Urgent questions re mirgraine before I take myself to a&e

[bookworm1982]

Messaging in chat for more responses as I know mirgraine are very common.

I don't know what to do and can't stop crying. I've had a headache since Sunday, not getting any better. Right side of face, throbbing, like when you wake up hungover. Light hurts but not all the time and the pain of the headache isn't always bad - sometimes 3/4 out of 10, other times, like now, it's about 8/9 out of ten. Throbs a lot when I suddenly stand up. No other symptoms except for one dizzy spell on Wednesday. Doctor did a physical examination today, checked my vision, did all that touching the nose and stuff, all ok. Unrelated, I had bloods done a few weeks ago and they were all normal. Doctor believes it's a mirgraine, but agrees it's unusual to suddenly get one when I've never had one before. (I just turned 40)

My questions are:

Does this sound like a mirgraine?
Is it unusual to last this long? When I've googled it it says they last around 72 hours, I'm well over that.
Is it normal to go from bad to ok to back to bad again?

I'm so sure it's something terrible, like a tumour. I'm beside myself with worry. Pleas help xxx

Okay. A few years ago I had a csf leak when your brain fluid leaks out through a hole, usually because of treatment like an epidural or lumbar puncture, but mine was caused by an over enthusiastic chiropractor. I was diagnosed with migraines for 3 months before they got to the bottom of it when I paid for a private mri. Caffeine helps produce csf, which is what caught my eye in your posts, but the main indicator is that lying down offers a lot of relief from the pain.

Do you have any confusion or physical changes other than your head? My husband presented with this a few months ago and when the intense pain subsided a few days later his eyes were still sensitive and affecting his vision slightly which remained. He went to A&E, was given a CT scan and it turned out he had had a minor stroke. He is fine now but if you do have any other symptoms at all I'd get checked out again.

Thank you. No other symptoms at all. X

Is it still as intense as when it first started? I get horrific migraines but they last 48 hours max with a very defined recovery of feeling much better after ten hours.

I had a low level but unsuitable headache 9 days after my AZ vaccine. On day 10 of that headache I was blue lighted to resus with a suspected stroke as my face fell on one side.

I was in hospital for five days and honestly can't say what it was. They suspected bells palsy but it completely disappeared on day 4.
A had a clear CT but they wanted to do a mri and lumber puncture but as Drs argue that didn't happen.

I'd go back to the gp or a&e. My BP was also 170/110 and my gp said take lots of aspirin and see him the following week. Hospital Dr said to never ever take the amount if aspirin that my gp had told me too. Two of them in fact. I was reffered to a neurologist the week after who said it could of been a tiny clot / bells palsy / migraine. I went back onto amitriptyline ( for send time with migraines) and didn't have another migraine for a year. It's been 18 mo ths and I have only had two since

My migraines started after my first child was born. I am almost post menopause and rarely get them. Some women get them during and post menopause. Mine were primarily hormonal, so worth keeping notes going forward. Other triggers were stress, forgetting to eat and red wine. They usually lasted one to four days ( migraine hangover is a thing!) but could be over a week or so.

Triptans work for me but need to be taken before it kicks in, once it starts properly they don’t plus I am sick too. Sugary coke or sweet coffee, something to eat if you can, a triptan and a pain killer, a short sleep if possible all help stave it off but you do need to keep on top of it. Hope you feel better soon.

Do your headaches get worse at night? Do you mind me asking if you are overweight?

So sorry this is lasting so long for you. My migraines have been worst from my mid 30s, which is often the case I believe in women - linked to hormonal changes. I find lying still with icy cold flannels/gel packs on my neck and forehead help, along with full fat coke (ice cold), small amounts of plain salty food (Crisps?) if I can stomach it, and not moving help. Ideal with a sumatriptan as soon as I feel it coming on (I have very obvious visual changes and feel very odd and spaced out suddenly). High dose of aspirin with paracetamol at the same time takes the edge off but from unbearable to 'this is really quite awful' rather than better. A little vomit sometimes helps if I can make myself sick. It really is horrible, hope it passes soon.

I just wanted to add I experienced something really similiar recently and doc fobbed me off with sumatriptan and after 5 days I couldnt even get up and take myself to the toilet easily so i went to the optician and was sent straight to hospital where I’ve now undergone shunt brain surgery as I had swelling on my brain with really high csf fluid and it caused optic nerve damage. It could have been life threatening so my advice is follow your gut instinct and fight for any help you can get. I am or was an otherwise healthy early 30s adult and this was very out the blue.