Chronic tension headache diagnosis and long term management

Lost_Girl · ‎02-03-2016

Hi I suffer from chronic pain. I have a bone shard impacting a nerve root at c8 being treated with cortisone. I have pain at c5 and c6 that is manageable without anything. However I have a constant headache and pressure in my ears that I have had for pretty much every waking moment for the last 7 months. As a result I have become depressed and I have insomnia.

After a trip to a neurologist I have been advised to cease sleeping medication and strong pain killers. I am now only on antidepressants.

A visit to my psychologist today has alerted me that depression does not cause headaches.

Has anyone been treated for chronic pain with ONLY antidepressants and did it work?

I havr a referral now to a psychiatrist to check but it not until May. While I see if I can find something earlier I sm keen to hear if this has worked for anyone.

Thanks,

Carol

Lost_Girl · ‎12-03-2016

Thanks so much Sherie,

Not all gone but enough that it is a relief. Hopefully I will sleep too, crossing fingers.

Yes 21st is right, awww thanks for remembering.

I hope you are doing ok?

Big hugs,

Carol xx

Guest_5218 · ‎12-03-2016

Thats good Carol, my fingers and toes are crossed also in the hope of a good nights sleep for you.

I remember the date, because its the same day I have my psych apt. ( - :

Yeah I'm okay thanks. Very tired, so will be going to bed soon and also hoping for some sleep tonight.

A good night hug to you Carol.

Sherie xx

Lost_Girl · ‎13-03-2016

Hi Sherie,

A big day for both of us. I now have physio on the same day too. I have a new symptom with pain in my jaw (TMJ) and dr thinks physio will help.

Well I had a wonderful 6 hours non-interrupted sleep and already feel a bit better. It is joyful having most of the pain gone with these pain killers. I have a mix of emotions. I am happy but also a bit annoyed (ok angry bordering on furious) as to why I have had to suffer so much when I could have had the pain managed.

The GP is going against the neurologist advisement to stop all other medication other than the antidepressants. She actually said "you will have to explain to the neurologist that you're taking these. I am expecting him to work out all your problems and resolve them". Hmmmmm I am fine to explain now that my depression is managed and I can talk to people without crying.

My favourite moment was when the pharmacist said the painkillers were very strong and might make me drowsy. He was surprised when I said, "oh that's wonderful... I don't sleep at the moment so drowsy is great".

Feeling relieved.

Hope you got some rest too Sherie. I am going to do a bit more crochet today. Are you up to anything?

Carol xx

Guest_5218 · ‎13-03-2016

Morning Carol,

Yes indeed, a big day on Monday week. Sorry to hear of the TMJ though. I believe it can be caused by stress, possibly from teeth grinding or something? Here's hoping the physio can have a beneficial affect on it.

So good about your 6 hours sleep! It must be a real joy to have reduced pain at last. It makes be sad and angry that you were forced to wait for so long, as it was totally unnecessary.

I also had a better nights sleep last night. Not as good as your 6 hours, but okay nonetheless. ( - :

I dont have any real plans for today. I used to crochet a lot and was good at it. My grandmother taught me when I was little. That and knitting and sewing as well, which I wasnt so good at. Its been a lot of years since I did any crocheting, so perhaps I should think about taking it up again? I made a few baby christening robes and things like that when I was younger, mainly for family and friends.

Enjoy your day Carol.

Sherie xx

Lost_Girl · ‎19-03-2016

So it's 3.30 am and I should be going to bed to lie down and hopefully settle to sleep. Now that the pain is managed it should be easier. However I am wide awake.

I wonder if it's my neurologist appointment on Monday worrying me but I haven't been thinking of it except when trying to work out why I am not sleepy.

I wonder if it's because I am into a routine of staying up late but when the clock gets to 10pm I think I should go to bed and then I watch the clock tick by each hour but can't bring myself to move from my comfy recliner. It sounds stupid but I think of this chair as my safe place.....I don't know why.

I recently doubled the dose of my antidepressants, could it be that keeping me awake? In the last few days I have felt some anxiety again...could it be the meds?

The pain killers are making me sweat a lot...it's uncomfortable....not sure what I can do about that.

Crocheting is good. It keeps me busy and I feel useful for the first time in 7 months. When I finish something I get a sense of achievement and that makes me feel good. I have also lost 5kg in weight as I don't snack so much while I crochet.

I am not eating as well as I should. I fall asleep at 3 or 4am and sleep till 1 or 2pm then I don't eat until hubby comes home and makes dinner. Again, I don't like moving much from my chair.

I am a bit embarrassed about the chair thing. I don't like to tell hubby how lazy I am that I don't eat during the day. I am overweight too and it makes me feel justified as I am losing weight whereas I gained a lot early on in my diagnosis from eating comfort food.

I don't know what I expect from posting this. Just feeling a bit out of sorts.

I like the quiet at this time of night too. No busy family eating, bathing, school work and playing. That's all very loud, so loud sometimes that I feel pain from it..that's weird right?

Off to lie in a dark room and try to sleep.

Night

blondguy · ‎19-03-2016

Dearest Carol

There is nothing weird about feeling pain from all the 'activity'...I only have a big gorgeous dog and an empty house. I think you are doing very well....I would have great difficulty even coming close to how well you cope!

Daybreak soon Carol and thankyou Big Time for helping me with the new posters....((Hugs))

Paul

Lost_Girl · ‎19-03-2016

Thanks Paul, hugs back to you

Sherie, I highly recommend crocheting. It really is rather calming especially when you are counting stitches 🙂 xc

KTOCD · ‎30-03-2016

Hi Lost Girl,

i have been reading through your posts. Glad u eventually got some pain relief. My pain threshold is about zero so I can't imagine how u have been feeling.

I was originally treated for irritable bowel syndrome with antidepressents alone. I think anxiety plays a big part in my IBS though. I have also found that when I get physically ill my mental health will come down shortly afterwards. This happens with a cold or virus. Doesn't have to be anything drastic. My physical and mental health are very much linked.

How r u doing now? I really feel for u....must have been awful not having pain relief for so long.

sending a big squishy hug to u!!

KT

Lost_Girl · ‎30-03-2016

Aww thanks KT, and a big hug back to you.

I think I am very much like you and tie my emotions to my physical health. I feel like I have had a lot of challenges over the last few years and it has all compounded - this is the worst to date.

I have had hypermesis gravidarum (extreme morning sickness) and was hospitalised a few times. This happened in 2 of the three pregnancies. Broken tailbone during childbirth and an infection later. Gestational diabetes. Whooping cough where i would frequently stop breathing and had to learn to calm myself during each attack, pneumonia, then the broken shoulder etc.

I am typically a very happy positive person but these headaches have just been too much and the insomnia is still taking a toll.

I look forward to chatting more KT.

Kind thoughts,

Carol xx

jellylegs · ‎03-04-2016

Hi Carol - I do have a positive experience treating headaches only with antidepressants so wanted to share that, although it does sound like you have a lot of other legit physical issues that are likely contributing to the problem. This time last year I was experiencing constant, daily headaches that I (and my physio) believed were due to poor seating posture and a desk job with lots of screen time, probably exacerbated by anxiety. I was beginning to think I might have an eyesight issue that was causing it as I felt like my eyes were straining all the time, but after a series of panic attacks my GP put me on a low dose SSRI. I was not suffering depression, just really anxious (I'd been starting to think my headaches were a sign of something more sinister so that didn't help.) At the same time, I had an overseas trip coming up that was contributing to the stress. Within a couple of weeks of taking the SSRI (once my body had adjusted to it) and also being away from work, the headaches disappeared and they have not come back. I'm still on the meds and found that when I didn't take them for a week the headaches came back with a vengeance. I am back at my desk and probably spending too much of my life looking at a screen (ha) so those factors haven't changed - yet the headaches have pretty much completely gone. I'm not sure how much relevance this story would have for you but like you I have always felt that my emotions manifest physically. I rarely "worry" but often realise after the fact that a physical symptom that disappears when a stressor goes away was actually stress related. I also have taken up yoga and find that it really helps with easing tension as well as improving physical condition which always feels good - have you considered trying this option?