Chronic tension headache diagnosis and long term management

[Lost_Girl]

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

[Clues_Of_Blue]

Wednesday, thanks for the kind words about my picture. Yep, that was me behind the book. 🙂

Paul, I have to agree with Carol. She knows her sci-fi and fantasy, and plays Magic, she might just beat you to second place (a contest of nerdiness, perchance?). As for me, I do indeed play D&D, video games, know my sci-fi and fantasy, and even have a Star Trek encyclopaedia signed by Casey Biggs (if you know who that is, you get nerd points). At this point in time, I shall wear the crown and pronounce myself Nerdus Victorius!​

[Guest_5218]

Hi Carol. I am about to head off to bed as I am very very tired. But just wanted to stop by to see how you are on my way through.

What sort of a day have you had? I only saw you briefly in the Cafe when you dropped off devonshire tea scones.

Are you feeling any better today? And the tummy upset that you were getting a week or two ago, has that all settled?

Anyway no need to get back to me, I really wanted to drop in say hi, and leave a good night hug for you.

Night .............

Sherie xx

[Lost_Girl]

Aww Sherie,

You're a sweetheart. Thankyou. I still have an upset tummy, my son does too so I think it's the bug. I do feel a little better today. It is nice having the family around too. It was busy at home today just getting the kids to do a big tidy up of their rooms etc. Having everything clean and orderly makes me feel good.

I have swapped from Netflix to Stan as I was running out of decent shows to watch having seen so much in the last 6 months. It is a necessary distraction when I am too unwell to colour in or crochet and can't get around much because of the pain. So having a huge selection to choose from will help.

Sleep is a problem again. It's past 2am and I am wide awake. I will go lie down soon but it takes hours to fall asleep when I feel like this. I think it's the ADs.

I will catch you on your thread xx

[Emmy.]

I hope you eventually got some sleep hun. Take it easy today, it's hard functioning on a low battery hey. With the ADs do you take them in the morning or evening. I use to take mine in the evening as they made me drowsy but when I changed to the new ones I found I wasn't sleeping well, having psychotic dreams (psychotic nightmares really) but when I changed to taking them in the morning it helped. Along with an anti psychotic medication to help me get back into good sleep routine. Just a suggestion. Rest up today hun. Emmy xx

[Guest_5218]

Hi Carol. Its just turned midnight I notice, and its a little unusual not to see you around.

I did read on another thread (Blue's perhaps) that you were waiting at the Dr's surgery to see your GP. Was this a planned appointment, and was it with your regular GP? I hope the appointment went well.

I guess since you gave up the light n easy and yet you still have the upset tummy, it means one thing. You cant blame all those chick peas! Will you therefore be going back to your daily LnE rations?

Damn, what a bummer about the sleep deteriorating with the reinstatement of the AD's. Depressing! How ironic aye? It could be worth asking your GP about the timing of the meds, as suggested by Emmy. Worth a try.

As always Carol ....... I am thinking of you. A big hug to you, and all my love.

Sherie xx

[Lost_Girl]

Hi Sherie,

My GP works 7 days but varied hours, 8 to 12 and 6pm to 10pm some days and 1pm to 10pm on others. There's no need for an appointment either so I just go as I need.

I did ask to change the timing and I skip tonight and start in the morning.

I also discussed going to a pain management specialist. She agreed it is a good idea given the timeline given by the neurologist. I just need to find somewhere I am comfortable getting to on my own and then she will provide a referral.

I had been tracking my weight loss successfully via myfitnesspal and eating well and losing until a few days this week where I felt too sick to organise my own food so I just ate what hubby made. I should be right to get back on track tomorrow. I shall do it myself. I think the latest tummy upset was part of the virus and the previous bug I had, as my son and hubby both had it this time too. Hubby had no other symptoms, I always seem to get bugs worse than him.

It has just gone 1pm. Thinking of you dearly too xx

[Guest_5218]

Hi Carol. Okay thats good about the timing of the ADs, and hopefully it means you are not lying awake quite so much. Starting from tonight ........... (-:

I hope you are able to find a good pain management specialist nearby. They do vary a bit. I went to one when I was in Canberra about 16 years ago, with limited success. But it was worth trying. No doubt they are much better now than they were back then. Certainly anything that can help, even a little bit, is worth trying.

Yes its now 1.25am, and I am packing up and about to head off to bed.

Love to you.

Sherie xx

[blondguy]

Hey Carol

for you to be awake at this may mean you are in pain.....I hope you doing reasonably okay

As per Bluguru's post above...you are a guru with sci-fi as I only watched the movies and couldnt get a grip on all the follow up series....

I do however speak Klingon...fluently....Paul xx

[Lost_Girl]

Sleep well Sherie,

Ah Paul, you know me well. It's manageable, just interrupting sleep 🙂

Ha! Love it! You have bested me at languages! Ha ha. Thanks for the laugh dear friend. I left one for you in the cafe before reading this. Laughter is indeed good medicine.

[blondguy]

Megahugs for you Carol

I just had a good laugh when I read your post 🙂 xx