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Original poster

Should I be worried re DH with severe headache?

50 replies

winnybella · 18/12/2011 13:52

He slept for a long time, woke up with a horrid headache (he says all of his head hurts, like never before, so it's not localised as in sinus infection etc), went back to sleep, woke up for lunch, ate that, went back to bed. He says he can hardly move his head as it hurts so much. He has taken an aspirin in the morning and paracetamol later and it didn't help much.

He doesn't have fever. He says his neck feels a bit stiff, but he has some issues with neck.back muscles anyway and is generally speaking a bit stiff iyswim.

He's not confused or anything like that.

It's Sunday, the only thing would be to go to A&E which he says he would feel silly about.

He has never had migraines, btw. He's 42.

WWYD?

He

OP posts:
Original poster
winnybella · 18/12/2011 13:54

bump

OP posts:
3littlefrogs · 18/12/2011 13:58

Is he sensitive to light? Does he have any other symptoms? Is his vision affected?

I would call NHSdirect TBH.

Original poster
winnybella · 18/12/2011 14:00

He says he can't move his head as it hurts so much and he says tht it hurts a bit more when he looks at the window, but said that his eyes hurt anyway so it's not a huge difference. No fever, though, and lucid.

Am not in the UK, no NHS direct.

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banana87 · 18/12/2011 14:43

Sounds like a migrane. I would call an out of hours doctor just to rule out anything sinister. Is he feeling or being sick? Is the pain all over or in one eye?

ZhenTheHallsWithBoughsOfHolly · 18/12/2011 14:49

I just had 'flu that started like this, the fever and chills set in later that night. The only thing that really works for the headache is ibuprofen, my DH tells me (I only used paracetamol being pregnant and it did nothing). Needing to sleep a lot came with it too.

Can he touch his chin to his chest? (even if it hurts he needs to try, plus look at checklist of other meningitis symptoms just in case)

Thumbinnapuddingwitch · 18/12/2011 14:51

Where are you winnybella? I think if this is out of the blue, there are no other symptoms of flu etc. and he has never had a migraine, then take him to A&E. It might be an over-reaction but it might not - so it's worth going.

ImperialBlether · 18/12/2011 14:54

I agree with Thumb. Better to be safe - if you can, take him to A&E.

Original poster
winnybella · 18/12/2011 15:10

He's still sleeping Hmm He woke up 30 min ago and was lucid although tired.

Am at home with DD, haven't got a car. Could call a taxi but don't think that DP would go.

In a 5 years we've been together he has taken to bed 3 or 4 times saying he felt bad although he had no obvious symptoms Hmm, but never with a huge headache.

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Original poster
winnybella · 18/12/2011 15:11

Oh, and I'm in France.

Will wake him up in a sec and see how he feels re: headache.

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3littlefrogs · 18/12/2011 15:14

Has he had a bump on the head in the last few days or weeks?

ImperialBlether · 18/12/2011 15:17

Do doctors make house calls over there, winnybella? It must be worrying for you. He doesn't sound well enough to go in the car, to be honest. Is there anyone you can call for advice? Do you have the equivalent of walk in centres?

Bunbaker · 18/12/2011 15:17

I think you should get a medical opinion. Sudden severe headaches do need checking out.

3littlefrogs · 18/12/2011 15:18

I agree with bunbaker. If he is the type to be stoical, even more reason to take this seriously.

ImperialBlether · 18/12/2011 15:20

Yes, I agree with Bunbaker. And it's not always the right thing to ask the patient whether he wants to go to hospital - you have to be the one to judge, here. He probably doesn't want to move out of bed and that'll be part of the reason why he doesn't want to go to hospital.

Original poster
winnybella · 18/12/2011 16:11

Hmm. No fever, lucid, says headache now moved to the forehead/above eyes.

Don't know, tbh. We're going through some stressful time at the moment. He woke up last night with a nightmare. I'm wondering if it's some sort of psychosomatic thing. I'm guessing it's not meningitis as no fever etc, so what does that leave? Aunerysm?

He ate a big plate of apple pancakes DD and I made for lunch, no problem, and then took back to bed Hmm. I'm about to start cooking meatballs. Let's see if that will lure him out.

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Bunbaker · 18/12/2011 16:13

My cousin had an aneurism last year. Please get this headache checked out.

Original poster
winnybella · 18/12/2011 16:17

But would he have a headache all day that is not getting worse with an aunerysm? And no other symptoms?

The only thing I could do would be to call a taxi and take him to A&E, which he won't do.

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Bunbaker · 18/12/2011 16:26

I don't know. I'm not a doctor. Is there nowhere where you can seek medical advice by telephone?

Meow75isknittinglikemad · 18/12/2011 16:27

Sounds like a migraine to me. Doesn't matter he's never had them before, can start at any age, and can just be a one off.

Original poster
winnybella · 18/12/2011 16:39

I agree Meow and I think that's what the doctors will say. I doubt they'll give him a CAT scan because he has headache without any other symptoms Hmm

Anyway, I think I'll walk him to A&E (15 minutes away) with DD and leave him there. Better safe than sorry, I guess.

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3littlefrogs · 18/12/2011 16:42

An anuerism usually starts very suddenly with a sensation of being hit hard on the head. Often there is a warning headache 7 days prior to the main event. Migraine usually has some sort of warning/aura/visual disturbance. Cluster headaches often stay in one side of the head.

This could be the start of a virus, or any of the above. Honestly I would seek medical advice. There are so many things to assess, so many detailed questions to be asked. Impossible to do over the internet.

ImperialBlether · 18/12/2011 16:57

How will he walk there if he can hardly move his head? The way you described him at first, I'm surprised he could eat later. Is the headache coming and going? Has he had as much as half an hour today without a headache?

Original poster
winnybella · 18/12/2011 17:38

Well, exactly, IB. I asked him and he said that the pain has been constant throughout the day, that the paracetamol didn't touch it. And yet he was able to eat a big plate of pancakes for lunch and didn't have to hold his head or wasn't grimacing with pain.

He went back to sleep. I'm calling OOH to see what they say. Thanks all.

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Original poster
winnybella · 18/12/2011 17:39

Oh, and he woke up with the headache.

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DeWe · 18/12/2011 17:58

If he can't move his head then I'd get him to A& E with suspected meningitis. Sorry, but it sounds very similar to a friend who had meinigitis (she's fine, it was the less aggressive state) but the main thing she noticed apart from a headache that painkillers couldn't touch, was the lack of neck movement. She had no fever.

If you haven't got transport/refuses to move then get an ambulance.
Hope he's okay.

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