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Is this a Migraine? I'm scared, please help!
For the past two months I've been having headache problems. This past August I had a really stressful time in my life due to my mother going into the hospital for depression/MS. I had to quit college for the semester to take care of her once she got home. I'm 25 btw.
In Oct, I started experiencing dry achy itchy eyes. I had them checked out by the eye doctor and he said I had allergies behind my eyes and floaters. He said it looked fine though. He gave me drops, it helped for a few days, then just got worse so I stopped using it.
By Nov, I started having pressure pain in my sinuses , that would lead to me having really bad head pain on the top of the right side of my head. I felt like maybe it was because I was getting worked up and that cause it. I also had tingling in my hands and feet. Also back pain. I had pain behind my shoulders so much I couldn't get out of bed for three days. It felt sort of pinched like.
I went to the doctor, he tested my thyroid and sugar and it came back normal. He thought I had anxiety/depression. He sent me home with claritin D for allergies and a strong IB profin for my headaches.
Late Nov/Early Dec my headache moved to my left side. This time I felt this pressure at the top of my head in a small area. It felt like something from the outside was pushing in on it. Then if I got too emotional it would increase and the same feeling would spread all over the top of my head and in my sinuses. When I'd lay down my nose and ears would feel pressure. I then would develop short times when the back of my head, neck and shoulders would feel a throbbing sensation. My head sometimes feels slightly heavy in the back. I also felt like I couldn't talk normal, even though people told me I sounded fine. I felt a little weakness in my legs, but this only lasted three days.
I've had breaks off and on when the symptoms are slight. That doesn't last more than 3 or 4 days...I've tried Excedrin for Tension headache etc...The only thing that helps a little is Excedrin for Migraines.
Last night when I laid down I could feel throbbing in my head , but when I stood up it wasn't really there. I find everything intesifies when I get worried or worked up about it, so I try to stay as calm as possible. My doctor is hinting that it could be migraine's and I am going to see him for the third time tomorrow.
I also have mitral valve prolapse, but the doctors don't think it is a problem. Oh, and I'm not sure if it is being under the house lights all the time, but I've been experiencing a lot more sensitivity to light and sound. It isn't bad, but it is slight. I also see the after image of the lights a lot more, and sometimes I see what I think is a flash in my vision when I blink.
Who should I really be seeing for this? My doctor thinks it is depression/anxiety, allergies, migraines (maybe migraines) , but so far hasn't helped me.
I have an appointment for a neurologist two weeks from now. Should I go see the cardiologist as well?
Any thoughts?
Oh and I use the computer a lot. and am slightly near sighted.
In Oct, I started experiencing dry achy itchy eyes. I had them checked out by the eye doctor and he said I had allergies behind my eyes and floaters. He said it looked fine though. He gave me drops, it helped for a few days, then just got worse so I stopped using it.
By Nov, I started having pressure pain in my sinuses , that would lead to me having really bad head pain on the top of the right side of my head. I felt like maybe it was because I was getting worked up and that cause it. I also had tingling in my hands and feet. Also back pain. I had pain behind my shoulders so much I couldn't get out of bed for three days. It felt sort of pinched like.
I went to the doctor, he tested my thyroid and sugar and it came back normal. He thought I had anxiety/depression. He sent me home with claritin D for allergies and a strong IB profin for my headaches.
Late Nov/Early Dec my headache moved to my left side. This time I felt this pressure at the top of my head in a small area. It felt like something from the outside was pushing in on it. Then if I got too emotional it would increase and the same feeling would spread all over the top of my head and in my sinuses. When I'd lay down my nose and ears would feel pressure. I then would develop short times when the back of my head, neck and shoulders would feel a throbbing sensation. My head sometimes feels slightly heavy in the back. I also felt like I couldn't talk normal, even though people told me I sounded fine. I felt a little weakness in my legs, but this only lasted three days.
I've had breaks off and on when the symptoms are slight. That doesn't last more than 3 or 4 days...I've tried Excedrin for Tension headache etc...The only thing that helps a little is Excedrin for Migraines.
Last night when I laid down I could feel throbbing in my head , but when I stood up it wasn't really there. I find everything intesifies when I get worried or worked up about it, so I try to stay as calm as possible. My doctor is hinting that it could be migraine's and I am going to see him for the third time tomorrow.
I also have mitral valve prolapse, but the doctors don't think it is a problem. Oh, and I'm not sure if it is being under the house lights all the time, but I've been experiencing a lot more sensitivity to light and sound. It isn't bad, but it is slight. I also see the after image of the lights a lot more, and sometimes I see what I think is a flash in my vision when I blink.
Who should I really be seeing for this? My doctor thinks it is depression/anxiety, allergies, migraines (maybe migraines) , but so far hasn't helped me.
I have an appointment for a neurologist two weeks from now. Should I go see the cardiologist as well?
Any thoughts?
Oh and I use the computer a lot. and am slightly near sighted.
Just forgot I didn't respond to the other part.
Yeah, is there anything better over the counter for migraine's?
Yeah, I try not to drink things with caffeine as it gives me palpatations. But I do have it once in a great while.
Yeah, sometimes I get menstrual headaches one week before or of, but not everytime. I also get more palps during this time. However the headaches are more normal and aren't like this.
Yeah, is there anything better over the counter for migraine's?
Yeah, I try not to drink things with caffeine as it gives me palpatations. But I do have it once in a great while.
Yeah, sometimes I get menstrual headaches one week before or of, but not everytime. I also get more palps during this time. However the headaches are more normal and aren't like this.
Thank you for taking the time to respond.
Yes, I do think I am getting these problems because of the hard three or so months with my mothers problems. The thing is my mother doesn't really seem to get it or she is really trying to avoid me getting into psych drugs for it. She believes going back to school and having structure will help it all go away. I personally think school will probably help, but then I also don't know, because I haven't had this much trouble with headaches etc before. So who knows if keeping busy will take it all away.
The headaches dont occur everyday. I can remember having 3 or 4 days off with barely any symptoms. But when they are occuring it is usually everyday. The pain isn't severe, it is more mild to moderate off an on . Tues and yesterday I haven't had many problems. Of course it does increase when I do start to worry and that usually sets it off past the time after that I think I'm calm.
I don't really notice a time frame, I suppose hours though. I do remember one time when it was intense for about an hour. Then I felt fine for two or so hours , before it started to come back .
I don't think it has anything to do with food. The only thing I can see as change in my diet is that I've been having a lot of chocolate, but that has only been recently.
I don't believe I have any lights with the headache. Sometimes at the top corners of my eyes I'll see a flash of some sort , but that only last for a couple mins and doesn't happen often, if not rarely. At best I do see small dots sometimes black sometimes yellow/light like zooming around but that happens quickly and really on white or plain backgrounds.
My grandmother had really bad migraines. She had them to the point where she had to have the lights off and had to lay down. She stopped getting them after menopause.
Yeah, I'm thinking these headaches could be more tension, that maybe turn into migraine's if that is possible. The stuff my doctor gave me doesn't help, in fact it seems to make it worse, or that could be purely coincidence.
What I have been noticing that I forgot to include was though that for the past month or two the left side of the back of my neck hurts when I lay on my right side, but not on my left. And the pain goes back behind my left ear. And sometimes when I tilt my head to the right it makes that pain increase a little and I get the pain going up to the top of my head on that side and right above my left eye. Advil takes this pain away. I'm not sure if it is from stress or sitting hunched on the computer for hours or what. I do know that I have what is called Horners syndrome from how I was delivered at birth. I've been checked out when I was little and what not and they thought I was fine. I can see fine in the eye , but I wonder if that could be a problem now, who knows.
Ive also had a lot of stress in between my shoulders, which goes away with a message. My scalp and back skin feels a bit sensitive. And every once in awhile I'll have a warm sharp pain on top of my head, but that has only happened three times .
Well not to go on, but thanks for all the help!
I hope to get some answers soon.
Yes, I do think I am getting these problems because of the hard three or so months with my mothers problems. The thing is my mother doesn't really seem to get it or she is really trying to avoid me getting into psych drugs for it. She believes going back to school and having structure will help it all go away. I personally think school will probably help, but then I also don't know, because I haven't had this much trouble with headaches etc before. So who knows if keeping busy will take it all away.
The headaches dont occur everyday. I can remember having 3 or 4 days off with barely any symptoms. But when they are occuring it is usually everyday. The pain isn't severe, it is more mild to moderate off an on . Tues and yesterday I haven't had many problems. Of course it does increase when I do start to worry and that usually sets it off past the time after that I think I'm calm.
I don't really notice a time frame, I suppose hours though. I do remember one time when it was intense for about an hour. Then I felt fine for two or so hours , before it started to come back .
I don't think it has anything to do with food. The only thing I can see as change in my diet is that I've been having a lot of chocolate, but that has only been recently.
I don't believe I have any lights with the headache. Sometimes at the top corners of my eyes I'll see a flash of some sort , but that only last for a couple mins and doesn't happen often, if not rarely. At best I do see small dots sometimes black sometimes yellow/light like zooming around but that happens quickly and really on white or plain backgrounds.
My grandmother had really bad migraines. She had them to the point where she had to have the lights off and had to lay down. She stopped getting them after menopause.
Yeah, I'm thinking these headaches could be more tension, that maybe turn into migraine's if that is possible. The stuff my doctor gave me doesn't help, in fact it seems to make it worse, or that could be purely coincidence.
What I have been noticing that I forgot to include was though that for the past month or two the left side of the back of my neck hurts when I lay on my right side, but not on my left. And the pain goes back behind my left ear. And sometimes when I tilt my head to the right it makes that pain increase a little and I get the pain going up to the top of my head on that side and right above my left eye. Advil takes this pain away. I'm not sure if it is from stress or sitting hunched on the computer for hours or what. I do know that I have what is called Horners syndrome from how I was delivered at birth. I've been checked out when I was little and what not and they thought I was fine. I can see fine in the eye , but I wonder if that could be a problem now, who knows.
Ive also had a lot of stress in between my shoulders, which goes away with a message. My scalp and back skin feels a bit sensitive. And every once in awhile I'll have a warm sharp pain on top of my head, but that has only happened three times .
Well not to go on, but thanks for all the help!
I hope to get some answers soon.
Thank you for taking the time to respond.
I have a neuro appointment on the 16th of this month. Although I just can't wait much longer so I'm going to go to the doctor one more time to take care of my allergies, and see if he can do anything or will finally tell me to go see the neuro or whatever.
Yes, I will definitely either print my post out or rewrite it, to make sure I have everything in it. It's been a couple months so I sorta forget past problems if they aren't going on currently.
Yeah, well I'm going back to school at the end of this month, that's why I wanted to try to get this under control as much as possible before it start. I'll only be at school 5 hours a week, which isn't a problem...What might be more of a problem for me is being able to concentrate to do the studying etc at home.
Well thanks again for your advice! I hope to find some answers soon from my doctors.
I have a neuro appointment on the 16th of this month. Although I just can't wait much longer so I'm going to go to the doctor one more time to take care of my allergies, and see if he can do anything or will finally tell me to go see the neuro or whatever.
Yes, I will definitely either print my post out or rewrite it, to make sure I have everything in it. It's been a couple months so I sorta forget past problems if they aren't going on currently.
Yeah, well I'm going back to school at the end of this month, that's why I wanted to try to get this under control as much as possible before it start. I'll only be at school 5 hours a week, which isn't a problem...What might be more of a problem for me is being able to concentrate to do the studying etc at home.
Well thanks again for your advice! I hope to find some answers soon from my doctors.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi,
Let me add that you might also want to vist your ophthalmologist to have your eyes checked in case your vision needs to be corrected.
I hope I am of help.Good Luck!
Let me add that you might also want to vist your ophthalmologist to have your eyes checked in case your vision needs to be corrected.
I hope I am of help.Good Luck!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi,
I can see that you are in a particularly difficult time of your life right now.You have mentioned that your mother has been hospitalized and you have to quit school because of this. I think this event has contributed to most of your symptoms.
As you have posted, most of your symptoms are directed towards the common migraine or tension headache as the cause.However let me ask:
- do the headaches occur everyday?
-how long does it last (minutes, hours)?
-is this associated with any food intake like alcohol ,milk or cheese?
-is your headache accompanied by seeing lights?I
-is there any family history of migraines?
If any of the medications prescribed by your physician helped, I suggest you continue taking them. Tension headaches usually appear when one is tensed( as the name implies) over something,fearful or worried or when one is overworked.Headaches especially chronic ones are usually accompanied by symptoms of depression or it could be the other way around.So you are right by staying calm when symptoms arise.Take a lot of rest and keep an upbeat and positive attitude.Find a psychologist or counsellor to talk to concerning any fears and anxieties that might be giving you a hard time coping.
Consult your neurologist for any further tests to exclude other causes.Unless you experience palpitations, chest pain, difficulty of breathing or early fatigability, I do not think your mitral valve prolapse is of primary concern.
Keep in touch!
I can see that you are in a particularly difficult time of your life right now.You have mentioned that your mother has been hospitalized and you have to quit school because of this. I think this event has contributed to most of your symptoms.
As you have posted, most of your symptoms are directed towards the common migraine or tension headache as the cause.However let me ask:
- do the headaches occur everyday?
-how long does it last (minutes, hours)?
-is this associated with any food intake like alcohol ,milk or cheese?
-is your headache accompanied by seeing lights?I
-is there any family history of migraines?
If any of the medications prescribed by your physician helped, I suggest you continue taking them. Tension headaches usually appear when one is tensed( as the name implies) over something,fearful or worried or when one is overworked.Headaches especially chronic ones are usually accompanied by symptoms of depression or it could be the other way around.So you are right by staying calm when symptoms arise.Take a lot of rest and keep an upbeat and positive attitude.Find a psychologist or counsellor to talk to concerning any fears and anxieties that might be giving you a hard time coping.
Consult your neurologist for any further tests to exclude other causes.Unless you experience palpitations, chest pain, difficulty of breathing or early fatigability, I do not think your mitral valve prolapse is of primary concern.
Keep in touch!
Get to that neurologist and I would take this post printed out. IT will tell him everything. He will do an exam and I can almost guarentee he is going to start you on a migraine preventative. I would ask him to stay in the anti-depressent family so you might be able to kill two birds with one stone.
Remember, even if you have to help out with your mom, there are special accomodations the university can make for you. Call the counselling department at school and they will direct you to someone to help you. They also have to make special considerations for your headaches once you are diagnosed by your neuro, the school can get info from him and help you out. In other words, their are ways to deal with this. And I am sorry, I don't like Excedrin for Migraine because I think it has aspirin in it. Do you get menstual headaches? Aspirin is not good at that time. It also has a jolt of caffeine which will help but if you take it with your Starbucks then you may be overboard and not know it. Not to beat up the poor Excedrin people - just check. The heart issue can be related to the headache and if you don't mind the visit - I think a cardiologist check up would be good but please don't worry.
Remember, even if you have to help out with your mom, there are special accomodations the university can make for you. Call the counselling department at school and they will direct you to someone to help you. They also have to make special considerations for your headaches once you are diagnosed by your neuro, the school can get info from him and help you out. In other words, their are ways to deal with this. And I am sorry, I don't like Excedrin for Migraine because I think it has aspirin in it. Do you get menstual headaches? Aspirin is not good at that time. It also has a jolt of caffeine which will help but if you take it with your Starbucks then you may be overboard and not know it. Not to beat up the poor Excedrin people - just check. The heart issue can be related to the headache and if you don't mind the visit - I think a cardiologist check up would be good but please don't worry.
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