Excedrin.

[Sandra Y, RPh]

If you've been taking Excedrin daily since you were 14, it's a good chance you're developing an ulcer. Try taking it with food to minimize stomach pain. Also you should see your doctor for other alternative headache medications that are not NSAIDs, such as Fioricet or migraine medications such as Imitrex.