Stress and migraines.

[Immobile]

How do you deal with stress? Are you easily stressed out by little things? And how are you under pressure? Is it difficult to say no to people?

I find myself having all the above problems and recently started having migraines, or at least I think they are. I'm gonna call my family doctor and set up an appointment today.

I started having blurred vision about 6 weeks ago and the pain is becoming frightening. I'm also having hot flashes and sometimes it feels as though I have a fever but it breaks within a few minutes. Last night it was so intense that my heart started racing and I felt like I was gonna pass out. I had some blood work taken late last week by my OB doc because she wants to see my hormone levels since I'm going in to have the balloon thermo-ablation to help with heavy periods. I'm starting to wonder if I could be in early menopause but I won't know for a few days yet.

Does anyone have any experience with migraines, and what do you do or take for the pain? Is it normal for these headaches to go on for weeks and have different pain levels during the same day? Example: early morning, I can be a 5 and by afternoon, I'm an 8 or 9. I haven't read it on google and wonder if I'm missing something.

 

[necroerotica]

First off, to a layman those sound like panic attacks. That’s as far as I’ll do with that because, well, my medical knowledge extends as far as horror movies

I've been having headaches since I was about 14 (I’m 34 now) or so, although I can't say if they're migraines – simply because I don’t get any sort of warning symptoms at all. I know people report vision distortion, sensitivity to light, smells etc – I don’t get any of those.

I’ve had tests done for nerve damage, scans in big machines etc, and all they can conclude is that there’s nothing in my head that shouldn’t be there, and best guess is they’re tension or cluster headaches. I just call them ‘My headaches’.

Symptoms – my neck muscles harden, and it feels like there’s a clamp on my head – both inside and out. The pain is incredible – I know there’s nothing there, but it genuinely feels like there’s something trying to burst. I’ve seen myself on the floor in the bathroom at work seriously considering bashing my head off of the tiles to make the pain stop. It’s a bit scary.
5 days continuous is I think my record for having one, so far.

They can appear when I feel stressed, they can appear when I feel fine. About the only way I’ve found that’s almost guaranteed to cause one, is if I have a hangover. Dehydration is a possible trigger? Believe me, I drink plenty of water when I can


Treatment – If it wasn’t for codeine, I don’t know what I would do. Comman brand names in the UK are Kapake and co-codimol (need to check those spellings later), at the max strength – which is 500mg paracetimol and 30mg codeine.

Codeine is the key here, because it’s a muscle relaxant. Unfortunately, it’s also an opiate, which means it’s strictly controlled in medication – if you want something that works, you need a prescription to get the 30mg, which I believe is the max. legal you can get over-the-counter in UK pharmacies.
You also develop a tolerance for it, which means you should only use it as and when you really need it.

Anyway, I realise this thread isn’t about me – I was just thinking you may see some commonality or differences in what you have, maybe get you a little closer a solution.

 

[Recidiva]

I've had migraines forever. I'm on Elavil and Imitrex for them.

Stress will definitely contribute, as will a ton of different triggers. Making absolutely certain you get enough sleep makes a huge difference. Lessening your anxiety level is a must.

Could also (for me) be exacerbated by sunlight, fluorescent lights, hormone shifts, heavy perfumes...

So finding out what your triggers are and minimizing them are absolutely necessary.

For just mild headaches, I take a combo of Excedrin and ibuprofen to handle the muscle aches and head off the headache start with caffeine.

 

[SweetErika]

Yep, you definitely need to see your doc asap, and probably push for a referral to a headache specialist/neurologist if the treatment doesn't work. Migraines can be dangerous.

However, what you describe (with the pain worsening in the afternoons and stress) sounds more like a severe tension headache to me. My tension headaches can be just as bad as, and trigger migraines, though, so don't think I'm minimizing your pain. If you haven't done so already, read up on both types so you can advocate for the best care possible with your doc.

There are lots of treatments for both types of headaches. I treat migraines with a med like Imitrex or Zomig and home care (rest, relaxation, ice, a dark, quiet room, sometimes an orgasm) first, then add an anti-nausea drug and painkiller into the mix as necessary. If that doesn't work and the pain is unbearable for more than 24 hours, I generally need a big dose of Demerol in the ER to break the pain cycle.

I'm definitely one of those people who always runs at a higher-than-average stress level, though therapy, a lot of hard work, learning relaxation techniques, to prioritize myself and let go of things have helped me cope with and reduce stress immensely.

 

[Immobile]

Thanks all for the comments so far. Much appreciated!

necroerotica, one thing I know for sure is that it's not panic attacks. (the heart pounding, "I'm gonna die any second" feeling" and wanting to run away from the mind. Sounds crazy, but you know if you've experienced them). I suffered with those bitches for over 12 years, and I'm pretty much recovered from them. Now it's down to generalized anxiety. I do take medication for it but I'd rather not name it here.

I'm sorry to hear about your troubles as well. It sounds as if you got a lot on your plate. And I never heard of codeine being a muscle relaxant - just a pain killer. (narcotic, I believe) My stomach doesn't handle codeine very well. I wish it did because I've had it for pain before, but it's not worth the nausea and vomiting 2 hours later.

Recidiva, yes, those darn lights, heavy deodorants and perfumes are killing me. Today isn't as bad as yesterday, but I still made an appt. because I have a feeling it's gonna continue.

What I've been taking is a lot of Advil. Maybe I'll go out in a little while to get some Excedrin and mix the two until I see what the doc has to say. (Major heat wave here. I'm dragging!)

I know what my triggers are, but I can't seem to escape them. I was thinking about going to a support group for dealing with troubled teens, but I'm concerned that it might bring me down. I don't know, but it's something to consider.

SweetErika, an orgasm? Eeep! I tried that and thought my head was gonna explode. But thanks so much for your input and suggestions.

 

[rydia57]

I just started doing yoga for stress this past March. At first, I was just doing it for stress, but I have some tension headaches myself... I find it really helps. Even if you just sit still and take six slow breaths thru your nose. Helps for weight loss too!

 

[necroerotica]

I'm sorry to hear about your troubles as well. It sounds as if you got a lot on your plate. And I never heard of codeine being a muscle relaxant - just a pain killer. (narcotic, I believe) My stomach doesn't handle codeine very well. I wish it did because I've had it for pain before, but it's not worth the nausea and vomiting 2 hours later.

*meh* After 20 years, I'm used to them

Anyhoo, yes, Codeine is an opiate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codeine), similar to, well, opium I guess - hence it being controlled in medications. I can't say if the muscle-relaxant properties are inherent to it, or if they're just a side effect of getting, well, mildly stoned But, they work better for me than 'regular' painkillers. The fact that it's usually mixed with paracetamol is probably a good thing, to stop muppets trying to get high off of them - too much paracetamol = a very bad thing.

From what you say there about triggers, smells etc, yes, it certainly sounds like migraines Hope you find something that works

 

[Immobile]

I just started doing yoga for stress this past March. At first, I was just doing it for stress, but I have some tension headaches myself... I find it really helps. Even if you just sit still and take six slow breaths thru your nose. Helps for weight loss too!

I recently paid for a 9 week pilates class and missed the first three classes because of these darn headaches. Makes me mad. Now I'm too embarrassed to go in because people are gonna be doing things I'm not familiar with.

My appt. is in an hour in a half and my family doctor is wonderful. He'll most likely order an MRI right away because he's not one to fool around.

Last night was another scary night. After getting new contacts yesterday and wearing them for 6 hours, the pain was unbearable in my eyes and head. More hot flashes, of course. It's odd. I'm about ready to call my OB doc and hopefully find out if it's my hormone levels. I would be happy if it's just that.

Wish me luck today, all. I'm a bit scared. Sigh.

 

[necroerotica]

Wish me luck today, all. I'm a bit scared. Sigh.

Good luck; but, it'll be good - you'll see.

 

[Cathleen]

Welcome to Lit. immobile. I hope the appointment went well, Immobile. I am very lucky that I've hand a couple of handfuls of headaches in my life and they usually disappear quickly. I have two siblings that suffer like you've mentioned and I feel so badly for them, the pain is obviously horrid.

I've heard caffeine can be a big trigger (caffeine has also been linked to kidney stone troubles - ouch). It's in a lot of foods and drinks making it's easy to get too much. (Yep, I'm not a coffee drinker so I don't experience that 'give me coffee - now' thing. But chocolate? That's another thing all together!)

The hot flashes are terrible -- that I do experience as I've been going thru menopause (or am thru) and they do just come on like gangbusters. Mine can last hours and there doesn't seem to be all that much can be done, except soy has helped me a bit. I add the beans to stirfries, I love soy nuts and have looked at those soy bars, just looked so far. I tried the soy milk -- a big no go for me. But I tried.

Are you keeping a log of your headaches? It's smart to keep a notebook about your body anyway, but you might find a pattern to them, triggers might be seen more easily, or if one thing is associated to another. It helps greatly when you see doctors.

I hope things are going well for you.

 

[Bi_Kitty]

There isn't a morning that goes by that I don't wake up with a headache. Then depending on the type of day I had, whether or not that headache will develop into a migraine.

Days when there are problems at work, it turns into a migraine. (which is a lot here lately) Stress is a factor. I used to have them a lot more often than I do now but I had my eyes checked and got glasses, so that cut out the ones caused from reading.

Migraines run in my family. I have an aunt who gets them so badly that it's like having a stroke by being unable to move her left side of her body. The doctors have been trying to figure exactly what started causing hers but to this day they still don't know (and they have been doing test for 2 years now).

I hope everything works out for you though.

 

[PoeticMusings53]

How do you deal with stress? Are you easily stressed out by little things? And how are you under pressure? Is it difficult to say no to people?

I find myself having all the above problems and recently started having migraines, or at least I think they are. I'm gonna call my family doctor and set up an appointment today.

I started having blurred vision about 6 weeks ago and the pain is becoming frightening. I'm also having hot flashes and sometimes it feels as though I have a fever but it breaks within a few minutes. Last night it was so intense that my heart started racing and I felt like I was gonna pass out. I had some blood work taken late last week by my OB doc because she wants to see my hormone levels since I'm going in to have the balloon thermo-ablation to help with heavy periods. I'm starting to wonder if I could be in early menopause but I won't know for a few days yet.

Does anyone have any experience with migraines, and what do you do or take for the pain? Is it normal for these headaches to go on for weeks and have different pain levels during the same day? Example: early morning, I can be a 5 and by afternoon, I'm an 8 or 9. I haven't read it on google and wonder if I'm missing something.

Doc is warranted.

Changing whatever is stressing this much is also probably warranted.

Getting rid of caffeine would do some good.

Exersize allegedly helps.

And, my favorite two words in the english language when I've been working for 12-14 hours straight: fuck it.

 

[helix27]

I am breaking a law all people should follow on forums. Reason being I am actually tired and don't have the energy tonight to really read thru the whole thread before posting. Please let my say sorry fot that first off. I know what your saying alot of the symptoms you are have I have had with my migranes.I also have thrown up from them. I kinda either grew out of them a little or have found out my triggers. One thing about stress. If your like me and keep it in your neck and shoulders. A professional massage can help alot! I would get tension headaches that would trigger my migraines. The tension in my neck and shoulders would cause severe headaches that would eventually trigger migraines. alot like you talking about. Try a massage. Although like they have said above me. go to the doc. Oh and if you ever start taking the shots. thats a weird feeling. you have to take it in your butt. The sensation is like a hand inside your skin moving its way up your spine and then it grabs your brain. that the way it feels to me at least. they also usually get worse after the meds before they get better.