Severe headache
 

So this going on my 7th hour of a severe headache, pounding directly in my frontal lobe. Should I be worried about this? In trying to fall asleep yet it won't go away. Yet hopefully I can't sleep.

Could it be a reaction to the cellcept, just starting? I'm on 2000mg a day, so maybe? Also should I report it to my neuro?


Thx.

Tyson,

I can't answer your question about cellcept, but I think a pounding headache lasting several hours deserves a call to your neuro.

I'm always wondering if I should call my doctor too. I'll tell you, before mg I had almost a 100% wrong record with me and my children: I'd always call and it turned out to be nothing, and I wouldn't call when it turned out I should have. I guess the lesson is to always call! Except I'm like you, I always worry about bothering people unnecessarily. It's probably something to do with how I was raised. But - you shouldn't do that. Just call. It's their job!!!!!

Ally

Tyson, if you still have the headache you should call your neuro, if you haven't already, or go to the ER. If this is something new for you, don't let it go. Let us know how you're doing.;)

Hugs,
Pat

Tyson,

When I get these headaches it is usually due to my breathing, how is your breathing right now, are you getting enough air? Are you able to exhale completely?

I would call your Dr. if it doesn't go away soon.

Please keep us updated.

A severe headache is an EMERGENCY. You need to go directly to the ER NOW. Call an ambulance if necessary. This is one of the top reasons to go in. There could be many things, not the least of which is an aneurysm.

Please, Tyson, go in.

Annie

It's going away, yet when I cough it's very painful in one spot. Could that mean an aneursym? When I walk the headache comes back. Maybe I should go get an MRI?

Also when I was in my crisis 2 weeks ago, coughing hurt in the same exact spot in my left frontal lobe. MRI time?!

Dehydration can cause headaches. Be sure you are drinking plenty of water.

Please call your doctor or go to the ER if this is something new for you.

Take care.

:hug:

headache
 

Tyson, All of the medical experts I know (meaning doctors) all say that an ER is the place for a severe headache, especially a sudden one. You cannot tell by how it feels what is wrong. Because of your "thick blood" and the odd reactions you have had in the past to plasma, the ER is where you should be.

What if there is a narrowing of an artery?

You're on all these drugs, you have had odd symptoms probably not related to MG and now this severe headache. If someone else had all this going on, what would you tell them to do?

Leave it up to the doctors to decide if it's MRI time.

Annie

Tyson,
I hope your headache has been resolved. When did you start taking Cellcept and did your neuro gradually increase your dosage? When I started on Cellcept, my Neuro had me start at 500 mg first and gradually increased it to 2000 mg. He did that because he wanted to see how my body would handle the drug and what type of side effects I would have. My side effects were minimal because my body was able to adjust to it easier by slowly increasing the dosage.

I really hope you are doing better. You have been through so much but please keep hanging in there.

You may be physically weak but you are a very strong young man in other ways.

Shari

I really hope you guys take this the way I mean it, in the best of ways with only the intention being to help - Tyson specifically.

Taking Cellcept may cause a headache. But taking a drug may also "reveal" an underlying problem. And no matter the "cause" of a headache, a severe headache is reason enough (more than reason enough) to go to the ER.

New or severe symptoms should always be reported to a doctor. Severe symptoms require emergency care. And I'm going out on a limb here but I believe they "always" require emergency care. Like chest pain. Like hives. Like sudden increased weakness. I'd rather have an ER doctor tell me I'm okay than be severely ill or dead at home.

I spent the majority of my life "pooh-poohing" my own symptoms of MG (had it since birth). I know that so many of us do that. But when it comes to more serious symptoms, like what Tyson just had, the ONLY place we should be is in a doctor's office/urgent care/ER. Forums are great for support but we are not doctors. And ignoring symptoms is never a good idea. And, no, I'm not saying that any of you are saying that! ;)

I've simply seen one too many family members or friends ignore things that made them sicker (including me) and it never ends up well.

Annie

Well said, Annie! I couldn't agree more.;)

Hugs,
Pat

Shari- I too started out on 500mg a day. Yet now i take 1000mg, twice a day. So I did build up. I have been having alot of sinus problems, so maybe the headache was due to that.


Annie- The headache went away, and im not going to ignore that it was there for 7 hours. Im going to call my neuro first thing tomorrow morning, and let him know what has perspired over the weekened..especially the headache in a centralized location.

I agree, its not right, and maybe something will come out of it when I call him tomorrow, yet its gone for the most part now, and just will sleep it off tonight hopefully.

Thanks for always being here!

Also, just puked. Sorry if that grosses any of you out. Yet, i am pretty nasuas , cant spell:)

Uh, i need my neuros cell number, haha.


goodnight all.

I know you are being light about this but it's not funny. Just because the headache is gone doesn't mean the problem is. And puking. Not normal either. Please go in. Your neuro is only going to say "go in." It's not in his realm of expertise - it's up to emergency doctors to figure out. Sure he could do an MRI but what then?

This is not funny, Tyson.

Tyson, there is a stomach virus going through our schools that starts off with an awful headache -- then proceeds to vomiting, diarrhea, etc.

SORRY, buddy -- you are immune-suppressed -- having ANY type of illness/virus/infection is SERIOUS business!! You need medical attention!!!

OR, like Annie said, this could be something ELSE that is very serious.

The last time I had a stomach virus, I went TO THE ER!!!! With MG, there is a very REAL danger of you choking on your own vomit!!!!

WARNING --- WARNING --- WARNING --- BE CAREFUL!!!!!!!!

I started cellcept about a month and 1/2 ago....and I have been so nauseated and throwing up...I have lost about 15 pounds since starting...and I am so pale now...I look sick...and I hate that! I am on 2000mg per day too...(and this stuff is NOT cheap!)

I have been having headaches..but I think mine are due to having ocular MG as well....my left eye gets so tired...and I am using my eye muscles to constantly "hold" my eye up....and I get a major headache in the afternoons/evening after working all day...

Have you noticed any "break" outs? I have noticed that I am breaking out more...especially on my chest :eek: since I started taking cellcept...

Steph- Yes it is expensive! like 218 or something for a months supply! crazy. yeah i agree with the the ocular statement, yet mine is everywhere.

I have pretty bad acne in the first place, so i cant say if have noticed more. Maybe more oil, yet not pimples..

im also on pred. so it could be because of that.

Annie- I promise i will talk with my doctor tomorrow about it, and if he feels i should go in, I will for sure. I agree it could be something very serious, or not at all, yet it needs to get checked.


Jana- Ive had this sinus infection for about 4 weeks now, after taking the clarythromaycin, and not getting rid of it, im on augmentin, which isnt helping either.
But i will get attention.

Thanks.

hope your all doing well.

Augmentin causes nausea and vomiting in some people.

Take it with food to minimize this.

I called my neuro today. He just said take some ibuprofin. Yet they come and go. Maybe ill get another big one soon and he'll do more about it.
Yet he said if it got worse while laying down, to call.

It gets worse, when i get up from laying down.


Although, I ran out of nexium and calcuim and forgot to go to the store, so ive been taking my meds without those for a week..
probably not a great idea:)
Ill get to the store soon enough.

Well, isn't that sweet. Ibuprofen will put more fluid on. That could be good or bad, depending on your starting fluid status. Pred also puts fluid on. Ibuprofen is also an antiprostaglandin, like Pred (see your other post).

Do you have a BP cuff at home? They are really inexpensive at Sam's club or Walgreens. The Omron brand is very good. I like the wrist cuff because it doesn't hurt like the arm ones do.

You may be dehydrated. Maybe. That could be why when you stand up, the smaller amount of fluid you have is flowing downwards (due to gravity) when you stand up. You can check that by doing the following BP test.

Lie down for a few minutes. Take your BP. Stand up. Take your BP so it will read at about the one minute point. If the systolic/upper # is 20 or more upon standing, you could be overhydrated. If it is 20 or less, you could be dehydrated. There are other reasons for that to occur but it's a useful test for someone who does plasma.

Examples:

Lying down 110/60 Standing up 135/78 Difference: +25/+18
Lying down 120/70 Standing up 95/65 Difference: -25/-5

Also, keep an eye on what your pulse does as well. Write it all down.

I am concerned that you have a narrowing of an artery somewhere due to that focal headache and how things get worse when you stand or move. Is that correct?

The doctors who deal with circulatory issues (initially anyway), are cardiologists. Do not expect a neurologist to even want to think about those issues. It's not realistic. ER doctors, however, would have taken you seriously and done something (yeah, I'm ticked about you not going in).

DO NOT wait to get calcium into your body. All the meds you are taking deplete it. You need milk or dairy or whatever (not with cheese with all that sodium, however) to get your calcium up. A lack of calcium is super hard on the heart.

What more can I say? Symptoms don't happen for no reason. I hope someone will take you more seriously than blindly throwing another pill at you.

Annie

There is an FDA warning out on Cellcept:

http://www.drugs.com/news/fda-issues...rtic-8057.html

PML is a fatal brain inflammation caused by a virus. It can be activated by drugs that depress the immune system. There are many posts about it on Tysbari threads on our MS forum.

Should I be conserned about this virus? I have noticed my hands shaking a little, and the headaches are a symptom.

Yet I haven't had a headache since Saturday, so I'm probably fine.

Yeah it was so nice of him, right? I don't have a blood pressure cuff, yet I'll try and purchase one and do those tests, that's orthastetics or something right?

What about pml? Do you know anything of it? I haven't had a headache since Saturday, but it was the worst one of my life, and hurt when I cough in that spot.

I know our mad at me for not going in. Yet I'll
b okay. I hope.

Thanks for all your concern.

Biogen is making a test soon, for the MS patients.

It will probably generalize to other patient populations too, providing doctors keep up on this new development:

http://www.wellsphere.com/multiple-s...=Tests+For+Pml

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150098.php