orthostatic headache?

[cafro]

I suddenly developed a severe headache 8 days ago.  Went to urgent care, had a CT that didn't show anything obvious.  4days in, the headache would go mostly away when lying down, and become excruciating when standing up for more than a few minutes?  Pain meds don't touch it, not even percoset.  What could be going on and why won't it stop even though all I do is rest?

[Bon2405]

Mine lasted 3 weeks and my g-d was I ill, I walked around with my head on a pillow so I could make it to the bathroom without completely loosing it.

[ck600]

Hi Stacey,
I hope you're doing better now and no longer experiencing the headaches. I suspected that I had a spinal leak since i experienced back pain right before the vertical headaches started. I also had an epidural done a year before for my pregnancy.  But no one would listen and I endured the pain for 3 months and was on a waiting list to see a neurologist. By the time I saw a nuerologist the pain completely went away and their guess was that my body naturally healed over thank god. But if it hadn't the neurolgist was going to okay the blood patch which I'd been begging to get from my doctor but they couldn't get the okay.

[Bon2405]

I had the exact same thing 12 years ago. I was diagnosed with ME and later MS. Your on the right track.

[hava]

While lying down ,follow the anulon vilom pranayam, and you will feel the difference.

[Stacey718]

Hi.  I am currently undergoing tests and treatment for the same thing. A severe headache which improved while lying down.  So far I am being watched for Viral Meningitis, though I do not have the most common symptoms.  CT scan was normal.  MRI w contrast showed two small spots which neuro said were nothing to worry about.  I am going on day 7.  Pain meds and rests for now.  If not significantly better by tomorrow, my Doc is going to run imaging tests to check for an aneurism.    I will save this page and try to help as much as I can.  I also have had some back pain with this and suspected a spontaneous spinal leak, but so far no one is listening.  Only way to confirm Viral Meningitis is through a spinal tap which doc does not want to do except as a last option since if it is meningitis of a viral nature, there is nothing they can do about it but treat the symptoms.  VM usually improves within 2 weeks.   Good luck to you.

[hava]

Do this breathing technique and you will notice the benefit, when you can do it for more than 15 minutes.
Build up your timing gradually.If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and resume after one minute.
Anulom Vilom –
Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril  
then – close left nostril with two middle fingers and breath-out through right nostril  
then -keeping the left nostril closed  deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 15 to 30  minutes twice a day.
Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed. Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.
While doing anulom vilom, keep your eyes closed, concentrate on the third eye (point in between the eyebrows).

[dame_wilbur]

It's my understanding that if it were a csf leak, you'd be passing out, not just getting more pain. And yeah, a standard MRI wouldn't detect a leak. You'd probably need one w/ and w/o contrast at the very least, and possibly an MRV where they focus on the veins in your head. I forget which kind of scan I got when they were hypothesizing that I had a leak. That was too many years ago.

I would say that on Mon, call your doc's office and talk to whomever is on call and covering for your regular doc. This needs to be paid attention to.

You might look into doing Orthos. That's where you take your blood pressure three times in rapid succession; while lying down (first thing in the morning), then sitting, and finally standing to see how you bp changes. Mine did really wonky things.

Good luck!

~Dame

[cafro]

thanks for your comment.
Yes, I have had the bp checked and am checking at home.  it's slightly up, but my doctor wasn't concerned.  I am going on 10 days now and am getting more than a little crazy from this ...
I had an MRI on Friday= but according to what I have been reading, it wasn't the right kind to diagnose a CSF leak.  And my regular dr.just went on vacation!  Any other ideas?

[cafro]

I am suspecting the csf leak too after lots of reading and trying to figure out how to make it go away.  Already been the dr. twice, but nothing helps yet.
I did not do anything out of the ordinary- I was at a math workshop and the headache started out of the blue.  

[motox320]

cafro,

If it does not go away in a day or soon ask about this.

Espically, if they go away when you lay down


Intercranial Hypotension. low csf fluid from a leak

did these start after you did somethjing physical

[dame_wilbur]

Sounds like home to me. Lying down is the best thing to do, if you can. You might well recover from this shortly, if it's been going on for 4 days. On the other hand, if it lasts more than a couple days more, I'd call your doc and get things checked out.

Have you had your  blood pressure checked?

~Dame