My headaches are driving me nuts!

[mrsambertyree]

Okay firstly, I am 23 years old, 5'8, 130 lbs, I exercise and try and eat right.  About three years ago my migraines got worse and so my family doctor suggested I get an MRI, the MRI came back normal.  About a year ago, my headaches changed, where as usually my pain was on the right side of my head, and affected my right eye, I had extreme sensitivity to lights and sounds, my new headaches are completely different.  For the last year the new ones are in the middle of my head on the left side, not only does it throb but there is so much pressure.  The pain makes me physically sick, when I have one of these headaches, my legs are shaky, I have no strength, and I have to take Phenergan to keep from vomiting.  Usually they wear off a little but will continue for days.  I have had my current headache for about a month.  The biggest concern is occasionally I feel like someone is running water in my head, I feel like I can feel something draining in my brain.  And now for about a week, I have a new symptom, a constant flashing light out of the corner of my right eye, I don't know if it's related but it's making me crazy.  I lost my job 2 months ago so I have no insurance.  I don't know what to do, I don't like taking medicine but here lately I find myself taking ib profen everyday, and after about 2 hrs the headache is back.  HELP!!!!  

[Lama Chahine, MD]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with your doctor.

Without the ability to examine you and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of your symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.

It sounds like you suffer from migraine headaches diagnosed after a normal MRI and based on the description of your headaches. It sounds like your headaches are severe and debilitating. When someone suffers from frequent and/or prolonged migraines, certain treatments can be initiated to help. The treatment should include two types of medications: preventative therapy and abortive therapy. Preventative therapy is a medication that would be taken every day regardless of whether or not a headache is prevent. This type of medication is used to prevent headaches from occurring, and there are several types including but not limited to beta blockers such as propranolol, calcium channel blockers such as verapamil, and others including topamax, depakote, elavil, etc. A lot of these medications were invented for other uses and are used not only for headache but also epilepsy and depression. They have proven very effective in preventing headaches. The second medication is abortive, meaning it is used when a headache is coming on. The medication used depends on the nature of a headache. If it is a migraine type headache, a group of medications called triptans can be used. And so on. However, with frequent use of abortive medications including triptans, tylenol, advil, and others, medication overuse headache occurs. This requires a specific treatment in which the over-used medications are slowly stopped and replaced with more long-acting medications. Tylenol with caffiene, and similar medications, can cause medication overuse headache if used too frequently. Lyrica, which is used for fibromyalgia, can be used for chronic headaches too.

However, if your most recent headache has been going on for a whole month on a daily basis, one concern would be medication rebound. This is a not uncommon cause of worsening headaches in someone with known migraine disorder. Called medication rebound or medication overuse headache: medications as simple as tylenol or advil if used too much can cause rebound headaches that are even worse then the headaches for which the medications were started for. This is very common and is most likely to occur with use of any medication for your headache more than a few times a week. It can occur with all the commonly used headache medications such as ibuprofen, triptans (such as imitrex), fioricet, and commonly with any type of narcotic such as tylenol #3, dilaudid, percocet, etc. The treatment is difficult, but basically involves weaning off the offending agent and replacing it with another that is later weaned off, combined with a more long-term solution. This should be done under strict guidance by a specialist, preferably a headache specialist, or else the headache will not improve and withdrawal side effects can occur.

Evaluation by a headache specialist (a neurologist with specialization in headache medicine) would likely be of benefit for you.

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.

[joyce759]

It sounds like your headaches are a terrible burden for you, and although I can't explain all of your symptoms, perhaps I can explain some of them. My husband also suffers from migraines, and a new symptom for him is also flashing lights on one side...this is called "aura", and is a precursor to a migraine...although this is not constant, only when a migraine is coming on. As far as your taking OTC meds every day, that may actually be contributing to the problem, by causing "rebound headaches".  If you research these terms ('migraine with aura "and "rebound headaches") you will learn more about this. I feel very bad for you and your present situation with no job/insurance...is there a free clinic near you?...I think you should definitely have these new symptoms evaluated and treated.  Good Luck.

[joyce759]

I am writing again because I just read an article that made me think about your situation. This article stated that a flashing light may also be a warning for impending retinal detachment, which could lead to serious vision loss. I urge you to seek the advice of an opthamologist ASAP, as there is surgery that can be done for this,if this is what's happening.  Again...Good Luck, please let me know what you find out.

[mrsambertyree]

Thanks for the help, I had similar flashing lights checked out at the eye doctor about 6 months ago, they come and go, but these are different flashing lights than I am use to, they are colored, where as the old ones that I went to the eye doctor over, were white...and it's more like fireworks than a flash...it's hard to explain.  I still have my vision insurance, it's the only thing I have left!  It's only 6.00 a month.  I would love to go back to work but I live in a very small town, with limited jobs, and I am currently taking care of my grandmother with stage 4 lung cancer...I am hoping that it is stress related.  It seems that I will get them for 2 months at a time before they fade a way for a couple more months...how weird is that?  Having a headache for 60+ days and then they disappear...I need another MRI but I don't have 3,000 bucks.  I got denied for financial aid at the hospital, even though my husband makes only $7 an hour.  Go figure.  I already owe so many students loans for college, that I am worried to go anymore into debt.  

[joyce759]

Well, that sounds like what my husband described to me...he said it was bright colored flashing lights, and this continues for about 20 minutes.
It sounds like you're going through some rough times right now...I am going to send you a link to Mayo Clinic's website, and what it has to say about Migraines with aura.
Let me know if this sounds like what you've been experiencing.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/migraine-aura/MM00659

[mrsambertyree]

I got diagnosed with having migraines a few years back, and the pain was terrible, but these are worse...when I was getting a migraine, no one could talk, I had to be in a blacked out room, but these just hurt terrible no matter what...light, and sounds don't really effect them.  The flashing, firework lights are continuous too, I have been seeing them for over a week, when I move my eye a certain way, there they are.  I need to make an eye appt. soon.  I think the feeling of having water running in my head, is the scariest symptom...I can't explain it, it's terrifying.

[joyce759]

I wish I had an answer, my best guess is that this is a neurological problem, and may be related to your  migraine history...such as a "complicated migraine".   You should be seen as soon as possible by a neurologist. Your current stress may not be causing this, but is probably aggravating whatever is. I realize that you have financial concerns, but this seems to be getting worse, and needs to be checked out immediately.

If you do get a diagnosis, I would be interested in what is causing all of this.

Best of luck to you.

[mrsambertyree]

Thank you so much!!  You don't know what it means to me that you replied to my post.  I sort of feel like these headaches are taking over my life...in a big way.  I'm getting ready to start my third year in college, and one thing I've noticed is over the last year, it is harder to concentrate, harder to retain information, harder to write papers, and even small things such as where to put a coma and how to spell something is getting difficult.  I am terrified.  The scariest thing is the feeling like there is water trickling inside my head, I just try and shake it off and wait for it to go away.  I also have been suffering from terrible insomnia, I stay up with these headaches, and they're killing me.  The mornings are the worst.  I have been trying to wean myself from ib-profen.  I am really strange when it comes to prescription medicine, I have tachycardia and my doctor gave me elavil and it got so much worse...so that made me scared to take anything.  I tried Topamax but it was extremely expensive and with no insurance, I couldn't keep taking it.  I had a terrible headache that sent me to the ER less than a year ago, and they didn't do a scan, they just sent me home with Ultram and it made me nauseous and I didn't take it anymore.  So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, the only thing I know that doesn't make me sick is ib-profen...and I think I have become dependent on a medicine that is not even really addictive...it's just when I'm in agonizing pain I just want it to go away, I know my liver and kidneys hate me probably.  I never take more than the recommended dose, but I guess when I think about how many I take in a month...something has to be done...they're not really working anymore.  I definitely need to see a doctor, I live in a small town, and have tried for the financial aid through the hospital...no luck.  No free clinics for miles and miles.  I just hope the trickling I feel in my head isn't serious, it freaks me out.  Thanks for all your help.  I hope it's migraines and nothing serious, and I hope so much I can get them under control so I can live my life again, and not have to plan my days around my headaches.

[mrsambertyree]

Sorry, comma not coma!!  See what I mean?