Headaches +

[cometcatcher (Kevin)]

It's come to this, asking for help on an astronomy forum.

I have a problem and I'm sick of it. Headaches. Something has triggered them again and I can't rid myself of them. They sometimes go away for weeks / months only to come back again. I've had a brain MRI and they tell me there's nothing in the scan that would cause them.

It all started... possibly with my mother. She had them so severe all her life she would vomit with them every day. I don't have them quite that bad, just with nausea, a feeling of motion sickness, sensitivity to light and sound. My thinking becomes slow, confused. Last year when I went to ER with one I could barely speak and I couldn't walk. My vision sometimes has blind spots or becomes smokey. I don't have coloured aura with the recent flare up but I used to.

Because I have ulcerative colitis I can't take NSAIDS. I cant tolerate codeine, it makes me vomit. The codeine alternatives are similar. None of the doctor's prescription meds can completely prevent them. Beta blockers help but in the process I feel like a zombie - they drop my BP too low. Nothing else works. I don't want to live like this.

What about alternative medicine - herbs? Before I stuff my liver with them, has anyone in my situation had any success with Butterbur or Feverfew? I've been taking magnesium, doesn't work. High doses of B2? Anything?

Help.

[speach (Simon)]

Well I sympathize with you. I've had a constant head ache since 1/3/1990

[rustigsmed (Russell)]

hi kevin,

that doesn't sound good at all mate.
you say something has triggered them again, i'm sure you've already considered most things; diet or an underlying sickness that may resurface when you're rundown come to my mind.
really go through your diet and eat cleaner if you're not already do so that sounds like something some serious blood vessel constriction, I hope you don't drink coffee!
my friends' have had some success with acupuncture and neck / shoulder massage. could be worth a go...

good luck mate.

[desler]

Hi Kevin,

This might sound strange, but get tested for sleep aponea!

For 15 years I suffered some of the most debilitating headaches, Was diagnosed, Started cpap therapy and haven't looked back!

Good luck with your search for an answer!

Darren

[glend (Glen)]

I had some pretty bad headaches, complete with vision loss in one eye a couple of times. It was narrowed down to a combination of factors: a high stress job, neck nerve pathway narrowing, high blood pressure, and a bad marriage. Today I haven't had a headache in years thanks to a divorce, retirement , exercise, and blood pressure medication. Not saying that's the ticket for you but it can be a combination of 'lifestyle' factors and an underlying health issue. Get a full medical test workup, including kidney artery ultrasound, and neck blood vessel scan. Good luck.

[graham.hobart (Graham stevens)]

The fact that they come along in batches sounds like cluster headaches - a migraine variant with the visual changes as well .
I would be talking to a neurologist about these. There is some evidence that when attacks occur Oxygen can help.
The suggestion about sleep apnoea and also getting your neck looked at is a good one too. Cervical neck issues commonly trigger headaches.
I don't know about any herbs that help. Have you tried any of the triptan medications?
Graham

[Amaranthus (Barry)]

My wife had migraines that turned out to be connected to her diet - mild lactose intolerance. So it might be worth investigating this route.

Have you heard of the botox treatment? It was reviewed on Catalyst a while back: http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/3263945.htm

[cometcatcher (Kevin)]

Originally Posted by speach

Well I sympathize with you. I've had a constant head ache since 1/3/1990

Strewth, I shouldn't complain then. At least I get a break! Did you get an injury?

Originally Posted by rustigsmed

hi kevin,

i'm sure you've already considered most things; diet or an underlying sickness that may resurface when you're rundown come to my mind.
really go through your diet and eat cleaner if you're not already do so that sounds like something some serious blood vessel constriction, I hope you don't drink coffee!
my friends' have had some success with acupuncture and neck / shoulder massage. could be worth a go...

Diet... maybe. Not sure. I'm vegetarian, don't drink, don't smoke, don't have caffeine in any form, don't eat foods containing lactose. Neck... could well be. My last visit to the physio found a pain link there, but the treatment / massage didn't help. I have neck exercises that I do every day. Perhaps I need to look more into this area. Yes I do have an underlying sickness - I have ulcerative colitis. The medication for that can sometimes trigger a headache. But it doesn't in everyone with it.

Originally Posted by desler

Hi Kevin,

This might sound strange, but get tested for sleep aponea!
...

Yes I've been tested for sleep aponea. Don't have it, but I do have trouble getting to sleep. There's probably an astronomy link in there somewhere.

Originally Posted by glend

I had some pretty bad headaches, complete with vision loss in one eye a couple of times. It was narrowed down to a combination of factors: a high stress job, neck nerve pathway narrowing, high blood pressure, and a bad marriage. Today I haven't had a headache in years thanks to a divorce, retirement , exercise, and blood pressure medication. Not saying that's the ticket for you but it can be a combination of 'lifestyle' factors and an underlying health issue. Get a full medical test workup, including kidney artery ultrasound, and neck blood vessel scan. Good luck.

Had the neck vessel scan when they did an echo-cardiogram. I don't have high blood pressure. I get exercise when I don't have a headache. Underlying health issue, could be. I have UC. I've been scanned from head to toe in 2013, but things can be missed.

Originally Posted by graham.hobart

I would be talking to a neurologist about these. There is some evidence that when attacks occur Oxygen can help.

Have you tried any of the triptan medications?
Graham

Yes Graham, Tried those. Didn't work. Oxygen I haven't tried. Might be worth looking into, thanks.

Originally Posted by Amaranthus

My wife had migraines that turned out to be connected to her diet - mild lactose intolerance. So it might be worth investigating this route.

Have you heard of the botox treatment? It was reviewed on Catalyst a while back: http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/3263945.htm

It won't be lactose. I avoid it since I have UC. Botox... well I'll try anything if it helps.

Well thanks guys, there's some things mentioned that probably should be followed up on. My neck likely has a connection. To be honest I'm on the computer too much. Processing astro images isn't good for it either. I'll have to check to see if it's astronomy related!

[multiweb (Marc)]

OSA is a good point. A good check up might help. Sounds like external factors causing the recurrence. Heat would come to mind with summer approaching. Dehydration maybe. If you're unfit the slightest disorder will tip the balance and a healthy lifestyle will go a long way to this end.

[Xtjohn]

Kevin, I have suffered severe migraines for nearly 50 years. Sometimes I'll only get one a week but three to four a week is more usual. I have been through lots of testing, trials, diet analysis, etc and have no apparent trigger or cause. Sleep is impossible as is lying down or leaning back too far on a sofa. Like you, my cognitive functions also shut down, to the point where nearly any form of thought is impossible. If out and about when one starts I need to get home asap before I become lost. My digestion usually shuts down approx twelve hours before onset and the vomiting brings up food eaten the day before totally un-digested. NONE of the specific migraine treatments or drugs have helped me in any way. The only things I have found that do any good are- at onset, take two Nurofen Plus and see if they nip it in the bud (I realise your stomach may not allow this), if digestion is totally shut down this will do nothing. Secondly and maybe more important for you kevin is I use a suppository called Indocid. I learned about this drug when a friend was recovering from brain surgery, he Had been prescribed them to control pain. It can be a bit inconvenient to find a toilet or quiet place where you can insert one of these up your coit and wash your hands afterwards but the relief and pain control they bring is more than worth it. Indocid suppositories are a prescription drug so you'll need to see your doctor to get them. I urge you to give them a try, after half a century of migraines of the most severe kind they are the only thing that keeps my life worth living.

[OzStarGazer]

I suffer from terrible migraines when the weather changes. They are so terrible that they are almost a real disability as I am totally unable to do anything on bad days...

[tilbrook@rbe.ne (Justin Tilbrook)]

Hi Kevin,

Pardon the pun, I'm sticking my neck out and say it's neck and back from sitting at the computer.

I say this because a couple of years ago I had a fall at work which stuffed my back up for a while.
Rest was suggested by the doctor so I rested in front of the computer processing images.
Started get weird headaches, neck problems and so on.
Tried changing posture, chairs, didn't work.
The only thing that did was not sitting at the computer for hours on end without a break.
Exercising helps me a lot, slowly building up the back and neck muscles.

If I feel my neck tighten up from too much computing I get up and do something else for a while.

It took 6 months of exercise and a change in habits to come right.

Cheers,

Justin.

[graham.hobart (Graham stevens)]

Them's the nitrites and the amines in food- real headache triggers if you are sensitive.
Snags are dynamite for this, as is chocolate etc

[ZeroID (Brent)]

Originally Posted by tilbrook@rbe.ne

Hi Kevin,

Pardon the pun, I'm sticking my neck out and say it's neck and back from sitting at the computer.

I say this because a couple of years ago I had a fall at work which stuffed my back up for a while.
Rest was suggested by the doctor so I rested in front of the computer processing images.
Started get weird headaches, neck problems and so on.
Tried changing posture, chairs, didn't work.
The only thing that did was not sitting at the computer for hours on end without a break.
Exercising helps me a lot, slowly building up the back and neck muscles.

If I feel my neck tighten up from too much computing I get up and do something else for a while.

It took 6 months of exercise and a change in habits to come right.

Cheers,

Justin.

I'll support this hypothesis. It's certainly the case with me. Unfortunately it's also my job. Excercise and activity is my best remedy and Nurofen when it's at it's worst.

[rustigsmed (Russell)]

hi kevin,

sounds like you've got a wide variety of ideas to follow up on, i'd also suggest testing for food allergies. while you eat clean/vegetatian, grains, fruits and nuts may also cause you grief - perhaps something has come into season? I was allergic to stone fruits, nuts, pineapple and oranges. go figure.

its probably a good reminder to everyone to get themselves a health check up particularly if something is niggling

[cometcatcher (Kevin)]

Unfortunately xtjohn, Nurofen and Indocid are both NSAIDS which are contraindicated with ulcerative colitis. The only thing I can take is paracetamol. The pain isn't the worst part anyway. It's the queasy, light headed sick feeling that comes with it.

I don't eat chocolate or snags.

My tolerance for exercise is poor lately. Doing any seems to make me worse.

Well, my mind has just gone to mush so I'll have to comment more later when I can think again.

[Xtjohn]

Sorry Kevin, I totally skipped the line in your post about nsaids.

[chiaroscuro (Luke)]

Originally Posted by cometcatcher

Unfortunately xtjohn, Nurofen and Indocid are both NSAIDS which are contraindicated with ulcerative colitis. The only thing I can take is paracetamol. The pain isn't the worst part anyway. It's the queasy, light headed sick feeling that comes with it.

I don't eat chocolate or snags.

My tolerance for exercise is poor lately. Doing any seems to make me worse.

Well, my mind has just gone to mush so I'll have to comment more later when I can think again.

There are non-NSAID migraine medications like sumatriptan, lamotrigine which are taken as soon as you get the first inkling of a migraine coming on (which sounds very much like what you describe). I think the suggestion of seeing a Neurologist, but one that specialises in Headaches, is the way to go.

Best of luck to you.

Luke

[cometcatcher (Kevin)]

Like one of my doctors said, "I'm complicated".

It's really frustrating. I don't drink alcohol, smoke, do drugs, I exercise some, normal weight, eat well and I'm stuffed. Think I might eat a big steak, wash it down with some rum, do drugs, take up smoking, eat a giant bar of chocolate and be really happy! For about 5 minutes lol.

[cometcatcher (Kevin)]

Originally Posted by chiaroscuro

There are non-NSAID migraine medications like sumatriptan, lamotrigine which are taken as soon as you get the first inkling of a migraine coming on (which sounds very much like what you describe). I think the suggestion of seeing a Neurologist, but one that specialises in Headaches, is the way to go.

The waiting list to see a neurologist here is about 1 year. I suppose I should sign up before it becomes 2 years.

I was prescribed rizatriptan wafers. Don't work. Haven't tried the other two you mention. Maybe I should ask about them. The packaging for rizatriptan is weird. You get this giant plastic box with 2 little wafers in it.