Starting to Get Headaches

[yardtick]

Oh Debbi,

I feel your pain!!   I too have a major headache today.  I finally took a Tylenol 3.  It helps but it is just a quick fix.  I asked my GP about tramadol and he said for me to try to use the T-3's only when I can't take it any more.

I wanted to go for a walk because sometimes fresh air does help but it started to rain heavily so I made banana walnut cake for the men in my life.  It did me in!  I was trying to take my frustrations out on cracking the walnuts.  Now I'm just going to roast some Italian sausage with fresh buns and a salad. 

I find heat helps my neck and the occipital area.  Everyone is different but its worth a try.  I know tonight I will be going to bed with my hot pack resting gently on my neck.

Take care Debbi,
Anne Marie

P.S.  A nice massage from hubby helps too

[MAlegant]

Debbie and Anne Marie,
I'm so sorry you're in headache land today.  I had headaches on a regular basis before dx, just thought it was one of those things.  Since surgery, I've had a few but not many.  They do scare the **** out of me though!  They take on a whole new meaning once you've had surgery.  I also find that the weather is a contributing factor and am now trying to convince Brian that we need to move to a warm, dry climate.  Debbi, my neck pain has been mostly gone but I have woken up in complete neck spasms a couple of times recently.  Very disturbing.
Be well,
Marci

[GeorgiaMei]

Hi Debbi,   I'm really sorry to hear you're having trouble.

In addition to my pain pills, I also use Lidocaine patches at night, and TigerBalm for my neck and shoulder pain; which I think is a combo of irritation from the "pulling" and stretching of surgery, stress, and decreased movement from the chronic headaches. I also get frequent 10 minute massages at a day spa near by. (it's just enough to help relax the muscle, but not too stimulating for me)  Any chance someone would give you a 5-10 minute massage before bed?  Karen

[Debbi]

Hi Karen-

Funny you should mention that!  I am using a combo of warm/hot compresses on my head/neck and shoulder AND massage.  I go for an hour long massage once a month and she just works on my head, neck and back; then I go for a 10 or 20 minute chair massage once a week (conveniently located at the local nail salon).  I take advil during the day and then persoset at night if things are really bad.  It works and I beleive I am seeing improvement.  I still get weird stabbing pains in the side of my head but they last only a minute or so, and Dr. Roland thinks they are my nerves refiring.  He also confirmed that the chronic neck pain is most likely post surgical and related to them having to pull the muscle aside for such a long time to get at my skull. 

And, yes, I do notice an overall increase in all symptoms (pain and balance) whenever the weather changes!  All related to barometric changes...

Isnt' the human body an amazing thing? 

Debbi - is that a nail in my head?

[Syl]

Hi Debbie,

An electric heating pad does wonders for my neck. I use it every day when I feel a headache coming on. If I don't apply heat to my neck immediately, it takes longer for the headache to go away. But rarely do I get a headache that sticks with me for more than a half hour. I do have to take otc Tylenol three to four times a day. I tried weaning myself off to the Tylenol, but found myself using the heating pad more frequently.

Hoping your headaches go away
Syl

[Captain Deb]

Debbi,

How about an update on your headaches.  Gotten any worse or have you learned to manage them? Let us know!

Capt Deb

[Debbi]

Hi Capn Deb -   well, it turns out that they are not so much headaches as "face aches" if that makes sense.  I definitely have a lot of muscle pain on the muscle that runs up along the incision and down my neck.  Docs think that the muscle is just being very slow to heal.

And, the right side of my face hurts (no wise cracks, please!)  mostly along the front of my ear and temple and down into my upper jaw.  The heat really helps - and Syl, I couldn't leave without me heating pad!  Docs think the face pain is my nerves trying to recharge.  In general, I still have a lot of numb spots on my face, but it seems like what isn't numb just hurts.  Ah, the fun never stops.   Oh, and I had to stop taking the Ultram because I started itching all over.    Too bad because it definitely helped the pain.  Back to double advil and percoset when it gets bad. 

Oh, and  yes, the 10 minute chair massages are a godsend!  I get the at the local nail salon and it only costs $10 for 10 minutes, so it's quite reasonable.

Debbi

[Syl]

You'd never guess that there could be so much pain behind all those beautiful smiles in our photos.

Syl

[Janet]

Debbi,

When you press on your incision, can you cause the pain to radiate anywhere in particular? I had a tender spot on my incision and when the doctor pressed on it, pain and tingling radiated to the upper ear on top. He said this was the lessor occipital nerve. It was entrapped in the scar. My more severe pain was caused by the occipital nerve that radiated behind the eye and down to the neck and shoulder. This pain hard to live with.

Janet

[Debbi]

Janet - can't say I feel much of anything besides pressure when I press on my incision - it is still pretty numb.  The pain you are describing sounds miserable and I hope you are able to get some releif.  As much as the pain annoys me and gets me down some days, it is far less than what many of you here suffer from on a daily basis.

Debbi

[Janet]

Thanks, I had it fixed and I feel much much better.  (A peripheral nerve surgeon, outpatient surgery.)

Janet

[wendysig]

HI Debbi,
I was just wondering if you've ever considered seeing a chiropractor.  I have been seeing my chiropractor pretty much on a regular basis since mid-August.  My neck and back pain are much better, although I do still have some very slight stiffness in my neck.  I've never had a big problem with headaches and maybe seeing the chiropractor saved me from that particular fate.

Tammy - If you're reading this, thanks for suggesting the chiropractor -- it really has helped enormously.

Best wishes,
Wendy