To want a head scan for headaches and dizziness

[DontYouStartMadam]

Hi everyone. I’ve had constant pressure headaches and dizziness for 2 weeks now. They started quite strong and now they’ve died down but I still have residual dizziness, nausea, eye pain, headache and brain fog.

It’s not severe now but it is lingering and I’ve tried ruling out other issues. Had my eyes examined at Specsavers and they said my prescription is pretty much the same and they couldn’t see any other problems. Had my ears looked at a pharmacy and they couldn’t see anything that would cause my symptoms. They gave me Sudafed and migraine tablets for the nausea. I don’t feel able to drive now.

I‘m hesitating to go to the GP because I feel I’m always there. Beginning of this year I was seen for fatigue and was prescribed iron tablets which have helped. Then recently I was seen as I thought about starting antidepressants (haven’t yet but I likely will). Now I’m calling about this … I feel like they’re going to give me a label of hypochondriac or Münchausen syndrome lol. But I do feel off and it’s worrying me a little, I’ve tried to rule everything else out, as well as take medications, get more rest/sleep, light exercise, drink water etc.

I want a CT or MRI to rule out that there’s something seriously wrong. I don’t want to be brushed off but I don’t feel serious enough to request a scan. I keep gaslighting myself and telling myself to wait and see if it’ll go away but it’s been 2 weeks. To be honest I had them before that but they weren’t constant. Sorry to waffle, outside perspectives welcome.

I had a brain scan when I had a few weeks of a debilitating headache - was ovr ten years ago, can't remember much of the detail.
Turned out to be caused by being given the wrong medication.

I just want to add, if not already said because I haven't RTFT, but high blood pressure can very much cause a persistent bad pressure headache as my DH discovered around 5 years ago. After 5 days of a headache not shifting he was finally persuaded to see a GP back in the days when you could and she took his blood pressure and sent him straight to the hospital with instructions not to drive himself. Five years later and two different medications each day, I am incredibly grateful that the GP recognised what his headache could be a symptom of or things could've had a far worse outcome.

HBP is generally symptomless but I had to correct this.

100%, we do phone triage and TBH with that history on the phone I'd have probably said 999 to A&E without even coming via me.

I did say with the very rare exception of malignant hypertension,.which sounds like your dad had.

Low iron and high blood pressure can both cause headaches.

Have you had the cause of your low iron investigated?

Do you have any - even slight - neck pain? I suffered from a near continual headache and periodic dizziness (3 or 4 out of 10 on pain scale) for months. Turned out it was from mild neck pain due to the way I slept.

@Aguinnessplease tbh yes I do have some neck pain and back of head pain. How did you resolve yours, new pillow ?

@Exasperatednow no I've not had it investigated .. I have a tendency to go anaemic I just thought it was my diet or periods. I don't think I have high blood pressure, I do have a BP machine at home and my readings are always normal or slightly low

I've just rang the GP and they put me on a vasoconstricting migraine medication and some anti nausea tablets, and booked me for a blood test. Thanks for all of your suggestions