DH says I’m wasting NHS time. AIBU?

[Tulipelle]

For the past two weeks I’ve had a persistent headache which is absolutely relentless. It’s an excruciating sharp shooting pain in one side of my head which just will not go with OTC painkillers and it’s been present non stop all this time. Contacted my GP last week who thought it could be a migraine (no other migraine symptoms, not made better by darkness etc) but the maximum dose of migraine medication doesn’t touch it either. Noticed the pain is getting more intense over time and tried my GP again, who can’t fit me in for another appointment for another week. I’ve barely had headaches before and certainly not a persistent one for this length of time and I’m seriously concerned about the fact it’s getting worse rather than better and is impacting me both mentally and with my work (I’ve barely been able to work since this came on 2 weeks ago).

Spoke to DP this morning as I’m at my wits end and considering contacting 111 for some urgent help/investigation. DP says it’s clearly a migraine and I shouldn’t waste time contacting an emergency number and should wait out my GP appointment. Would appreciate your thoughts, I don’t want to waste anyones time but I really am at my wits end with this pain , surely this isn’t normal?

It might also be worth you getting an opticians appointment whilst you are waiting for GP to sort this out. They can sometimes spot things going on behind the eyes. I hope you feel better quickly.

If migraine meds didn't work, it isn't a migraine, not after two weeks.

It could be 'just' a headache (e.g. a cluster or icepick headache) but you need to rule out other more serious things before concluding that, e.g. giant cell arteritis, morbid hypertension etc.

You need an urgent GP appointment or to go to an urgent care centre - like, today. If it affects your vision at all, go to eye casualty.

Send him this?

I hope you're ok OP. One thing I've had before is a bad headache caused by paracetamol. I had a bad headache, took paracetamol. It persisted so I kept taking regular paracetamol for days. I asked for advice and got told to stop taking the paracetamol. As soon as I stopped taking it, it cleared up within a day. Hopefully yours is something as simple as that!

So out of the blue you have had these pains in the head and were told it may be a migraine and were given medication which hasn’t helped and your partner thinks it’s ok to just see what happens next rather than seek further professional help?

That doesn’t sound very supportive or kind.

I would seek help ASAP.

Both my mum and my grandma died suddenly of a brain aneurysm due to migraines investigated too late

[quote Justilou1]Could it be this? www.aans.org/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Trigeminal-Neuralgia[/quote]
Was about to say the same thing. There are specific pain killers available for neuralgic pain, but this would need to be via your GP not A&E. Which isn't much help if you can't get to see your GP.

Glad you are seeking help because any headache going on like that for that long needs to be investigated and is not a waste of NHS time.
'D'H is a prick.
My ex was a "medical expert". It used to infuriate me how he would tell me how to handle my migraines (by having a drink of water) and telling me I was dehydrated. I'd been having the fucking things since I was 13 and they were menstrual related. They have got better as the years go on and I now don't need medication but did have tablets for them for a long time as well as anti-nausea medication.
Fucking wanker telling me to have a drink of water!!

You know your body better than anyone else (and this applies to anyone else on here). If you feel something is not right then it doesn't matter what some know-it-all partner/family member/random person on the internet thinks, get medical advice.

Your "D"H is being ridiculous - two weeks of bad head pain and it's not usual for you (i.e. you don't have a diagnosed condition) and OTC meds not touching it - of course you need to see a doctor.

He’s a twat. I have migraines. They last max 72 hours and this doesn’t sound like one. Migraines tend to be a low level dull throbbing pain accompanied by nausea. Go to the doctor.

Call 111, they will probably advise out of hours GP or urgent care. If you can't manage the pain at home and you don't feel you can cope then that definetly warrants going to A&E. Any disturbed vision or vomiting you should go to A&E straight away as that could be a red flag of something more serious than a migraine - e.g. a bleed but try not to worry as migraines are notoriously difficult to treat and medication is often ineffective so it doesn't automatically mean something is seriously wrong!

I don't want to frighten you but DH had a brain tumour, now roved, that started with excutiating headache that would not go away. Get to GP. DP was sent for scan that showed tumour growing and pressing on optic nerves.

OP, your husband is being a turd. Let's just push him to one side for now (preferably push into a bunch of pointy sticks or a swarm of very pissed off bees.). You definitely need this checked out asap as many PP have said. One thing crosses my mind, something that was new to me; a year or so ago one of my DD was visiting and had a 'migraine' which lasted 10 days. The NHS was quite good for ruling things out but hopeless for actually helping. Turned out it was because she had suddenly come off the mini pill, apparently that can trigger a really violent, migraine imitating headache. All this to say please get yourself seen in the quickest, most practical way possible. Try 111 first then just go to A&E if 111 won't help.
PS Please don't go to a chiropractor, imo they shouldn't be allowed anywhere near necks!

Another one thinking it could be triennial neuralgia.
Which is reckoned to be one of the worst pains there is.
Painkillers won’t touch it.
I’m on a profilactic daily dose of 50mg amitriptiline for mine. I increase if I have an attack.
Sadly, it’s trial and error to find the right drugs for it.
Best wishes. It really is a horrible condition.

My GP is difficult for getting appointments. They have said if we can’t get an appointment, the next step is to call 111.

111 isn’t A&E, it aims to connect you to the NHS service you need, whether it be an appointment with an on call GP or an ambulance to take you to A&E. You really are not wasting NHS time.

@Tulipelle

The advice is appreciated, it definitely doesn’t feel like a sinus headache, this is a shooting pain in the top of the right side of my head which feels like an electric shock. Will ring 111

Google ice pick headache, I get them although not for such long periods.

I'm not a medical professional!

You do not just let that type of headache go on for weeks. It could be something serious, so you need it checked out. Your ‘D’H is an idiot, ignore him!

I hate the migraines are written off as a headache and that headaches are written off as migraines. They aren't the same thing, I've had both years and years of migraine with vomiting, needing no noise and a dark room and headaches including a severe one after a serious head injury.

They just aren't the same thing as far I can see and seems lazy for a doctor to do that.

I think you need to see a doctor and get some proper health. Good luck

Hi, sorry to hear you are in pain, have you hurt your shoulder at all, I ask as I too had a head ache that would not go had it for a good couple of weeks and no joy with doctors who actually refused to see me just kept offering pain relief. I saw a nurse for something else un related who had clearly ready my notes and asked if I was ok and was asked if I was aware my shoulders were out of alignment turns out it was pushing down on a nerve which was radiating the pain up into my head. Went for a massage felt like new lady,

I get migraines but when they first started a couple of years ago my GP sent me for an MRI to rule out anything more sinister. YABU at all!

YA not BU that should be

Why on earth would you be wasting nhs time, this is exactly what the NHS is for. I would have gone after a few days - your DH is being very unfair and nasty

Glad you're getting it seen to today. Hope you are able to get some relief.

@DecayedStrumpet

I don't get migraines myself, but Ive never heard of one lasting for two weeks.

Definitely worth medical attention and pushing for answers, I don't like that painkillers are not having an effect either. Have you tried co-codamol?

They can last that length of time, my son gets them and they’re like that. I had no idea how debilitating and long lasting they could be. That said he has other symptoms which are facial dropping, sickness, light sensitivity etc which OP doesn’t appear to be having, so I’d be ringing 111 especially as it’s not usual for her.

As a chronic migraine sufferer (although massively improved )......that isn't a migraine. A migraine doesn't last for 2 weeks for a start. My own gp says that after 3 days, you're looking at something else.

I'm really glad that you're phoning 111, better to be safe than sorry. It really does need checking out.

Something else to bear in mind is that if you've been regularly dosing on paracetamol, codeine and/ or triptans, then you MAY have tipped over into a rebound or medication overuse headache. It would be very surprising after only 2 weeks, but I'm guessing not out of the realms of possibility.

I'm also a chronic migraine sufferer, with cluster migraines too. Peoples experience differ ofc, but migraines can & do last longer than 72 hours, sometimes weeks for me. I think it maybe depends on your triggers. Mine is mostly weather related. Cluster migraine, which sounds very like the OP describes, characteristically lasts for weeks or even months