When do you get your headaches?

[marjoryb]

Dear headache sufferers,

Do you experience the headaches more at night than other times during the day?   I am now almost 2 1/2 yrs. post op and find that my headaches occur mostly at night.  I fall asleep and  (almost every night) wake up with headache pain (severe)  after about an hour to two.   I take pain medication and fall asleep again after about 30 to 45 minutes.   I will sleep for a few hours and wake up again with headache pain and go through the routine again.  I've tried taking the medication before going to bed, but it NEVER works to stop this waking and sleeping pattern.   I've also tried sleep aids, but they make me feel "hung over" with fatigue the next day.   I'm already pretty tired most of the time.

During the daytime, I can feel when the headaches are coming on and usually can abort them with medicine.   Those signs are either a stabbing pain behind the eye (AN side) that itensifies and goes into a full blown headache or I feel a tightening of my neck muscles that radiates up into my head.    My neck muscles are pretty tight most of the time and it feels like I have massive lumps/knots of tension . 

I also had a horrible headache the other night that wouldn't quit for about 1 to 1 1/2 hrs. - even after medicine and lots of moaning.   I even broke out into a sweat and had to hold cold compresses to the back of my neck.    I'm thinking that the Chinese food I had eaten earlier in the evening had done it to me (MSG)

Does this sound familiar to any of you?

[Syl]

Marjoryb:

I'm 6 months post-op and have developed a routine that seems to keep the headaches in check. My headaches occur mostly in the morning. As soon as I wake up I take 1000mg of Tylenol. Sometimes I take 325mg in the middle of the day. And, I have to take another 1000mg right before bed. I also have to use my heating pad on my neck for about 20-30 mins. every night. It's been about 2 weeks that I've been able to sleep through the night since I've been taking 1000mg right before bed. I keep my heating pad right by my bed in case I wake up in the middle of the night with a headache.

The cold weather has been brutal for my neck and head. I wear a scarf all the time, even indoors, and I don't go out without a hat. If the cold hits my head a headache developes instantly.

If a headache does develope, it tends to be debilitating and makes me sweat. But, even those headaches seem to be short-lived lasting only half and hour or so after I've taken tylenol and applied the heat to my neck. And sometimes, I get the stabbing pain behind the eye. Occassionally, the headaches do last longer, but rarely more than 2 hrs.

I've never associated the headaches with food, but I do need to pay more attention to what I eat before headaches develop.

Syl

[Janet]

Hi marjoryb,

How are you besides the continued headaches? Remember, I met you last summer at an ANA meeting in DC?

Sounds very familiar. I found the triggers to be bending my head forward that aggravated the trapped occipital nerve and lying down flat which increased the blood flow that engorged the blood vessel touching my occipital nerve. Both caused pain which went behind the eye, painful tight knotted neck muscles and severe pain at the back of my head.

To treat the symptoms, try wearing to bed a soft over the counter neck brace that you can find at any drug store. This will keep your neck from bending in your sleep. When you are in a deep sleep because of sleep medications you are probably bending your neck even longer until the nerve is so aggravated it is beyond aborting the headache with medication. I couldn't sleep on my stomach because turning my head would irritate the occipital nerve as well. I slept with my head elevated with 4 pillows.

To treat the problem, I had my occipital nerve surgically freed up from the surrounding tissue and the blood vessel that was embedded into the occipital nerve seperated.  (Four years of life revolving around severe headaches was enough and I decided I had to find out what was causing them and do something about it!)

It has been a year now and I am so happy that I had it done. (I will be in DC for a year follow-up in January.)  Life is much better even though I still take plain tylenol. I went from severe daily headaches to mild headaches. Most of the time I feel totally normal. I really don't even think about headaches. I get a rare premigraine but that is more from bright sun and diet and Maxalt takes care of that.  I avoid nuts, alcohol and foods I have notice trigger migraines.

There is some interesting research regarding migraines and why certain foods might trigger headpain. Google.... (University of Washington migraines PFO.) Very interesting and it does make sense. I think some of us have multi causes and that makes it even harder to figure out and treat.

Best Wishes
Janet

[marjoryb]

Hi Janet

Thanks for the info.... I do remember meeting you this summer at the ANA meeting and hearing of your treatment by Dr. Ducic.   I'll be at the January meeting and we can talk further.

I have an appt. in January - again at Hopkins .    I did send an email to Dr. Ducic after I saw you.    I'm not sure what my hesitation is except that I'm a little fearful of the procedure.   I also didn't get a good vibe from the Hopkins doctors - who know of Dr. Ducic .  They intimated that he doesn't have enough case studies .

I need to get more involved in my own treatment - and get the right medical attention.   I feel like the whole process has made me "stupid" and I can't seem to process things as well as I used to (maybe it's just age and I'm dealing with alot of pressures at work and home).   I will follow your suggestions and see if they help.

Thanks again.

See you in January

Marjoryb

[cin605]

I have had major head ache everyday all day for the last week..since my last vestubular rehab appointment.
I have tried tylenol,darvecette,tramadol,metoprolol,lorazepam,IBC,advil nothing is touching it.argh!

[Janet]

Post op AN headaches seem to be a complex form of a miigraine of which different things can trigger the head pain cycle between the head and neck. This web cast might be helpfull to help identify the triggers.

Go to this Georgetown University site,    http://www.mygeorgetownmd.org/body.cfm?id=1628    Then go 3/4 down the page and click on to    Migraines: Community Lecture Webcast Now Available

There is a neurologist and a periphral nerve surgeon that give a talk to a non-medical audience. It gives some basic insight into migraines and headaches in general. The nerve surgeon explains why some nerves can cause problems. There are some graphics of nerves that illustrate where the nerves lie. Later in the webcast he refers to a AN patient and why they suffered from headaches. (Scar neuroma)

Hope this helps,
Janet

P.S.   Marjory, I won't be able to attend the AN meeting when I am in DC.  Sorry, I won't be seeing you as I really enjoyed the last meeting.  Could you give my regards to Staypoz?

[marjoryb]

Thanks Janet.   Happy New Year, by the way, to you and all  my other AN friends.

I'll checkout the information.    Thank you so much for sending it.   

I'm sorry I won't see you at the next meeting, but I'll let you know how things progress.

Marjoryb