Daughter had "migraine" for 5 days now

[naughty40me]

Please anyone with any experience?

My daughter age 10 has never suffered with headaches before. Started complaining of a bad head on Sunday morning.

Now, unfortunately her step sister whom she has contact with a week ago (as of that day) is in hospital with bacterial meningitis and is obviously very ill. She is still in there now.

So, being cautious I explained the situation and 111 said to go to a&e...he ruled out meningitis due to no fever or rash.

She was still no better come NYE so took her to drop in. Dr wasn't happy and sent her to children's assessment ward telling me they would run tests.

Drs there again ruled out anything but did not perform any bloods or scans and diagnosed migraine. Said to give calpol and ibuprofen which we have been doing already. Also had 2 doses of sumatriptan over the past few days and that doesn't work either.

We spent NYE in hospital more so because I couldn't get home (no car and no taxis available and we live 30 mins drive away)...nightmare.

Got home yesterday and come last night she was crying and holding her head.

She has slept last night for 13 hours which is long for her but I thought it would help so left her.

She's now up and refusing to come downstairs. Just wants to stay in bed. Have just given her calpol and a sumatriptan but I'm so so worried.

Surely she shouldn't be in this much pain for 5 days?? Even if a viral thing she would be fighting it off by now?

I'm not concerned about meningitis but I do think the drs focused on ruling it out rather than trying to find the cause of this pain.

Tbh I'm thinking of brain tumours now and all sorts

I'm going to ring GP and ask for bloods and a scan or is that being dramatic?

Single mum with no help and no one else really to sound off. Help please.

Definitely, definitely speak to the GP.

Phone the GP and talk to them. However, migraines lasting that long isn’t uncommon - I’ve had a few lasting that or longer. The sumatriptan also is unlikely to work unless it was taken at the start of the headache (they’ve never worked for me, and apparently they must be taken at the beginning). Try a cold compress, or a hot one If that doesn’t work. Either will give some relief.

DD and her cousin have both just had a virus that caused a severe at times headache for about 10 days. I say virus, it wasn't diagnosed but both dc presented with the same symptoms about 2 days after spending the weekend together so I assumed. Calpol and nurofen wasn't touching it.

I would check with the GP but also wanted to add there is a virus doing the rounds that presents as a bad headache. All my DCs had it before Christmas and it took a couple of weeks to fully disappear. No temperature or any other symptoms, just a headache at the front of the head that could not be controlled with calpol or nurofen.

Thanks all. Sorry to hear that other dc have been ill.

She says it's like a hat all around top of her head and it's all squeezing.

He neck hurts and can't turn her head either.

Yes that's exactly what dd described, like someone was squeezing her head.

Sounds awful. Don't be worried about keeping getting her checked. The Dr won't mind, especially if anything changes

Thanks @happycamper11

Did your DD have any nausea? Or dizziness?

She has spent days holding the sick bowl but not actually vomiting and is swaying when she gets up to walk to the toilet; keeps complaining she's going dizzy

Yes dizziness and sore tummy but the tummy was less of a problem- she did take the sick bowl to bed a couple of the nights though. If I was you I'd probably get her checked out again as the meningitis of step sister would make me paranoid but it does sound very like the same bug

Been to the GP this afternoon and her temperature was up slightly.

They commented on how very pale she looks. She looks awful and all dark under her eyes.

So we have been given another migraine tablet to try tonight and she is having bloods done tomorrow.

Thanks everyone for your advice

That sounds so scary...poor girl.
This may sound a bit weak, but has she been drinking enough? Over holiday times and especially when its cold its easy not to have enough. Also maybe dioralite or similar
Big hugs

You are definitely not being dramatic.
I think you've been very patient. Go to drs or back to hospital or maybe if you have more than one hospital near you go to a different one. X

OP how is is your DD today?

Thanks everyone for your comments and advice.

We're onto day 7 now. She is no better at all and just laid on the sofa and sleeping 12/13 hours at night.

The GP have us some pizotifen on Thursday which hasn't helped although it does say it is more of a preventative.

Bloods were taken yesterday morning but I'm not sure if there are any results yet.

I'm at a loss now. I want her to have a head scan but I know if I take her to hospital we will prob get fobbed off again.

They closed local hospitals and merged into one giant one. The place is so busy it's unreal. Don't know what to do. Something isn't right though.

Rash is not always a feature of meningitis.
I’m surprised that medics have ruled out meningitis without bloods, Lumbar puncture etc.

I would be concerned and chasing those blood results up.

Could you travel to a different hospital? I imagine waiting in a busy emergency room with a severe headache would be horrific.

Your poor dd. I hope she feels better soon.

One piece of advice I have been given is to write everything down in a notebook. Explain to doctor as you go in that you will be doing this, and ask for their full name. Ask them questions like ‘are you sure this isn’t meningitis’ and record their answer.
You’ll find that for fear of litigation they will err more on the side of caution.

Unfortunately I can't travel to anywhere else, I don't have a car and it's miles away.

Even the nurse when I rang up the other day was confused as to how they had ruled out meningitis without actually doing any tests!

Friends on Facebook keep saying how bad migraines can be and that they can last this long...but I'm still concerned.

No headaches ever before..surely they need to do a CT scan or something to rule things out before diagnosing migraine?

They will normally only do a CT if it’s medically necessary because of the radiation. Children are more sensitive to it so it’s normally a last resort. Hopefully the bloods will show up something.

@eeyore228

Oh I didn't realise that. Thank you.

I'm not sure how long results will take, hopefully we will hear Monday.

There's no radiation with an MRI. I would push for an MRI. Get a private appointment for an ophthalmologist also. Not to be alarmist, but it is a non-invasive way of looking for checking whether there is any pressure on the optic nerves. Headsmart card

Thank you @BlackSwan

I've rang 111 as she is just so white and lethargic and medicines still not helping.

A dr is calling me back within the hour

hoping she feels better soon and you get some answers

Bless her. Hoping she feels better soon.
I hope you don’t mind me asking, but given her age is she going through puberty? I had hideous migraines from about 14 - 18 (didn’t start periods until three months before I turned 16) and they sound pretty similar to what your describing for DD. I used to weep in pain.
It transpired that they were a particular type of hormone induced migraine that can be really severe.
They also came back in my first pregnancy.

Perhaps it’s that? I remember them being awful.

To go along with the above poster I get hormone induced migraines once a month when I'm due on and randomly now I am pregnant.
I vividly remember my first one aged 9 which was horrendous and I guess around the age puberty starts for girls. I also had an experience just like your daughter once in early teens where it lasted more than a week and just had to ride it out!

Yes I think it could be hormone related.

She turns 11 in April and I was 11 when I started my periods...she has developed breast buds and a few hairs so she is going through all the puberty stages.

I just want her to get some relief whatever it is. I feel helpless