Permanent headache

[Bluebell66]

Every morning I wake up with a thick, heavy headache, I also feel abit dizzy sometimes too. It's been going on for weeks. I do have a history of suffering with frequent bad headaches, but this is really getting me down. I am suffering with anxiety after the loss of my DH, and I started on HRT six months ago due to severe menopausal symptoms. Because I wake up with it every day, I'm beginning to wonder if it could be my pillows. Any thoughts anybody? TIA.

I've got some good friends, but other than that, it's just me and my DC, who are very supportive and understanding, but they are only young, and they have already been through way too much pain and suffering in their young lives. I really want, and need to feel better and stronger for them, so I can do things with them and give them the support they so desperately need.

Hi Footie - I have managed to get through the day so far without any painkillers, my headache has been coming and going all day, but has been worse this afternoon, and is really bad now. I think I'm going to have a warm bath with some Epsom Salts in it to see if that helps. Thank you for asking, it means a lot x

Dear Bluebell, well done for getting through the day. Hope your bath helps - do some neck exercises/stretching afterwards too if you can. Another thing I've remembered is that I seemed to unconsciously be tensing up my whole forehead/top of my head (not sure how to describe it) but I had to physically make myself relax it and it all moved about a centimetre or two backwards - sorry, very bad description but not sure how else to describe it! Then I'd find that about half an hour later, I'd scrunched it all up again and had to remind myself to relax it all again, as well as letting my shoulders go down and doing a couple of neck stretches. Sounds silly doesn't it, but you don't realise you're doing it and the headaches from it all are so debilitating.

Let us know how you get on tonight and tomorrow morning. It might be a few days/a week or so before it improves....

Dear Maria. Thank you for such a lovely, thoughtful and helpful reply. I know exactly what you mean! I often realise my eyebrows are up in my hairline somewhere and my shoulders are up round my ears. I must look ridiculous! I do feel relief when I notice and relax, but just like you, half an hour later, I'm exactly the same. It is very frustrating and yes, the headaches are very debilitating. My bath was nice, but it hasn't helped my headache. It's the worst it's been all day. I will keep you posted. How are you doing now, are you managing to keep the tension at bay? Thank you for giving me an idea of how long it might be before I get any improvement, if any...

I wear a mouthguard to stop me clenching my jaw otherwise I get awful headaches
Completely random but how about treating yourself to an Indian head massage or a back/shoulders one?

Another vote for thyroid from me. Pre diagnosis I had headaches, dizziness and vertigo, severe anxiety, dry eyes and lump in throat...

I have booked an appointment with a chiropractor good - I'll let you know how it goes. That's very interesting Marmite-my eyes are always sore as well, I didn't know that could be a symptom of thyroid problems. I will definitely be asking the GP about it.

Maria - do you mind me asking, did you used to hold your stomach tense all the time and not breathe properly as well? I do that all the time, and it's so exhausting.

I was suffering headaches for months and basically existing on painkillers. Dh was trying to make me go to the doctors, so I set myself a challenge of no painkillers for two weeks to see if it helped, I read up on rebound headaches, basically now being caused by taking the painkillers. First week was dreadful, really awful pain but it got better and eventually went away completely.

Have a read up on rebound headaches and see if you think it fits, but don't hesitate to seek medical advice if you're unsure, I am just speaking from my experience.

Bluebell, your posts strike such a chord with me. I had chronic headaches for a couple of years and found it really debilitating. I resisted the diagnosis of tension headaches for a long time, but was under serious stress so it definitely was the cause. I spent lots of money on massages, chiropractors etc and took low dose amytripline to prevent me waking up at night with headaches. I began to believe it would never get any better. In the end, a very old-school GP recommended a book called Treat Your Own Neck which has helped a huge amount. (I promise I don't have a financial interest in it!) My neck pain and headaches build up again if I don't keep on top of the exercises but the overall improvement in pain levels (and sanity!) has been brilliant. I definitely second the previous posters who recommend blood tests to rule out any underlying conditions, and at the same time get yourself a copy of the book. I'd send you mine but I've loaned it to another friend at the moment!

Dansak - I can't thank you enough for your reply. It really has given me hope and the strength I need to face my second day with no painkillers. I've been awake most of the night, just dozing fitfully, and am now up with another splitting headache. I'll keep you posted. Thank you again.

Fizzy - I dread to think how much I have spent on massage, acupuncture etc over the years, all to no avail. Thank you so much for your insight and advice, I will get straight onto Amazon now. My neck is even worse this morning, I can barely hold my head up. I just want to try and get through day 2 with no painkillers.

Thank you Footie. I hadn't thought of that. My local pharmacist is very good. Feeling really rough at the moment and the day is just stretching ahead of me. So exhausted with no sleep, and the headache is bad. Really need a codeine, but I'm not going to give in, I really want to get off them, even if this doesn't sort my headaches out.

Hello, I second (third etc) a trip to your GP to rule out organic causes for your headaches. I also recommend learning the Alexander Technique which is essentially all about training yourself to lose unwanted tension from your muscles. One to one lessons are best if at all possible. However, it is really easy to do This Simple Exercise once or even twice a day with huge effect. My AT mantra is 'Let your neck be free.' Which is particularly apt for me.

Do hope you try it and find some relief.

Thank you so much for that Matilda, I will definitely look into it. My neck feels so tight, I can't help feeling it's connected to my headaches. Does anybody know of any pillows which are better for headaches/bad necks? Mine are very old, and I wonder if they're not helping either.

Have you tried going without a pillow at all? If you sleep on your back a lot it might help your neck muscles relax. If you're a side sleeper maybe something quite slim. I've tried an orthopedic pillow but found it quite hard and not ridged in quite the right place to fit my neck. A physio recommended a slim soft pillow with a small towel rolled into a tube to fit in the curve of your neck - that might be worth a go? On the subject of sleeping positions, I find that trying not to sleep in a foetal position is best, as it seems to crick my neck round too far forwards. Easier said than done though!

Morning Footie. Yesterday was very, very hard. I had a splitting headache all day. I managed to keep going and didn't take any painkillers, not even a paracetamol. I actually got some sleep last night, I slept from about midnight till 2.00, then I was up for an hour, then slept from 3.00 till 4.30 - a good night for me at the moment. Do you think the painkillers could have been disturbing my sleep as well? Thank you so much for all your support Footie, and everyone else who has taken the time to reply, it really has given me strength and the courage to persevere with this. Hugs to you all.

Well done Bluebell I know how hard it is not to reach for them, but keep going, it should soon start to get better. I slept better after stopping taking them too.

Have you made a GP appointment yet, Bluebelle? You really need to. It could be so many things including your hrt. There will be others you can try if you are worried about being made to stop taking it as I would be.

Another thought re the night is, are you grinding your teeth? I am a terrible Culprit of clenching and grinding my teeth. Your dentist can make a gum shield to stop you doing it in your sleep if you suspect this. It's also not great for your teeth.

I'm also going to query the need to stop all analgesia at this point. Ok, I know about headaches and painkillers but 1) you are in a lot of pain and as yet haven't had any investigations.2) a mild to moderate headache may well respond to paracetamol and allow you to work on relaxing and maintaining good posture whilst if it builds, untreated into severe pain it will no longer respond to paracetamol and no chance of reducing tension. 3) life is too short to be in pain all the time. For now I suggest two paracetamol and a pint of water at the onset of every headache and then a period of relaxation whenever possible.

I suspect your headaches have a multi faceted element to them. Pain> stress> tension> more pain> hormones more out of kilter and so on. Buying a very comfortable pillow makes sense. I like a very soft squashy one that I can mould around my neck. You will have other preferences. Not too fat, though. Get your eyes checked. Do the exercise I sent you. If all else fails keep a detailed diary ( think about food triggers, too) and ask to be referred to a headache/ migraine clinic. First step, see your GP.

Really hope you feel better soon.

I am very sorry for your loss Bluebelle66 and I hope you feel better soon.

You really do need to see your GP first to rule out anything more serious (not that tension and anxiety symptom are not serious but ykwim!!).

It says on NHS direct site that if you feel dizzyyou should definitely see a GP if dizziness is combined with headaches.

Make that appointment!!

Sorry, me again. I am mortified to have reread the thread more carefully and realised you have recently been widowed. I am defying the MN Police and sending you largest and softest of hugs and wish it were possible to do in person.

Clearly you have absolutely huge amounts of stress, grief and all sorts happening. Have you considered bereavement counselling? It gives you the space to say absolutely whatever you like safely and also time to wail like a banshee, scream and cry or whatever you need. I know from experience that there is nothing so grim as suppressing the urge to scream and cry. Still keep the GP appointment and get absolutely everything checked.

So very sorry for your loss.