Persistent Headache...

I'm a bit of a hypochondriac so I been driven to post on this forum to have my fears assuage. All right so this headache I think started a day before the incident that's got me paranoid. I'm pretty sure this very slight consistant headache started before what I'm about to say happened. It's so slight, I can sometimes just forget about it and then remember it later.  Anyway on New Years Eve, a bunch of my friends were playing "The Choking Game", now I'm an aspiring writer hence why I'm a bit of a hypochondriac and the aspect of finding out what passing out felt like intrigued me so I did it, woke up in 3 seconds, no big deal. The next day the head-aches started, now I remember taking advil for a very similar headache the day before. Now I saw the doctor, didn't tell him about the choking game mainly because I was embarrassed andh e said it's probably sinus or eye sight related.  So he gave me some sinus medication and told me to book an appointment with an eye doctor. I've started to take the medication, and it somewhat lifted, it still there(just started it yesterday). Now I haven't experienced any mental deficiency since the night in question, in fact I been writing as regularly as before so my mind is working just find. Very few times I'll feel a little disoriented from the headache, also I'm starting to give some credence to the eye sight theory since things do seem a little blurry from time to time, now that I think about it. I'm not goign die from a malignant brain tumor or somethign am I?

[movies205]

On the choking game:

How it was done, breathe in and out 5 times, hold breath in, and hten my friend choked me for less than 2 seconds, passed out, and they let me down.

[LifesAHeadache]

First, how old are you and have you ever had headaches before?  I'm sorry but I think you need to call the doctor's office and ask for the doctor to call you back, it is important.  Tell the doctor about the choking game, he may want to see you again.  What state do you live in?   Under HIPAA and state law, most likely the doctor is not allowed to tell your parents due to confidentiality.

You deprived your brain of oxygen and are you sure it was only for two seconds and you passed out?  I'm not here to judge you on playing the game and I am glad you are being honest about it.  Please tell me you are NEVER going to do it again.  It really is not a game.  You can read 20/20's last post.  It will help you understand how important your brain really is.  He is a man is severe pain trying to take good care of his daughter.  One of the MD's may respond to this post but you really need to be checked out.  Also, you can go to ask.com or another search engine and put in the "hazards of the choking game".  Again, I'm not preaching to you, knowledge is power and reading some information from reputable colleges etc... may help.  Take Care

[movies205]

All right I've done some reading actually on the subject... What I can acertain since there's very little information outside the scare tactics is this. First I was lucky in the sense that if there was a safe way to do it that would be the safest. Damage is caused by lack of oxygen to the brain, depending on how much long the lack thereof is for, I have reason to believe the reason I did pass out since I remember I didn't fully pass out till he let go, was from oxygen rushing back to my brian, also the fact that my head-aches have cleared up since doing the medicine has given reassured me there probably isn't any damage. Also the fact that I did it just once is again another thing that most of these sites aren't talking about, it's far more dangerous when done repeatedly. Also the fact that this isn't a severe head-aches doesn't go along with the actual symptoms I have, of a very light headache. And finally the fact that after taking the medicationt he doctor prescribe me for sinuses, the headache has started to clear. However I've come to the conclusion that I really should make an appoitment to make sure my head is okay.

[movies205]

I apologize if my last response was a bit defensive, I've just been on edge. THe reason I posted is that given all the information should I look into this further? I mean given the fact my headache seem to have disipated, there have been no real side effects, and I'm operating at a 100%. Also I don't know if this counts for anything but at my physical I was perfectly healthy, should I just count this as "god dam I was lucky, don't do something stupid again" or should I go to a doctor about my head and make sure it's okay? Since I'm sure cat scans aren't cheap and my insurance company going to want to know why I'm getting one.

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi,

Choking as effected by external pressure narrows your airways, applies pressure onto blood vessels in the neck and thus decreases blood flow to the brain. Decrease of blood flow to the brain leads to hypoxia or decrease in oxygenation.Oxygen is vital to the body since it is essential in keeping our cells alive. Oxygen deprivation due to stroke, choking, cardiac and vascular problems may lead to loss of consciousness,mental and behavioural changes or even seizures. Hypoxia at more than 5 minutes may cause our nerve cells to die and this may be irreversible.

I do not want to frighten you. However, I believe that such a game , knowing the consequences should not be repeated again.I suggest you consult your physician and discuss the events surrounding your condition . This will help him decide on the proper course of management.

All the best.

[LifesAHeadache]

Don't worry about apologizing.  I haven't read those sites but you know they are done by experts and parents who want to scare the hell out of you.  Not because they think you are stupid - they were young once too and they know that you are at an age where you feel invincable.  So, most use the "scare the hell out of you" approach.  The reason, you didn't find much on what if I did this once, am I OK? is because they don't know.

Remember, doctor/patient confidentiality is a big thing.  I don't know if he would even do a scan for a one time incident but he might.  I have designed insurance systems for those insurance companies for years.  By the way, they are REQUIRED for confidentiality in the US as much as doctors.  You can even call the insurance company and keep any of your paperwork from going home.  It is a regulation called "confidential communications" mandated by rules of the department of health and human services.

If the doctor did want you to get a quick c-scan or something, they could say something like unexplained headaches, the insurance people would put codes in the system callled ICD-9's and CPT-10's.  Believe me thousands go across their desk and they can be terminiated for telling anyone who does not need to know information.  That is called the "minimum necessary rule".

I know this is long but you are going to make mistakes in life and I don't ever want you to be afraid to go get treatment if you may need it.  In fact, it is very mature of you to be posting and researching to make sure you have kept your body safe after this.  Let the doctor know for safety sake.

[movies205]

I'm not really scared about confidentiality, I told my parents and they'll schedule appointment with a doctor if I want since we briefly discussed it the other night. I just don't want waste anyone's time and want to know the likelyhood of severe damage because of playing this game once, I don't ever plan on playing it again, like I said I'm a writer, it's hard to explain but experiences such as these are a treasure-trove, I mean hopefully nothing serious is wrong with me but all the thoughts and feelings are great in that scene. But I have no need or wish to repeat it again. But I've come to decision I'm gonig to get my head check, just for safty sake as well as passing it on to my friends that it's not safe.

[LifesAHeadache]

That is so great that you told your parents.  Really - you  don't know how many your age wouldn't do it.  But from your first post, I did know that you used your career path as a writer as justification for the game.  Again, I'm not preaching - OK, so I'm preaching a little - cut me a break.  Just remember, Steven King doesn't have to gruesomely murder someone in order to write the best horror scene ever.  I would hate for someone to ever talk you into taking heroin or anything just for the writing material.

And when you become a puliter prize winner, and write that first big classic - can I put in my early request for a first edition?  You are wise beyond your years, good luck.