looking for answers

tp3454 · 10-01-2012, 05:05 PM

I am new to this forum. My best friend has been a great support system for me. she found this forum. I have been getting the run around from drs. I just want to figure out what is wrong with me.

I had 2 concussions in my younger years (dont recall the age due to memory losss) from child abuse. I had 3 concussions from 16-18 years old from football. I had another 3 concussions from 18-24 from 1 fight and 2 car accidents. My headaches started at 16. I am 35 now and I have had a pretty constant pain of 3-5 for the last 19 years. I was having attacks at night that escalated to 8-9 when it was extremely warm weather and during stressful times in my life. I have learned to manage it on my own. Pain killers have not helped. I do smoke weed (legally in california) to keep my daytime headaches at bay so I can work. I tried extremely hard to hide this pain from everyone around me for so long. People thought I was crazy. I just didnt know where and who to turn to. My last concussion was about 6 weeks ago when I fell off a bike. I do have contusions in my head. Drs say that is causing my pain but I think there is more to it than that.

My attacks have mainly been at night. They start around my eye and then the forehead/temple area. After about 2 minutes into the attack, my whole head is pounding. For the first couple weeks, I will have 4-6 attacks at night that last about 5-7 minutes and get to 7 pain level. The worse are the 3 attacks a night that last for 20-30 minutes that reach 9s in pain. Those come for about 2 months. Then the last couple weeks/month they go back down to 7-10 minutes on the 7-8 pain level. I usually am restless and walk around during the pain but I have fractured my ankle so I am stuck on my couch writhing in pain. I do notice my mood through the day affects my headaches at night. It is hard to be positive in this situation but I try with every bone in my body to be positive when I can. I have had a couple suicidal thoughts during the attacks just to end the pain. Although I have never done anything to harm myself. I just want to find an answer to help me and my family/friends help deal with this. I have severe insomnia, about 3 hours a night of sleep. My roommate just suggested melatonin. I took it last night after my last attack and was able to get 5 hours sleep. The previous night, I took melatonin early, but the attacks kept me awake and the melatonin kept me groggy and miserable. This has affected every area in my life. My self esteem, my work, my relationship with friends and overall love for life is diminished. I have noticed depression recently. When I was younger, I was treated for depression but it didnt help my attacks or pain so I stopped.

It is a great feeling to find this forum and find all of you with similar problems. Having my best friend/roommate support has helped me cope but the lack of answers is still in back of my mind.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Thank you for your time and help.

Mark in Idaho · 10-01-2012, 05:41 PM

tp420, or was that tp3454 ?

Welcome to NeuroTalk. Sorry to hear of your struggle with head aches. I have struggles with head aches for years, usually in the 3 level.

I have suggestions for you but your 420 use may make them useless. Magnesium is needed for the brain to settle to sleep. It needs to be balanced with calcium and even phosphorus plus Vit D. The 420 may change these interactions and even cause deficiencies. IDK.

Did you use 420 growing up? Recent research shows that 420 during adolescence can be problematic in later years. I know people who use it to settle problems with extreme anger as needed.

How is your blood pressure? Do you do anything to maintain good brain nutrition? Have you ever had your blood glucose checked? Cycling head aches can be tied to cycling hypoglycemia (it is called reactive hypoglycemia, I have dealt with it for decades). It can be tied to insomnia, too. It is easy and affordable to check blood glucose frequently. A glucometer and test strips can be purchased for about $150. Ask your doctor.

Hormones can also become a problem. A good hormone assessment can help but if you have a cycling problem, it would likely require checking throughout the cycle.

Let us know how else we can help you.

My best to you.

tp3454 · 10-01-2012, 07:42 PM

Mark,
Thank you for your help. I do take multi vitamins but I will have to try to take extra supplements for magnesium and phosphurus/vitamin d. I am taking calcium now mainly because I fractured my ankle and hope it helps with the bone healing process.

My blood pressure is above normal but ok during my normal state. My blood pressure is high during the months I have attacks. 420 has helped and is known to help bp but apparently not enough during the bad times. I have not had my blood glucose checked in a while. I probably should check that because there is diabetes in my family. A hormone assessment would also probably be good.

I did not use weed during younger years. I actually was totally against it. I started around 25 years old when I saw that it does help lessen the pain. Thank you for your suggestions. I will look into them.

TP

Sturgeon · 10-01-2012, 08:24 PM

I suffered with these headaches for nearly 6 months. Narcotics, melatonin, supplements etc. provided no relief.

I finally found a neurologist that was willing to fight my insurance company so that I could get Frova. It has changed my life and made the difference between wanting to live or blowing my head off.

I am not a big drug proponant, but if it works, I will take it.

Good luck, it is $40.00 per tablet with insurance.

tp3454 · 10-01-2012, 10:44 PM

Sturgeon, Thanks for the advice on Frova. I will have to look into that as well.

Mark in Idaho · 10-01-2012, 11:21 PM

tp,

Before the expense of Frova, you may find help from L-Tryptophan or 5-HTP. Go easy with the 5-HTP as the body does not know how to regulate it if too much is taken. L-Tryptophan is the precursor to 5-HTP and the body recognizes it better and regulates it properly. It is harder to find than 5-HTP.

Frova is a drug that tries to act like 5-HTP.

High blood pressure is often due to an imbalance of epinephrine and norepinephrine. They are needed in proper balance to regulate blood pressure.

There are plenty of simple BP meds that may help during attacks. Propanolol and atenolol are common beta-blockers. I have them in the medicine cabinet for extreme situations. The latter is slower acting.

Hawthorne tea or berry extract can help.

My best to you.