Any help welcome please - I think I may have CH but not sure
Any help welcome please - I think I may have CH but not sure
Hi all - I'd love some feedback please. I've had a mild non inhibiting 24/7 headache for 9 weeks now. In the last few weeks I have been getting very intense migraine like headaches several times a day but not every day. I have been to my GP (week 5) who diagnosed stress and prescribed high dosage cocodamol - this made no difference whatso ever. Two weeks later I had a routine check with my opthalmologist for an unrelated eye condition in my left eye which has healed; he however picked up on prominent veins in the same eye, enquired about other symptoms - the headache, dizziness (a bit like feeling very drunk); ears feel like on a plane when you want them to pop and a humming noise. He refered me for an urgent MRA to rule out a Carcotid Cavernous Fistula. The symptoms seem right. In the intervening time I ended up in A&E on Friday last week having blood tests and a CT - felt like my head was going to explode all day! These all came back clear. Had the MRA on Monday but no results yet - I have a suspicion they will be normal too. Then I realised that several of the attacks seem to have struck almost instantly after managing to drink less than half a glass of wine. Googled it and came up with Cluster Headaches. I get the red watery eye thing but put that down to my pre existing condition. Does this sound a familiar story to anyone as Im not entirely sure about the symptoms - mainly the persistent 24/7 low lying headache ?
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Hi there,
Have a look up about Hemicrania Continua, that is like CH but with constant low level background pain.
And when you get the intense attacks of pain how long do they last? And what do you do while it lasts, do you lie still or are you unable to keep still?
Harriet.
Thanks Harriet I'll take a look at that. Headaches usually last 2-3hrs. I can't lie down but do find moving my head makes it worse?
Just looked up HC - definitely sounds possible. Looks like trial and error with different drugs is the answer. Have a GP appt next week so want to be prepared with the right questions!
Hi Debbie,
Why don't you try the 'Have I got CH?" Questionnaire on this website and see what it comes up with? It is not a diagnostic tool but can help to give you an idea of what may be going on with you.
I have Hemicrania Continua and Chronic Migraine, so please feel free to ask any questions! Just one for you, when your pain is bad what do you feel the urge to do? - lie down, pace up and down or something else?
You need to ask your GP to refer you to a Neurologist who is a Headache Specialist, give our Helpline a call 01646 651979 for information for the nearest one to you, and of course lots of great advice!
take care
Liz
Thanks Liz. I did the online check and it came up with CH but the longstanding low level headache which is always there is now making me think HC. When I get the really bad headaches I tend to not want to move at all but definitely not lie down. Head flat on pillow feels like piling up bricks on it. Lie on right get really bad dragging feeling and lie on left ( bad side) feels like massive pressure build up. Getting really fed up with it now and also fed up with being told it's menopause - grrrrr! I'm sure that's the first thing my GP would have thought of!