Migraines everyday, all day, for 9 months. Help!!
Posted , 296 users are following.
Remember your worst migraine. How much pain you were in and how you just couldn't do anything. That's how I am everyday.
Right so I'm a 20 year old female, I'm and student and work as a waitress part time.
So, I started with a headache on the 18th January this year, pain killers didn't touch it. Woke up the next day and still had a terrible headache.
I have a terrible headache all day, everyday, without fail. It's got to the point now that I'm stressed; fed up, hardly sleeping, can't concentrate at uni or any time really.
Please understand that the pain never goes, the headache never ends. I have literally had a migraine 24/7 for 9 months now.
I wear glasses (short sighted) but I know it's not my eyes causing the migraines.
I've cut out everything that's apparently supposed to aggravate headaches. Stop drinking caffeine, stop eating chocolate and cheese. No change in the headaches.
This continued for a week or two before I went to see my GP who referred me to a neurologist.
The first neurologist thought I had tension headaches caused by stress.
At this point, I wasn't stressed at all, not with uni or work, nothing. So I didn't quite understand this diagnosis.
Anyway he put me onto tablets called amitriptyline, which is an antidepressant, and told me to gradually increase my dosage up to 50mg a day. This didn't help at all, had horrible side affects.
I then saw another neurologist who diagnosed me with migraines, put me into Topamax, which are an anti epileptic drug meant to also treat migraines. I got my dose up to 100mg within 3 months and the side affects were horrible and didn't help at all.
I've had a CT scan, which was normal. Had an MRI scan, which was normal. I've also tried Imigran and some migraine medication that melts into your tongue, with no affect what so ever.
After trying all this, an idea was put forward that I could have raised intracranial hypertension, so yesterday I had a Lumbar Puncture. The pressure was at 19 and a half (apparently if its over 20 it's high), so it's not thought its that. The migraines were worse for a week after the lumbar puncture, I couldn't even sit up without being in agony and being sick. Spent a week in bed unable to move.
I've got another type of MRI scan booked for the end of this month that's apparently going to look at the veins/blood vessels in my head to see if there is a problem there.
I feel like I'm not being taken seriously now by doctors, because "there isn't anything to be worried about, like a tumour" as I'm always told! As much as I'm so very glad I don't have anything serious to be worried about, I hate spending everyday in so much pain that I can't function.
Please don't think I'm over reacting/attention seeking/whatever, but I am literally fed up and can't cope. I can't get a minute of relief, I'm constantly in pain (different variations of pain, but pain all the same). As I'm writing this I'm crying my eyes out because I haven't managed to sleep more than 3 hours a night in that past 4 days. I'm exhausted and depressed now. I've even told my GP that I am so depressed now, I have thought on more than one occasion of overdosing just to end this pain. And he literally turned me away saying he couldn't do anything. I feel so defeated.
If anyone has had this type of problem before or knows someone that has, please let me know.
24 likes, 741 replies
StefanyLaboss Becky-Louise
Posted
I'm on week 7 with a migraine that won't stop.. I know exactly what you mean! The doctors won't take me seriously because I'm a young 33 year old female that looks healthy (I went into the ER) last Monday after my BF came home from out of town and dragged me to the hospital. The doctor didn't even come into see me, the nurse told me I was dehydrated and told me to go home and drink water, that I was a young healthy looking girl. I have a 7 year old daughter that I can't even look after right now.. I was told to get my wisdom teeth looked at by another site.. That this women had so many Similar symptoms. I've tried it all.. Like litteraly. I even went to the extreme of giving myself a coffee enima (embarassing as that is to admit) anyways. Because I've been off work.. I can't afford the dentist and was wondering if you have had this looked at.. Was hoping if you have.. And it didn't make a difference.. Than I would know it probably won't make a difference for me..
Ollypop StefanyLaboss
Posted
My son has had a constant headache since age 11 with up to 12 migraines a month. At 16 our dentist was on a mission to help cure him and removed his wisdom teeth, adjusted his bite, and had a mouth guard made to stop him grinding his teeth during his sleep. None of this helped his headaches or migraines! He is now 19 and is still suffering with the constant headache and regular migraines. However that's not to say none of this will work for you. We have tried many things in the hope that it will work, endless different medications all mentioned in previous posts, Botox injections, massage, hypnotism and different neurologists we are now waiting for a referral to a headache clinic. Hope you find something to work for you
Hamneggy StefanyLaboss
Posted
Hi Stefany, I had migraines on and off starting at age 25. My wisdom teeth were removed when I was 17 so there was no connection at all. I am now in my mid 50s and I have had the same headache for 6 years. April 5, 2010 I woke up with a screaming migraine. It has never gone away. It may change location or intensity but that's it. Early on, a good day would be a 5 on the 1 - 10 pain scale. As time has gone by the number on a good day has risen. Unfortunately, now a days, there aren't good days. The pain only ranges from 9 - 10. Even with my prescribed dilaudid (56mg per day) I can't get the pain below a 7 or 8. Anyway, I doubt your wisdom teeth have anything to do with it. You may however suffer from TMJ Syndrome which has to do with your jaw and perhaps raw nerves. Are your migraines at your temples by any chance? Hope I could be of some help or at least ease your mind about urgently needing to see a dentist. God bless!
betsy70690 Hamneggy
Posted
I've been the TMJ route. I was 5,000 into a 10,000 treatment plan and quit. Headaches and ear pain, which are classic symptoms did not improve. However it has helped some migraines. If you go that route, most orthodontists will give you a free consultation to determine if your bite is off of if you are showing signs of TMJ problems. Look for one that will take an X-ray and can see the joint. If you have clicking when opening and closing your mouth, there are simple exercises that you can find on the Internet. With that said, I do where a mouth guard, I still have migraines after 30 years. It's a hard journey and a long ride. Hope you find an answer that many of us have not, and you do get relief. Mine comes from imitrex and Fioricet, but that is daily. 😞
betsy70690
Posted
StefanyLaboss Hamneggy
Posted
Hamneggy, I'm so sorry to hear about your 6 years of suffering! I can't imagine feeling like this for 6 years! This started for me almost 3 years ago. My right ear started bleeding out of no where. It hurt so bad. I was treated for months for an ear infection but no antibiotics worked. It caused a headache on the right side for about 2.5 years (the bleeding lasted a month) I'm on 8 perks a day and a 20mg oxy at night. It doesn't help. 6 weeks ago it turned to a migraine on the right side.. All the way up to my the top of my head. My scalp even hurts. A month ago I went crazy and cut my long hair off in the middle of the night because the pain was so intense. I do have TMJ. I've had it since I was 13. I was at a crosswalk and was hit by a car. It's never done this to me before...
StefanyLaboss Ollypop
Posted
Thank you! I really do not have the money to spend on a dentist right now.. But if I thought it would work I would make it work.. I just dont see it working.. 19 years old.. That's so young to have problems
betsy70690 StefanyLaboss
Posted
You can at least go to an orthodontist, their consultations are often free. Or at least find one who is. I'm speaking US. They could at least tell you if you're a candidate for orthodontics or not. That would at least give you an idea. Mine was very honest and said he would not out me in braces, did not think it was necessary. It may just rule one thing out or give you an idea of a problem you might have.
Hamneggy betsy70690
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Hamneggy StefanyLaboss
Posted
andrea95139 Becky-Louise
Posted
Hi Becky-Louise,
I was wondering if you have found anything that helps you out? I realize that your post is quite old now.
I am in the same position that you were when you originally posted. I have had migraines/headaches since early high school (I'm 22 now) off and on. About 3 years ago they started to get very bad and consistent. Nothing was working medication-wise, but I was told to just keep taking OTC meds. About 2 years ago, they became nearly debilitating for a few days every week, with no medications working then either. This past January, they became so bad that I would lay in bed crying and vomiting for days. Since then, the pain has not left. Constant. Like yours.. I've taken two different triptans, doses of amytriptiline up to 300 mgs. Added on atenolol as a beta-blocker. No results, bad side effects. I've gotten chiropractic help, cranial-sacral massage, oils, you name it, I've tried it.
Hoping that you found some peace!
Annekajadedalry Becky-Louise
Posted
Hi! I felt pleased to find this, if not a little sad by the endless people also struggling to find help. After never suffering from headache issues before, I started to feel unwell on the 17th of April this year (my 30th would you believe) during a month long trip to America and Canada. I survived the last two weeks of the trip on coffee and Advil and thought it was just the excitement of the trip. Then after getting home the weeks dragged by and I never felt better and found myself experiencing weird head sensations and pain along with so many other symptoms. The constant is a persistent head sensation - can be anywhere, can be stabbing or aching or dull, can be intense or if I'm lucky mild, can sometimes feel like tickling. I also tend to feel general malaise. Other symptoms that aren't constant are; neck pain, back pain, nausea, hot forehead, shivers, burning eye, burning sole of foot, wrist and thumb joint pain, big toe joint pain, pins and needles, stabbing in heart area, tender ribs, fatigue, dizziness, popping in ears, constant ringing in ears, vivid dreams The list goes on. I saw three GPs who wanted me on medication without so much as suggested diagnostics. One said I had fibromyalgia another didn't even want to diagnose and just wanted to give me pills. Eventually one referred me to a neuro. I have also seen a private neuro who said I have migraines that will go away on their own, which was two months in and they haven't now we are at five months in. Like you there is no beginning or end. I find myself supremely emotional all the time, I cry a lot and wouldn't mind going to sleep and never waking. There is no pattern to my head pain. People say migraine because I have had seperate eye migraines in the last year but they weren't connected to specific headaches. My head sensations don't relate to anything I read about migraines on line. I have the appointment with the NHS neuro next week and I'm not in any way hopefull. My partner wants a private scan done but it's pointless to me, I clearly don't have a brain tumour, even the GP said it doesn't sound like a brain tumour. Before this happened my life was literally clicking into place. If this is how I am for life I don't want to live.
eva28308 Becky-Louise
Posted
HI Becky, I'm having the same symtoms for 10 months now. But I was on anxiety pills and depression. Pills last year. I'm having a withraw from that that's why I have all this symtoms.
i just wondering are you on any med?
Suzanne1960 Becky-Louise
Posted
Hello my daughter has had a headache for over a year she has tried all kinds of meds plus scans just had the vein test done for pressure this past Tuesday it only showed scare tissue now trying Depakote. It's a seizure medication but used also for migraines
StevenRose Suzanne1960
Posted
Has your daughter tried a triptan to take away the headache, if she is old enough that is and also Flunarizine, its used by myself and children suffering severe migraines and Great Ormand Street hospital.
Hope this helps.
Good luck and best wishes,
let us know how you get on