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Original poster

Sniffle turned into 9 days of headaches?!

27 replies

Bubbles456 · 22/12/2022 12:35

Hi all, looking for some reassurance really. I had a sniffle come on 2 weeks ago, runny nose and generally felt run down. That lasted a few days and then the headaches started.

9 days later and I've had constant headaches every day including a migraine a week ago which lasted 24 hours. I wake up each morning with a headache and feeling dehydrated, take ibuprofen and then I feel fine within 20 minutes. The headache is a dull pain and seems to move from one part of my head to another.

This morning I woke at 7.30 with a headache, took 400mg ibuprofen and felt fine by 8am. I haven't required any painkillers since then and it is now 12.30pm.

I have no other symptoms, no issues with arms/legs/eyes etc and haven't hit my head.

What is freaking me out is that this is really lingering. I have never had a string of headaches last 9 days+ and although the pain is easily managed I can't take painkillers every day long term.

Has anyone else had this recently? I do wonder if I might have the nasty winter flu but that the headaches are more prevalent for me than other symptoms.

Currently in walk in centre but interested to know if anyone else has had similar illness this winter.

OP posts:
vodkaredbullgirl · 22/12/2022 12:38

I had headaches for 2 weeks but I had Covid.

Daydreamer22 · 22/12/2022 12:44

I would say possibly covid or the flu honestly with those symptoms. Covid left me with headaches.

AGreatUsername · 22/12/2022 13:09

I had a cold last week, quite mild just 1 bad day really, with the day before feeling like I was going to be unwell. Left me with 6 days of headaches and then a few days of bad tummy. Really odd. Not covid and not flu.

Original poster
Bubbles456 · 22/12/2022 22:42

Thank you all for your replies, that does reassure me that this is just so something that I have to cope with for now and hopefully it'll get better in time. The walk in centre couldn't do anything to help, just advised me to keep taking painkillers.

OP posts:
figrollmop · 22/12/2022 22:45

I've had something for 2 weeks that's given me headaches and I never get headaches. It's not Covid but it's been slightly worse than Covid for me.

Ackity · 22/12/2022 22:46

A sinus infection presented similarly to me

YourTruthorMine · 22/12/2022 22:47

Mine started with a mild cold and 3 weeks later has progressed to the cough from hell. It seems to attack the sinuses in some people and chest in others. I am sure it is the same bug

IcecreamRocks · 22/12/2022 22:48

Like others have said it's possibly covid, I had the worst headache ever for days when I had it. Hope you get well very soon.

PurpleWisteria1 · 22/12/2022 22:49

There is an awful virus going around that really lingers. I’m at almost 2 weeks and I rarely get ill. Had covid at least twice and that was short in comparison.
wake up every morning so dehydrated and eating food is so so dry. I didn’t have headaches but the rest of my family did.
Just felt really ill with a temp and then a horrendous bunged up cold.

Shadope · 22/12/2022 22:54

What exactly are you worried about?

Original poster
Bubbles456 · 23/12/2022 07:42

^ that the headaches will never go away lol! It's now 10 days and I am still getting headaches.

OP posts:
Ilovehamandtoast · 23/12/2022 07:44

I had the same headache with covid. Pounding headache no tablets shifted (and I'm on strong painkillers daily). Mine lasted around 2 weeks.

ColinRobinsonsfamiliar · 23/12/2022 07:45

Headache was the worst symptom of having COVID for me. Just didn’t shift no matter what and yes, lasted for weeks.

Like flicking a light switch it just stopped suddenly.

Pep12per · 23/12/2022 07:46

Hi, is your bedroom cool for sleeping? Lots of people in here have heating on overnight which I couldn't cope with, I would get a headache and feel dehydrated.

whyhere · 23/12/2022 07:50

If you have recently had a Covid booster I would run this past someone medical.

givethistokevin · 23/12/2022 07:57

Did the walk in centre not suggest Covid?

Original poster
Bubbles456 · 23/12/2022 08:17

Not had the COVID booster recently and don't sleep with the heating on, however a friend did have COVID a couple of weeks ago and we'd spent time together that same week.

So from the consensus of the replies here, I think it's quite likely that I had COVID but perhaps didn't realise and these headaches are a follow on symptom. LFT are all negative but as so much time has passed that's perhaps not surprising.

Walk in centre didn't suggest COVID interestingly - but they mainly seemed focused on cobfirming that my headaches weren't the result of a more serious condition e.g. a stroke.

I love the sound of the headaches just ending like someone has flipped a switch... I will be holding on for that with all my faith!

OP posts:
popsickle555 · 23/12/2022 08:41

I have this now! So i had a very mild cold 2 weeks ago or so (but my daughter was pretty unwell) at the time I tested her and it was negative for Covid. Anyway after a few days I started waking every morning with headache as you say. Like I’d been out drinking (I don’t drink). Then a few days ago I had dizzy / on a Boat like feeling in the night and all day. Eventually I called the Gp and they’ve prescribed me antibiotics for a sinus infection. The next day I felt totally fine so I haven’t got the antibiotics (I know they are in short supply). But since that I’ve started now with sort of head cold / snot / congestion. Still not terrible but not great.

i wouldn’t think this Covid because I’ve had it twice and both times much much worse but my daughter then came out in Covid toes this week so now I’m thinking she’s had it and maybe I’ve had / got it too mildly?! Tests are all negative and I’ve tested a couple of times for both of us. I will test again today but I am pretty sure it will be negative. I’m not sure I trust the tests. I guess it could be mild flu or just a weird type of post cold infection.

popsickle555 · 23/12/2022 08:43

Oh and @Bubbles456 my headaches have mostly ended now. I reckon I’m 2 weeks into this. So now I just feel tired and like I’ve got a head cold. No idea if same thing or something different and I would have just thought ‘weird cold’ if it weren’t for the Covid toes in the house!

vodkaredbullgirl · 23/12/2022 10:23

Mine have stopped now, tfft it was driving me nuts.

Ilovehamandtoast · 23/12/2022 18:21

My headache started Monday after exposure on the Saturday. I didn't test positive until the sat, so I had 5 days of headaches and clear tests. I hope it clears soon

Original poster
Bubbles456 · 30/12/2022 23:02

Still having headaches 17 days on, so fed up of this now. The headaches do seem to be less frequent and milder - but still extremely irritating.

I also have sore shoulders and neck so just generally feeling rubbish still.

Really hope it clears up soon and that everyone else has recovered by now.

OP posts:
Crikeyalmighty · 30/12/2022 23:10

Have you had your blood pressure checked? - I have ongoing pretty high blood pressure(high cholesterol too) - initially presented as day after day of back of the head headaches-and I was never a headache person .

Original poster
Bubbles456 · 30/12/2022 23:16

Crikeyalmighty · 30/12/2022 23:10

Have you had your blood pressure checked? - I have ongoing pretty high blood pressure(high cholesterol too) - initially presented as day after day of back of the head headaches-and I was never a headache person .

Yes - blood pressure checked at the walk in centre and was fine. He couldn't find anything physically wrong with me which does suggest COVID I guess.

OP posts:
Joshitai · 30/12/2022 23:17

Have they checked for a sinus infection?