posted
So I've never gotten migraines in my life until this week. Starting about...Friday of last week, I was having some relatively small headaches. I attributed it to being a sinus headache, since I've pretty much been congested for the past three months. Starting Tuesday morning it started to get slightly worse, and I began to have the symptoms that I usually get during allergy season. Which was weird because I NEVER get allergies in February. Starting at a class that went from 1:30 to 3:00 it got progressively worse, though, to the point where I could barely open my eyes. I had to walk the 20 minutes to get home, which probably aggravated it further since it was so bright out.
When I got home, I took some pain reliever. All I had was Acetaminophen, which honestly didn't help at ALL. I considered going out and buying some medicine, but it was hurting so bad I just didn't have it in me. That night was a nightmare, though. Didn't really get any sleep, and it felt like somebody was inside my head with a hammer.
In the morning I did some research during the times I could look at the screen without my eyes watering up and my head hurting too bad. At that point I was still thinking it was a major sinus headache, but the internets seemed to imply otherwise. Just about every site I visited said that 90% of "sinus headaches" are in fact migraines. Part of the confusion comes from the fact that migraines can have sinus related syndromes, hence the odd "allergies" I was having the previous day. Other descriptions also seemed to fit, since it was localized on one side of my head, affected that eye, I was sensitive to bright light and loud sounds, bending over made it feel like I was going to pass out, etc. So I was pretty sure it was a migraine.
I called up my mom and she, bless her heart, brought over a bunch of medication for me. Some ibuprofen, which worked a LOT better than the Acetaminophen, some Aleve (since I read that decongestants can actually help) and two liters of Coke, since caffeine is said to help as well. (And no, this hasn't come from me going cold turkey on caffeine. The opposite, actually. I rarely ever drink caffeine. I've drunk more of it this week than in the rest of my life combined. Heh.)
After I took that stuff, the pain FINALLY started abating, and I was feeling great (albeit tired from lack of sleep). The rest of Tuesday went fine, as did Wednesday. But on Thursday and Friday it started to come back with a vengeance. I was prepared this time, so it didn't get nearly as bad. But it still hurt like crazy, and made regular daily activities really difficult (but luckily not impossible like on Tuesday). And now this morning it's starting to hurt again, I've taken some medicine, but my eyes are still watering looking at the screen, and my head is still hurting. And I REALLY don't want to overdo it with the painkiller, so I'm not taking a lot.
Anyway, I'm not necessarily looking for medical advice. If this goes on for much longer I'll definitely see a doctor about it. But...has anybody had this happen before? Never had migraines in their life, and suddenly got really serious ones? What do you do to cope with them?
Posts: 290 | Registered: Sep 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
I feel for you. I sometimes get "mild" ones when I have not gotten enough sleep, have not eaten in awhile, am stressed, and/or in a hot, stuffy office or classroom. Mine started in law school. For me, taking Excederin at the onset almost always prevents them from "forming". The key for me is taking the Excederin in the beginning stages of one. Once one has really kicked in, the medicine helps, but doesn't cut it off.
Posts: 80 | Registered: Nov 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I would really advise you to go to a doctor, because it could be something more serious. And even if it's not, the doctor should be able to help you develop ways to manage the pain and even prevent future migraines.
I had a similar thing happen a couple years ago, and I did go to the doctor and got diagnosed and started on medication to prevent headaches. I also started paying attention to what I ate as well as other things that could trigger migraines so I could prevent them that way (lack of sleep being my big trigger). I also do my best to take ibuprofen as soon as I feel a headache coming on.
I will say that I don't think I'm a typical migraine sufferer - I haven't had one in several years (although I've had plenty of other headaches) and I no longer take medication to prevent them. And even when they were at their worst, I think they were still fairly mild by migraine standards.
Posts: 959 | Registered: Jan 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
You might be suffering from cluster headaches instead. The stereotypical complaint is runny nose and watery eye on one side, and it feels like "an icepick has been driven into my head/eye."
The "cluster" part refers to the fact that the headaches seem to come in spates of recurrent clustered episodes.
Anyway, new onset or markedly different headaches in anyone is worth a once-over. Hope it gets better soon.
Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
And resist the urge to take ibuprofen and aleve together. Aleve (naprox, naprosen, anaprox, etc.) should only be taken in combination with acetaminophen, or so says my pharmacist.
Migraines (or any really bad headache) suck and you have my sympathy.
Posts: 2849 | Registered: Feb 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Yeah, I figure if this is still happening by Monday, or if it happens again at some point, I'll be seeing a doctor.
Anyway, thanks for the advice and the sympathy everybody. (Although I'm not sure what mackillian's intentions where, since I stated in my OP that I plan on seeing a doctor if this doesn't clear up in the next couple of days.)
Oh, and I don't think it's cluster headaches. I mean, it's possible, and it sounds similar to what I have. But the symptoms seem pretty similar to migraines, just much more severe. It's been bad, but I haven't felt like an icepick has been shoved through my eye (read a description that said that).
Posts: 290 | Registered: Sep 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Mine are hormonally related, so when I went off the pill, it was like bam! Pain and agony without end. But I knew exactly what the trigger was so the doctor was not that concerned.
Posts: 1001 | Registered: Mar 2006
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by aragorn64: It's been bad, but I haven't felt like an icepick has been shoved through my eye (read a description that said that).
*points upward
I'm glad you'll get it checked out if it persists. I just wanted to make sure you were still thinking about other treatable types of severe headaches, too.
Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
I've had migraines for years. Headaches on one side of my head that would last for 24-72 hours and would come and go with the PAIN. Especially if I strained in anyway. If those aren't bad enough I started getting stabbing cold quick headaches lasting a few seconds on either side of my head. Those were from TMJ. Sometimes I'll get 3 kinds of headaches at the same time. I hope it's nothing serious and that it goes away soon because headaches suck.
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
*shrugs* I've been getting migraines since I was four. I don't remember a time without them, to be honest, and yeah, they suck. Completely.
Mine were on the severe end of things, complete with inability to understand English (written or verbal), inability to understand what numbers were, nightmares, paralysis on one or the other side of the body or both, vomiting, passing out, on top of the pain, and the list goes on. Mine are wacko by normal standards.
You have my complete sympathy.
Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by quidscribis: *shrugs* I've been getting migraines since I was four. I don't remember a time without them, to be honest, and yeah, they suck. Completely.
Mine were on the severe end of things, complete with inability to understand English (written or verbal), inability to understand what numbers were, nightmares, paralysis on one or the other side of the body or both, vomiting, passing out, on top of the pain, and the list goes on. Mine are wacko by normal standards.
You have my complete sympathy.
Oh wow. That's awful. So you still get them?
quote:Just reinforcing the idea that you should see the doctor. That's all. [Smile]
Also, headaches suck.
Sorry if I sounded hostile before. I guess I was just a tad irritable, heh.
So I went to the doctor, since my head is still hurting.. He said it was definitely a sinus related problem, since I've been so congested for months now, and I've had no previous history with headaches. And it's also located in the areas that these types of infections happen. Supposedly the sinus cavities in that part of the face are really difficult for your immune system to affect, since it's basically just a hole in your skull. That would explain why I've felt fine for the past few months, expect for a seemingly unending stream of mucus and congestion. He put me on antibiotics, so hopefully that clears it up.
Posts: 290 | Registered: Sep 2002
| IP: Logged |
quote:Sorry if I sounded hostile before. I guess I was just a tad irritable, heh.
I understand. I also get irritable when I've got a nasty (usually a sinus one at that) headache. Also, if your doctor didn't mention it, Mucinex tends to help alleviate some of the sinus pressure/headache.
Good luck with the antibiotics. If they work, you should feel some improvement in a few days (at least they always did with me, I tend to get 3 or 4 sinus infections a year).
Glad to hear it's nothing horribly serious, too.
Posts: 14745 | Registered: Dec 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
aragorn, I don't get the extremely severe with bizarre symptoms ones anymore, thank heavens. Now I just get the fairly standard ones. Bad enough, but, you know...
About your sinus infection. Have you considered also using a neti pot? They can help get rid of sinus infections much faster and can help prevent future ones. It sounds gross and disgusting to use, but I'm telling you, it's so effective!
Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
