Daily headaches

really wow thats crazy at least you know your triggers

really knew none of this wish someone could sit me down and explain it all

Unfortunately, you only get 10-15 minutes with your doctor in the UK which isn't enough time for you to ask questions and for your doctor to give detailed answers that you understand. I presume you live in Britain. Doctors often give you leaflets from this site for you to read up on your condition. However, the leaflets don't explain every scenario and when you are faced with new symptoms that are not covered, it can cause intense anxiety. I suspect a combination of your astigmatism, anxiety and IBS could be causing the headaches.

IBS doesn't show on scans which can also lead to the anxiety that something was missed even when it isn't the case.

wow got my mri soon bit nervous any tips or info on them

What to expect before , during and after an MRI

There is little preparation for an MRI exam. Take your daily medications as you normally would, unless instructed otherwise. There are few dietary restrictions for an MRI. For those exams, you will be notified of the requirements.

Please arrive at least 30 minutes prior to your exam and check in with the receptionist. You will need to complete the MRI screening form.

To eliminate possible MR safety issues, you will be asked to change into a hospital gown. A locker will be supplied to secure your belongings.

A technologist will verify your identification and the requested exam. Your screening form will be reviewed by the technologist in consultation with the radiologist if indicated. If MRI contrast is indicated for the exam, an IV catheter will be inserted in your arm by a nurse or technologist.

What can I expect during my MRI scan?

The duration of the procedure will vary but the average is 45 minutes to one hour per body part.

You will be required to lie still during the actual MR scanning. Depending on the body part that is being examined, you may be instructed to hold your breath for up to 30 seconds.

The magnet is permanently open on both ends. It is well lit and there is a fan for patient comfort. There is also a two way intercom system for communication between patient and technologist. The part of the body being scanned will be placed in the middle of the magnet.

During the actual imaging, you will hear a loud intermittent banging noise. You will be provided with earplugs or head phones to minimize the noise during the procedure.

The technologist will also provide you with an alarm button to alert the technologist of any discomfort you may experience at any point during the MRI exam.

Some MRI exams require an injection of intravenous MRI contrast. Inform the technologist if you experience any discomfort during the injection.

What can I expect after my MRI scan?

If a dye injection is used, the IV is removed from the arm before you go home.

Allergic reaction from gadolinium dye is extremely rare. However, if you experience symptoms such as rash, hives, or shortness of breath, you should notify the technologist immediately if you are still at the imaging facility, or call your doctor or go to the nearest hospital if you have already left the imaging facility.

In the event that sedation is needed (such as for claustrophobia), you will be sent home once awake and alert. If you receive sedation, someone must drive you home.

thanks im nervous ive never had one before only ct and x-ray hopefully it goes well

yeah i live in Britain and dont get long appoitments and depending on doctor popularity can take ages to see a doctor so wait are long

I go to a walk in centre and can get appointments fairly quickly. I used to have a named doctor who has now left. I haven't got anyone in particular I see now; I just see whoever is available which is fine. However, I am still constrained to 10-15 minute appointments.

The only X Ray I had was when I was a child and I remember being very frightened. I have had medical phobia all my life mainly due to medications that disagreed with me and nasty side effects from procedures.I also had unnecessary medical procedures forced on me when young and I have been left with traumatic memories of these events.

I now have a medical injury from a blood test which makes me stay away from doctors and nurses in my practice. Anything needing attention has to be done at hospital because they have health and safety procedures that my walk in centre doesn't have and they are better able to spot and treat complications.

oh right is the walk in similar to 111

a walk in centre differs from the 111 service, the 111 service can refer you to other services like dentists, doctor's, hospital and walk in centres. i wish you luck, just think it's your way of gaining control of these headaches and it will all be worth it. i hope you get some sort of response....

ah right and yeah hopefully nothing serious but thanks

The walk in centre also can be used as a normal doctor's practice as well as for emergencies. My sister in law came down from Glasgow to see us without her inhaler and started having breathing difficulties. She was able to get an appointment immediately to get a replacement inhaler. The centre is open from around eight in the morning to eight at night.

oh had no idea so no appointment needed then

If you are a walk in patient that is not registered, you may have to wait to be seen. The waiting time is posted outside the surgery at least in my town. Although, I am registered, on one occasion I went in without an appointment because I was so desperate to see someone because of my abdominal pain. I was told the wait was two hours, but I only waited five minutes. For non registered patients, it's the luck of the draw how long you wait.

wow didnt not that had my scan was not enjoyable but at least im closer to finding out what could be going on hopefully nothing serious if something was maybe serious would they call you straight away

Sometimes, it can take a while to get the results through depending on the scan being done and whether it is on the NHS or private. The NHS is not known for its speed. They will tell you what was found/not found once they have been analyzed.However, if you are worrying, you can always keep phoning your doctor's surgery to see if anything has come through. Give it a week or two and try not to think about the worst case scenario . If you hear nothing after two weeks, phone your surgery.

Did they give you any indication at all of when you are likely to hear about your scan and did they go through with you what they would do if they did find something that needed urgent attention?

However, your headaches could have more benign causes since astigmatism, IBS and anxiety can all trigger headaches. Concentrate on those reasons.

ok thanks they said around two weeks but could find out results sooner

hopefully the news says nothing serious. good luck!

Two weeks seems like the standard waiting time. However, you can always call your doctor to see if they are in earlier. Sometimes, your surgery will phone you to tell you the results are in and to make an appointment with your doctor to discuss the outcome of your scan.

thanks

got to make an appointment for results just dont want to bang my head and then start stressing it could be a aneursym

Try not to focus on negative scenarios which may not happen. Put aneursyms out of your mind. Focus on the more benign conditions that you already know you have: astigmatism, IBS and stress, all of which can cause headaches. Remember, your doctor suggested tension was a likely cause. Worrying will not change the results of your scan either way; it will only make your headaches worse.

Perhaps, speak to your doctor about your anxieties and ask him to disprove your concerns one by one. I did this and it worked for me. Try relaxation techniques that you can find online to calm you down.

don't panic unless you have to! think it will be something simple like eyes, migraines etc, anything serious and you'd be back to your doctor's in a shot....

thats what im trying to do hard but trying did you write all your questions down to ask also feel stupid to ask

yeah trying not to find it hard to relax sometimes

I wrote my questions down on my phone notepad and I had lots of them Once I got them answered, it reduced the number of worries I had because I was asking an expert. It felt great being able to delete each query one by one as I got my concerns cleared up. It meant I was not alone with my health anxiety and it stopped my multiple worries from spiraling out of control.

Telling my doctor about the extent of my health anxiety helped him to diagnose my IBS My doctor was able to identify that stress had triggered my IBS and that my anxiety was making my symptoms worse. Even the smallest, seemingly insignificant detail can give your doctor much more to work on. Don't be afraid to tell your doctor everything. Their job is to listen to your concerns and try to solve them.

thanks ill give that a try always struggled with stress

Sounds like stress could be the underlying problem.

yeah i mean none of the tablets have been that helpful so far

What tablets are you taking? Painkillers or anti anxiety meds?

taking painkillers and antidepressant tablets

Doesn't sound like the anti depressants are working since you are so anxious. In fact, antidepressants can cause anxiety and make existing anxiety worse. I would look at the patient leaflet to see if the type you are taking causes headaches. If they do, I would come off the anti depressants. I wouldn't touch those medications with a barge pole. They are highly toxic. You are far better off trying relaxation therapy and meditation for your anxiety.

it is feasible that you have overdosed somehow on the ingredients in both lots of tablets. check that the antidepressants are suitable for you.some work for some people and some not. how long have you taken them for so far and do you really need them still?

the doctor said they shouldnt cause headaches and dont think they are a side effect either

ive been barely taking painkillers for that reason got given them on friday but so far no difference

I wouldn't go soley on what your doctor is saying. Doctors don't like admitting that their medications cause side effects because they get paid for prescribing them. My doctor disregarded all my concerns about anti depressant side effects and pretended that they didn't exist. He said all the stories about side effects were just people being negative. This was a red flag for me because everyone knows that medications cause side effects. I felt I couldn't trust him on this issue so I refused the anti depressants. l would find out for yourself whether they are causing you headaches by looking on the medication leaflet and if headaches are mentioned, try coming off the anti depressants. Sometimes, you need to be your own advocate when it comes to your health. Don't discount this possibility.

i looked and didnt mention anything about it but just feel they are not helping so dont know what to do

You can also check online about side effects. Sometimes, the patient leaflet doesn't list all the possible reactions but the online info tells you more, I have had this problem.You could try stopping the anti depressants yourself gradually to see if your headaches go away; if they do, then this is a likely culprit. I wouldn't rely on your doctor to confirm a side effect.

Try changing your doctor.Since you are still anxious, it may be that the anti depressants aren't working or they are making the anxiety worse.

ooh, that's tough, if you can take try something like yoga or some form of relaxation then they may help? anything is worth a shot at this stage, surely!

yeah havent been seeing usual doctor as she is booked up ill try and look up info online

tried meditating but didnt seem to help getting desperate so anything is worth trying

hi han, i hope you get some support somewhere, i wish you lots of luck.

Best of luck.

thank you

thanks