Sometime in 2006 (around the age of 12-13) I started having headaches every single day. I don't remember how bad they were in the beginning but I know they were eventually overwhelming and were there 24/7. They are not migraines. The pain is in different places all the time: forehead, back of head, jaw, behind eyes, etc. There is no pattern. I have been to an optometrist, neurologist, and 3 different GPs. I have had X-rays, an MRI, and blood work done multiple times. All have come back normal. After many trials with many different medications we found that 50mg of Amytriptiline daily helps keep them away tremendously. However, in the last 3-4 months the headaches have been coming back every now and then, some the worst I've had since I began taking the medicine 3 years ago. I don't know what to do anymore and I'm scared the medicine will stop working and I'll be at square one.
I am 22, female.
Symptoms when headaches began:
- pain in face/behind eyes/anywhere on head or neck area; usually dull and throbbing but sometimes sharp shooting pain
- pain reached a 10 at least once a day, to point where I would just lay in bed and tears would stream down my face
- becomes worse after engaging in physical activity such as running, bike riding, skating, surfing, even jet skiing or moving fast in open vehicle (I think it increases tension in my jaw); also becomes worse in cold
- lack of energy/no desire to move
- constantly tired
- over time as headaches persisted, I became depressed because I couldn't do anything or concentrate with the pain
Symptoms in last 3 months while taking Amytriptiline:
- same variety of location and intensity of pain, but less often (it seems like they are "breaking through" the medicine every now and then), a few times a week
- onset of headaches from physical activity/cold has never changed even after starting the meds; I try to take naproxen before physical activity and it sometimes prevents the headache
- random episodes of fatigue, about 1 or 2 times weekly lasting all day
Other issues that may or may not be related:
- sometimes unable to wake up, in the morning or after a nap; I feel as though I've been drugged or something, very sluggish and have a hard time keeping my eyes open and pulling myself up even after plenty of sleep
- one episode of sleep paralysis in the last month