Terrible headache

[mk]

Yesterday I woke up with the worst headache I had experienced in my life. Normally I would be really scared, thinking that it was due to the AN. However, my daugher has been experiencing the same symptoms, i.e. she had been complaining about bad headaches and she also had a fever. This is obviously some viral infection that I caught as well.
Just wanted to drop this note, because this made me realize that not everything we experience is AN related, as we often tend to think (at least I do!) and there are often other causes for our symptoms.

By the way, does anyone know if having a fever (for unrelated reasons) affects adversely the way the AN responds?

Marianna

[yardtick]

Marianna,

My life since the discovery and surgery of my facial neuroma has been one big headache!  Yesterday, day was the first day all week that I was headache free, mind you by about 10:00pm last night the headache was back.  Today has been terrible.  The weather really effects my head.  Another nasty storm rolled in again around 1:00 pm. 

I have battled migraines since I was 12 or 13 years old, but this is much worse.  My face down along my jaw line aches, my neck hurts and the killer is the stabbing pain that shoots behind my eye.  I've been on different types of meds but nothing really seems to help me.  If I do get relief than I have  side effects from the meds. 

For me battling the headaches has been the worse thing about my journey.  I'm in the watch and wait group and that also just adds to my stress.  I wish the headache fairy would work her magic on all of us who suffer.  I feel your pain. 

I wish you the best and if you find siomething that helps please let me know.

Anne Marie

[Mickey]

Iv`e been getting headaches myself lately. They come on with an Aura first then a mild dull headache and stiffness. I was wondering if the AN has had anything to do with its cause? Could it be allergy related? I only wish I had the answer. Any opinions would be appreciated. Thanks Mickey P.S. I did meet someone at a AN meeting who said his headaches went away after surgery.

[sgerrard]

They come on with an Aura first then a mild dull headache and stiffness.

Mickey, that is a classic symptom of migraine. I get the visual effect, but luckily no headache afterward. Taking headache pills at the first sign of the visual effect is supposed to help, I believe.

Steve

[Kaybo]

Mickey~
I had HORRIBLE headaches most of my life and then when I had my AN removed - wha-la, they went away.  I was 25 and that was almost 13 years ago.  I didn't get on this forum until January or February of this year & was VERY shocked to find out that was not the case for everyone with an AN.  I just thought that was what was causing the headaches (which it was) and since it was gone, so were the headaches!
I'm so sorry you have to deal with them.

K

[Mickey]

Thaks for responses! With all the symptoms and discomforts I`m constantly weighing my options. I`ve had symptoms so long I am kinda use to them. Basicly with hearing good and tinitus manageable was trying to determin if headaches are in the same mix. When you put it all together my main determination is if after operation will I be better off? Tumor still relitively small 12mmX06 with my 3rd MRI coming up in 15 days. So far last one stable. If I knew that I could get rid of them all I wouldn`t hesitate to operate! Thanks Mickey

[Rc Moser]

 Wikipedia search "Trigeminal neuralgia", need to read up on this, I think it is assosicatated with most migraine's suffer's.  the 5th crainal nerve is responsible for ALL facial sensors including the teeth, when it fires you feel it down in you teeth. I have the same headache pattern. unbearable pain behind my right eye and goes down into my jaw and teeth and then across my forhead. there's  post on the second page if you don't want to search it. You be suprised what you find out. I was.

[Kate B]

I have battled migraines since I was 12 or 13 years old, but this is much worse.  My face down along my jaw line aches, my neck hurts and the killer is the stabbing pain that shoots behind my eye.  I've been on different types of meds but nothing really seems to help me.  If I do get relief than I have  side effects from the meds. 

For me battling the headaches has been the worse thing about my journey.  I'm in the watch and wait group and that also just adds to my stress.  I wish the headache fairy would work her magic on all of us who suffer.  I feel your pain. 

Anne Marie

Anne Marie,
This is probably posted somewhere, but why did you decide to wait and watch?

Kate

[yardtick]

Hi Kate,

I have a facial neuroma and it was debulked two years ago.  I will need a nerve graft.  My last MRI was on Father's Day.  It was difficult to read because the mastoid cells were fluid filled, so they weren't able to get an accurate measurement of the tumour.  You know there are no guarantees with a nerve graft, so I decided to watch and wait.  I'm not a candidate for radiation. 

I think this is interesting.  I've been off work since April and today I had lunch with a co-worker.  She could visually see the left side my face is swollen, droopier and my left eye is more buggier.   She was the only one at work that had any compassion when I'd have to go home because of headaches or facial pain. 

Anne Marie

[Nancy Drew]

Don't know if this means anything, but I have a history of migraines that have pretty much been under control for many years.  In the past week I have had two bad migraines.  Perhaps not related to AN, but they are nasty things.  Last night I thought I might have to go to the ER with this one.  I have only been once to the ER in the past 12 years with a migraine.  I don't feel great today, but I am waiting it out.  In my case, I think it is stress probably related to worrying about my AN.  For what it's worth....Nancy

[JudyT]

I too am suffering through yet another severe headache. After 5-6 days of feeling great and productive, yesterday it hit. Pain meds....no help. The fulness....jaw pain....balance almost non-existant....body/joint pain causes me great frustration. I've tried yoga....sitting by the fire...quietly & still....laying down....no reading/TV....definitly not driving or undue moving about the house and more. Meditation/relaxation helpful but not alleviating pressure/pain..........what's a gal to do?? Anybody got ideas to help???

Judy

[Captain Deb]

I had been a headache sufferer for years but didn't know they were migraines till I went to my PCP for them and that "stuffy ear" and found out I had an AN.  Unfortunately my headaches didn't go away after surgery but kicked into overdrive. Or super overdrive. I was basically bedridden for 2 1/2 years until I found injectable Imitrex, and a double dose of preventives--Neurontin and Topamax.  And both of those leave me dumb as a box of rocks.  So don't think for a minute that surgery will be an automatic migraine "fix" for everyone with AN related headaches. Research your options with radiosurgery,too.  I sure wish hindsight was an option now but it ain't!!  Just being honest!!

Capt Deb

[JudyT]

I had CK 4 years ago and my strong issues other than vertigo/balance/hearing loss (6 months after) didn't appear until about a year and a half ago. This headache/pressure thing is really annoying and makes my usually positive attitude.....GONE! Whenever I try to make a list of my issues it gets sooooooo long I delete it. When family....friends....Dr's don't get it..........I get nuts! Do they think I just make up all this??? I have always been very active.....positive.....grateful heart and so on. Having to pass this way is more than I can take sometimes. Without this site and all the understanding I would surely perish. It's so helpful and encouraging...........Thanks everybody.....I am truly grateful for your help and honesty.

Judy

[Syl]

I just want to give you headache sufferers a great huge hug.
((((((((((((((((((((((((((headache sufferers))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

I too belong to the Headache Sufferers Club. I don't know if mine are migraines. They can be debilitating, accompanied by nausea and vomiting, but they rarely last more than an hour. After the headache has gone, I'm left feeling really drained. They usually hit me in the morining and make for slow starting days. Luckily I work in the evening. However, that's going to change soon. As of April 1, I will be working days. I hope my punctuality isn't affected by these headaches.

Syl

[MamaGina]

I HATE HEADACHES!!!!!!! (JUST HAD A FOUR DAY HEADACHE LAST WEEK)