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Constant Daily Headaches That Never Go Away

I have had constant daily headaches for over 3 years.  I have tried all the different medications, physical therapy, biofeedback, therapy, ten unit, Alpha Stim, surgeries and many other things.  I had fusion surgery at C3-4 and I just had surgery at C7 for a fracture.  

Does any one have any suggestion that might help me with my constant daily headaches.  The headaches are controling my life.

Thanks,

Gary794
6 Responses
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Avatar universal
My appointment with the Physical Medicine and Rehabilition doctor went alright.  He having me go for physical therapy and put me on some muscle relaxer.  I was hoping for more from him.  He didn't want me to go on the Sevilla until my next appointment with him.

I see the Physical Medicine and Rehabilition doctor again next Tuesday, I will let you know what happens.

Take Care,

Gary
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Hello,  my name is Barbara. My husband is experiencing and has been experiencing exactly what you have described for the past 2 and a half years. I was reading through your message thread and wondering if I could have an update on how you are doing now since it’s been over 10 years. We are desperately looking for answers for him.
768044 tn?1294223436
Hi Gary794,

Sorry I haven't written,

I've been thinking though and I will keep thinking. I know this is going to probably sound silly since you've tried so much and so much strong stuff... and I don't want to sound like a hippy or anything because I really get annoyed myself when people suggest "alternative therapies" to me because I'm just like "no! I need medically proven things that will work!!!" but... just because it has been proven for migraines and has been shown to work for some other headaches as well and you didn't mention it... I was wondering if you've ever tried taking magnesium before? 400mg a day? Sorry if that sounds really silly... especially since your pain is so severe. I just thought I'd give it a shot just in case you hadn't tried it... I figure it maybe couldn't hurt...

I'll keep thinking though... I won't forget about this post!

How was your appointment with the Physical Medicine and Rehabilition doctor? Did they have any suggestions? Did you find the appointment helpful at all?

I've never heard of or tried Savella before... but it's an SNRI that's used in fibromyalgia right? In general I think that SNRIs are pretty neat medications, because they can be used for so many things... because it acts on norepinephrine too, which means it has a secondary act on dopamine because anything that acts on norepinephrine is going to have a secondary act on dopamine so even though it doesn't act on dopamine directly and only acts on the norepinephrine and serotonin directly, it's really acting on all three of those major neurotransmitters and it's the norepinephrine and dopamine that are so important when it comes to regulating chronic pain from what i've heard... if you've heard good things about it, I'd say you should talk to your doctor about it. Let me know how it goes.

anyway, keep in touch. let me know how your doctor's appointment went. and if i think of anything i'll let you know!

- marilee
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Marilween,

I have tried trigger point shots, botox shots on the side of my head for TMJ and nerve block shot. Nothing has helped.  When it comes to medication I have not had any luck with medication.  No medication has helped my headaches and all they have bad side effects.  The fusion surgery on C3-4 did not help me.  It been 5 days since I had the C7 fracture taken out.  The pain and headache is still very bad from the surgery.  I know I have to give the surgery more time to heal, but it is hard because of the pain and headaches.  

I have an appointment with a Physical Medicine and Rehabilition doctor on Friday.  I do not know what he can do for me, but my primary doctor think he might be able to help.  I will let you know how it goes.  Have you tried or hear of Savella?  Someone told me that this medication might help.

Thanks for your help and suggestions.

Gary794
Helpful - 0
768044 tn?1294223436
Hi Gary794,

You really have tried a lot of medications... and not just a lot of medications, but a lot of different classes of medications.

I am curious about what types of injection shots you have been given? I have tried trigger point injections that I believe are a mixture of an anesthetics for sure and maybe a type of cortisone... I've never actually asked my doctor what's in the shots... I'm guessing these are the same types of shots you've gotten too.

I have also received botox shots too, which are used for migraines... maybe people who get migraines say that botox shots are a miracle... and I believe that they have helped me some. Now although botox has only really been approved for the treatment of migraine headaches when it comes to treating headaches... you have mentioned that you suffer from spasms and I was wondering... if you have not tried botox yet, you might want to talk to a neurologist about trying shots in the back of your neck / and upper back (I also get headaches in my neck and upper back and received botox shots there as well as the regular migraine headache spots) ... your insurance might not cover the treatment since it is off label use of the botox, as botox is only used for migraine headaches and not tension headaches, but, it might be worth trying... botox tends to cost $400 a treatment. But, you might have already tried this... let me know?

I have to go to bed now... I would have answered more but I got a migraine today that put me out for most of the day. I will do more research though on the medications that you have already tried. At the moment I am only currently familiar with the following of what you mentioned...

I am familiar with topamax, as I am currently taking it (it has not stopped my chronic headaches either although it did help some with the chronic constant pain). I am also familiar with the Nortriptyline... I was on a similar medication for headaches that did absolutely nothing at all for my pain. Morphine makes me feel really ill, although a different type of opiate called hydromorphone is the only medication that exists that completely takes away my acute pain... BUT my neurologist told me that opiates do not work for all headaches pain for all patients, for some patients, it does nothing for them at all... so it does not surprise me at all that the morphine doesn't help your pain... according to my neurologist this isn't abnormal. I have never taken Lyrica, although a friend did and she had too many side-effects to keep taking it. Advil does nothing for chronic or severe headache pain... and is actually a trigger for headaches and can cause rebound headaches, so it also doesn't surprise me that advil did nothing for your pain... in face, advil can just irritate pain and make it worse. If your headaches really are tension headaches, then it makes sense also that the Sumatriptan didn't work... because it is a migraine medication and interrupts the physiology of a migraine, and would do nothing for a tension headache. The Oxycodone... well, I guess that fits in with what I was saying about the opiates not working for some people and also the OTC drugs irritating headaches... because it is a mix of opiates and OTC drugs... so, a potentially useless drug in your case plus a headache irritant. Ahh, the quest of finding a solution and trying all these drugs only to be disapointed... I know how it is... and then to find out that some only end up making things worse... it can be so depressing... I get so down sometimes... but, I know that I have to stay positive because I know there is a solution out there! We will find it!!!

So... since I know a bit about why some of those things might not have worked, and please let me know if you have any insights yourself on why they didn't work that I might not have mentioned... I will try and brain storm some things that might work and I will write back soon! Probably tomorrow night! Keep strong!

P.S. I mentioned I was on topamax... and I mentioned that I get trigger point injections and botox. And I mentioned the acute pain medication that I use in emergencies. I thought I'd also mention other stuff that I use just so you know a bit about me... I use zomig (a migraine medication) although that would be of no use to you probably and naproxen (a prescription NSAID) for most of my acute headaches. I also take a daily betablocker called nadolol (i don't think it helps at all). That is my current treatment plan. I've tried a few of the things you've mentioned too (TENS, Acupuncture, antidepressants for headaches, etc.) which didn't help me either. Anyway... that's me. I'll keep in touch! I won't stop thinking about things that might help you! :)
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Avatar universal
Maliween

Thanks for taking the time to return my posting.  Each different doctor has a different opinions.  Most tell me that I have tension headaches.  Pain is in the back of my head that go around my head to my forward head.  I have constant throbbing,aching pain that make me feel dizzy all the time. Some of the doctors think the headaches are coming from neck. Here is a list of medication and things that I have tried.  I have tried different kinds medications that I have tried for headaches, high blood pressure, anti-depression and for spasms.

List of medications:
Pristiq, Cymbalta, Isometh/APAP/Dichlor, Trazodone, Morphine Sulfer, Atenolol, Lyrica, Voltraren Gel, Migranal Spray, MethylpredniSolone, Iburrofen, Topamax, Dival proex ER, Gabapentin, Sumatriptan Succinate, Prozac, Zonisamide, Zanaflex Nortriptyline, Baclofen, Oxycodone/APAP.

List of Doctors that I have seen:
Pain Management, Neurological and Headache, Oral & Maxillofacial, Physical Therapy Bifofeedback, Otolaryngology (Head and Neck) Chiroprator, Acupuncture, Anesthesicology, Neurosurgereon, Ear, Nose and Throat and Clinical therapist.

Things I have tried, but did not help:
Injection shot, nerve blocks,Spinal Cord Stimulator trial in my neck that did not help, fusion surgery at C3-4, removed a fracture at C7, chiroprator, physical therapy, ten unit, alpha stim and biofeedback.

Once again I would like to thank you and anyone else for their opinion or suggestion.

Gary794
Helpful - 0
768044 tn?1294223436
Hi Gary794,

It sounds like you have tried a lot already... I am so sorry to hear that these headaches are controlling your life. I have chronic migraines so I can relate to chronic pain issues... and to searching for an answer and feeling like I've tried almost everything.

I'm not a doctor and can't give medical advice... but, I know what I've tried and maybe I have tried some things that you haven't tried... and vice versa... maybe we could help each other with suggestions that we could then run by our doctors?

Can you be specific with the types of different medications you have tried in case maybe I have tried something or heard of something that you might not have tried yet? Or, if you would prefer to keep that private, I could just list off everything I've heard of... I just don't want to mention things you've already tried because I know that can be annoying and frustrating (at least it is for me sometimes) ... but, if you would prefer that, I can do that. Just let me know!

Also, what was the diagnosis of the headaches by the doctors? Are the headaches from the fracture in your spine? Or, are they tension headaches or migraines? Or, are they caused by a medication condition? Or...? Have you been given any sort of diagnosis by a neurologist or surgeon or chronic pain doctor, etc.? That would be helpful knowing in suggesting possible solutions as well. Because different types of headaches are treated very differently... although there are some over-lap with some chronic pain medications which can help many types of headaches... but... specific headaches usually have specific treatments that tend to work best for them.

I hope that these headaches stop or that you find a successful pain management program very soon. Keep in touch!
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