Headache for 4 years!!!
 

I have had a headache pretty much every single day for the last 4 years! Yes every day. Some days are better than others, I can't even count how many times I have had to go to the ER to get something to help me with the pain or my family doctor. I have been to many doctors, been on countless medications. I am at the end of myself here. I feel like no one wants to help me or listen to me. My headaches started right after I had my son. I feel like the headaches are related to the epidural, but no one will take me seriously on it. It is so frustrating. I just don't know where to turn next. Any advise???

Have you had your optic nerves checked for papilledema? Or have you had a spinal tap to check your spinal fluid pressures? There is a disesase called Intracranial Hypertension or Pseudotumor Cerebri. I have it and it was found after I had had a headache for 4 1/2 years. It might be something to check in to. An opthalmologist is someone that could verify it.

Has anyone checked you for cluster headaches?

Can you describe how the headache comes on and how frequent they are and what the pain is like?

Pseudotumor Cerebrican cause thos same symptoms i have it abvoe the eye where my shunt goes and the docs told me that could be some of my issues

jenn

My daughter has Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension as well. She suffered from intense headaches accompanied by vomitting for 2 weeks before we got her a MRI to diagnose. Have you had a loss of energy (lethargy) or lost weight lately?

WOW! I feel 4 u! I suffered from headaches everyday 4 about 2.5 years until we got to the right doctor and got the cycle broken.

I am sure u have probably been to see some neurologists. U need to see an actual "Headache Specialist"........they r neurologists as well, but headaches r the ONLY thing they treat! Their biggest focus is on prevention!

Probably u r suffering from "rebound headaches" or "medication overuse headaches"...........when u have a headache and take meds 4 it.......whether it is tylenol, advil or something prescribed by your doc, and u take too much of it..........it turns the headache that u took it 4 in the 1st place even worse and makes it CHRONIC in nature rather than episodic.

Sometimes it can take very strong IV meds or steroids to break a headache cycle as long as the one u r in. If u go to a good headache doc, they will probably wean u off of ALL the pain meds u r taking. Once they can stop the cycle they will get u on a good preventative regimine.

They use different kinds of blood pressure and epilepsy drugs to prevent migraines. U can also take things like Coenzyme Q10 and Magnesium Oxide. I actually take an ALZHEIMER'S drug for prevention. It is considered experimental as it is not FDA approved for that purpose........but 4 me and others it is a life-saver!

Then they will try to find a good abortive 4 when u have a migraine. These include: Imitrex, Treximet, Zomig, Relpax, etc. MOST TRUE headache specialists WILL NEVER prescribe things like Vicodin, Percocet, etc.......they can cause Rebound.

Of course they will run tests to check 4 various things..........others have mentioned "pseudotumor cerebri or idiopathic intracranial hypertension"........I suffer from that as well. They say that I fit the "typical patient............obese, young woman. They were correct when they said about papillodema which means your optic nerves r swollen. That can cause vision loss.......that is the biggest concern. It is diagnosed with a spinal tap. I am one of the few whose optic nerves aren't affected.

There r many, many other things that can cause headaches.........and there r many different types of headaches as well!

Usually the best place to find a headache specialist is to go to the closest teaching hospital near u...........affiliated with a major university. They will usually have a headache center/clinic.

I wish u the best as u search 4 relief!

It can be very difficult to get a diagnosis for lots of things, especially those involving the spine. Medical science has a ways to go yet.
Of course, there may be multiple causes, interacting, just to make it interesting.
I had bad headaches for 20+ years, and the only treatment that worked for me was remedial massage. My back muscles were knotted and were pulling down my neck muscles, giving me relentless headaches. Started this treatment early last year.
Now I have found an even better one. Magnesium chloride. I drink about 1-2 teaspoonfuls of it in water every day, and the difference is amazing. I no longer need a massage every 2 or 3 weeks as my muscles are not knotting up any more. If you have a magnesium deficiency, estimated to affect 80% of people, then this treatment may well help.
It is cheap, easy and harmless.

4 year headache
 

I also have had a headache for 4+ years. I have a headache 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Actually, mine are no longer completely classified as headaches.The dr.s have actually diagnosed 6 different headaches all going on simultaneously, and because it has gone on for so long they now classify it as chronic headpain.
I also suffer from Pseudo Tumor Cerebri, I strongly urge you to get that checked if you have not already by the way my eye dr. was the one who diagnosed mine. I have lost almost all of my vision because my dr.s didn't know how to treat mine at first. I also feel like I am being ignored. I have been keeping it together for all these years but within the last couple of months my depression is spiraling out of control. I also wind up in the ER many times. I would suggest next time you wind up there you ask for magnesium this does make a big difference for me. I hope you find help soon.