World's Longest headache - 18 years!

[airbus310]

I have had a 24/7 hreadache since 1989. It is located right in the centre of my forehead and and is usually an 8 or a 9 out of 10 on the pain scale. There is no treatment, medication, drug, specialist, scan or alternative therapy treatment that I have not undergone in an effort to find the cause. The best of the best in Australia have worked on it all to no avail. MRI's by 8, CT Scans by 4 anything with "..oscopy" on the end of, anti depressants, high dosage morphine patches, not one single thing has ever look like working. It has been diganosed as not being physosymatic mainly as a result of its continuity and refusal to react to any medications.
I am 64 and in excellent health - other than this constant companion. I do not intend seeing this 2008 year out I am afraid as it has finally beaten me!

[TesseractToo]

I have you beat by 3 years- my skull was smashed (smash means too many fractures to count) on Sept 11 1986. 4 reconstruction surgeries, and 24/7 8-10 pain. When I hit a 10 I have a grand mal seizure.

Sorry, but you do not have the world's longest headache and you never did.

Also there is a French woman that beat me- 52 IIRC years until she committed suicide.

[kl4col]

There must be a solution. Can you get to a Mayo?  I have a friend who has chronic pain and she was given a pain pump implanted in her abdomen over 10 years ago...full of a variety of pain meds...one only available in these pumps (comes from a rare fish in the sea). Prialt or something...1000 times more powerful than morphine or something. She goes into her doctor every other month to have the pump refilled via a needle insertion to a port on the pump. Please ask about that. Taking your own life is never the answer because I've heard say you take those problems with you. God Bless you...I pray your docs find an answer for you!

[Czrny]

I've had a headache since I can remember. My Mom told me, that after I started walking, but before I could talk, I would constantly hit my head against the wall. Before that, I would cry most of the time, every day. I was diagnosed with Paroxysmal Hemicrania Continua, when I was 35. (Sharp Stabbing Pain On One Side Of The Head, All The Time). Indomethacin will take the edge off, but it doesn't get rid of it. Not counting the first 5 years of my life, because I don't remember much in that time... I guess I've had a Headache for about 52 years, 8.5 months.

[sara12345]

Great information.  Thanks.

[heartunblocked]

Hi Fellow Sufferers
For more years than I can remember I suffered from daily headaches.
I have been on a cocktail of Topomax and Prothiadine with opioid pain relief for many years and have been adversely effected by them but they gave me some relief.
Recently from left field I was diagnosed with a blockage in a coronary artery which was stented RESULT: daily headaches are gone.
My cardiologist has had one other patient like me.
My neurologist does not believe that it is possible.
My heart was a key.

[guru5050]

Mate get off the drugs!!!! I have had a cronic headache for 23 years at a similar level to what you describe and have been down the drug path. They weaken you in everyway! They make pain worse in the end and destroy your natural endorphine response, they destroy all your natural copping mechanisms. The only thing i take is Naltrexone - Very low levels that raise your natural endorphine levels. It does help. Coming off the drugs is extreme and takes courage and time but behind the veil of their supression is you! It is incrediable what you are capable of when you clear yourself and dont let the fear take you anymore. This is my experience. I am now 50 and struggle everyday and night but have found my own management with chiropractic treatment. Like you i have had all the test, nerve blocks etc but the most powerful thing is crying and let the grief that cronic pain brings surface and be expelled everyday. Pain loves to be retained and recycled. Fear is the mixing stick-grieving(talk to someone not in your family) and no painkillers will position to deal with this incrediably poweful foe. P.S. Been in that same pain clinic too-stuck cortizone into me! Didnt help either.