I am 16 and have been suffering with constant headaches for over a year now. Recently the pain seems to be getting worse, it is interferring with my studies and daily activities. Some days the pain is so bad I am bedridden as when I get out of bed I am hit with a chronic headache along with dizziness and nausea as well. I am currently doing my A-levels and so studying is difficult when I wake up and go to sleep with a headache, but I persist with the pain.
At first I coped with the pain and had a positive attitude, as I told myself that sooner or later the pain would ease or go comletely. But it has got to a point now where I just don't know what to do anymore, no pain killers or chiropractor or acupuncture can give me any sort of relief. I have recently tried triptans and have even been prescribed Topiramate but nothing has worked.
It is slowly having a psychological effect on me, some days I just go into the garden or some place quiet and cry to myself. I try to stay strong for my family as they worry so much, as do my friends but I just don't know how long more I can last. I just want to know what it's like not to have a headache.
Please, if you have any advice, or even if you just have similar stories or experiences share as it will be much appreciated,
Katie
Bless your heart. I started having migraines at about your age. I am now 62 yrs old and still struggle. I have been on medications of many kinds over the yrs daily with not really help. I just treat the pain with Imitrex. Yesterday I went to another Neurologist who put me on Effexor for a month as I wait approval for Botox injections which is supposed to prevent the frequency of headaches and possibley to none. However you should seek out a neurologist who specializes in headache and get a proper diagnosis. Many Drs. like to try all these different concoctions which I call coctails of several different medications which can be addictive and problmatic. Seriously sweetie, seek a professional (neurologist) to determine what's good for you. I would hate to see anyone go down the many roads I've been on all these years. I have lesions on my brain and was misdiagnosed with MS and took daily injections for that for 3 yrs. til I sought out another Neurologist who was shocked I didn't have a spinal tap to rule out MS or something else. The spinal tap was negative for MS so again find a good Dr. and get 2nd opinions.
God Bless and I will pray for you and or good help.
Thank you so much for your words of support, I am currently seeing a neurologist and I am enquiring if I can get a brain scan as I believe a MRI would be useful. I am currently taking topiramate and triptans but neither help, I agree with you about the coctails of medications, I certainly don't want to be misdiagnosed. Hopefully they will find something to help soom, I can only hope and pray.
Hi Katie,
Reading your post reminding me of myself a few years ago. I remember coming home from college one day with a headache and thinking it will go away in a bit. I spent the whole christmas holidays lying down and taking medicines and now nearly 3 years on I still have them.
For the first year or so it was a pounding headache day and night and would only stop when I was asleep. I'd been to the GP several times but just got told it was stress or lack of sleep or my diet. I was doing my A-levels at the time and the doctors just thought I was stressing about them (I think it was definitely contributing)
It is hard to explain these headaches to someone who doesn't have them. I would try and explain how it affected my daily life but I don't think anyone actually realises how horrible they are.
I know what it feels like to have them, and the days when it all gets too much and you just want to not have a headache even if it's just for a few hours.
Over the years I have tried many different medication and I had an MRI which came back normal. I had massages done in my upper back/neck/shoulders as well as accupuncture and these helped but were not long lasting. I started doing yoga and working on my posture which I think really helped. Our cases might be different but it might be your muscles causing a strain. these cause pain which leads to headaches. Do you have a good posture? And also make sure you have a healthy diet and you're drinking plenty of water.
I'm 20 now and at uni, and my headaches are more under control. I have noticed that they are more frequent and painful when I am stressed, if I am sitting for long hours or if I am carrying a heavy bag so I try to avoid doing that (that's pretty impossible at uni)
I also try stretching as much as I can and doing yoga- definitely helps if its the muscles causing your pain.
I hope you find something from this useful. Remember that you're not alone! If you need any more advice or just want to talk feel free to contact me 