Does anyone here have chronic daily heaches? I am interested in hearing your thoughts.
In the last months or so my migraines have turned into a low grade daily headache of the tension type, occasionally it flares up a lot and becomes very bad with pain in my face, sinus pressure and dizziness.
Also I am not sure whether anyone has experienced this sensation of being constantly feeling out of oxygen in the brain? Like your head is quite congested, not clear and feels heavy, together with a hairband effect. This is especially the case when I am in a confined space like a train or an enclosed air coned office environment…
I am currently on Verapamil 40x2 daily (started two weeks ago) but have not seen any huge improvement yet apart from getting slightly more energy. Other supplements include:
CoQ10
B complex, B2, B12
Fish oil
Vit C
Vit D
Vit E
Magnesium
Does anyone have any success with any drugs to treat the daily headaches? Any other therapy helped? I am considering doing Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy to help with the out of oxygeny feeling, any thoughts?
Verapamil can cause headaches… I had that problem for about the first month I was on it. Just a chronic low-grade headache. (They did eventually go away, though… ) If you’ve only been on it 2 weeks, I’d guess that’s what’s causing your headaches. Also, 80 mg/day seems pretty low to me, which may be why you’re not seeing any difference. I started at 40 3x/day and after a month doubled that. I’m not cured, but it does at least “take the edge off” the vertigo, etc. for me… I know I’ve read that some folks take even more than I do, but I guess that would depend on your doc, how much it helps, and how well you tolerate it.
I started having nearly daily headaches, and I thought my sleep quality might be an issue due to a relatively new problem with reflux (it can cause “micro-awakenings” that you’re not fully aware of). I quit caffeine and chocolate, and that didn’t really make much difference (you’re supposed to quit those for reflux, and they’re no-no’s on the migraine diet too). Maybe a little dent in the frequency, but not a lot.
But I did get FL-41 rose tinted glasses (recommended by folks on this website), and that has made a significant difference for me. I’ve had a reduction in both frequency and severity of my headaches, though mine were never what I’d call truly severe. I still get barometer change headaches, but they’ve been pretty vague ones that don’t bother me much.
I think what happened to me was a change in the degree of my sensitivity to light. It’s been there all along, it’s just gotten worse. The tinted glasses were the non-medication help that I needed.
Erica, do you have trouble with low blood pressure after being on Verapamil? I feel a lack of oxygen as soon as I get on a train (with warm air in winter) or in the office also with warm air. I suspect I either have blood supply issues or just low blood pressure caused by Verapamil. I am not sure whether I should continue with this drug given it effectively means I can no longer work in the office!!!
Mary, unfortunately I never had light sensitivity (perhaps fortunately), so tinted glasses won’t help me. Hmm…
Storm - no, I haven’t had any problems with my blood presssure. Before Verapamil, my BP was usually about 117 over something equally normal. (A couple of times when I felt particularly lousy with the MAV stuff, I did see that my BP was up to more like 130, though…) While on 240/day of the Verap, though, I’m still coming in somewhere between 110 and 117. Occasionally I’ll feel more tired after taking a dose, but I don’t think it really does much to my BP.
Hi nathcart
I visited a very reputable chiropractor to treat my stiff neck & sore back. I had to sign a disclaimer before the treatment. Just got back to my car ten minutes after my treatment & got the most horrible spinning vertigo & throwing up.
Saw my doctor later when I could get to the surgery who suggested that it would be wise to not let a chiropractor treat my neck again and that she had seen other patients who’d had the same reaction to neck manipulation. If you have mav it’s probably not the best choice to make!
Barb
I hope I am wrong but I suspect Nathan is not here in a private capacity but rather to promote chiropractic, in particular the practitioner to whom he keeps providing links.
Regardless, as you rightly point out, chiropractic can often be catastrophic.
I had low grade headaches almost daily for months. Mine seemed to come towards the end of the day, around 4 or 5pm. They have since subsided since starting Topamax.
I have chronic daily headache… amitriptyline has helped lower the quantity and severity of them, but not a huge amount. I also have a fluorescent light trigger, so any exposure at all and I WILL have disabling vertigo and head pain, usually within minutes. I also wear the FL-41 tinted glasses, but all they seem to do is slow the symptoms from hitting. With them I can normally last 20-30 minutes before symptoms start… yet another hopeful miracle that failed
Hi, yes I have a chronic daily (afternoon) headache which knocks me sick. Since starting Pizotifen (6 days) now immediately the daily headache went miraculously. Got one migraine in the 6 days, but that was from light trigger. Whether its a coincidence or the Pizotifen really works. Scott seems to think so. Worth a go for you.
) If you’ve only been on it 2 weeks, I’d guess that’s what’s causing your headaches. Also, 80 mg/day seems pretty low to me, which may be why you’re not seeing any difference. I started at 40 3x/day and after a month doubled that. I’m not cured, but it does at least “take the edge off” the vertigo, etc. for me… I know I’ve read that some folks take even more than I do, but I guess that would depend on your doc, how much it helps, and how well you tolerate it.