The Hypermobility Syndrome Association

by **midnightangel** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:42 pm

How on earth can I possibly have a headache???? on that many painkillers, someone is having a laugh surely!!! but somehow I have had a low level constant headache which keeps getting worse then going off a bit for 3 days. I am maxed out dosage on 3 different pain killers...surely any one of those should make it stop!!!
Sorry...ranting!

by **Rosie** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:41 am

Hi midnightangel

Your painkillers may be contributing to your headache. I am not a doctor but I think codeine, for example, is well know for causing headaches as a side effect. I would discuss it with your GP, assuming he/she prescribes your painkillers. Maybe a read through of the printout that comes with your medication list headaches under possible side effects?

:bye:

Rosie

by **nonyanomemory** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 9:25 am

I agree that it could well be the medication with the 'emphasis' on the could. It could be worth having a medication review. Keeping hydrated may help and although it may sound odd if the type of meds you are on cause constipation this could also contribute to your headache. So dietary adjustment and/or advice from your gp for this aspect as well as medication interactions may well be appropriate. Good luck Nonya

by **Sez** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 12:35 pm

I find that my "normal" painkillers do nothing for headaches. I have to take Neurofen or Anadin extra for that, which then means juggling everything else to avoid taking too much!
I was recently advised by the doctor I saw in hospital to take two paracetamol with my tramadol, as nothing I was taking at the time contained it. There was an improvement in the frequency of headaches, but when they came, they brought mates and trashed the place as well! Now that I'm pretty much recovered from the fall, I'm back on the co-codamol, which does contain paracetamol, and have had an awful time with headaches and sickness since I started cutting back and then cutting out the Tramadol. I agree that meds can sometimes cause headaches, so if you think this is the case, have a chat with your GP.

Camomile tea is also very good for headaches, as is a soothing lavendar bath.
Hope you're feeling better soon!

by **dawn barlow** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:21 am

My son started complaining of headaches all the time and when i took him to see our GP he said that taking pain killers for a long period can sometimes cause headaches.

He stopped taking them for a while and never complained of the head aches again, just everything else started to really hurt again.

Dawn x

by **midnightangel** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 2:32 pm

Thanks for the replies...least now I have an idea as to why I have headaches!!! Will talk to the GP next time I go. Thanks.

by **nonyanomemory** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 2:40 pm

Hi midnightangel, there could be medical reasons hun, or stress related reasons so make sure you do check it out with your gp. take care Nonya

by **Guest** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 3:58 pm

hiya
i am new here and posted mainly about my son but having a look round i felt i needed to reply.
i was told when i had my son that i too have hms. i have suffered migraines for yrs now, not so bad anymore but they were very severe. admitted to hospital almost unconcious, going blind with them at times ect. i was on morphine for around 6mths as that was all that would dull the pain and i was having these heads as i call them 5 days a week and it was completely debilitating, i lost my job and many friends through that time. i had injections in the muscles at the back of my head which hurt, eeg, pt.
anyway i was also on dehydrocodeine and on the last admission to hospital this was stopped as they said it could trigger rebound headaches.
well hey presto ever since i get about 1 head ache a week now and i can usually control them by eating more, drinking more neurofen and paracetamol

my life has changed.

this is just my experience though but may be worth looking into
nikki

by **Hayley** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:54 pm

I have stopped taking Tramadol since realising a few months ago that it was causing me so many other problems - headaches included! I'm taking Voltarol now and that seems to me helping my pains in a way that can manage them.

Hayley :angel:

by **midnightangel** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:34 am

Thanks again for all the posts.. there are so many possible causes I don't know where to start, could be the dihydracodiene, or the anti depressants, or the pain I have had in the back of my neck for about 2 weeks, whatever it is it is not being knocked out by the paracetamol or ibruprofen which I also take regularly!
In any case its a catch 22, cant function without all the pills, and cant function with the headaches.
As for stress...got plenty of that...too boring to go in to!
I am signed off work at the moment, so as long as I can haul myself out for the school run, I can just go back to bed!
I am due back at the GP in about 2 weeks or so, will mention it then.

by **nonyanomemory** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:58 am

hi Midnightangel,

My heart went out to you when i read the last bit of your post - saying 'at least I can go back to bed'. I don't think you should wait to see your gp try making an appointment sooner . I have been in the going back to bed situation and I do so hope you dont think I am being anything other than caring but to be blunt - going back to bed doesn't help. Its really quite important when experiencing chronic pain and associated sleep problems that if possible you plan your rests. So if possible if you could manage to drop the children off - followed by a short period of stretching and relaxation - then try a couple of small tasks that you want to do rather than leaving them till later - followed by a planned rest incorporating some 'you' time by way of phoning a friend or having a friend round for coffee or even walking round the block - feeding the birds anything, then having a rest, it could be that an hour's planned rest and relaxation would really help. trying to get a small routine so that by the time you have to pick the children up again you have not slept the hours away may really help you to start feeling a little better. i know routines sound so boring but they could well help you to start feeling up to being spontaneous and more in control of your pain rather than your pain controlling you. Have you ever asked your gp if a pain management course is on offer at all?
Just some thoughts...... nonya

by **midnightangel** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 1:24 am

Thanks Nonya,
Your post makes a lot of sense. The problem with seeing the GP sooner, is that its a big practice and the one I see and have managed to get some kind of relationship going wiht only works part time.
I guess its the depression, but even thinking of planning any kind of routine seems a struggle, and I have been avoiding my friends, as I really can't be bothered to talk to them (funny that I can sit here and type till the cows come home!), not much holds my interest at the moment generally.
I know I am sounding pretty self defeating, but I have taken on board your thoughts, and will try to structure things a bit. My brother is a nurse and he also mentioned asking about pain management courses, perhaps something to look into.
Thanks for the support :bye:

by **nonyanomemory** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 1:30 am

thats ok hun' I think small steps one at a time help when life is like this. Here's a bunch of 'virtual' flowers :sorry:

to put on your desktop.

When my kids were little and I felt like you do now we used to get the paints out and make a big painting on the back of old wallpaper rolls. Drawing round yourself and the kids and filling it all in can really help to get back a sense of self. There's nothing like looking at a life size 'you' with details drawn in by kids or as mine are now teenagers -for big smiles all round and a reality check.

sweet dreams - nonya

by **midnightangel** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 1:35 am

Thanks nonya,
for the flowers and the support...even if it did make me cry! :oops:

Nite nite

by **Sandy L** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 5:38 pm

Accurate diagnosis of the hedache type is important. A large proportion of severe headaches--the ones that people might bother to see a doctor about--are migraine. That is a special type of process in the brain, not just a term that means "a bad headache." There are some migraine-specific drugs that, for many people, will almost completely kill a migraine headache, not just make it more bearable. Other approaches, including some strikingly effective non-prescription items, may decrease the number or intensity of migraines. If you have nausea with headache more than rarely, or if you have both sensitivity to light and sensitivity to sound, there is a high likelihood that your suffer migraines.

Additional information on diagnosis can be found at Moderator Edit - This link seems not to function appropriately Please check with your gp for further information.

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Headaches and Migraines

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