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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
BelleOfTheBorstal · 30/04/2014 22:06

I have really bad toothache. Went to the emergency dentists today. He has prescribed me three days worth of diclofenic. Which I am piggy backing with Paramol.
But it still hurts. A lot.
Should I phone my OOH GP?

NiceScream you have my sympathies and sorry for hijacking your thread.

Humphreyhamster · 30/04/2014 22:18

I would say it's dental pain. Worst pain I've ever had, I did actually walk round in circles holding my face not knowing what to do with myself. Far, far worse than the drug free, back to back labour I'd endured.

Ended up having root canal work, it was a blessed relief!

Hope you get sorted ASAP x

2kidsintow · 30/04/2014 22:24

The problem with face pain is that it can be tricky determining the actual course.

A trip to the dentists could ease your pain if they find a cause. Or, like when I went in agony, they find what they THINK is the cause and treat it thinking they are doing the right thing.

I had a tooth removed unnecessarily, then work done on old fillings, also unnecessarily. As I walked out of the dentists (the fourth appointment in 2 weeks) I was numb from the filling replacement, but still in agony all down my jaw, in my ear etc.

I took myself to the dr on an emergency appointment the next day and he diagnosed trigeminal neuralgia.

Since talking to other sufferers, I've discovered that it's not unusual to have ahd that experience. I think the record for someone I've spoken to is 6 teeth removed before they finally ruled out dental problems. The secretary at work used to be a dental secretary. She remembers people turning up with TN begging for their teeth to be removed to stop the pain.

Not saying that it can't be dental, and if it is and can be treated easily then that's a relief.

Original poster
NiceScream · 30/04/2014 22:26

I don't think its teeth related, I had an absess from an impacted wisdom tooth a few years ago, but the pain was nothing like this. I eneded up in hospital on a drip with that, but it never hurt as much as this does at the height of each wave. Could be eye or ear related but I can't see anything obviously wrong. In fact, apart from the pain, I feel totally well otherwise.

I have tried ibuprofen, paracetamol, aspirin and co-codamol. Also some painkillers specifically marketed as being for migraine- ibuprofen lysine and one with codeine in also. In the middle of last night when i was desperate I found a couple of Tramadol tablets (left over from wisdom tooth op) and took those. None of the above have made ANY difference what so ever to either the frequency or intensity of the pain.

I've also tried holding hot water bottle against my face, to no effect. Same when I tried a bag of frozen peas. Nothing makes it better, nothing makes it worse, it just keeps on coming. Sometimes its about 20-30 mins between each wave, other times I get a few in quick sucession then nothing for up to 2 hours. when that happenes I think it might have stopped for good like in the past but not this time it seems.

OP posts:
velocitykate · 30/04/2014 22:26

It sounds like what us doctors call a "paroxysmal hemicrania" in other words an episodic headache affecting one half of the head. Cluster headaches are one type, which you may have heard of, but yours aren't cluster headaches as they tend to last longer for each episode. They are a type of neuralgia and can often (though not always) be accompanied by redness and/or watering of the eye on that side. They are often excruciating but they can be treated with medication that helps neuralgia type pain.

See your GP as soon as you can and they should be able to give you something that will help. Good luck

Foodylicious · 30/04/2014 22:30

Ring your ooh / 111 numbers and they can get you seen or tell you to go to a &e. However serious the cause or not you should not have to be in this much pain.

Original poster
NiceScream · 30/04/2014 22:33

Just looked up and the nearest walk-in clinic is 15 miles away and doesn't say what the opening times are. don't want to get the DC out of bed to then find its shut already. I'm going to try to hold out for a GP appointment in the morning. for emergencies you phone at 8.30am and its allocated first come, first served. Once they are all gone, that's it for the day. This morning i rang at 8.30 exactly but was already 7th in the queue.By the time I got to speak to someone (8.45) there were no appontments left. If i really cannot cope through the night I'll try OOH.

OP posts:
velocitykate · 30/04/2014 22:34

It will either be chronic paroxysmal hemicrania (CPH) or SUNCT/ SUNA depending on whether or not you get any eye symptoms. CPH responds well to indomethacin and SUNCT or SUNA will respond to anti epileptic or neuralgia type medication. Might be worth googling and seeing which fits best with your symptoms

TequilaMockingbirdy · 30/04/2014 22:34

Be firm on the phone and tell them you need one as you have been waiting X amount of days and are in a lot of pain.

KatieKaye · 30/04/2014 22:35

Another one with trigeminal neuralgia. Ordinary painkillers will not touch it-you need ones that work on the nerves.
TG is excrutiatingly painful and at times I would have gladly clawed my face off. Hope you get the right meds soon.

Original poster
NiceScream · 01/05/2014 09:09

I managed to get an appointment for 10am this morning . So hopefully in an hours time I'll have and end to this horrendous pain. Clawing the side of my face off is exactly how I feel but there's a light at the end of the tunnel now and finally I know its going to stop.

OP posts:
candycoatedwaterdrops · 01/05/2014 09:20

I'm really glad you have an appointment. All the best of luck.

Preciousbane · 01/05/2014 09:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Gurnie · 01/05/2014 09:30

Good luck NiceScream, that sounds absolutely dreadful. Hope you get some joy at the Drs.

BerniesBurneze · 01/05/2014 09:37

Good luck op.

OHforDUCKScake · 01/05/2014 11:41

How did it go OP?

Hope you're alright.

FabULouse · 01/05/2014 11:56

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KatieKaye · 01/05/2014 12:18

Hoping doc was able to pinpoint what the problem is.

Original poster
NiceScream · 01/05/2014 12:28

I'm back but I think I was being a bit over optimistic this morning. The GP checked my eyes/ears etc. but said he could see nothing wrong. He prescribed me some tablets called Amitriptyline, but then said I need to wait and no take it until bedtime as they make you sleepy. I almost cried at the thought of waiting until tonight for some relief. Then he told me they might take a few days to work anyway and I did actually burst into tears, so he gave me another prescription for Naproxen too. He said I can take 1 or 2 of these a day, until the Amitriptyline starts working. well I took one straight away but it is still hurting as much as ever :(

Just got to hang on until tonight now and hope I do get some immediate effect from the Amitriptyline. I think I will go crazy if this carries on much longer.

OP posts:
TequilaMockingbirdy · 01/05/2014 12:34

Amitriptalyine is also an antidepressant, as well as a neuro pain relief. How long is the course he's given you? Because you can get withdrawals from them

Naproxen is an anti-inflammatory. So you should be able to take other painkillers (codeine) along side this if the pain is still too much, ask your GP first though.

Hope you feel better soon.

Echocave · 01/05/2014 12:40

I think these days amitryptaline is more commonly prescribed for neurological pain than for depression. A friend has a problem with lower back pain and finds it very helpful. OP, it should start to ease fairly soon. I'm so sorry you are in so much pain.

FabULouse · 01/05/2014 12:44

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TequilaMockingbirdy · 01/05/2014 12:44

I've found the opposite from experience echo, plenty of people are on amitryptaline if you view the mental health section of Mumsnet. It's effective as a neuropathic painkiller too though so hopefully will work for the OP. I just wanted to warn of withdrawals that's all

Original poster
NiceScream · 01/05/2014 12:47

There's 56 tablets in the box, so that's 8 weeks worth, but he said I can stop them when the pain goes and save them for next time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also said I could still take paracetamol even though that doesn't work either :(

OP posts:
x2boys · 01/05/2014 12:48

If its nerve pain painkillers won't help the gp needs to prescribe something else a lot of anti epileptic medication help with nerve pain when my dad had a trapped nerve for example his gp prescribed carbamazpine which is generally used as epileptic medication or sometimes as a mood stabiliser for people with mood disorders.