In A&E worrying I’m being a complete hypochondriac

[Headsissues]

I’ve been getting daily headaches for around 6 months with random dizziness and loud whooshing sounds in my ears that get so loud I can’t hear anything for about 30 seconds. GP never seemed overly phased so I’ve always just taken paracetamol and got on with it. I never get migraines, just your standard headaches.

On Saturday morning I woke up with a banging headache that is still ongoing. I’ve been taking paracetamol and ibruprofun around the clock, tried relaxing activities etc, and nothing is stopping it. I’ve been feeling incredibly dizzy and nauseous with it and its just a prolonging, heavy headache that doesn’t come and go, it stays - It seems to be worsening so I called the doctor yesterday and explained what was happening thinking she would give me some better painkillers. She told me she wants me to go to A&E because she’s concerned and wants me to get a scan. I got some cocodamol and decided to stay at home because I just felt so silly.

It’s worsening even more today and I haven’t coped with it at all so I’m here at A&E waiting to be seen by a doctor. Been given codeine by triage but not touching it at all.

The headache is all across the front of my head and temples.

Ive had the dizziness, some blurry vision (looks like most in my eyes), nausea and feeling weaker than normal but bright lights don’t bother me and my neck isn’t stiff. I’ve never had a proper migraine before so wouldn’t know whether this is one or not.

Anyway, anyone experienced this before or have any advice? I’m feeling quite silly being here and worried they’re going to think I’m a hypochondriac.

Sounds like intracranial hypertension
Stay in A&E

@bakebeans NEVER tell someone ‘A&E’ isnt the place for them.
You cant see inside there head!!!!!
Very Dangerous advice!!!

I don’t want to scare you but 2 weeks ago my dad had a headache for 2 days, the pain was extreme. He was at my cousins house and she made him go to A&E. Luckily they took him very seriously as he had a brain aneurysm. He then had another one on Friday and is currently in a coma. Don’t feel like you’re being a hypochondriac. It might (and I hope!) not be so serious but best to get checked.

i was advised to take my Ds to a&e within the hour …. Completely different issue to you .. but within 24 hours was recovering from surgery ..

They may need to rule things out… it hopefully is something simple and you feel like a fraud but at least you can rule out other stuff .

Stay in A&E and get seen. We can all give opinions, have ideas and our own stories but none of us can give you an individual medical opinion.
Hope they sort it and you feel better soon.

Make sure they check your thyroid also as was diagnosed after years of feeling exhausted, getting really bad dizzy spells and also that ear thing and buzzing like brain zaps. You did the right thing and ask for all the tests and tell them you want to find out what is wrong and not just take codeine. Hope you find some closure and best you try to get it sooner. Hope it is not too busy there and you have to insist now and demand in a nice way or you get fobbed off. Wishing you well as horrible to feel so out of sorts.

Definitely stay in A&E, I down played similar symptoms until I got really unwell and ended up with a serious condition that was over looked as I 'didn't want to make a fuss". Ended up with atypical strokes caused by a syndrome called RCVS - Google it! I wish I'd been more insistent!
Good luck

You’re def in the right place. If it turns out to be a migraine that’s good news, but they can’t diagnose migraine until they’ve ruled everything else out.

This very much sounds like intracranial hypertension. I have had it, I had all those symptoms you have and the whooshing in the ear is exactly how I decried it. It is known as pulsatile tinnitus.

Please mention this and get them to look into it ASAP. It is a very serious condition. I don't want to scare you but the sooner they look into it, the better.

It is diagnosed through a lumbar puncture. You will need an urgent referral.

You can also be referred through the opticians as they can see the fluid at the back of the eye.

I got symptoms in the January of 2021. The doctors wouldn't listen to me. I knew it was I intracranial hypertension because of my symptoms. One doctor spotted the fluid at the backs of my eyes, sent me to A&E and those doctors sent me home saying it was labyrinthis. I eventually got a lumbar puncture April 30th and was diagnosed there and then with intracranial hypertension with pressure of 44cm. I finally got the all clear in July 2022. Please mention it to the doctors and go to opticians if they don't listen. Opticians will see you urgently if you tell them your symptoms.

Hope you are better soon.

Your GP was concerned enough to tell you to go. So get off your backside and go.

This sounds exactly how I felt when diagnosed with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension. It is an increase in the cerebral spinal fluid which puts pressure on the brain. Deffo stay and get checked out not over reacting at all x

Menieres disease...ive got it. I ended up in emergency..had brain mri, diagnosed menieres disease, sinus problems and vertigo

Whooshing noises in your ears or your hearing pulsing in and out is my BP. I can hear the traffic going doftvand loud in time with my heart. High blood pressure for me

i have health anxiety. It made me smile. I feel reassured that I’m not alone.

im quite well controlled now through a number of treatments, but the ability to laugh at myself is a gift.

Why do you keep saying you feel silly? The only silly thing you did was not fit to A&E when advised by the doctor. You need a scan of your head…

You have to have a formal migraine diagnosis to get triptans. I don't think that the OP has one. TBH, it doesn't read like migraines to me.

I thought she was trying to be nice, making the OP feel better about why she is not being unreasonable going to A&E.

Similar symptoms to my dad. He also got a strange metallic taste in his mouth. The doctor fobbed him off for 2 years and it got worse and worse. We all begged him to go private and he thought he was wasting time when he did go to the doctor. My mum pleaded with the doctor and she said the quickest way for him to get a scan would be for her to say she thought it was epilepsy even tho she knew it wasn’t. She did that and he got the scan. 2 days later he was in surgery for 8.5 hours then in recovery for 4.5 hours. The surgeon said it was the largest aneurysm she had seen in a living person! She said he was lucky he hadn’t died already! So you’ve definitely done the right thing in going to A&e. Good luck!

Your blood pressure sounds fine. Blood pressure fluctuates pretty quickly, esp when unwell or stressed.. it's slightly high, but still in the normal range. However, even if it were higher, it would only be a problem if it was consistently elevated. When you use those DIY blood pressure machines at the drs/chemists, you have to do 3 tests. If it shows that it started high and then starts to get lower, then you have to keep taking them until it has levelled out and then do your 3 tests.

100% not a hypochondriac and I'm glad you're getting seen. Please do not let them fob you off, these symptoms aren't normal, they are debilitating and they need to rule out anything serious!

Please let us know how you get on, and push for a scan or investigations. Definitely tell them your GP sent you with concerns you need further investigation.

I'm sure it will all be fine and possibly something vestibular, but for me not knowing would be the worst thing.

Have you been seen yet? Xxx

I don’t think there is anything wrong with their response.
Especially if they know somebody like I do who is exactly as described.

@Headsissues do you take any hormones for PCOS? I never had migraines til I started treatment for PCOS with dianette. I had shocking 9 day migraines with nausea and low blood pressure and all sorts. Just said I'd mention cos it took me a few months to figure out the cause.

Have you had the scan now? You are doing the right thing OP

I don't think it's an emergency or an accident. See your GP.

It was the GP who told her to go to A&E!

You should have the scan like your GP directed. You should be there in A&E getting thoroughly checked.
Even with migraine you should rule out other, more dangerous, causes before you launch into migraine treatments.