Question about headaches

[wcrimi]

I am 8 1/2 months post op (retro) and really haven't had much of a problem with headaches.  I would say I get more now than I did before surgery, but they tend to be mild and show up less than twice a month. They only seem to occur when I had a very tough day at work and am tired (which of course also increases my wonky head and balance issues) or when I didn't get a good night of sleep. To be honest, I'm not even 100% sure I can correlate the headaches to the surgery, but I suspect they could be correlated because they are coming when I am stressed and tired and that didn't trigger them in the past.  In the past, they were more random.

Lately, I would say there has been a slight increase in the frequency. Twice in each of the last two weeks.  However, I've also been working more hours. Hmmmm

To be honest I'm not even sure what I am asking here other than for people to share their insights into the severity, frequency, triggers, and locations of their headaches so I have more insights into evaluating what I am am experiencing. 

Mine are mild, tend to get better once I get home from work and relax, and are usually located in the front of my head like a sinus headache or something.

[yardtick]

I have suffered from migraines since I was 12 yrs old.  My headaches now are very frequent and very different from migraines.  I have also suffered from sinus headaches, but I know I cannot blame my sinuses on the headaches I have been battling for the last three years.  I have dull headache on my left side everyday,  but yesterday was extremely brutal.  I woke up with my left temple pounding  my face was very painful and my neck was very tense and aching.  I got up had my cappuccino and raisin toast and took all of meds I normally take in the morning.  I was back in bed within an hour.  I did manage to fall back asleep for a few hours.  Got up took some more pain medication and was back in bed by 5:30 pm and slept some more until 8:00 pm.  Thankfully I slept through the night with the assistance's of a sleeping pill.  Today my headache is dull, but bearable and my face has settled down. 

I do agree stress and working long hours are a factor, but at the moment I am on disability.  I try very hard not to stress myself out.  I do know if I have a very busy day the next day I pay for it.  I am one of the lucky ones that also suffers from facial pain.  I actually have a facial neuroma that was debulked three years ago.  I look great in pictures and and in person.  You really have to look closely at me to see the slight weakening on the left side of my face.  I know the neuroma has totally encapsulated the facial nerve and one day I will need a nerve graft.  My husband has gotten very good at reading my pain level.  I guess its is the way I hold myself when the pain has increased. 

I am now battling the insurance company who pays out my LTD.  They are trying to rehabilitate me.  They have admitted that I am not a candidate for full time work anymore, because of the headaches and facial pain.  I am now waiting patiently for my appointment at a pain management clinic in Dec.  I see my GP on a monthly basis and the specialist every three months.  I just do what I have to do each day to get by.  Some days like yesterday I do nothing, some days I can cook, clean, do laundry, visit or have company.   

Some of us are very lucky and do not suffer from headaches, wonky head, or facial pain and some of us do.  My life has changed so much and so has my personality.  I was the energizer bunny.  I know my husband and sons miss the old me, but I miss the old me more.  I hate the fact that others are fighting with headaches.  I wish I had a magic wand and could just zap the pain away.  Keep on top of your headaches.  Keep a journal and if they should get more frequent and more painful get to your doctor.

Take care of yourself,
Anne Marie

[Jim Scott]

Wayne ~

FWIW: I occasionally get a mild headache but they are handled with one or two aspirin and/or just by getting outside and moving around, getting the blood flowing.  I don't really associate these infrequent, mild headaches with my AN surgery because I never experienced the severe headaches some other AN patients have.  The fact that your occasional headaches are mild and often associated with tiredness and/or stress would seem to justify your estimation that they are likely not associated with your AN surgery.  I know there are a multitude of reasons one can experience headaches.  Recently, entire medical disciplines are focused on this problem.  As long as your headaches remain mild, infrequent and manageable with OTC medications, I wouldn't be too concerned.  If they increase in frequency, severity and duration then you'll have to consider consulting a pain management specialist.  I sure hope it doesn't come to that.

Jim

[LOIS]

Wayne,

I also suffer from headaches.  I had migraines before the surgery which happened to always be on the left side (AN side).  I dont know if that was a coincidence or what.  Since the surgery I have been getting headaches but was told mine are mainly from the meningitis complication I got after the surgery.  When they start at the surgery site I know I'm in for 1 killer of a headache.  I do know that being tired or stressed does bring them on.  So, if I feel fatigued I do take a nap which usually helps.  I'm 11 months post-op and have wondered myself if the headaches are ever ging to stop.  It seems like I am getting them less but they are lasting longer.  I am retired so at least I do have the luxury of being able to sleep whenever I need to which helps a lot.  The only thing that does help if it gets that bad is percoset which I think maybe knocks me out more to get some sleep.  Sometimes just massaging the area first will help  it to go away and not have to take anything for it.  Percoset has its own set of complications so I do try to avoid it if I can.  On the other hand my surgeon was able to remove the whole tumor and I am grateful for that.  Next week I go for the 1 year post-op MRI (3 WEEKS EARLY).  I dont expect anything to show up since he did remove the whole tumor.  I hope you are able to get a handle on your headaches and find a solution for them.  I know what a pain in the butt they can be.

Take care,
Lois

[salamander]

I am at about 8 months and still have daily headaches.  I am starting to really be discouraged by it.  Starting, you say?  Yes, for the first 6 months I just assumed it was "normal" and would decrease over time.  It hasn't.  I need Ketoprofen and Maxalt almost every day and am only limited on maxalt due to insurance limitations.  I'm also on disability.  The problem with headaches is that unspoken, "How bad can it be.  Just suck it up and go on."  Well, I tell myself that too.  Sometimes I get so frustrated that I'll just barrel through something that I used to be able to do (like look up to change batteries in my smoke detectors or walk my dogs).  I then pay for it either by being unable to complete the task due to my head, or like Anne Marie, I have a terrible next day.

So when I get that periodic call from the Disability company I feel this incredible guilt that I haven't been able to go back to work.  I would love to have passed on the brain tumor and subsequent issues but I don't recall getting a vote on that.  Then I cycle through anger that I allow myself to feel guilty, and then sadness for the new me, and grief for the lost me.

Headaches can be real and unrelenting.  I'm sorry for any newbies that read this because not everyone gets headaches.  I think alot has to do with age (50's), stickiness of the tumor (yes), size of the tumor (2.9 cm), and location (mine grew up against my brainstem and pushed back into the cerebellum.)

My headaches vary.  Sometimes the whole back of my head hurts.  Sometimes it is the right, AN, side all the way from my neck to the head.  Othertimes it is a stabbing feeling right over my ear.  Occasionally they are more like sinus headaches, which I call my "previously intense, now wimpy compared to other headaches".    Sometimes they are like a vice, sometimes they are throbbing, sometimes stabbing, and other times it is an ache.  I joke that at least I have variety.
 
Anne Marie, I think your story touched me and allowed me to just unload here.  I think I needed to get this out, so thanks!!

Samantha