To Bill the economist

[Quixotic1]

Hi, Bill. This is a double post because I ws afraid you might not see my post from our discussions a few days ago.

You wanted to use Bill, right?  I hope you see this.  I've kept your posts on my mind as I looked through stuff to answer other posts.  This has been fun to use my brain again.  I wish more people would answer and talk to me, because one of the things that drives me to this forum loneliness.  If I'm just going to answer and not get any feedback, then why bother?

But, I digress...

I still think you are having some combination of headache types or the same headache type with different triggers.  I found a couple really nifty articles - one  from 2006 from the UK and I had to share them with you.  The articles discusses several different new headache types and  two of them sound exactly like things you described.

One is benign coital headache, the second is "hypnic" or "alarm-clock" headaches which awakens one at nearly the same time each night it occurs.  The other thing to note is that they can all occur in a person with migraines.


http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/40001768/

http://www.acnr.co.uk/pdfs/volume6issue1/v6i1reviewbahra.pdf

Look at these and see what you think,

But, I do not think your evaluation 7 years ago is adequate.  For one thing much can change over such a time.  Also, I think that an aneurysm - as unlikely as it is - must be specifilly considered in choosing the test and in interpreting it.  I think you need to get a re-evaluation.  But these articles were the closest thing I found to your problems.  What do you think??

All the Best, Quix

[economist]

Hi Quix

Just in case you didn't see this on another post I am copying the description of my early symptoms:

"My problems started in 1999 when, after a long period of intense stress and being involved in a train crash, I became completely exhausted and went through periods where my eyes looked as if I had been taking drugs. Then one afternoon I got a twinge in the back of my head and virtually passed out. After that my body went to pieces and I developed all sorts of symptoms including what felt like an over stimulated nervous system; exhaustion; pains, shooting sensations and throbbing in the back of my head; peculiar shaking sensations inside my body and a tendency during the day to fall into a deep sleep most afternoons which felt like I had been anaesthetised, During these daytime attacks the back of my head would usually throb or there was a feeling like someone was playing pool in my brain stem. At night I had periods where I stopped breathing and kept waking with various symptoms. I also had IBS and frequently passed blood."

I always thought the "funny" eyes might be a clue and thought that it might be adrenalin since I was forcing myself through exaustion and was running on empty. The fact that this eye symptom came back after taking Effexor when I felt stimulated and exhausted at the same time made me again think that it might be adrenaline. But I could be way off on this.

Finally the state I was in at work was not only due to overwork but the boss from hell, who kept giving me work and cutting my staff. I didn't want to leave because I would have lost my pension so I fought with him instead, which meant that frequent anger was added to the equation. This went on for two years. As an aside, I eventually confided in the company's own doctor who complained and was promptly  sacked! You couldn't make this up.  

Anyway, I know that this is not easy so come back when you are ready.

[Quixotic1]

Hey, another thought.  You have "sleep attacks"  in which you involuntarily fall asleep as if anesthetized.  Has anyone ever mentioned Narcolepsy?  Also the incidence of headache, especially migraine, is up to 4 times more common in people with Narcolepsy than with the general population.

On the run today, I have another MRI - seems I spend years in those damned machines,, Quix

[economist]

Hi Quix

Narcolepsy was discussed some years ago but rejected because my sleep attacks were not irresistable. While I get very,very sleepy it is more like the feeling you get after a very heavy lunch with alcohol and can be resisted.

I will get back to you very soon on your last post. Your thoughts were very helpful and tied in with a couple of articles I found a few months ago on the same theme which I am trying to find. Hope today goes well.

Regards

Bill

[Quixotic1]

We're making progress!  Quix

[economist]

Hi Quix

I have just read your last post on narcolepsy which is extremely illuminating. I  thought about this many years ago but was told that it didn't fit my symptoms and got the impression that it was because I could resist it. If it is narcolepsy then much of this post, which I composed before receiving your message, might be irrelevant. I also made another post earlier on the panic attacks thread which, in part, sets out my early symptoms which may have confused my doctors at the time. Here are my comments  on the headache articles anyway.

Coital headaches have definitely been part of the problem and the article describes well what I experience. However there is a broader sexual and general excitement issue which means that my body

[Quixotic1]

I don't think there is a requirement in narcolepsy that the sleepiness be irresistable.  I'll do some more checking.  The people that I know with it just had sleepiness that interfered with their normal function.  Quix

[economist]

Hi Quix

You're a star: this is just the sort of dialogue I have been looking for for the last seven years. I will look at the articles and get back to you soon.

Still haven't been able to change my nickname since it is tied to my e-mail. Have therefore asked admin to sort it out.

Thanks again

Bill,