Permanent headache for 9 days now

[Wazzzzzuuuuuuup]

I'm beginning to get to the end of my tether. I've had a stiff neck for about a month now, assumed it was my use of DSE. I got a laptop riser and have made adjustments to my posture and incorporated more movement and some gentle yoga stretches in to my day. However the pain has lessened in my neck but now I have a permanent headache.

It starts feeling dull when I get out of bed, almost like something's dragging on the back of my head. Over the day as I remain upright sitting or standing it just gets worse and worse. By the time I get home from work I am crying with the pain. When I lay down the pain is radiating from the back of my head to the front on the right side only and feels pulsating. If I bend over to pick something up my head throbs.

Afrer half an hour or so of lying completely flat the pain is almost gone.

The pain doesn't seem to respond to paracetamol or Ibupfrofen. I've taken Co codamol on a couple of evenings where the pain has been intense, which helps a bit, but I couldnt work or drive with these. I have arranged to wfh today just so I can lay down in between teams meetings and do my emails/make calls on my phone.

I've spent the whole weekend basically horizontal but don't feel any better for resting it. I've been fortunate to get an appointment with my gp tomorrow as she wants to look at me. She has also asked me to write a summary of my symptoms for her to review. I've got a history of migraines but they are classic with aura, I get them three or four times a year.

I wonder if she's thinking this could be some sort of exacerbation? Right now, I know it sounds dramatic, but I feel like I'm never going to NOT have a headache again.

I'm really struggling, I just about managing to fulfil my work commitments but am doing literally nothing else.

I tend to minimise and am not great at asking for help so I want to ensure the GP takes me seriously when I see her. I really don't know what would make a headache so severe for so long.

Bumping for the morning crowd.

Phone the dr this morning for an appointment. Or phone NHS direct. Medically trained personnel are the most qualified to help.

Thanks, as per my OP I have a GP appointment which was the earliest I could get. I'm not asking for a diagnosis from randoms on the Internet, just looking for some support around how people manage to go about their business with chronic pain, and any prompts around information that would be useful to share with my GP.

She has asked me to write down my symptoms but I'm not sure what she is looking for that would be different to how I would verbally describe. If anyone has ever been asked to keep a headache diary, it would be useful to know what you included.

How was your appointment? What did the gp say?

I've had a headache since Friday which has been awful too. Seems to have eased off the past couple of days but still twinging away in the background. I eventually concluded it might be something to do with my sinuses and took some sinex sniffy decongest stuff which seems to have helped, but it's still there. Hoping it will go soon as it's v tiring isn't it!

I've had a permanent headache for a week, I don't normally get them and I'm struggling to work at the moment. I thought it might be something to do with hayfever. Are you drinking plenty of water as I find that's helping a little bit.

Thanks @Unicorn2022 @silverpinecones I saw my GP tonight, she thinks this is either an exacerbating migraine or referred pain from my neck (cervicogenic). She's given me amitriptyline which surprised me and I didn't know it had a use outside of depression, and also naproxen and a medication to protect my stomach lining as I don't do well on nsaids generally, and have been working so hard to improve my gut microbiome. I feel a bit despondent coming away with 3 new meds, but GP says most important thing is to break the cycle of pain.

I have been drinking plenty, and had no infections, just sore neck then random headache. Hope everyone in a similar situation turns a corner soon.

Google 'low pressure headaches', does that sound similar? It's reasonably rare but you mention some key features in your OP.

I'm on amitriptyline for nerve pain, it's good stuff and great for headaches - however, if I ever miss a dose I have a terrible nights sleep (can't drop off and keep waking) - just a heads up to ease off very slowly and gently when it's time x

There's a migraine support group on Facebook, it might be worth joining as there are lots of good ideas and things to ask your doctor and consider yourself.

I'm not any kind of medical professional but I do get migraines so this is just personal experience and things you might consider asking your own doctor. You mentioned using co-codmol several times over the last week - are you familiar with rebound or medication overuse headache? I can't really explain it very well but sometimes painkillers can cause headaches and you have to go cold turkey (or ask to get on preventers, I can't see your OP now and I can't recall if your amitriptyline was a preventer sorry) so could be that?
Have you tried all the non medical stuff like hot packs, cold packs, tens machine, hot bath, dark room, white noise, silence, avoiding screens, hot bath, eating something salty, something sweet, having some caffeine, checking your hydration, using a forehead stick, some aromatherapy oils can help (I like lavender and mint, suggest going off anything that feels appealing as am no more an aromatherapist than a doctor)
Also (sorry can't recall if you said in your post) did the doctor give you the standard advice about trigger diary? If you can eliminate the cause it will be really helpful. Although I had a migraine for a month once and the trigger was my job at the time so that was a pain to remove, hopefully you get yours figured out quickly. You've mentioned the monitor and work position, maybe it's worth having physio or similar, Pilates or whatever works for you to make sure your core and posture is as strong as it can be.
Hope you are feeling better soon, migraine is awful x

Headache diary - as much detail as you can manage really. I had one neurologist who only wanted how many days a month I had migraine so I just had to colour them in on a chart but that was to qualify for a different treatment.
it sounds like your GP is trying to ID headache type and cause so the more detail the better. You could say where in your head the pain is, for example left or right, front or back, or all over, or anywhere else, like your eyes, neck or stomach, or if you have any aura, and if so what, and did it come on before or after the headache and did it go away before the pain stopped or did it stay all the time.
What time did it start and stop, approximately.
You could say what happened in the run up, like the pain woke you in the night, or you had just eaten dinner or been for a run or been working.
Also if you thought something had been the cause, like your neck had been very painful, or you had drunk red wine or eaten cheese, for example, or it had come out of nowhere because you'd been feeling great.

Thanks all, I'm a few days in to my new medication regime. I've been taking naproxen along with a medication to protect stomach, and then the amitriptyline on a nighttime. I've been able to function better and feel more rested but pain has not gone away, just feels more intermittent.

GP is interested to rule out cervicogenic headaches, since the neck pain started first, as well as an exacerbation of migraine.

I've downloaded an app for migraine tracking which includes all of the prompts around triggers including food and weather, hopefully this will give me some clues.

A good chiropractor or osteopath might help. Important to have one who comes highly recommended though. I think some do more harm than good.

I feel for you. It sounds completely debilitating.

Do you ever see a sports massager or equivalent? I carry stress in my shoulders and neck and often have headaches for weeks due to this. Some careful application of thumbs and elbows to my shoulders helps a lot. Getting a good routine of exercises for your neck may also help.

You need a Chiropractor.

2 years of wfh ruined my neck and I had a permanent headache which would occasionally (too frequent for my liking) would become severe and turn into migraines.

I went to A&E to try and get help they were that bad.

Out of desperation I booked an appointment with a chiropractor, within 1 40 minute session the pain was gone, completely. A follow up session a week after sorted out the cascading issues from living with pain and cervical misalignment for so long.

I go to monthly maintenance sessions and it has honestly changed my life.

I cannot recommend this enough.

Can you afford to see a chiropractor privately?
If it is a posture imbalance they will be able to sort you out.