headache relief

[journey91]

I am crazy headaches all the time. One doc says no NSAIDS and yes to tylenol. The other doc says complete opposite. What can I take for these darn headaches that is okay for my liver. How ab excedrin? Caffeine helps headaches but was told to stay away from caffeine until I meet with new specialist. I want headaches to go AWAY!!

[HectorSF]

Thanks for posting the link, Will.

I'll make it real simple....
___________________________________________________________
If you have stage 4 liver disease - Tylenol/acetaminophen  ONLY.
Stages 1-3 - feel free to choose the med that works best for you.
NOTE: Only use within dosage limits
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Will, if we had a dime for every time this question has been asked...$$$

;-)
Hector

[willbb]

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/Article-on-pain-meds/show/1552015?personal_page_id=1837989

[beeblessed]

I agree with Pooh, to stay ahead of the game.  Be real proactive in managing all sides, to keep them tolerable as possible.  Also, how is the salt content in your diet?  Too much sodium is a sure trigger for headaches and migraines, as are certain food allergies.  I had more headaches the first few weeks of tx, as my body was adjusting to the drugs.  Now I only take Advil as needed.  My doc gave the option of Advil or Tylenol.  I chose Advil because it was already my go to drug.

If you aren't already, increase your water intake.  Have sugar free popsicles on hand for when you don't feel like drinking water.  Hope you feel better soon :)

[orphanedhawk]

If your platelets aren't low, aspirin might be okay.
It's always worked better for me than tylenol.

I know not everyone can or wants to do this but medicinal marijuana really works for headaches.

One thing I've found is using some muscle liniment to help relax the surrounding muscles.
Sometimes I just massage my scalp too.

Good luck.
OH

[pooh55811]

I have a history of migraines and so, since one of the possible side effects of one or more of the drugs is headache, I was terrified I would get migraines during treatment. I can happily state I have not had one migraine, but I stay ahead of the game. The least little hint of a headache and I take a tylenol right away. I also take a (325 mg) tylenol before my injection, one about an hour after the injection, and one the next morning. I take benadryl at the slightest itch. I keep the thermostat at 68 or less and that helps with the itching and the headaches. I also have an overhead fan in every room and that helps. I drink lots and lots of water. And, I sleep with that cold gel pack right next to me. It is not the tiny gel pack. I think it is about 6 by 8 inches or so. It is big enough to fit over my entire forehead and my eyes and if I lay on my side, it is big enough that it will still lean up against my forehead and eyes and cool them. I don't freeze it. I had it in the fridge but now I just keep it in the bedroom. I use it raw, no covering. It is cooler that way. But you would have to put something around it (to protect your skin) if you froze it first, and also, it would no longer mold to your face if it was frozen. Anyway, headaches have NOT been a major problem for me but, like I said, I stay ahead of them. (Having had migraines for 45 years makes me a very proactive person when it comes to headache prevention, LOL.)

[working dog]

advill liquid gells is what works for me...2 at a time....good luck...billy

[James10500]

My doc said Advil was cool to take, up to 800 a day. But as this has been discussed here many times, the bottom line is the condition of your liver.

[journey91]

Thank you. I will def check with my new specialist before taking any thing different than normal. I am going to get a gel ice pack too. Thanks for the idea! Will the headaches get worse once I start triple treatment?

[pooh55811]

Clarification:

When I said "these drugs can affect our clotting factors," the drugs I meant are the triple therapy meds, although aspirin is also used to prevent blood clots, so a person will bleed more easily if taking aspirin.

[pooh55811]

My doctor said Tylenol, up to 1000 mg a day. She specifically said no NSAIDS. However, I do see that doctors have told many people on this forum to use either NSAIDS or Tylenol. NSAIDS can cause gastric bleeding so that is one thing to keep in mind, especially if your clotting factors (protime, platelets, PTT) indicate you could be at risk for bleeding. These drugs can affect our clotting factors.

I also keep one of those plastic covered gel cold packs on the other pillow at night time. It stays cold all night and if I start to get a headache at night, I take a Tylenol and put that gel pack on my forehead. So far it has worked.

Also, I drink tons of fluid which I think helps get rid of the toxins (which can cause HAs).

[Bill1954]

Most knowledgeable hepatologists recommend acetaminophen as an analgesic for mild to moderate pain. While it’s known to be problematic in  large doses there is no evidence that it accumulates in our body. That said, your doctor has your health history; check with your liver specialist to make sure.

--Bill