<p>I’m not sure what is going on, but I’m having frequent bad headaches. For the last few months my neck was really in bad shape (pain, limited mobility, crunching sounds when I moved it) and I was getting headaches. I finally went to a chiropractor because I thought my neck being out of whack was causing the headaches. He’s been very gentle per my instructions, I’ve been doing exercises and I’ve gotten a bit of neck relief but the headaches aren’t going away. I have a history of migraines, confirmed by a neurologist when one of my kids was suffering from migraines, but I don’t think these are migraines, although last night I vomited during a really bad headache. </p>
<p>Anyhow, I know I need to see my doctor and I will. But I think I need something to knock these out when they start as I really feel I can’t live this way – headaches a few times a week that last for many hours. This one started over 14 hours ago and is still going. I took Excedrin this morning which sometimes helps but I can’t take Excedrin from afternoon on as I’m terribly sensitive to caffeine and don’t sleep that night if I do. Usually the headaches start late in the day or at night. Regular aspirin, tylenol and advil don’t help. Have any of you tried prescription medication? What helped? I need something and I want to be informed about my options, side effects, etc. when I see my doctor. Thanks.</p>
<p>[Dr</a>. Mauskop’s Migralex? - Headache Relief - OTC Headache Medication](<a href=“http://www.migralex.com/]Dr”>http://www.migralex.com/)
This helped my son and me. He had some bad headaches. I would go see a doctor though if you’re throwing up</p>
<p>Are you keeping a journal to record when you are getting the headaches? Time of month, foods eaten, physical activity?
Allergies can cause headaches- lots of things can cause headaches unfortunately.
I got period related migraines, ( that would last three days before period & nothing would help), but have been taking niacin periodically which helps a great deal.</p>
<p>Google Chronic Daily Headache. A good friend did her PhD research on this topic. Pain management is absolutely key. EK is right on point with keeping a journal. Prevention or at least addressing the issue early can be key to relief. Good luck.</p>
<p>See your neuro as soon as is reasonable. Something could have changed or your migraines could just be presenting differently. You may be getting rebound headaches to make it worse. The longer your lay, the worse your neck gets, and you just feel like if you could crack your neck it would feel better. You’ve had migraines and these are different…they can still be migraines.</p>
<p>Mine were. The only thing that knocks them out is Zomig. Expensive, but they are saving my kidneys from OTC meds.</p>
<p>In the meantime, don’t forget a few things at home. Put a heating pad on your neck several times a day and slowly rock your head back and forth, side to side. You can also do this in the shower. Don’t add heat when you have a headache. I keep frozen navy beans in the freezer and put them on my neck and eyes when I get headaches…better than ice imho.</p>
<p>NOTE: Highly agree about keeping the diary AND staying ahead of the pain. Don’t put off taking something. You are just playing catch up.</p>
<p>blue, I agree, we call it staying under the pain. I think keeping a journal can really help.
Many years ago I kept getting bad headaches and I figured out that I got them when I ate something with a lot of malt in it.</p>
<p>Have you ever had an MRI or CT scan? If not, you might want to request one when you see your doctor. Many times they are reluctant to send you out for one, opting instead for just an X-ray, which is easier on the insurance company but won’t show pinched nerves or other issues that may be going on. You said you were “terribly sensitive” to caffeine. Does this mean you do not drink regular caffeineated coffee? If by chance you DO drink regular coffee in the morning, you may be experiencing caffeine withdrawal headaches by afternoon time. I know, from experience, that these can be excruciating.</p>
<p>^ It stinks. My poor son started getting migraines when he was 7 or 8…a little guy…and he gets sick on his stomach most of the time. When he got older he could tell a tickle on his cheek just before one started. If he gets advil in time he can head it off.</p>
<p>NOTE: Re caffeine, can you tolerate any at all? If you can, a small amount can help a migraine (however it doesn’t me…). It’s in several OTC migraine meds. Otherwise, the w/d issue is correct and can trigger a headache. Weekends can cause problems for people if they don’t drink their regular coffee/drink as much OR if they change their sleep patterns drastically…sleeping in can actually hurt. :-/ (same concept with jetlag).</p>
<p>I also get migraines and the one thing that worked years ago was imitrex. I took the nasel spray as soon as I felt a headache coming on. Now I take fiorinal but the problem with fiorinal or OTC meds for headaches is that they cause rebound headaches. I am also aware that alergies bring on my headaches so I am diligent about getting my heating/air conditioning vents cleaned out every couple of years or if there is any sanding or sheetrock work being done in the house. You may want to check your basement to see if you have a mold problem as well. If you do your own cleaning than you might want to wear a mask over your face and nose, and if you have a cleaning person than you might want to inspect the places high on top and underneath to see if they are cleaning and not just surface cleaning what you could see. Also vacume the furniture every week and your mattress because these are all dust collectors as are window treatments and carpeting. The only room that is carpeted in my house is my office and it is vacumed every other day. </p>
<p>The other thing is to keep a record of everything you are eating and drinking and the time that you are ingesting them. You may have developed some type of alergy to a food, or are eating too many headache causing foods. Bring this to a neurologist and have him take a look. If you have not had an MRI you probably should, just to rule out anything more serious. I hope you get to the bottom of it…be well.</p>
<p>About 2 years ago I suffered from a series of headaches that grew progressively worse. It felt like it started at the base of my skull on my right side and went up and wrapped around like a ram’s horn affecting my ability to concetrate and eventually I suffered aphasia so bad the ER thought I may be having a stroke. They hospitalised me and ran all sorts of MRIs, Scans, EKGs, etc Nothing showed up. Finally one of the Neurologist surmised that is was an irritation of the nerves, probably due to a combination of carrying a heavy computer bag during a trip, using the mouse, and a recent purchase of a stickshift car. He said he could give me a bunch of muscle relaxers if I wanted but he said an alternative would be to see an osteopath/chiropractor. I did and slowly after about 4-5 weeks of adjustments relief came. I still have to be careful not do things that would cause flairups. I also found that since I’ve started a weight lifiting/strength training program (p90X) a lot of my residual aches have disappeared.</p>
<p>I also suffered from migraines when I was pregnant with both kids and i get very bad car sickness…this was not like either of those “sick headaches”</p>
<p>Wow, this is such great input. My blood pressure is perfect, not bp meds. I will journal. I think rebound headaches are a possibility as I’ve been taking Advil for the neck pain so I want to track that. I occasionally have a little caffeine in the morning if my husband makes coffee, so I’ll track that as well but I do know that Excedrin with caffeine helps. I took two this morning at 6:30 and the headache finally cleared up although I kind of have that lurking feeling – like it’s faded away but not completely gone. I didn’t take it last night because if I do I don’t sleep all night from the caffeine. Excedrin leaves my stomach feeling upset though. I tried aspirin without caffeine to see if that would work, but it doesn’t. I take too many OTC pain relievers between my neck and the headaches which is why I am wondering if a prescription would be better. </p>
<p>I had a CT scan last year because my ENT doctor (bad allergies, tendency to sinus problems) insisted. I never got the results from him because he wouldn’t give them over the phone and I had decided I didn’t like the way he treated me on my last appt. I think I’ll ask my internist to get the results when I see him on Friday. Or call them today and tell them to send the results over. The refusal to give me the results (which I’m certain were normal) bothered me a lot as did his irritation when I questioned whether that much radiation was necessary and his ridiculous assertion that there was no more radiation than a normal x-ray, which the technician was shocked that he said. I’m reluctant to radiate my head again although I’d be willing to do an MRI. I will definitely journal diet, exercise and otc meds. I find that an icepack is a little soothing with the headache. </p>
<p>Blueiguana, my son started migraines at age six and it was bad. Then in fourth grade he had the migraine to end all migraines, was home for a few days and on painkillers, and then never had another. My youngest son also had them but at far greater intervals and he would get sick to his stomach and then feel better. Usually, when I have a migraine, I get the nausea and even if the headache clears up from Excedrin, the nausea remains.</p>
<p>Are you having migraine type of headaches or neck pain related headaches? Where does it hurt in your head?
I have been having chronic neck/head pain due to fibromyalgia in the trapezius muscle. Besides neck pain, the headache starts at the base of skull up to the top of my head. The causes are probably carrying heavy bags, mouse/computer work. I just had a flare up due to lugging my carry-on rollaboard bag through airports, train stations and streets of NY. I probably injured my trapezius muscle.</p>
<p>As a physician, I advise you to return to your neurologist. Some headaches are actually worsened by chiropractic manipulation. </p>
<p>A study 2 years ago revealed that OTC migraine remedies such as Excedrin Migraine were nearly as effective as prescription medications for treatment EARLY in the course of a migraine. </p>
<p>Food triggers for migraine often include foods containing tyramine (you can Google a list), including aged cheeses, red wine and chocolate. </p>
<p>If your physician tells you the headaches are migraine (and migraine pattern and symptoms often change over the years), Imitrex (sumatriptan, the first specific migraine drug introduced in the late 1980s) is now available as a generic tablet for much lower cost than the name-brand drug. Unfortunately, the nasal spray and injectable drug are not available in generic form.</p>
<p>It’s exactly the same as the other Extra Strength Excedrin. Only difference is that the labeling says you should only take a limited amount per day of the Migraine version. (Same dosage with almost all of the other Excedrin specialty packages.) I don’t know why they put the instructions about the limited amount you can take, unless they assume you are taking other medications concurrently, so they don’t want you to take too many. Weird.</p>
<p>Go look, the next time you are at a pharmacy. ;)</p>
<p>If I can catch the migraine at the beginning with Excedrin and usually a very large caffeinated beverage, keep the lights dim and avoid bright sunlight I can deal with the headache. </p>
<p>If not, I am in for several days of misery. I haven’t had good luck with the migraine prescriptions, unfortunately. </p>
<p>Another weird remedy that helps me much is that “Head On” roll on OTC med. It’s homeopathic and the commercials on tv are really, really dumb, but it helps my headaches. Just wash your hands after you use it so you don’t accidentally get it in your eye, as I did once! It’s a cooling sensation that begins about 15 minutes after you apply it. It seems to help.</p>
<p>Confession: I take Exedrin Migraine every morning…it’s up to two tablets every morning. Will my liver or my kidneys give out first? Many days they help the headache I wake up with every day but once I get full blown headache, it lasts 4 days without fail, no matter what I do. (And for years I’ve taken BC pills without stopping because before that I was getting a 4 day migraine every 28 days.)</p>
<p>My DS and I both find relief with Imitrex, especially when taken early. While it takes care of the pain and nausea I still feel totally exhausted for about a day afterwards. My niece, who has suffered from migraines for years (sometimes daily) has been weening herself off her meds with the help of an acupuncturist. (She is hoping to get pregnant soon.) Coincidentally, she is a pharmacist.</p>