Severe headaches with nausea and vomiting Posted: 09-01-08 02:45am
I'm 51 years old, female, and have had
headaches since I was a child. They seem
to have gotten progressively worse
throughout my life. I had an MRI about 15
years ago~ normal. The headaches were
initially diagnosed as migraines and
successfully treated with triptans,
particularly Imitrex, but as time has gone
on, a) I've had a heart attack, making
triptan use riskier than for normal
people; b) when I try a triptan out of
desperation, I get a 24-hour rebound
headache every single time.
My current internist believes they are
cluster headaches and has prescribed
Medrol dose paks and oxygen. Neither of
these is helping much. My biggest problem
is that with about 30% of these headaches
I experience such severe nausea and
vomiting that within just a few hours I
become desperately ill-can't eat, can't
drink, lose about five pounds of body
weight in liquids, etc. and I will tend to
be ill for days-it takes me awhile to
recover from this! I use injectable
Phenergan for the nausea (which tends to
make me a little sleepy, doesn't relieve
the nausea much) I had a headache a week
ago Wednesday, now I started one yesterday
and still have it today-if I have to
suffer through these once a week-what is
the point of living? I can't accomplish
anything, I can't go anywhere, enjoy
anything-the pain is one sided, usually,
about 85% right sided headaches,
periorbital radiating to back of head. If
I don't get actual nausea I at least lose
my appetite so nutrition is becoming an
issue. Does anybody have any ideas? I do
have some medical knowledge so I think
I've thought of the not-so obvious-am I
missing something stupid? Can anyone help
with ideas?
BTW I take nothing for the pain, as I used
to be addicted (started because of this
very problem)
Thanks in advance,
DewB
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MandMs
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 2500 Location: , Europe
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Posted: 09-01-08 03:27am
Nausea is not typical of cluster headache,
though it has been reported as a symptom.
Do you have excruciating, penetrating pain
in periorbital area?
Do you find yourself extremely restless at
that moments?
Are you experiencing almost daily less
severe headaches punctuated by severe and
debilitating headache attacks?
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dewb
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 29 Jul 2008 Posts: 4
these darn headaches Posted: 09-01-08 03:47am
I wouldn't say they are almost daily (not
yet, anyway, thank God!) but definitely
are increasing in frequency. I used to
maybe get them every 2-3 months but now
it's happening more like every 2-3 weeks,
with 1 of 3 being severe and debilitating,
as you say (those are the ones where I am
so sick I want to die) The one I had last
week, I had such intense N&V I was
throwing up just from turning my head
slightly. Fortunately the one I have now
is not so bad but still....there has to be
an answer somewhere?!
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MandMs
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 2500 Location: , Europe
Thanks: 64
Thanked:16
Sorry for delayed post! Posted: 09-23-08 06:56am
I'll suggest you to talk with your doctor
about transformed migraine.
It's a migraine disease characterized with
almost daily appearance of headaches
punctuated with more severe attacks of
migraine.
This condition of transformed migraine is
manifesting like migraine attacks with
changed characteristics and increased
frequency.
It usually appears in women having history
of migraines and medication overuse.
This headache is almost always accompanied
with nausea, vomiting, and intolerance to
sound and light.
