I am sorry you had to have surgery. Were you off from your job
all the time you were not having your scalp pain attacks? Or were you taking medications, like flexeril or strong pain meds, which
may have blocked it?

no response...ok

I hear you when you say you just want to know what is wrong and causing all this pain. I also began with pain 2008. No accident just sudden onset of pain. Unfortunately, all the doctors I have seen, seems to search in the beginning for the cause then just give up and treat the pain. I find that a hard pill to swallow but there is only so much they can do. Hope the results from your surgery are good!

Dear Hopeful
I had surgery for my back....

the stabbing scalp pains have not been resolved - I'll try and find one of my early posts and re-post if if any of it would help ypu

amazingly, from the 19th of Dec (surgery)N until today I haven't had any of the "scalp" attacks. I've been taking percocet and flexaril - would they actually block trigeminal or occipital neuralgia?

I would vote for the flexeril... it can be useful for spasms.

It has some antidepressant actions and can be useful for pain as well.
You could try one alone at night without the Percocet to see if it would work for you stand alone.

I find it very useful for emergencies, but it is really sedative for me in the long run. One can last me over 24hrs !

If it works stand alone, you can try 1/2 of a 10mg as time passes, as that also seems to work with less side effects.

woke up at 5:00 am with what felt like a sinus headache, later it moved up to the top of my forehead, and along the back of my neck.
I took Flexeril and fell asleep...woke up and the pain was getting worse, I (out of desperation) took nortriptyline - which I have tried to adjust to for years..
overall I've slept for 18 hours.
I'm tired of going to neurologists who don't tell me anything, or ones that tell me they think this might be located in the brain stem and maybe using 5 mg of flexeril can help even though they haven't heard of it working in that manner.
I'm tired of doctors not knowing, not having the time, or subtly making this my problem because I can't tolerate the meds they "know" will work
(ie: Nortriptyline)
right now my face and forehead hurt, the air going in my right nostril actually hurts... and I feel groggy, don'[t want to get out of bed (It's 4:00 pm)
and am calling a doctor for antibiotics just in case this is a sinus infection....
it just goes on and on and on...

I certainly understand how you feel. Many of us have been thru the "medical" mill also.

I had a virus in Jan in the back of my neck and I was very dizzy and sick feeling. I used Robtussin DM to break it up (if sinus) and it worked very well. I still take it at night before I go to bed.
I also take a Zyrtec at night too, to minimize any accumulation in the sinuses. I also had quite a bit of photophobia with it...meaning bright light bothered me and hurt. Looking at the white snow everywhere still hurts some, but not like it did a month ago! ;) I didn't take antibiotics, but did some ice packs on my neck with some improvement.

It was a nasty inflammation, and I think those of us with PN get more pain when something like this comes along.

Hi Glyde
I'm sorry you feel so badly.
I was thinking about your scalp problems. Were you out of the country before it started? If so have you been tested for any type of parasites?
As for the sinus problems, I have always suffered from sinus infections. When I start to get really congested I take NyQuil before bed. It works for me.
Hope you feel better soon.
Hopeful

Just a reminder... Nortriptyline is not
A "pain" medication like aspirin and or opiates.

It works over time in the brain in pain loop
Perception area. So taking it for an acute
situation will only sedate you (it's main side effect).

People with sinus tendencies do better
With Mucinex or Robitussin products and
decongestants like phenylephrine.

There is a new therapeutic movement in
Medicine to not use antibiotics so quickly
for sinus problems. So some doctors may
be following this protocol now.

Drinking lots of water also helps with liquefying
Sinus congestion.