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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think I can't take much more of this pain

80 replies

NiceScream · 30/04/2014 21:26

Not really an AIBU as I'm pretty sure I'm not, just posting herefor traffic.

I've had a really painful headache (migraine?) since monday. It's only on my left side, strats just in front of my ear, near the jaw bone joint, then spreads out. It goes right up to my temple, behind and under my eye and also part way down the jaw bone itself. It begins as a dull ache near the ear then I get sharp shooting pain like needles ripping through my skin, spreading out across that side of my face.

BUT, this is the weird part, it's not all the time. It sounds ridiculus but all I can compare it with is a labour contraction. It starts of not too bad then ramps up and out until it is excrutiating, before dying away again. Lasts no more than a couple of minutes then nothing again, and I feel fine. Until the next wave of pain begins :(

I have experienced pains like this before, but they have never lasted for more than a day. Normally it just stops on its own eventually but this time its been 3 days. No painkillers make any difference, the pain just keeps on coming and I have no idea how I can get it to stop.

I tried to get a GP appointment today, but there were none available. I'll try them again in the morning and pray they can offer me something to stop it. I tried that NHS symptom checker thing for ideas, but it told me to ring an ambulance in case I was having a stroke! I really don't think I am, but I've really got to do something as I can't cope with this pain for much longer.

OP posts:

iwantsun · 30/04/2014 21:27

Walk in centre?

eatmydust · 30/04/2014 21:30

It's not dental pain is is? thinking maybe an abscess. Is your cheek/face swollen?

makeminea6x · 30/04/2014 21:30

Ring your GP at 8 for an emergency appointment. If there are none available book a telephone appointment. Your GP would not want you to be in such terrible pain. If they are unable to see you tomorrow they may be able to organise a prescription.

I know you've tried painkillers, does that include ibuprofen?

PavlovtheCat · 30/04/2014 21:31

Possibly an ear infection? I would go get it checked out so you can get some pain relief and possibly Abs if an infection of some kind.

How long between height of each pain wave?

TequilaMockingbirdy · 30/04/2014 21:32

Isn't there an out of hours GP in your area? Walk in centre?

So sorry you're in pain. Try a warm cloth to the area.

Gingermum · 30/04/2014 21:32

It's possible that you have something called Occipital Neuralgia which is caused by pressure on the optical nerves. It can be caused by a number of things, including tight neck muscles, but occasionally it can mean a tumour. If you can't get an appt tomorrow - go to A&E. Good luck!

wheresthelight · 30/04/2014 21:32

Could my polymyalgia which is kinda like an infection in the nerves.

I wouldn't wait for the morning, either goto your local walk in centre of a&e if you don't have one

Greypuddle · 30/04/2014 21:33

I think a walk-in centre or A and E. Is that too difficult at this time of night eg children in bed?

OuchyMcOuch · 30/04/2014 21:33

Have you tried Immegran? It's specifically for migraines so might have a bit more oomph than regular painkillers.

Have you had any symptoms other than the headache? Any nausea or visual dusturbances?

PavlovtheCat · 30/04/2014 21:33

and if ear or dental pain, pharmacist suggested to DH to take paramol (he had tooth absess had to wait for appt) as the strongest codeine based painkiller that can be bought over the counter - dihydrocodiene rather than codeine in co-codemol. You can take paramol with paracetamol I believe, and also with ibuprofen but check it doesn't already have parecetamol in it (sure it doesn't but definitely check). That held DH for a little while, until at 3am it was so bad he couldn't cope any more and I was at the out of hours chemist picking him up some tramadol as prescribed by OOH gp!

winklewoman · 30/04/2014 21:33

Sounds a bit like neuralgia, sharp pains like an electric current shooting up one side of the head. I get it sometimes particularly if I have been sitting in a cold draught, for example a moving car's open window. I find lying with a hot water bottle against the painful area the most helpful remedy.

But yours might be more serious, so do go to the walk in clinic.

LittleprincessinGOLDrocks · 30/04/2014 21:34

I would ring the Out Of Hours number for an OOH appointment. That or a local walk in centre (if they are open this late - the one I went to closes at 8pm).
I think this is something you need to get checked out sooner rather than later. Hope you are feeling better soon OP x

PavlovtheCat · 30/04/2014 21:34

I think, regardless of the potential cause, you need to get seen asap as it's not necessary or ok to be in so much pain even if you get waves of ok/pain.

ThisIsLID · 30/04/2014 21:35

Yes walking centre ASAP.

ThisIsLID · 30/04/2014 21:35

And if the pain is so much that you can't bear it any more, A&E

MissBetseyTrotwood · 30/04/2014 21:36

Does it sound like this ?

I'm obviously not a doctor but it's one of the worst pains you can possibly suffer and I really feel for you OP. My DM suffers and it is absolute agony. Your GP really must fit you in and with that level of pain you do classify as an emergency.

Cornettoninja · 30/04/2014 21:37

Do you think there's a chance it could be your teeth or eyes?

I'd be tempted to walk in at the dentists/opticians tomorrow and beg a slot to get checked out. But then I think I'd walk-in at my gp too - you are urgent for a gp and this is precisely what they're there for. The times I've just turned up they've usually let me sit and wait for a space with someone.

MissBetseyTrotwood · 30/04/2014 21:37

X posted. Sorry.

LittleprincessinGOLDrocks · 30/04/2014 21:37

pavlovthecat you can not take paracetamol with Paramol, as it is Dihydrocodine and Paracetamol. You can take Ibuprofen with it though.

candycoatedwaterdrops · 30/04/2014 21:55

Insist on a GP appt tomorrow but if you can't wait, call out of hours. It could be anything, so no use speculating. You poor thing, it sounds horrible.

2kidsintow · 30/04/2014 21:58

I have trigeminal neuralgia. The way you describe your pain sounds exactly like mine. Check out Betsy's link. You need to see a GP and explain what you think you have if it sounds about right.

I was put on gabapentin and now have practically no pain at all. It's brilliant being pain free.

PavlovtheCat · 30/04/2014 21:58

little that's why I said check

2kidsintow · 30/04/2014 22:00

When you have the pain, does paracetamol/ibuprofen etc make any difference? If it does, it's unlikely to be neuralgia. If they make no difference then it could well be.

Ask for an emergency appointment in the morning. And if your GP agrees it sounds like TN ask for a neurology referral to be done at the same time.

Eyelet · 30/04/2014 22:00

Thats what I had when I had an infected abcess inder my wisdom tooth.

passed out at work - something of a drama - and eventually had the tooth removed under a GA six months later.

NHS direct or 111 can arrange an emergency dentist

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 30/04/2014 22:02

Get in touch with 'out of hours' tonight, OP. I had to do that last week. I left it and left it, a painful niggle became unbearable and I ended up being admitted with infected ear canal and the whole side of my face swelled up.

OOH will be able to advise you and they won't let you waste a doctor's time so don't worry about that.

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