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CONSTANT headaches.. what can I do?! :(

31 replies

alittleacorn · 19/11/2021 22:49

I'm in floods of tears yet again.. for the last fortnight (maybe longer) I've been having almost daily migraines / excruciating headaches.
They radiate between and behind my eyes, up the bridge of my nose and across my forehead. I am in so much pain it feels like I've been punched / stabbed in the head and bridge of the nose.

I am so miserable. I'm scared to go out because I don't know when I will have a headache. I had to stop driving today and have a family member come and collect me and my car to take me back home as I was in agony.

I had my eyes tested recently and have new glasses.. the opticians said I didn't really have much of a change to my vision at all, only minor but have given me new glasses to reflect this change. I don't think it's the glasses causing this though as I was having the pain beforehand.

What can I do?! It isn't an A&E matter I don't think, but I'm just hysterical. I'm in SO much pain 😞

OP posts:
alittleacorn · 19/11/2021 22:49

Thanks for any ideas / help in advance.

OP posts:
Smokeahontas · 19/11/2021 22:51

You need to go and see your GP. I suffer from them too, paracetamol and metoclopramide is the only thing that works for me.

alittleacorn · 19/11/2021 22:52

@Smokeahontas I will ask to see them again. So far nothing I've taken has worked, I'm just in constant agony and they come in SO fast 😞

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mrswormwood1 · 19/11/2021 22:54

My husband has been suffering with headaches like these for years on and off
Last month he had a headache that lasted about 3 1/2 weeks
We were giving every migraine medication under the sun and not a thing worked..
I got fed up one night he was shaking and throwing up and his whole body was trembling from the pain.. after multiple head scans that came back clear we couldn't understand what it was and what was causing it..
I did some research and came across "cluster headaches"
Might do you good to read about them a little
They aren't migraines that's why migraine medication wasn't working and there are specific treatments to try for these headaches..
This bout of headaches has passed thankfully

Tippytaps · 19/11/2021 23:03

Sometimes migraines are an A&E matter. A migraine the has lasted this length of time needs medical attention. Call 111 for advice.

There are medications available on prescription from your GP.

The pharmacy can help too, ask for migraleve pink, take 2 with aspirin or ibuprofen at the first sign of a headache. Then lie down in the dark for 20 minutes while they start working.

Put a cold damp towel or ice pack on your forehead and back of your neck.

Try a cold pack eye mask, I find the clay ball filled ones are best.

Drink lots of electrolyte drinks (lucozade sport is a good one).

NeverDropYourMooncup · 19/11/2021 23:17

Oh, that's awful for you.

First of all, you need to have any serious causes eliminated (as you're now unsafe to drive). Call 111 and if it feels as though it could be described as a thunderclap or as suddenly as if you'd just been smacked around the face with a baseball bat, or if there is any sign of your face drooping or becoming clumsy/numb/weak, tell 111 this - they might advise you to go to hospital or see an out of hours practitioner as it may be necessary to urgently check your blood pressure, for example. But you won't know unless you contact them. If they are happy for you to wait until Monday to make a GP appointment, you'll still need to tell the GP reception staff why you need the appointment, as it'll make it more likely that you'll get one sooner.

In the meantime and if it is established that it's not anything urgently needing attention, have you tried using a gel icepack at all? You keep them in the freezer and when the pain hits, you grab it, wrap it in a teatowel and pretty much faceplant into it with all the lights off. They don't work for everybody, but if they do, they make bloodvessels contact, which can reduce the pain. A bag of peas in a teatowel is a reasonable short term substitute - use a marker pen so that you don't try and eat them after they've been defrosted and refrozen several times.

If they help, you can also buy instant chill packs for when you are out - with those, you pop the inner sections, the chemicals mix and this creates cold through an endothermic reaction, which could give you enough time to get home.

Some people find relief from using 4Head/menthol on their forehead. Don't let it get onto your eyebrows or above your cheekbones as it'll make your eyes stream for hours don't ask how I know that.

However, did the optician check the pressure in your eyes? If not, I'd really suggest you go to another one this weekend if 111 are happy for you to wait.

It could also be sinus related, especially if the dip just below the middle of your eyebrow or over your cheekbone is tender to pressure - if that's the case, Pseudoephedrine/the Sudafed only available from the pharmacist, not on the shelves, could reduce the pain - the most painful thing I have ever experienced in my life, literally wishing I would die, turned out to be sinusitis. The second time my eyes hurt similar to yours was due to a nasty flu.

In short, there could be any number of causes, some which would need to be excluded. So call 111 first.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 19/11/2021 23:20

Sounds like sinus pain, it's excruciating.

Luredbyapomegranate · 19/11/2021 23:25

Go back and see your GP
If it’s so bad you are seriously in pain, so go to A and E
Exaggerate the number to the GP if you have to, but be clear this is totally disabling, you can’t drive, will loose job etc, and you need urgent referral unless they can figure it out
Is there a group for migraine sufferers?
Do research, and try all the standard things - it might be something quite east to fix

It sounds awful and I am really sorry

Blueroses99 · 19/11/2021 23:27

In case it helps… I was getting headaches regularly for months and eventually found that there were tight muscles in my neck causing them, that resolved after lots of deep tissue massage.

Juniper68 · 19/11/2021 23:31

Contact 111 fill in the online details and they'll ring you

Am so sorry you're going through this.

Igneo · 19/11/2021 23:31

Hormonal contraception?

immersivereader · 19/11/2021 23:38

Have you tried cold and sinus medication?

Also, ice cold Coke

immersivereader · 19/11/2021 23:38

Oh, low carbing helped mine

How's your diet?

Sh05 · 19/11/2021 23:41

If anything the GP gives doesn't help then maybe see a physiotherapist, I had a student once who suffered severe and long bouts of headaches, after nearly 9 months of trying absolutely everything she was referred for physio, I met her mum recently and she said the neck exercises have really helped and she doesn't get them anymore.

Colin56 · 19/11/2021 23:41

You need to see a neurologist to get a diagnosis first. A GP will probably not give you the right treatment until you have a diagnosis.

justasking111 · 19/11/2021 23:46

My chiropractor was talking about this yesterday. He has treated people with this, think he said between c2 and c3 can cause problems.

eMail your surgery if they don't have an e consult system. They do respond

FranklySonImTheGaffer · 20/11/2021 00:10

Go through the basics first - are you dehydrated? Even if you think not, drink a glass of water. Are you eating a balanced diet? Headaches can have a lot of triggers (mine are often related to sugar). Are you sleeping? Both too much and too little can cause issues.

Take your glasses back to the optician and ask them to check that the glasses you've been given contain the right lenses - mistakes happen.

I would definitely consider going back to see someone - dr, pharmacist etc.

From now, start a journal. Track what you eat and drink (and when), how much you sleep, your hormonal cycle, when the headaches start, where the pain is and score how painful they are on a scale of 1-10. Note any medication you take and what effects they have on your symptoms. You may find some patterns / triggers.

List what medications you've tried. How effective they are can depend on the cause and if it's a headache or migraine.

Have a think about possible causes - are you on regular medication that's altered, or stopped some meds recently? Changes to hormones? Stress? Change in working / sleeping patterns?

Do you have any other symptoms alongside the headaches?

I'm not sure how much of this will help but they are things that have helped me:
Wear 1 layer less than you think you need to keep cool
Keep a window open in whatever room you're in, day and night
A vicks steam (put Vicks in boiling water, put your head over it and breathe in the steam vapour). Having a towel over your head and eyes helps.
Drink plenty of water, little and often
Eat something small every 2 hours
If the headache is pounding, I take ibuprofen
If it's a migraine, I take 900mg of dispersible aspirin in squash as soon as it starts. If you drink through a straw it's easier as you don't taste it so much.
Gel masks from the fridge on forehead and back of neck
Sleep slightly sat up - this is proving especially helpful now I have a cold and my sinuses are blocked and painful
Get some fresh air, even if it's just sitting next to an open window or door
If your sinuses are blocked or sore, a nasal spray can help, as could an antihistamine.
Sleep (if you can) - between 7 and 9 hours a night depending on what you need (7 - 7.5 hrs is perfect for me while DH needs 8-9 hours)

I hope you are feeling better soon Thanks

FranklySonImTheGaffer · 20/11/2021 00:12

I forgot to add, try stretching. There's a video on YouTube - Yoga with Adrienne for beginners I think. It's 15 mins of gentle stretches and it has helped me a lot with tension headaches in the past.

StCharlotte · 20/11/2021 01:03

I gave up chocolate and my similar sounding headaches went. It wasn't even dark chocolate.

junebirthdaygirl · 20/11/2021 03:43

My friend got terrible headaches..ongoing ..after getting the vaccine. Did they begin at tha time?

PieMistee · 20/11/2021 03:48

Acupuncture will save you! Completely got rid of my pain!

ClaryFairchild · 20/11/2021 03:50

Sinusitis or cluster headaches.

Sinusitis can be quite deep, but would usually show up in scans so if you've had scans come back all clear it wouldn't be that.

Cluster headaches just don't respond to normal medication. There's no cure and testament is hit and miss, because of the speed and severity it's hard for doctors to accurately diagnose it and treat it.

www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cluster-headache/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352084

alittleacorn · 20/11/2021 05:20

Thank you all. I must have managed to doze off as I've only just woken up again to pain. My throat is on fire now, too..so wonder if I've got a virus coming on at the same time. Great!! 🥺🤦🏼‍♀️

OP posts:
Tiredteacher100 · 20/11/2021 05:46

I used to suffer terribly with migraines but they have stopped as I got older. But I was reading about how a specific diet can help and thought it sounded interesting

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/science/2021/nov/18/mans-severe-migraines-completely-eliminated-on-plant-based-diet

TheFairyCaravan · 20/11/2021 05:47

This has changed my life. It was recommended to me by the National Migraine Centre. I already take a lot of preventatives prescribed by the doctor, and have Botox, but since taking this my migraines and headaches have been less frequent and less severe.

When I get an attack the first thing they told me to do is take 3 soluble aspirin and 2 soluble paracetamol in a glass of full sugar coke. If that doesn’t work then to take a Triptan which has been prescribed by my doctor. You can buy Sumatriptan over the counter while you wait to see your GP though.

I’ve had acupuncture too. It did make a huge difference at the time but for some reason it stopped working which was really annoying.

Good luck. I hope you feel better soon Flowers

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