Help stop the Headaches!

[NykiB]

I'm really worried about my boyfriend's mother.  She gets headaches all the time.  Sometimes they are so severe she can barely walk, let alone eat or even move.  Her headaches get so bad they put her down for days, throwing up anything she eats or drinks and most the time throwing off her abilities to comprehend things around her.  Unfortunately, its slowly getting worse.  She takes numerous medications that don't really help and its just been hard for her and her family. From what I've learned she has symptoms of Cluster, Sinus, Tension AND Migraine Headaches.  I'm worried that her hypothalamus could be the problem because her equilibrium is always so screwed up.  I just hope it isn't a tumor.  I just don't know where to begin for her because she said she's done everything she can with a doctor but they just tell her she's fine when really she can barely get through a day standing up. WHAT COULD BE CAUSING HEADACHES LIKE THIS? HOW CAN WE FIX IT?

[janiej]

Maybe it could be worthwhile to at least research the possibility of rebound headaches and medication overuse.  Using medications too much can actually make things much worse.  I hope she finds a solution soon one way or another.  Keep us posted and best of luck. :)

[toadaleh]

Hi,
The first thing, obviously, is that she needs to see her doctor.  If her meds aren't working, she needs advice as to what she does need.  You don't say if the meds are prescription or over the counter.  It is really hard to treat serious headaches with OTC meds, they really don't tend to have the punch.
The most important thing to remember is that tumours rarely, if ever, cause serious headaches (at least without other serious symptoms like loss of speech), I know it always looks like that in the movies, but try not to focus on that.
Headache symptoms are often common to different types, and reading lists of symptoms can be horribly confusing.  Determining what type of headache needs a proper work up by someone who really understands, once she knows what she's dealing with, it will be a lot easier.
As to what causes the headaches, it's pretty much a case of you pays your money and takes your choice!  Most headaches have a pretty benign cause (ie, not a tumour), but have a pretty nasty set of symptoms.  As this is clearly worrying you, you need to get her to seek help ASAP, and let her know that it worries you.
I finally had a diagnosis of Complex Migraine Disorder last year, which has some pretty serious symptoms, and in the dead of the night, I did worry about the causes (before I had a diagnosis), but my family were beside themselves with panic.  That is why proper investigation is so important, not just for her, but also for all thoese people who love her. Once you know what it is, you know what you are dealing with.
Good luck, and let us know how it goes.