Bad headaches for about 4 years

[nicoleypoli]

I've had bad headaches daily for about 4 years, since I got in a car accident.
I've done a lot of physical therapy and etc. to get my back into shape and discovered I had fibromyalgia.
But, my headaches have always been here, they feel like the sides of my head are being squeezed by a clamp and my skull is going to burst. When I get them my eyes start burning and I start squinting, I feel dizzy and a lot of times my vision blacks out when I stand up during them.
They've affected my sleeping habits,  I find the best way to get through them is to sleep and wait for them to pass, sleep helps it lessen it seems.
Sometimes when I get them it feels like my heart beat is slightly accelerated and I feel the need to breathe very slowly.
I've started taking excedrin regularly, and I don't know now if any of it is related to caffeine.
I'm pretty confident that it isn't migraine's, especially since I've let it go on this long.
Anything I can do to lessen the pain? could this  be caused by anything else?

[ggreg]

Three things:  You said you might try to lessen your caffeine intake, so after dinnertime, do not drink any caffeine (including sodas with caffeine in it) or take any pills with caffeine in it, or else it will keep you awake at bedtime, and move back the hour you stop caffeine until you can sleep well.  Your symptoms do not match up with hypoglycemia.  And for your eyes, to save money until you can get a new prescription, do this for just when you read, which is get some magnifying glasses at the drugstore, read small print in the store until you find a pair that makes letters clear, and try to read in bright light most of the time with those on, and don't use them outside or for long distances, only reading, use your old glasses for outside stuff or general seeing.  One thing that might also help your eyes is to get some PLAIN saline drops from the drugstore, put those in your eyes when they hurt.  Glad you liked the massage idea, I think it will help you a lot, as I had the identical problem with muscles when I hurt my back.  I hope your headaches get better really soon and that your eyes stop hurting.  GG

[rumpled]

Also, get a hormone check. Sometimes head injuries cause pituitary damage. The fibro could be hormones like cortisol waxing and waning.

Migraines can go on for a long time.

[nicoleypoli]

Thanks for the response. I know - I've recently gotten low prescription glasses (a year ago) and that helped my eyes for a little, but now my eyes are a little  worse. I probably need a higher prescription for glasses - but I don't have health insurance so ofcourse I'm very reluctant to go in and pay for masses of tests.
I was taking medication for fibromyalgia - gabapention and nortiptyline for awhile and that only helped with sleep. I'm off all medications now - my joints are fine and sleep there are still problems... but my headaches still persist.
My assumption is that I got whiplash and I did have muscle spasms after wards for a few words and took some medication for that.
I will definitely try to do the massage thing - I believe I did that a few years ago and it helped. I like the ear rubbing idea too.
I think I'll try to stop with the excedrin and just go ibuprofen - and try to lessen my caffeine intake if that's having anything to do with it.
The past 4 years - because of fibromyalgia I was in the hospital a lot, taking lots of tests even for sleep. I know they would have noticed my BP and oxygenation levels then... unless it changed.
Would being hypoglycemic be a cause for low blood pressure?
Thanks for the help. I'll work on getting into a doctor as I can.

[ggreg]

Well, others here might be able to discuss anything related to a possible brain injury, migraines, or even a circulatory type situation.  I can say on the caffeine, that if I miss my cup of coffee in the morning, I get a headache without fail.  I can also say on the circulatory system, it does sound like your blood pressure might be low, you DO need to see your regular doc for a checkup to find out what your BP and oxygenation levels are, and find out how come your eyes burn, squint, and even black out.  I think your vision situation is the biggest problem you got, so make an appointment to see your doc right away.

But I can tell you this about hurting your back.  You did not say where you injured your back, but I'm supposing it was the cervical spine.  If so, the muscles go up from the shoulders, along the neck, and up around your skull.  If you injured some nerves in your neck, it can ennervate those muscles randomly, make them spasm and knot up, and that could be contributing to your headache.  I broke my thoracic spine in three places, and it hurt for two years, which mostly came from muscle spasms.  The only thing that helped me, and would probably help you, is to have a friend or relative rub out your shoulders, neck, and on up into your scalp, until you feel some relief, OR you could start up with some regular professional massages of your upper body, see if it helps.  You yourself can rub your earlobes, sometimes that provides some relaxation to the upper body, to include the head.  Also, very warm baths helps relax any muscles that might be bothering you.

At the very least, go to your regular doc about the items I first mentioned.  And also look into the massage thing.  If you take Excedrin or drink coffee with regularity, you have to do it every day or you'll get a headache.  And yes, too much caffeine can make you get a headache AND feel nauseated.  But while you're at the doc's office, see will he order a CT scan for you, and also see will he give you medicine for migraines.  I also hope you are also already getting drugs for your fibromyalgia.  Yes, tearing up your back has widespread effects, but your vision thing, I do have to say, is pretty bothersome and should be your number one priority.