This is my first time writing on a forum and I feel a little nervous about it!
I am 23 years old and for nine months I have suffered with a daily persistent headache.
The headache is present every single second of every single day and the pain is very often severe. The majority of the time I feel as though my head is literally going to explode and all I can do is cry out in pain. I also get stabbing pain around my temples and eyes which can cause my vision to go blurry. My headache also causes ear ache, ringing in my ears, jaw pain and a sore throat which leaves me feeling completely overwhelmed with pain.
I was previously a happy and healthy person enjoying life but after four months of suffering with the pain I had to leave my job and become a prisoner in my own home. As a result I have become isolated from so many people and so many things in my life.
My pain is greatly exacerbated by any type of routine physical activity so I am forced to spend my days in bed in the dark and away from any noise.
In September I went to A&E and I was sent for an urgent MRI of my brain as the doctor suspected that I had a build up of pressure on my brain. Luckily the MRI came back normal and the neurologist I saw assured me that nothing sinister was going on. Of course that's great news but this also means that I still have no idea whats happening to me.
I have also developed severe neck pain which means I am unable to turn my head without horrible pain. My trapezius muscles are also very swollen which often causes my left arm to become completely rigid and unmoveable for hours at a time. In October I also began to feel pain and aches throughout my entire body. I constantly feel as though I have the flu and as though my body is so weak. My GP thinks that I may have Fibromyalgia but nothing has been confirmed.
I have been prescribed Amitriptyline, Propranolol and I have just started on Gabapentin. Amitriptyline didn't help and caused horrible side effects and Propranolol only made matters worse. I am hoping and praying that Gabapentin will help with both my headache and my body pain but I've had no relief yet.
I am waiting to see a neurologist again as well as a rheumatologist but it's all a waiting game and I'm struggling to cope.
My reason for finally plucking up the courage and writing on a forum is to be able to talk to other people who are suffering with a similar thing to me. I have found my pain to be so isolating and I find it difficult not being able to speak to anybody who may have some understanding. Its hard having pain that nobody can see and that is often underestimated because if you haven't experienced it how are you meant to know what it's like.
I really hope that by posting on this forum I can have the opportunity to speak to others in a similar position and that by talking we can help each other, even if just for a moment.