Just wanted to throw some info out there in case any of my SI peeps suffer from these abominations. Had them off and on all my life (genetic - Mom, sis, brother, aunt, cousins all get them) but most time I can tell when they are coming and dark room + meds + sleep and I'm good a few hours later. About 2 months ago started having them frequently and for days on end. Dropped $700 on a CAT scan Tuesday and I've got a sever sinus infection and a cyst on my sinuses. Already on antibiotics and going to an ENT specialist Tuesday to see how to get rid of the cyst, might require surgery. If my idgit Dr had figured this out 2 months ago I wouldn't have had to suffer through this hell. If anyone else has been having these (esp. with the start of allergy season) you may want to look into the CAT scan or at least see if you have a sinus infection. I basically had to b*tch out my Dr to get them to refer me for the scan. There went my $$$ I saved for my custom board but worth every penny to get rid of them. If I hadn't I'd still be going through this crap for FSM knows how long. Done with this Dr after I get through this.
I've had them all my life, only occasionally and not severe enough to do anything about. Sometimes I'll get one after surfing, I kind of think that the glare of the sun on the water and getting my head pounded by waves triggers them. When that happens I have to wait until the aura passes before I drive home and crawl into the dark room. I get them year round, and I've never suspected mine had anything to do with my sinuses, though. Good luck with your situation, and potential surgery.
if I sit around all day towards the end of the day il have a raging headache.my bro says its because of the cfl lights but idk,sounds crazy.usually a nice meal and a shower takes care of it,and if it doesn't just go to sleep.the pills don't work so I don't bother with them
Definitely know what you mean. I suffered for years till a friend asked me if I had ever seen a Chiropractor. Gave it a shot and now I am headache free. I go in for a tune up once every 2 months to get my neck cracked and I'm good to go.
In the Marines my gun truck rolled off a small sand cliff and i got whacked in the head, received a traumatic brain injury. Migraines have been a constant the last few years. 3 years ago i went to VA hospital begging them to help. They took cat scans and said "there's nothing there." I was constantly on pain killers and for 3 months the pain was unbearable. I asked for a copy of my pet scan for 2nd opinion. I look it at myself and clear as f there's my skull with a golfball in my left cheekbone. I told them i could hear and feel intense pressure in my eye. I get the radiologist to admit she didn't even look at my scan. When my brain got rocked it released fluids that cause damage, lucky for me after accident i had blood and an oily fluid leaking from my nose and eye. But that contained fluid has snowballed years after accident into a cyst between my maxillary sinus and cheekbone. After screaming about my film the VA was awesome (better be). I was weeks away from surgery but blood thinners and antibiotics made the pain manageable. No narcodics in couple years (i abused them) and life is better with constant hydration, dark room, fan, and naproxen. But sometimes they knock hard and plans are ruined. Good luck bruh. Keep trying non narcotic options, but for some its the only option.
Intense stories. Feel bad for you who suffer from these monsters. I have employees who go through hell on earth aka migraines. Tlo, keep us posted with an update when it happens; and hope you have total success to get your health back.
Did the chiro thing for my neck (herniated c5 and c7) but didn't notice a big change. But that's one of the things that sucks about migraines, there's several things that can trigger it and it varies from person to person. Once I found out about 20 yrs ago I was hypoglycemic and managed that better they dropped greatly in frequency. I could tell this latest bout was something different.
You just can buy a break can you my man? Very sorry to hear you went through that, but glad the VA finally stepped up and took care of it. I'm assuming you had the surgery? Narcotics suck. Double vicodin + promethazine from Sat - Tues then shot me up with immutrex, toreodol, and finnegran. They pumped me so full of drugs I was hallucinating in the waiting room for my CAT scan. I was physically ill for two days after that, which I attribute to withdrawals. I can't imagine taking those for a year and trying to kick. But yeah sometimes that's the only option. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. I have a friend who lost his arm and had the nerves ripped out of the spine. He's in constant blinding pain 24x7x365. Every couple years the meds just don't work anymore and he has to go cold turkey. Guy still never complains, he's a hero and an inspiration to me. Good luck Mattyb, and thank you for your service.
Thanks tlo, the surgery is sketchy, cutting open your face and sinus wall is dangerous, facial nerve paralysis and sinus infections are way too high. Lucky for me the blood thinner decreased swelling and the pain calmed week before the surgery so I lucked out. Accident happened 3 months after OIF 1, and they fed me pain meds from '03-08. It was hell getting off em. I have taken all the meds you mentioned, currently trying a low blood pressure med with a triptan, like immetrex. They suck. But I am blessed and lucky. I got speech and memory therapy and im ok. Some dudes with similar injury are struggling to tie their shoes, so i am beyond lucky. Hydrate till your full. Good luck
Hey, sinus issues aren't the same as migraines. I know very well about sinus headaches and how bad they are. Also, a sinus polyp is not a big deal, and is nothing serious. Go see the ENT doc to see what he/she has to say about your scan, but you'll want to figure out what is causing the sinus issues. Could it be allergies?
Some polyps are no big deal, others expand and contract on the nerve endings in your face and eye that send pain signals to your brain. For me the brain injury caused a huge cyst that swells and pulses throughout my eye and maxillary sinus, causes cluster migraines, nose bleeds, puking, vertigo. Everyone is different and I agree with your ent suggestion but for some their sinus pain can pulse to the nerve endings that cause migraine phenomena. My migraines are a result of my brain getting traumatically rocked, at least I know why im having headaches. For many its a guessing game that debilitates their life quality. Good luck gents, the more I surf the more happy I am, less stress means less migraines, for me anyway.
Not sure how similar cluster headaches are to migraines, but check out Cluster Busters: http://www.maps.org/research/cluster/psilo-lsd/nm0107-10.pdf
Sorry to hear Matt, that doesn't sound fun. I had a sinus polyp/cyst, but it was due to congestion from allergies. If this is the case, surgery can remove the cyst, but it is likely just to regrow. Have to figure out the cause of the problem. Good luck.
