In tears as want to cart myself off to a&e

[justgirl]

I'm in so much pain :-( I've been suffering with severe headaches for the last week or two today however it has reach a whole new level. I am in hysterical tears and am unable to finish wrapping the kids presents and sorting the house. I don't know what to do :-(

Can you ring out of hours or 111? Do you suffer from migraines? Can anyone come over and help out?

Silly questions probably, are you taking pain killers? How is you sight? Do you feel sick? How is your neck?

Have you taken ibuprofen and paracetamol? Is the headache any better when you lie down in a dark room or is it there in the morning?

Right now, I'd go to bed with an ice pack or hot water bottle depending on what feels best and leave wrapping and tidying to any other adult and see how that goes.

Is there someone else there to look after the kids? If so, it might be worth going to A&E. This happened to me and turned out to be meningitis (though mine was the less serious viral type). I did have to stay in hospital though, which is not ideal. Have you tried NHS Direct?

Your health takes priority. Frankly the house is irrelevant and the kids are unlikely to be overly concerned that the presents aren't wrapped.

Are you in sole charge of the kids?

The tears are going to be the worst thing for your head - if you have a migraine you'll add a tension headache to it.

Firstly, I take it you have no symptoms of meningitis, and don't feel as if you've been hit with a hammer on the back of your head (classic sign for subarrachnoid haemorrhage)?

Have you taken paracetamol and ibuprofen, ideally washed down with a cup of strong coffee or a glass of coke?

Have you eaten recently - blood sugar is important.

If you haven't taken ibuprofen, then an A&E Consultant told me research is showing that 900mg of aspirin (as long as you aren't asthmatic, or allergic) washed down with a glass of coke is as effective as some triptans.

I was going to suggest viral meningitis.

Please call 111

Please get it checked out, if its painful enough for tears it's not normal.

It's been 2 hrs, you ok?

I've been dosing myself up with pain killers...even co-codamol isn't helping....a friend said it sounded likely was being caused by sinuses...tried sudofed....nada. It does feel slightly better laying down but it's just horrendous. I have ever suffered migraines that I know of. Light hurts my eyes...I'm starting to feel sick now too. I'm shaky and cold one minute then boiling hot the rest. :-( here have been a few bouts f meningitis locally of late....is it contagious?

Could it really be meningitis? The other half is here but we've had a Barney :-( so no help from him but he is here for the children. Would meningitis not have a rash? Thank you for all of your replies. I was going to try and sleep.....but do you think NHS direct would be better? Feel like a twat calling only to be told it's just a bad headache!

I've just googled (give me strength!) and my little girl does suffer with this weird virus (long term) that is supposedly part of the herpes virus which I understand is linked?

I've head of a couple of cases of viral meningitis recently, one a mnetter.

Might be worth getting checked out.

If it is a migraine then A&E will be able to medicate you. When I went once (I was really quite ill, collapsing with it) they gave me IV aspirin. Marvellous stuff. Another time I went and they gave me sumatriptan injection.

If you are at the point that you would let them do anything to get rid of it, then it's probably bad enough, tbh.

Ring nhs direct, from what you are describing they certainly won't dismiss it as a normal headache. Better to try and sort it tonight, than tomorrow morning.

Try and get him to put the barney aside for now, this is more important.

Please call 111 or go to a and e you really need specialist advise.

Oh and no you don't always get a rash with meningitis.

Thanks all. I phoned NHS direct. She has referred me to out of hours gp but I have no idea how long that will take. Does that mean they will call me do you think?

I think calling them was the right idea, is the pain focused on one side or through your whole head?

Any news from NHS Direct? I hope you get seen & some relief soon xx

The Out of Hours GP will ring you to assess your situation. Sometimes this can take a while as they will also be seeing people in the clinic or may be out on a visit (It will depend on how many doctors work at the clinic).. In our area it is only one doctor after 10pm.

It could be something really serious. Our it could be nothing. Get to a and e never mind faffing with out of hours doctors. That pain is not a normal headache.

Are there any walk in clinics that you might be able to get to?
With what you describe, I wouldn't be waiting.

I had a blinding headache (migraine) once to the point I was sobbing with pain. Big row with nhs direct as I was crying (lady was very cross I wouldn't pull myself together. I honestly couldn't). Anyway went to A&E and was put in a nice quiet dark room, and given drugs every half hour til I felt better. I couldn't stand up properly after having so much pain relief so my mum had to half carry me to the car.

Please go to A&E. honestly. You need some proper attention. It may be serious, it may be a migraine. Out of hours doctor can't tell over the phone. But when you're that sick with a headache that you're crying even though you know it'll make it worse, you need some proper help.