Post Surgery Headaches

[Bryant]

I am continuing to have headaches after surgery. Will they go away? Can anyone share his or her experience?

[jcc]

Did you have the retro-sig?

[cecile k]

Hi Bryant: When was your surgery?

[Janet]

I had surgery 11 months ago. I still have headaches. I had migraines prior to surgery, but they have increased. In addition, I have spasm type pain that lasts around 20 min on the lt side of back of my head. (I had surgery on the rt. side) I take Aleve in the AM & PM daily and some Tylenol if needed. I also take Maxalt that works well to stop a migraine. I am scheduled to go to a headache specialist at the end of the month. I am tired of taking so much medication and will get more aggressive in the coming months to find some relief. I've heard that Botox is a possibility.

[Wendy]

 I take Aleve in the AM & PM daily and some Tylenol if needed. I also take Maxalt

Please comment on Maxalt and also Elavil as pain reliever for post op headaches.

Wendy

[Janet]

Maxalt is used to treat migraines. It is taken at the first sign of a migraine. Migraines are thought to be caused by vascular dilitation and Maxalt acts to constrict the vessels. It doesn't prevent migraines and it is not a pain medication. You only take it as needed. It is expensive but my insurance does pay for it. It can really knock out a migraine.

I can't speak to Elavil except that it is not in the same drug catagory as Maxalt.

[bjordanr]

You did not desribe your headaches...are you sure they are still migraines?
I ask because my post-surgical headaches are more like tension headaches and I have had a lot of people assume they are migraines, but they are not.  Migraine medication did nothing for my headaches.  I was on Elavil for a few months and although it helped the headaches, it made me feel like a zombie, my mind was not clear...AND I gained 20 pounds while on it.

I now work with a neurolgist that specializes in headaches. Currently, I take a combination of Neurontin, Vicoprofen and Zanaflex. I am also undergoing Botox injection treatment in my head and neck.
I am 7 years post-surgery.

[rebecca]

The headaches I had were a pressure sensation and when I would stand up, it got much worse.  I went to my GP and he described them as myofacial and suggested stretching exercises such as yoga and aerobic exercise.  So, I've joined a club and on Saturday, I go with my 9 year old daughter and we do Yoga, racketball, swim and sauna--just a mini-marathon.  But, the headaches are gone without medication. 

[luv2teachsped]

I also had horrible headaches, to the point I was sick to my stomach.  The first thing that helped was to see an eye doctor.  Once he told me how dry my eye was and to not wear my contacts,use lots of eye drops and a lubricant at night, my headaches greatly reduced.  The other thing, like rebecca, I realized, on the days I failed to do the prescribed "exercises" and/or became overly exhausted, the headaches were worse.  I still get them, 3 months post surgery, but if I catch them as soon as I feel the slightest headache, and take aleve, the usually go away.  luv2teach

[Frying2Knights]

Hi - I've just discovered this forum.

I am 14 months post op - translab conducted in the UK.  I have had severe headaches since day one.  Initially they were left/op side.  But after a couple of months (and after a CSF leak) they spread.  I get a variety - tension, spasm, pressure, but always constant.

I am seeing my consultant tomorrow to get my annual scan results and hope to press him for something more than "Oh yeah that can happen"!

Best wishes

[rockymtngirl]

I had severe headaches before and after my sugery. I believe that they were tension headaches due to the balance issues I was having. After I completed my physical therapy for the balance problems the headaches went away. I will however get headaches now but only when I'm doing something that requires extra muscle tension on the side that has no vestibular nerve. When I notice my shoulders hunching up, I make a concerted effort to relax them and get rid of the tension in my neck and shoulders.

[lifeisgood]

I highly recommend getting massages.
They help!  I suffer from headaches too but they are triggered by carrying too much (5 month 21 lb baby) and being tired.
Thanks for the work out suggestion!! I need to do that again.
Let's be grateful to be alive and remember "this too shall pass"!

[luv2teachsped]

rockymtngirl:  I get muscle pain in my shoulder and neck also.  My neck is still very stiff on the side of my surgery and notice myself hunching my shoulders when I am tired too.  I never thought of the balance issues being related to the headaches.  But it makes sense, my headaches are worse when I am extremely tired and walking into walls.