Chronic Headaches since head injury...
 

Has anyone developed chronic headaches tension\migraine since their concussion. I have been dealing with this for over a year now. The headaches some at different times but I have noticed when i need to tackle things mentally that are somewhat involved or with multiple steps, physical exertion that get your heart rate up like cardio etc.. are all triggers but I will have headaches even withou these triggers.

I was prescribed medicine for migraine sufferers only problem I dont have history of these headaches and no family members do either.

I cant imaging having to deal with this for the rest of my life. Anyone else dealing with chronic headaches after a concussion and what do your doctors tell you\treat you with?

Thanks

Migraine headaches
 

Hi Jinga,
Yes I deal with migraine headaches all the time. Some are so severe I loose my vision and throw up. Some can last for a few days. I have had migraine headaches since my first concussion back when I was 18 or 19. They have become a part of my life that I have to manage. I tried all kinds of different meds for these but had serious side effects. What works best for me is Lortab and Phenergan. The Lortab is for pain and the Phenergan is for nausea. Now that I have chronic pain and need pain coverage all the time I am on MS Contin. It is a long acting morphine that works for 12 hours at a time. It is also easy on the liver because it has no Tylenol. I have found since being on the full coverage med that I have less migraines. Be careful about taking too much Tylenol. I used to take extra strength excederin and Lortab. Don't do this. I ended up with liver failure from this. sorry you are suffering this horrible condition. Find a good pain specialist.
Brain

I used Maxalt for a while, which worked well for the most part. But, it really isn't meant to be used more than once a week. I was recently switched to an anti-epileptic med, which is also very effective as a daily anti-migraine med. Topamax is the medication.

Can't give you any help except to say that I have had a migraine every day for 4 years. Today is an especially bad day because the weather is changing. I am staying up late because I know that the pressure of my pillow will kill my head and I have to be sufficiently exhausted in order to get past it. If you look up migraine without aura, that is me except it is not unilateral and it is every day. Honestly, I don't know if I have just had one long migraine for four years or if I just keep waking up with one. I have had a few days where for most of the day I do not have any migraine symptoms, and I walk around wondering why the world is so beautiful and why it is so absolutely perfect, and then the pain returns and I realize that there is such a thing as life without pain or whatever other weirdness is caused by the migraine/PCS. Those are the best and the worst days. Anyways, good luck, let me know if you find any magic pil so that I can join the cured band wagon :)
Live Long and Prosper!
In Christ,
Margarite

Through PCS I also had migraine with aura. My feet went cold, I got tension waves through my body, fatigue and the light/noise sensitivity would worsen. This resulted in deep crushing headaches and very bad insomnia. It wasn't properly treated for 3 months until I looked up an article on Post Concussion Headaches which advised they should be treated with migraine medication. Thankfully the headaches went and also the head pressure has gone for 3 days now, I just hope it lasts. Just need the fatigue, insomnia and noise/light sensitivity to go now as well.http://www.practicalpainmanagement.c...rders?page=0,1

I have different types of headache after the brain injury...and sometimes migraines. Both are horrible. i take Zomig for both if they are coming on bad. Less headaches as time goes on...but they certainly come after I have done too much!

Margarite....I was like that for four years...when I was diagnosed with celiac disease (an autoimmune disease that prevents you from absorbing nutrients and thus causes all sorts of different problems), the daily migraines disappeared within a few weeks of going on a strict gluten free diet for life. Just saying that the daily migraine may related to something other than the brain injury. Oh joy!