Aa
Migraine or something else???
Hi, I was just wondering about the type of headache/migraine/whatever, I've been experiencing, and if anyone could give any suggestions. I am female and in my late twenties, recently diagnosed with IgA Nephropathy and Fibromyalgia.
I've had a migraine headache that has diminished in severity since Saturday two weeks ago. It was horrible from Saturday through Friday during the first week, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, photophobia and sensitivity to smells and sound. Since then, it has gotten better. It basically stays on the left side of my head and behind my left eye, and sometimes I am still sensitive to light and sound. Stress makes it worse. My doctor saw me on the Tuesday after I began having pain and and has put me on Maxalt 10 mg but it only works for a couple of hours and then comes back. It has decreased in severity this week, but I still need to take analgesics for it, along with Vicodin at night to help me sleep. This headache has literally woken me up at night a few times, and now I'm getting concerned. Could anyone help me? I'm seeing my doc on Saturday and he said he would refer me to a neurologist. Do you think I need a CT or MRI? Thanks!
jfreake
I've had a migraine headache that has diminished in severity since Saturday two weeks ago. It was horrible from Saturday through Friday during the first week, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, photophobia and sensitivity to smells and sound. Since then, it has gotten better. It basically stays on the left side of my head and behind my left eye, and sometimes I am still sensitive to light and sound. Stress makes it worse. My doctor saw me on the Tuesday after I began having pain and and has put me on Maxalt 10 mg but it only works for a couple of hours and then comes back. It has decreased in severity this week, but I still need to take analgesics for it, along with Vicodin at night to help me sleep. This headache has literally woken me up at night a few times, and now I'm getting concerned. Could anyone help me? I'm seeing my doc on Saturday and he said he would refer me to a neurologist. Do you think I need a CT or MRI? Thanks!
jfreake
Mahoua-
Thank you for your advice! I really appreciate it! I don't get any relief from shoulder or back massages, and all the scalp massages do is just help me relax, but it doesn't relieve the pain. The pain has diminished a lot, but it's still constantly there.
Imatrex made me feel worse than the migraine itself, and for some reason I can't take Excedrin Migraine at all. There's something in that medication that I react negatively to. I don't take the Vicodin unless I really have to, and my doctor has me on Tramadol ER 200mg as well. I hate taking narcotics, but it's the only thing that has helped so far. The Maxalt, like I said before, only works for two to four hours.
I kept a headache diary for a while, and I learned that nutraweet, saccharin, sorbitol and any other sugar substitute, even Splenda, cause some of my migraines, so I stay as far away from those things as possible. Did you know that some regular sodas and some other things that claim they use real sugar actually put those chemicals in their food as well? It's so annoying because I have to read every label to make sure those things aren't in it.
I also found out that I'm mildly lactose intolerant, so I switched to Lactaid milk (it's actually really good) and non-dairy creamer in my coffee. Drinking milk doesn't cause my migraines though.
Smells don't really bother me as I work in a clinic, LOL!! I can tolerate smells very well, except for vomit. Ugh!!
Heat gives me headaches as well, but not migraines, and I always sleep with a fan to keep the air moving because when it's stuffy, that also gives me a headache, but not a migraine. It's weird because I can tell between a regular headache and a migraine, LOL!!
I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2003 or 2004, and I got diagnosed with herniated discs in my low back (L5-S1) in 2005. I just recently got diagnosed with IgA Nephropathy (a type of kidney disease) and Fibromyalgia (pain in muscles and joints with no known cause). My doc said maybe the Fibromyalgia is causing my headaches, but he referred me to a neurologist just to make sure.
It's really weird because I wasn't doing anthing new the day I got the migraine, which was September 22nd. I just was doing my usual weekend house chores, dusting, vacuuming, etc. I actually got the swiffer wet jet to make mopping easier on my back. (I fell in love with it!!) A couple of hours later, my head started throbbing so I laid down on the couch with a cool wet washcloth over my eyes. It started to feel a little better until I got up. Movement kept me in agony so I just went to bed early and spent all of that Sunday in bed as well. Monday, I somehow got through the workday (by the grace of God), and then the vomiting started shortly after I came home that night. I couldn't work on Tuesday because I was really sick, so I saw my doctor, and that's when I started the Maxalt that day. I haven't had any real relief since.
When I get my migraines, I don't want to eat, but if I do I usually end up throwing it back up anyways. :( It really sucks. I've been paying attention to my menstrual cycles and I don't ever get headaches before, during or after, so I know it's not that.
The only thing I CAN do when I get these migraines is to lie down in a completely dark and quiet room with a cool washcloth over my eyes and try to sleep it off. Sometimes I ice where it's hurting but that doesn't seem to help either. I can't watch TV at all because it makes the pain and nausea worse, and plus I have light sensitivity. Sometimes I take a hot shower or bath to try and rid myself of it and even that doesn't seem to work very well. It's weird. Also, I've been noticing when I blow my nose or sneeze, the pain increases and I get horrible dizzy spells and pressure in my head, andI see these weird "shooting stars". It's not my sinuses because it's not pain in my face where the sinuses are, it's all in the upper left side of my head and behind my left eye. That is what scares me the most, but hopefully it's just an inner ear problem. *crosses fingers*
Thank you so much for you empathy and advice! It means a lot to me that you would take time and reply to my message! Hope to talk to you soon! Is that website emidicine.com or emedicine.com?
jfreake
Thank you for your advice! I really appreciate it! I don't get any relief from shoulder or back massages, and all the scalp massages do is just help me relax, but it doesn't relieve the pain. The pain has diminished a lot, but it's still constantly there.
Imatrex made me feel worse than the migraine itself, and for some reason I can't take Excedrin Migraine at all. There's something in that medication that I react negatively to. I don't take the Vicodin unless I really have to, and my doctor has me on Tramadol ER 200mg as well. I hate taking narcotics, but it's the only thing that has helped so far. The Maxalt, like I said before, only works for two to four hours.
I kept a headache diary for a while, and I learned that nutraweet, saccharin, sorbitol and any other sugar substitute, even Splenda, cause some of my migraines, so I stay as far away from those things as possible. Did you know that some regular sodas and some other things that claim they use real sugar actually put those chemicals in their food as well? It's so annoying because I have to read every label to make sure those things aren't in it.
I also found out that I'm mildly lactose intolerant, so I switched to Lactaid milk (it's actually really good) and non-dairy creamer in my coffee. Drinking milk doesn't cause my migraines though.
Smells don't really bother me as I work in a clinic, LOL!! I can tolerate smells very well, except for vomit. Ugh!!
Heat gives me headaches as well, but not migraines, and I always sleep with a fan to keep the air moving because when it's stuffy, that also gives me a headache, but not a migraine. It's weird because I can tell between a regular headache and a migraine, LOL!!
I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2003 or 2004, and I got diagnosed with herniated discs in my low back (L5-S1) in 2005. I just recently got diagnosed with IgA Nephropathy (a type of kidney disease) and Fibromyalgia (pain in muscles and joints with no known cause). My doc said maybe the Fibromyalgia is causing my headaches, but he referred me to a neurologist just to make sure.
It's really weird because I wasn't doing anthing new the day I got the migraine, which was September 22nd. I just was doing my usual weekend house chores, dusting, vacuuming, etc. I actually got the swiffer wet jet to make mopping easier on my back. (I fell in love with it!!) A couple of hours later, my head started throbbing so I laid down on the couch with a cool wet washcloth over my eyes. It started to feel a little better until I got up. Movement kept me in agony so I just went to bed early and spent all of that Sunday in bed as well. Monday, I somehow got through the workday (by the grace of God), and then the vomiting started shortly after I came home that night. I couldn't work on Tuesday because I was really sick, so I saw my doctor, and that's when I started the Maxalt that day. I haven't had any real relief since.
When I get my migraines, I don't want to eat, but if I do I usually end up throwing it back up anyways. :( It really sucks. I've been paying attention to my menstrual cycles and I don't ever get headaches before, during or after, so I know it's not that.
The only thing I CAN do when I get these migraines is to lie down in a completely dark and quiet room with a cool washcloth over my eyes and try to sleep it off. Sometimes I ice where it's hurting but that doesn't seem to help either. I can't watch TV at all because it makes the pain and nausea worse, and plus I have light sensitivity. Sometimes I take a hot shower or bath to try and rid myself of it and even that doesn't seem to work very well. It's weird. Also, I've been noticing when I blow my nose or sneeze, the pain increases and I get horrible dizzy spells and pressure in my head, andI see these weird "shooting stars". It's not my sinuses because it's not pain in my face where the sinuses are, it's all in the upper left side of my head and behind my left eye. That is what scares me the most, but hopefully it's just an inner ear problem. *crosses fingers*
Thank you so much for you empathy and advice! It means a lot to me that you would take time and reply to my message! Hope to talk to you soon! Is that website emidicine.com or emedicine.com?
jfreake
Hi,
Sorry for your headaches but I kind of understand your reason for panic. I started having almost your kind of headache when I first moved to this country. I was in college and my doc. said it's stress, thought they would stop after I graduate but they never did, the symptoms have increased over the yrs about 8yrs now I have these headaches. I get neck pain to nausea when they're at their worst, light/smell sensitivity. Do you notice any difference if you're massaged along your shoulders, from left to right or vice versa and along the top part of your back? I noticed when I do, I feel pain when certain muscles are pressed, and if I get my husband to constantly press that muscle or nerve that's usually very painful I can feel some relief in my head.
It's VERY IMPORTANT that your doc runs some ct scans or MRIs or both I've had those done atleast one ct and two MRIs, you need make sure it's not a tumor or something else going on with your head so suggest this to your doc if he/she doesn't. The fact that you get nausea and then throw up doesn't sound too good. I don't throw up when I get nauseas and I only get them when the headache is really bad. I was on imatrex but they're not cost effective you only get 3 small bottles and you spray once and it's over. Excedrin migraine extra strength has worked for me for many yrs now. I always carry some in all my bags no matter where I'm going and I keep the PM ones for those night headaches because you cant sleep when the headache is that bad. I hope this works for you, i wouldn't recommend getting used to vicodin it's not even an over the counter and you can't tell when a headache will strike so you need something handy. 2 other prescriptions I had before only worked for a short time then stopped.
Something else I'll suggest that my doc did for me and always does, it's annoying when you just want a solution, is keeping a diary of your headaches. Write when you get them and what you ate that day, what you were doing when you got them and any other details, then you can see how often you're getting them and the purpose for this is for your doc and yourself to know what triggers them. In my case I know certain perfumes like obsession definitely make me sick. If I'm in enclosed places with heat like a house or car I get a headache without doubt. I sleep and keep my house very cold all yr round, this yr I got a bedside fan and that has helped big time because with my headache I tend to get heat flashes so having a fan helps, otherwise I can't sleep until morning if a headache starts at night becoz it's suddenlly gotten hotter.
One more thing is, try eating something when you get them. I've noticed at times if I eat my headache just clears without any medication and at times if I eat something sweet the better for me. I have been checked for diabetes and all that stuff and I'm okay, so you can have those tests to make sure there's nothing wrong and causing the headaches. I've done alot of research and learned that female problems can cause these headaches & migraines, and you wont know unless you're checked. So, it doesn't harm you to get as many things as possible eliminated. Put your symptoms online and do some research, use webmd.com and emidicine.com too. I hope you find out what will help you because unless docs find something wrogn all they do is keep trying different meds on you, so if you can find out what's causing them you'll help yourself way more than docs will. When you have the headaches try and relax, dont strain yourself even watching tv can make them worse a times. Sleep in a silent dark room and keep telling yourself to relax as you lay down or even soak in a bath just anything to help you feel relaxed and calm. All the best.
Sorry for your headaches but I kind of understand your reason for panic. I started having almost your kind of headache when I first moved to this country. I was in college and my doc. said it's stress, thought they would stop after I graduate but they never did, the symptoms have increased over the yrs about 8yrs now I have these headaches. I get neck pain to nausea when they're at their worst, light/smell sensitivity. Do you notice any difference if you're massaged along your shoulders, from left to right or vice versa and along the top part of your back? I noticed when I do, I feel pain when certain muscles are pressed, and if I get my husband to constantly press that muscle or nerve that's usually very painful I can feel some relief in my head.
It's VERY IMPORTANT that your doc runs some ct scans or MRIs or both I've had those done atleast one ct and two MRIs, you need make sure it's not a tumor or something else going on with your head so suggest this to your doc if he/she doesn't. The fact that you get nausea and then throw up doesn't sound too good. I don't throw up when I get nauseas and I only get them when the headache is really bad. I was on imatrex but they're not cost effective you only get 3 small bottles and you spray once and it's over. Excedrin migraine extra strength has worked for me for many yrs now. I always carry some in all my bags no matter where I'm going and I keep the PM ones for those night headaches because you cant sleep when the headache is that bad. I hope this works for you, i wouldn't recommend getting used to vicodin it's not even an over the counter and you can't tell when a headache will strike so you need something handy. 2 other prescriptions I had before only worked for a short time then stopped.
Something else I'll suggest that my doc did for me and always does, it's annoying when you just want a solution, is keeping a diary of your headaches. Write when you get them and what you ate that day, what you were doing when you got them and any other details, then you can see how often you're getting them and the purpose for this is for your doc and yourself to know what triggers them. In my case I know certain perfumes like obsession definitely make me sick. If I'm in enclosed places with heat like a house or car I get a headache without doubt. I sleep and keep my house very cold all yr round, this yr I got a bedside fan and that has helped big time because with my headache I tend to get heat flashes so having a fan helps, otherwise I can't sleep until morning if a headache starts at night becoz it's suddenlly gotten hotter.
One more thing is, try eating something when you get them. I've noticed at times if I eat my headache just clears without any medication and at times if I eat something sweet the better for me. I have been checked for diabetes and all that stuff and I'm okay, so you can have those tests to make sure there's nothing wrong and causing the headaches. I've done alot of research and learned that female problems can cause these headaches & migraines, and you wont know unless you're checked. So, it doesn't harm you to get as many things as possible eliminated. Put your symptoms online and do some research, use webmd.com and emidicine.com too. I hope you find out what will help you because unless docs find something wrogn all they do is keep trying different meds on you, so if you can find out what's causing them you'll help yourself way more than docs will. When you have the headaches try and relax, dont strain yourself even watching tv can make them worse a times. Sleep in a silent dark room and keep telling yourself to relax as you lay down or even soak in a bath just anything to help you feel relaxed and calm. All the best.
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