Severe Headache

[gngr78us]

I have been experiencing headaches since my car accident in Nov08. I have been through Chiropractic, Massage Physical Therapy, Pain Management and then PT again myofacial(sp) release. Nothing seems to help. I have been taking muscle relaxers, I thought they were helping but I still get horrible headaches about once a week for three to four days. They put me on Topamax, and that was working for two weeks then yesterday I get a headache again. Xrays were normal, MRI of neck show slipped disc and spinal cord slightly rotated. I got Facet shots, which made the neck pain go away but nothing will help the headaches. The headaches start as tension/burning feeling at the base of skull and work up to top of head and they feel deep. Most times it is so deep it feels like a worm tying to dig out of my head. Light nor sounds bother me when I do have the headaches sneezing, bending over, laughing, and coughing make it worse. I have been keeping a journal and the PM and GP doctors cant pinpoint anything. I havent seen anyone else other than PT, GP and Chiro. Any advice would be wonderful.

[ewizabeth]

Welcome to NeuroTalk! :Wave-Hello: I'm sorry for your pain. I had migraines for decades and I was on Topamax for a couple of years and I don't get them anymore (knock on wood.)

I hope your doctors can figure out what the problem is and get it fixed for you.

[jana]

I have been experiencing headaches since my car accident in Nov08. I have been through Chiropractic, Massage Physical Therapy, Pain Management and then PT again myofacial(sp) release. Nothing seems to help. I have been taking muscle relaxers, I thought they were helping but I still get horrible headaches about once a week for three to four days. They put me on Topamax, and that was working for two weeks then yesterday I get a headache again. Xrays were normal, MRI of neck show slipped disc and spinal cord slightly rotated. I got Facet shots, which made the neck pain go away but nothing will help the headaches. The headaches start as tension/burning feeling at the base of skull and work up to top of head and they feel deep. Most times it is so deep it feels like a worm tying to dig out of my head. Light nor sounds bother me when I do have the headaches sneezing, bending over, laughing, and coughing make it worse. I have been keeping a journal and the PM and GP doctors cant pinpoint anything. I havent seen anyone else other than PT, GP and Chiro. Any advice would be wonderful.

Have you seen a neuro?? If the Topamax was working, you might need to up the dose. I was put on 25 mg for a week or two -- and was told to up the dose to 50 mg. I'm now up to 125 mgs. 200 mgs is not uncommon.

Topamax has been proven to work on migraines -- BUT, it is ALSO working on some nerve pain -- and that may be YOUR problem.

Has anybody prescribed Fioricet? It is a pain reliever that works for many types of headaches.

[gngr78us]

Thanks to both of you for the support and answeres. Oh and the kitty is so cute. I have only been on Topamax for two weeks. I started at 25mg, this week I am on 50 mg. Today will be the first night that I will be on 75mg. So I guess maybe I should just let the meds work its course. The headaches are so blindsiding that its hard to just let anything take its course. I have not seen anything other than GP,PT and PM. Guess a nuero is the next step. I see my PM on Dec 9th.

[jana]

Thanks to both of you for the support and answeres. Oh and the kitty is so cute. I have only been on Topamax for two weeks. I started at 25mg, this week I am on 50 mg. Today will be the first night that I will be on 75mg. So I guess maybe I should just let the meds work its course. The headaches are so blindsiding that its hard to just let anything take its course. I have not seen anything other than GP,PT and PM. Guess a nuero is the next step. I see my PM on Dec 9th.

Headache pain is THE worst -- if your head hurts, you really don't care about much else. Hang in there -- keep us posted -- if nothing else, we can "hold your hand"!

I'd really "PUSH" for a neuro consult, though -- may be more going on than a GP or PM doc can see!!

(((HUGS)))

[gngr78us]

Hi everyone, Well I went back to the PM doc. I am not sure if the Topamax is working. I am finally on the full dose 100mg I think it is helping a lil bit. It is taking the edge off of the headache when I do get the bad headaches. So the PM doc said to try the 100mg dose for a month and see if that gets me anywhere. I had a bad headache again last night. To my amazement I didnt wake up with it. YA! I was really excited. So I guess I will just see if this dose of meds is/are going to work for me. I still am wondering though what is causing it. I have been doing some more research and I seem to think its traction headaches only beacuse when the docs pull on push on my head or after the weekend when I can rest my head whenever I want to, thats when I get the bad headaches. Has anyone been had any luck with this?