Chronic minor headaches, eye pain.

[JosephLevin]

Approx. 2 weeks ago, I went cold-turkey and gave up soda-pop of any type as I was having a lot of upset stomach from it. As a result, I had also given up caffeine.

As you might expect, I started on caffeine withdrawal, but thankfully, it was not too bad. Headaches, yes, but not terrible ones.

This lasted for about 5 days, and the headaches largely subsided.

But I had not been able to get rid of the headaches entirely. I have one all day long, mild in intensity, with pain in the front of the forehead (eyebrow level) and mild pain above the eyes.

During this time, I strained my neck somewhat (toss/turn@nite), & that made things a bit worse, on approx. day 7. I had a really bad headache (same areas of pain) that made me just lay in bed all day. Thankfully, the bad headache and neck pain subsided after only 1 or 2 days, 1 day for the HA, 2 days for the neck pain. Treated w/Motrin

It seems like using my computer makes the pain a bit worse, and I seem to be having a slight issue focusing, once in a while, where I have to blink and make a noticeable effort to refocus:

I have noticed on 2 occasions, in this 2 week period (some of it without a great deal of sleep), while working on the computer that the text really went out of focus for a second or two.

So, I can't tell what the cause is.

Have suffered from allergies, though they've not bothered me much lately. I tend to have a stuffy nose a lot of the time. But I have not had a sinus infection for a long, don't appear to have 1 now.

I am also due for an eye checkup, and am going this friday to see a do

[KBea]

Yes, it's a beta-blocker and it does work most of the time.  Need I point out that obviously if I forget to take them I will end up suffering?

[RunningL8]

Are you taking any prescription medication for this problem?  I recently started Cymbalta (for both migraines and small-fiber neuropathy), and I haven't had migraine symptoms since....

[KBea]

This is interesting.  I have only recently been diagnosed as suffering from Migraines and yet I have 'suffered' from them since I was a teenager!  They have been called stress headaches or addictions to headaches meds (which I stopped using - completely - did not help).  Anyway, I always thought that migraines are so bad that people can't do anything.  I will probably stay home from work but only because when the headache subsides, after maybe an hour or two, I just feel sick and worn out for at least 24 hours.  While I have the headache I don't experience much pain (sometimes tho' I call them screamers)but I am really, really ill. I have no idea what triggerrs the headaches, generally, but while I experienced them only occassionally for most of my adult life, they became frequent (up to once a week) after a whiplash incident.

[RunningL8]

What is your long-term history of over the counter pain relievers?  If you have taken more than 2 doses per week, you may have a rebound headache cycle going.  My understanding is that the pain receptors in your brain become overly sensitive from regular use of ibuprofen/aspirin/etc., and so you get a headache; then you take something, you get another headache when the medication wears off, so you take something, and the cycle continues.  If you are having visual changes, you may actually have migraines, even if you don't think your headaches are that severe (particularly if others in your family have migraines).  Having been down this road myself, here's what I was told to do:  1) keep a headache journal to track triggers; 2) most importantly, cut out all OTC pain killers for at least a month; 3) if you still have headaches, see a neurologist, and consider a low dose of some preventive medication; 4) once you are off the OTC pain relievers for a month, never take more than 2 doses a week.  Take care.

[Ag-i-doc]

tell your eye doc on fri about your "focusing" problems at the computer and see if she/he can tell you some rx or methods to reduce your eyestrain at the computer...