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Neurology (Expert Forum)
Classifying headaches
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Classifying headaches
by Lyn2, Nov 09, 2001 12:00AM
I have a question about headaches I have been having for the last 4 months. I will give you some med. background,in case it helps. I am a 33yr. old female. I take amiodarone, lasix, aldactone, advair, cartia, midodrine, coumadin and I have a pacemaker. I have a P.F.O, a-fib, v-tach, past T.I.As.
A few months ago I developed severe vertigo. My neurologist noted significant nystagmus, and diagnosed BPPV. I had a BAEP, and it was normal. At that time I also starting getting very bad headaches (I did not tell my doctor this). Well, the dizziness is gone, but the headaches are not.
At first I thought I was getting a recurring virus, because the headaches are always accompanied by overall sick feeling, stomach, sometimes fever and exhaustion. It took awhile to figure out it was from the headaches. I have noted that when I touch my head in the area it hurts, temples or around the eyes, the pain just explodes. My eyes hurt and burn. I notice one trigger is wearing anything even sunglasses or a ponytail on my head. I get it and it fluctuates for days. Sometimes the pain is on one side or behind one eye and sometimes it spreads all over. This is another strange thing, it seems to hurt more when I bend over, and I had a couple of days where sniffing or breathing in my nose caused severe pain all over. Sometimes I wake up with it.
Does this fit into any particular headache class. I followup with my neuro. in a couple weeks and I thought I should mention the headaches. Does he need all that info. Are there any tests he can do? I CANNOT HAVE AN MRI.
Thanks.
A few months ago I developed severe vertigo. My neurologist noted significant nystagmus, and diagnosed BPPV. I had a BAEP, and it was normal. At that time I also starting getting very bad headaches (I did not tell my doctor this). Well, the dizziness is gone, but the headaches are not.
At first I thought I was getting a recurring virus, because the headaches are always accompanied by overall sick feeling, stomach, sometimes fever and exhaustion. It took awhile to figure out it was from the headaches. I have noted that when I touch my head in the area it hurts, temples or around the eyes, the pain just explodes. My eyes hurt and burn. I notice one trigger is wearing anything even sunglasses or a ponytail on my head. I get it and it fluctuates for days. Sometimes the pain is on one side or behind one eye and sometimes it spreads all over. This is another strange thing, it seems to hurt more when I bend over, and I had a couple of days where sniffing or breathing in my nose caused severe pain all over. Sometimes I wake up with it.
Does this fit into any particular headache class. I followup with my neuro. in a couple weeks and I thought I should mention the headaches. Does he need all that info. Are there any tests he can do? I CANNOT HAVE AN MRI.
Thanks.
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-Neuro-M.D.-JT, Nov 09, 2001 12:00AM
Sorry to hear about all of your medical problems at such a young age. There are many aspects of the headaches that sound migrainous like the nasueating feeling/headache behind the eye/extreme tenderness. But with your medical history and multiple medications (amio and midodrine in particular) many things could contribute to the pain. To answer your question directly, I'm not sure it fits into any one headache category nicely, but I can certainly understand your concern though. You definitely need to be evaluated by your neuro doc and tell him/her EVERYTHING. You in fact can have an MRI if you are not dependent on the pacemaker or if a cardiologist approves it. We do it all the time at the Cleveland CLinic in certain cases that are urgent and the cardiologist is involved. At the very least you need a CT scan of your brain. If that's ok, consider a spinal tap to look for chronic meningitis. Vasculitis, stroke, or some kind of bleed (you're on coumadin) are also concerns that need to be investigated possibly. SImple blood tests to look for anemia or electrolye abnormalities need to be done. Hope that helps.
