Question:
Standing up causes pain in head and dizziness, also SEX question

OK, so I understand the dizziness, I try to take my time and get up slower. I am getting all the fluids and nutrients that I am suppose to. Here's my questions: The left side of my head gets a stabbing pain everytime I stand up. Hurts so much I grab my head and want to say OUCH, but that quickly the pain is gone, until I stand up again. Been going on for a few days now. Anyone ever had this? Second, my hubby is frustrated with me. I have LOST my sex drive. Complete disintrest. Even if mentally I want to, body isn't cooperating. Seems as things are over sensitive in a painful way. What's going on? I feel great in everyway, but that and my head.    — candylnd24 (posted on September 14, 2003)

September 14, 2003
I'd be interested in the answer to this myself. Having the same problem w/ the exception my pain is in the front of my head. Haven't suffered the sexual disinterest though.
   — [Deactivated Member]

September 14, 2003
Elizabeth: I say call the surgeon about the dizziness and pain in your head asap. See if they suggest you go to the ER. If they don't think that's necessary and it continues, I think you should ask your PCP about it. If they also don't think anything of it and it still continues, ignore them both and got to the ER and have it checked out. There's no substitute for peace of mind. My sex drive has also decreased a lot post op. but I was assuming it was because of my age (47). I had my testosterone level checked just in case because I heard that could lower your sex drive, but that level was normal so I don't know what my problem is. It's not physical though, because if I do get in the mood occasionally it's as it was preop. I'm not sure what you mean by your body won't cooperate exactly, but it sounds like a question you might want to ask your gynecologist. You're still pretty early post op., so it takes time for your body to get used to what happened to it. I'm not familiar with what's going on with you, but I hope it resolves soon for you. I hope someone else will have a more definitive answer for you. But until then, do continue to ask about it and seek medical help. Best of luck. S
   — sherry hedgecock

September 14, 2003
I agree with Sherry, don't let anyone talk you out of getting your head pain checked ASAP! You don't want to risk a stroke, so no matter who you see, insist on a referral to a neurologist. Your OBGYN should be able to help with the sex drive problem (not unusual), and in the meantime some KY jelly might make it less painful. BTW, if your husband (love his style!) gets laid off again, I think he will qualify for COBRA. This is a self-pay continuation of the same insurance that people can get when they lose or change jobs; I'm not 100% sure if being laid off qualifies him, but something to look into if the need arises.
   — Chris T.

September 14, 2003
As for the head pain - I have EXACTLY the same thing. I've had it for a few years now - and (in my case at least) it is "cluster headaches". They can take my breath away, make me feel like I am going to fall down from the pain, just unbelievably painful. I call them my micromigraines. Basically it hurts so bad, I think it would be like a convulsion while awake, or a full-out migraine all packed into 30-60 seconds. I noticed it most when rising after siting for a while, but have had them at times while doing nothing at all. Some people will have them for longer than a few seconds - like an hour or two - but mine are like someone has taken a screwdriver and rapidly jabbed it into myhead, pushed really hard for 20 seconds, and then removed it. They will come in patterns - I can have them a couple times a day to all day long, then go months without any. They got much worse just before surgery so my doc ordered an MRI which was completely normal. I am on a preventative medicine called verapamil and it elinimates them completely. It is actually a blood pressure medicine that has this preventative side effect. I stopped taking it after my surgery because I was on the "sustained release" form which we can't take anymore, but now I was switched to a capsule - I think its called Veralan - and it works pretty well too. You can look up "cluster headaches" on a search engine for more info. Definitely worth a call to your PCP. As for the sex issue, I don't know how far you are out from surgery, but everyone can have very-different reactions; some have heightened smells to the point of actually throwing up, some can't even watch TV commercials for food because of the nausea - I had both of those the first two weeks - and your nerve interpretation in your brain may just be out of whack. It you are a month or more out from surgery, I'd ask you PCP about it. Until then, find other was besides a "home run" to be intimate with your hubby.
   — bethybb