Headaches & Headaches...

Hello Tennessee Just wanted to cry a bit and need some hugs I have this huge headache that I have had for two days now I took tylenol but it does'nt seem to be helping any My concentration stinks and I have'nt been able to sleep all the way through the night. Anybody have any 's ??. I apologize in advance to everybody if I dont answer your postings. Please dont give up posting on our board for we all need the support of each other no matter what Ok, I'm going to or at least try to. Love Y'All ML

Missy, I know headaches blow -- I have suffered migraines for many years. I have found that the best cure for a regular headache is water. What usually happens (stress headaches are the most common type headache) is that your blood vessels constrict, so the blood has a hard time flowing through them. By drinking water, you thin your blood enough to allow it to go through the tighter space more easily. Since you are very close pre-op, I am guessing this is probably either a stress headache or a caffiene-withdrawal headache (if you are having to give up caffiene) -- either one is helped with the water -- drink till you think you're drowning, it helps. The only other thing I would suggest is that it looks like you have some very thick hair (this is why I have had migraines in the past, the weight of my hair pulling on my head) -- if that is the case, take a nice, cold shower then keep your hair put up (I just use my hands****il you can lay down with it spread out above you. Taking the weight of the hair off your head/neck will help. I actually was thrilled about the hair loss side effect of surgery because I used to have to PAY people to thin my hair! I can also suggest asking your dr for a pill called buprin -- it is NOT for everyday use, as it can be highly addictive, but for the occasional headache, it works wonders -- I would take it at the onset of a migraine, and it would knock it out in MINUTES. Definitely see drugs as a LAST OPTION, though -- you do NOT want to be treating yourself with drugs if the first 2 options will work for you. Hope this helped! --joanna 325/203/125(someday, I hope!!)

Thanks Joanna I'm not one to take any drugs but ONLY as a last and final resort. I had one tylenol 500 MG. caplet and it did'nt help. I think that it's from my siinuses Also, I dont have thick hair at all, in fact it's kind of thin. What that hair gel can do I will ask my doctor about that buprin Thanks so much for your advice Joanne ML

Missy, is the headache on one side of your head or from the neck to the front? If it's more in one temple, that's a migrain and the best way to get rid of those is coming up. If it's from the neck to the front that's stress and tension. Ben Gay on the back on your neck, maybe a little bit around your sinus area, close your eyes and have total quiet time for about 30 minutes. Chiropractor taught about that. If it's a migrain like I'm getting right now due to weather changing, ben Gay still works, place on the temples, close your eyes, and be in a total dark cold room. A pain shot with no nsaid in it, may be your best way. Migrains only can get worse, sorry to say. Have hubby massage your feet while you are resting with the muscle rub on your head or neck. All the nerve endings are in your feet, and it really works wonders on a stress or tension headache. If it doesn't go away with what we have written, lights or sounds makes it worse, go to the ER for a pain shot. If it is mostly in your sinus area or behind your eyes that's a sinus headache and you may be coming down with a sinus infection. The muscle rub will open up your breathing passages and help there too. My service disability from the Navy is Migrains that I started having while active duty. So I have had these for 31 years. I just make sure all heat in my room is blocked off, crank up my a/c in the window, apply muscle rub and get in bed and make sure the room is totally dark. I have even had to have black garbage bags put over the windows so that no light got into my eyes to intensive the throbbing. Try these out and whatever the other post suggested. No release, go to the ER. Just tell them you can't have anything or take anything with nsaids due to your surgery coming up. Sometimes lying on the side like the left or right if it's a migraine with a cold cloth on that side helps some. Get better, and know we are here. I already miss you not posting like you do. Love ya sweetie, Kathy

Hey Kathy I think it's more of a sinus problem I'm taking antibiotics and I had taken a 500 MG. tylenol caplet last night but it did'nt work !! Quietness around here is impossible like way !! I hope it goes away before my surgery Love You! ML

Missy honey, I am so for you. I know how those can hurt. Try to & maybe that will help. Sara.

Thanks Sara

Good morning Missy, I hope you are feeling better this morning. I meant to post to you yesterday, but I am sometimes slow and forget what I mean to do. Many hugs to you. Julie

Good morning to you to Julie I'm still not feeling up to par but a liitle better than yesterday Thanks for your kind words Hope to see your smiling face back here on the TN board ML

Missy I am so sorry for your pain. Perhaps something in my experience can help you. First migraine to hit me was at age 11. The whole shebang- stabbing pain just above an eye, hurt till I puked, fall asleep, and wake up like nothing ever happened. I'm 45 now and they don't happen as much, but they were pretty regular and absolutely textboo****il about 10 years ago when they started slacking off and getting less intense. But I've had other headaches most of my life that last for days and days - usually 4 days to a week, sometimes more. They hurt as bad as migraines, had the light and sound sensitivity, but don't make me sick. They hurt almost in the same place and way as migraines. But sometimes they hurt in places that seem more like sinus headaches than anything, although I don't really have congestion or pressure. BUT - I began to notice that when I had these headaches, my neck was also stiff and at some point my scalp would get so sore I could hardly stand to brush my hair. Finally I figured out that the cause is muscle spasm in my neck and shoulders, and looking back, they did get worse after a couple of car wrecks. It's still hard to deal with sometimes- getting enough sleep is HUGE, but of course it's hard to rest when you're in severe pain. I have some muscle relaxers but they knock me flat and leave me hung over, so I don't take them until I can't stand it anymore. Even then they only work in combo with ibuprofen. Since you're still preebie and can take NSAIDS, I'll tell you that I never found Tylenol to be very effective on headaches - NSAIDS including plain aspirin work much better. I hope you find what it is and can get hold of it. Life is too short to lose days to pain and if you can treat it and move on, it doesn't get the chance to steal from you. Denise in Ark