Full head migraines

[chell]

Does anyone here suffer from full-head migraines? In the past mine have been only one sided. Last August, last November and yesterday I had full head headaches and the doctor says he thinks they could be migraines. I was just wanting to find someone else who suffers from these.

If my entire head hurts my usual migraine medicines do not help at all. I had no warning signs to try to do something to stop it. I did crawl back in bed but couldn't rest because the pain was so intense. I finally went to the urgent care to get checked out.

In the past I've had issues with fluid in my brain and I really hope this isn't that starting again. But we really didn't discuss that yesterday since he thinks my migraines have changed and this is how they are now. Ugh. I can't stand this kind of headache. Today the pain is a lot less but it is still there even though one of the meds he gave me was to keep me from having one again over the next few days.

With migraines I do get nauseated but I don't usually vomit. The one time I did it wasn't anything big. But yesterday I did in their office while the nurse was giving me the infusion of medicines. How embarrassing.

Thanks!

 

[CathrynRose]

Yes! I do.

I get one sided - full head - tension - sinus and even cluster headaches (those are TERRIBLE!!! I mean - just terrible)

They suck. Im a headache person. I get them regularly, and theyve become a way of life. Ive had some that have really scared me (Im a hypochondriac!) but they always end up being....just a headache.

Lots of to you. Headaches are awful.

 

[chisnpeke]

I get full head migraines. I had one this morning actually. They are awful. They make me nauseous. I take Excedrin Migraine and it helps the best.

Cathryn, I have heard of cluster headaches. Some people have actually committed suicide because they couldn't take the pain. I'm so sorry you have to go through those...I couldn't imagine.

 

[CathrynRose]

I get full head migraines. I had one this morning actually. They are awful. They make me nauseous. I take Excedrin Migraine and it helps the best.

Cathryn, I have heard of cluster headaches. Some people have actually committed suicide because they couldn't take the pain. I'm so sorry you have to go through those...I couldn't imagine.

Thank - God - I have only had a few of them *knock on wood* - but those were BY FAR the scariest. Scary, scary, scary.

Oh - and OP - I dont always get a ummmmm..... like a warning sigh before my migraines (especially NOT the full head ones) I only get the warning (and it's usually a funky smell) for the half head ones.

 

[CathrynRose]

Has anyone ever heard of or had an Optical Headache?

My boss got headaches often - and only had one of those - but it scared the cripes out of her. Apparently they dont really hurt - but you basically go 'blind' for 15 minutes or so.

She was super embarrassed as she was at a business dinner, and got one. She had heard of them, as her sister had, had one before, so she knew what was happening.

 

[Dax]

The full head ones are rare for me, I normally get the one sided ones...but the few times I have gotten ful head ones, I was out for the count, for about 3 days!

I am suffering through migraines again more frequently, mainly due to work stress. What is odd, is the pain is on my left side, when it is normally on my right...guess that means its back to the Dr office...

 

[Barb D]

I get migraines every day. Every friggin day. Sometimes meds help and sometimes all I can do is suffer. There have been days that multiple Percocets don't even touch it. I even have electrodes in my head that are supposed to interrupt the pain signals. They do help some, but not enough.

If this keeps up, see a pain management doctor. They have other tricks up their sleeve that they can try. I'm about to try botox injections.

 

[chisnpeke]

Has anyone ever heard of or had an Optical Headache?

My boss got headaches often - and only had one of those - but it scared the cripes out of her. Apparently they dont really hurt - but you basically go 'blind' for 15 minutes or so.

She was super embarrassed as she was at a business dinner, and got one. She had heard of them, as her sister had, had one before, so she knew what was happening.

I've never heard of those. I would have been having a panic attack. I always assume the worst.

 

[CathrynRose]

I've never heard of those. I would have been having a panic attack. I always assume the worst.

I do too. I told her, on one hand I was glad she told me - because I am a panicking hypochondriac - and on the other hand, I wished she hadnt told me, because I was afraid I would now work myself up into one! Kwim?

 

[CathrynRose]

I get migraines every day. Every friggin day. Sometimes meds help and sometimes all I can do is suffer.

I have headaches everyday. Not migraines, daily - but daily headaches of some sort. My body likes to give me a variety of pain!!

to you. Headaches completely suck.

 

[onelilspark]

I usually get the one-sided migraines, have been since I was in the 2nd grade (currently 23!) Every now and then I get full head migraines, usually starts in the front of my head and spreads.

Oh, and for anyone with chronic migraines, ask your doctor about Topamax. I had them about every other day. I started the Topamax last February and I've dropped to about once a week. Lately I've gotten them more frequently, but that's because I just started the humidifier in my room because of the stupid dry winter that was causing nose bleeds...I just can't win Anyways, I've tried a lot of preventatives with no luck, Topamax has really helped me A LOT! http://www.topamax.com/topamax/index.html

 

[onelilspark]

Double post, sorry

 

[jax677]

Yes I do. They started after neck/back trauma. I get some telltale signs that one is coming on. Its usually sparkles in my eyes, nausea and sensitivity to light. I take maxalt and it does help. Sometimes I need to use a second dose later.

I have always had headaches but these are more difficult to tolerate. One of my daughters started getting them when she went thru puberty. Now, as an adult, she only gets them on occasion.

 

[chisnpeke]

I do too. I told her, on one hand I was glad she told me - because I am a panicking hypochondriac - and on the other hand, I wished she hadnt told me, because I was afraid I would now work myself up into one! Kwim?

Yep, I know exactly what you mean. For instance, even though I already knew of cluster headaches, once you mentioned it I HAD to look it up (again) and started to worry what If I get one?! I just had to stop reading. The other night I wasn't feeling well. I had a headache then nausea, for the second night in a row. Well I had myself convinced I had a brain tumor and I was sure I was going to die within months.

 

[Goofygirl17]

I've gotten migraines (whole head) since I was a teenager. About 10 years ago I had a visual migraine but I didn't go blind- I saw what looked like dripping water in front of my eyes. I even took my glasses off to wipe them! I was driving at the time and it scared the heck out of me! I called my DH and he came to take me to the ER. They acted like it was no big deal- even though I'd never had one before. They said I could end up with pain or a regular migraine from it but nothing happened. The visual part lasted about 30 minutes or so. Very scary but it hasn't happened since.

to everyone. Migraines suck!

Goofygirl

 

[chell]

Thanks everyone! I'm feeling better now that I'm not just having some freakish headaches. I was on Topomax until this past summer. I can't have it with one of my other medications.

One thing I have figured out is that I switched my birth control pill to Seasonique in August. Since then I've had 3 full head headaches. One on Sept 20, Nov 29 and yesterday. Larry pulled up some stuff on Seasonique and it says it can cause changes in migraine patterns.

So tomorrow I'm going to call my doctor to see if I can switch off of the Seasonique and drop Neurontin for Topomax again. Topomax is supposed to help you loose weight too but it never did for me. Maybe it will this time. I take the Neurontin for my Firbomyalgia and it helps you gain weight.

I've had headaches ever since I can remember. I've had some last 3-4 months at a time. But the intensity of this one was so much more and that's what scared me so bad. Twice I've had hydrocephalus so when I start getting frequent headaches I worry about that again. But the Topomax is a mild diuretic and it will keep the fluid from building up if that is what is starting again.

Sadly I can't take most migraine medications because they contain too much sulfa, which I'm allergic to. The over the counter stuff doesn't touch my headaches. I'm such a freak. **sigh**

 

[Phedre]

Has anyone ever heard of or had an Optical Headache?

My boss got headaches often - and only had one of those - but it scared the cripes out of her. Apparently they dont really hurt - but you basically go 'blind' for 15 minutes or so.

She was super embarrassed as she was at a business dinner, and got one. She had heard of them, as her sister had, had one before, so she knew what was happening.

This is part of my migraines. I get it about 30-60 mins before the pain starts. I just go pretty much completely blind and have to wait it out.

The first time it happened to me I freaked out so badly. I had never heard of it before and thought I had was having a stroke and dying or something. I was out to breakfast with my mom and sister and at first I was denying to myself that I was loosing vision but then I started panicking and crying out stuff like, "I can't see the table! I can't see my hands!" LOL. It's funny now but man I was freaked out the first time. We took the food to go and hightailed it to the doctors

I feel so badly for everyone suffering from bad migraines and headaches. I know mine could be a lot more painful and I'm grateful they aren't too bad.

 

[LuvOrlando]

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[chell]

Poor thing. I get about 15 a month, although this past 2 months have been a treat because I've only had about 10 all together

As a longtime sufferer I do not like your Dr's quick response to just accept the changes. I know quite a few people who have suffered permanent neurological damage from them. I know 1 person who is fully blind, one who lost peripheral vision, one who lost feeling in her leg and one who was in the hospital being drugged for 3 days before they realized she didn't have a migraine but had an aneurysm and needed brain surgery. Birth control pills have been linked to Stroke and Migraine has also been linked to Stroke, so the 2 together should be watched very closely. They think I had a mild stroke back when I was a teen smoker on the pill for ovarian cysts because when I was 19 they discovered a spot on my brain and sometimes smell stuff burning no-one else can smell. The worst migraine I ever had was due to the tri-cyclin they gave me after my DS was born

Any time there is a change in migraines my Dr's do a MRI. If your Dr is inclined to dismiss them I vote for finding a new Dr.

The doctor I saw yesterday was just one at urgent care, not my family doctor. But he was very adamant about knowing when my last MRI was. Tomorrow I'm calling my family doctor to see when I can get in and what we can figure out.

 

[LuvOrlando]

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