Struggling with craniocervical & TT headaches and associating treatment :-(
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Having struggled with headaches for most of my adult life - I’m now 33 - a neurologist diagnosed craniocervical (coming from an entrapment/impingement of the greater occipital nerve - being ridiculously unlucky, it is bilateral!) with TT headaches approx. 18 months ago. Therapy initially consisted of amitriptyline which left me very sedated. Then I started imipramine, working my way up the doses to 75mg. As this reduced the headache incidence by one third, it was considered a success (just the 3 horrendous headaches a week now!) However, I obviously developed a tolerance to the imipramine and the old 4/5 a week routine returned after six or seven months. We then started nortriptyline, which left me spaced out and retching everywhere. Now, I’m on gabapentin 300mg, to be reviewed and doubled a week on Monday. So far, no difference at all in frequency/severity of headaches and, if I’m honest, I’m totally done in. I also get what I can only describe as a sudden ‘high’ feeling shortly after taking gabapentin, followed by a ‘crash’ about an hour later. It’s hard going when I take the gabapentin three times a day! I suppose my question, or point for discussion, is whether anyone has had any success with gabapentin?
I’ve heard of GON block injections being beneficial for the type of headache I suffer from, has anyone had experience of the blocks and recommend this as a treatment to pursue? As an aside, I have discussed this with my GP, who pretty much advised that I have to exhaust every other avenue first even being considered for an injection. If it’s beneficial, I’d consider going private as I’m tired of being sore/grumpy/exhausted.
Also, I’m concerned about the amount of medication(s) that I’ve had over the last 18 months and any associated issues this can cause with your liver? Anyone else think about these crazy things?
Lastly, pain meds! My GP thinks it’s acceptable to say paracetamol for pain. Now, I can 100% understand the concept of medication overuse headaches, but I need something for pain. Such is the intensity of the pain from these headaches, when attending for a contraceptive check, I was refused a repeat prescription as my BP was through the roof. The problem? I had a headache. The GP that Friday was reluctant to let me go home (I have a cardiac history) but after I begged her not to send me to hospital, she sent me home with Tramadol for pain with instruction to return on the Monday morning. 1 tramadol later and the headache was gone, on Monday morning my BP was perfect. Now, tramadol also cause horrific side effects in me, so I’m in no way suggesting that’s what I should be taking for pain, but given that the intense pain causes my BP to reach dangerous levels, I think paracetamol is a bit insulting. Ranting aside, I was prescribed 100 cocodamol 30/500 in January and told to take the ‘cautiously’, which I do. I have GORD, so can’t take NSAID’s. I’ve tried yoga bands and an infrared light to help with pain, but I got no relief.
Does anyone have a miracle up theor sleeve - I’m struggling!
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