Severe Migraines

[someday123]

For most of my life I have head a pretty consistent but small headache.  In the past 3 years it has become increasingly intense to the point where I cannot function normally most of the time.  I constantly have a bad headache and sometimes it becomes bad enough to where I cannot do anything.

The worst part is sometimes the headache gets very bad and I get sudden sharp pains in one side of my temples.  This can happen several times over an hour or two.  It is so bad it causes me to jump in shock and I cannot do anything while it is happening it is so intense.  It is enough to make me cry sometimes and it makes me feel like something is terribly wrong.  One time for about a month dizziness enough to make me fall over seemed to replace the sharp pains but not the whole headache.

I have been to many neurologists and specialists over the past few years and have been told my brain is floating in too much water, I am hypoglycemic, they cannot find anything, among other things and no treatment has worked.

Could it be a bacteria or virus?  I have been in jungles in south america when I was young.  I have also been given medicine for epilepsy which did not help.

I am in my lower 20's and cannot remember what it feels like to not be sick or without pain and any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you

[LivingInHope]

Has no one suggested a shunt to try to relieve the pressure from too much fluid around your brain?  Temple pain would make me think you should be getting your ESR tested (blood test).  Also, I think of TMJ related headache.  Do you have an overbite?  I suffer from migraines and can get headaches from TMJ issues.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the forum!
Definitely if there is too much fluid in the brain or hydrocephalus, it should be thoroughly investigated. The cause can be injury, an infection, a tumor, or a hemorrhage. Once the pressure is relieved, the headaches will lessen.
The other possibility could be spinal nerves in the cervical spine region. This can happen due to overuse of computers, work involving straining of neck, canal stenosis, bone disease, spondylosis, poor posture etc.
Tension headaches, migraines, temporal arteritis, fluid or infection of internal ear can all cause one sided headaches.
Your other problem is hypoglycemia. Excessive alcohol intake, hepatitis, kidney disease, certain medications, disorders of adrenal gland etc can all cause hypoglycemia. It can also be caused by poor eating patterns. Rarely is it caused by insulin secreting tumors called insulinomas. These can secrete huge amounts of insulin after food and a person can suffer from hypoglycemia despite eating.
Please consult a neurologist and first get your brain CT done to find the cause for the fluid.
It is difficult to comment beyond this at this stage. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!