Severe Pounding Headache During Bowel Movement

[mt_100]

I have had a problem for some time now and am now very worried.

Background:
I have had this on and off for quite some time, over a year.

I'm a 33 man and at the time it started I was 194 pounds and had cholesterol of 216. I admit I was out of shape. One thing to note is my tolerance for pain is very high.

I was tested for everything, CAT scans, bowel X-rays, scoped from one end to the other. Tried fiber, lots of fiber, Nothing. I gave up on answers about the time the symptoms subsided.

Since then, I shaped up. I am now 165 pounds, cholesterol of 136 and can run 4 miles a day. At no time during the workouts or other strenuous activity do I experience this issue or other issue.

Symptoms actually went away for quite a while, several months in fact, but are now back as of this last week and worse. I now can tell when I need to have a BM because it starts very mildly.

During the BM, without straining at all, it starts. It will start on the back of my neck as a small soreness or stiffness and very quickly I will feel my heartbeat in my neck. Within seconds the pounding in my head starts on the left side and goes up to the top and down the bottom. With each heartbeat there is excruciating searing pounding pain. A pain that feel like someone hooked a bicycle pump to the left side of my neck and is pushing pressure very hard into my head. Each heartbeat is torture and afterward it slowly subsides over a few hours until only a stiff sore neck remains. However this last time the dull headache lasted into the next day.

The pain is so severe I have blacked out once however I fight not to. I am not straining, pushing, or doing anything. Most of the time I am trying to relax. This happens with hard or soft movements and diarrhea. I would consider this pain to be a 8-9 out of 10. (A motorcycle accident with broken bones was a 6 to me for comparison sake)

I have tried to identify changes or habits that may have changed or repeated and so far cannot find something. I am truly worried that I will have a stroke or brain aneurysm during a bowel movement to the extent that I call my wife on the phone.

Can someone help? No doctors around here are able to.

[Punky_Dunky]

I am having the same issue now and to hear that its not just me makes me feel a lot better.  It started Sunday and it is still going on.  been to the ER twice and had 2 ct scans done and nothing according to the hospitals I am a healthy normal person.  Yeah right.  My pain is in the back of my neck and the front of my head and behind my eyes.  My left eye gets to where I can even open it and the pressure feels like its gonna pop my eye out.  The pain causes me to not be able to swallow, dry mouth, slurred speech, loss of breath total body pain.  They are referring me to a neurologist so I hope they will find something but I am so scared to go to the bathroom because my body is so tired and sore form this for a whole week of pain.  The pain is so bad that It changes my mood swings severely to anger that you would think I am insane.  My fiance says the look I get is scary and I try to claw the pain out of my head and he has to hold my hands down.  The hospitals have seen my reactions and say oh its just a migraine and give me pain relievers.  I haven't sleep in a week and I'm scared to drive just in case it happens.  Idk what else to do I'm losing my mind.  I just cant take the pain anymore.  It has made me very depressed and with everyone telling me there is nothing wrong I feel like I'm crazy and imagining it but I know I"m not I just don't understand why no one will listen to me or help me.  I just want the pain to stop. I just want someone to help me cause I don't want to die.  I don't understand why none will do an MRI on me or do everything they can to figure it out.  I think its because I cant afford insurance but I am a good person and I think that my life is as important as the rest.  

[ErickaSue]

I am wondering if you found out anything? I am going through the same thing now. Exact same!

[kenzieloper]

Hang in there I'm going thru the same thing. You need to ask for an MRI. If you don't have insurance it could be difficult to get one. I have insurance & it's like pulling teeth to get an MRI. I have an appointment Monday & I'll be asking if I had an aneurysm, psuedoaneurysm, or chiari malformation.
It's really crazy how identical my symptoms are to the original poster & most of you. Maybe we have a rare disorder. I will be showing this thread to my doctor since some of you have gone into better detail than I could've explained.

[Cincimilla]

I feel your pain  it's on my right side in the back of my head and I barley push at all but it's like pound pound pound 5 or six times of pain like the blood vessel will burst and then it's done I've tried searching what it was and only got to this I will be seeing a doc Tuesday and will ask him while I'm there checking other things out and keep ya posted if I actually get any news it does make me wonder of aneurism sorry if that is even spelled right feels like it's something just waiting to pop but the pain subsides almost as quick as it appears

[Chriswithach]

Did you ever find anything out? Are you better? What I experience sounds just like your scenario. I haven’t seen a doc yet so I’m totally clueless. Thanks and hope you’re doing better

[extremeash]

Sounds neurological. I've passed out from painful bowel movements and never experienced severe headaches like this. My abdomen is a mess. It sounds like something is triggering the headaches, similar to how I experienced Vasovagal reactions with severe abdominal pain. I'm not sure what's happening to you has anything to do with your stomach or abdomen. Focus more on your brain.

[susanl1972]

I just wanted to add that the bowel movements are normal and regular so its not strain or constipation or diareah related. Also wanted to add that the one minute headaches are excruciating, and even though they only last one mnute , it feels like my head is going to explode any second.

[kenzieloper]

Check to see if psuedoaneurysm fots

[susanl1972]

I have been having these for years except my severe throbbing headache only lasts about a minute. I have not mentioned it to my doctor yet. However as the pain starts creeping up my neck I will roll my head in a circular motion(stretching my neck) and most of the time, my pain goes away before it gets to my head. Mine does not come from constipation or any straining.

[Bnhrtn]

Sorry, I didn't read enough... I don't have the bloating and constipation. Never have.. Just (top of my head) exploding headaches.