Daily headaches from hell-help needed

How awful for you. As others have said - please persist with your GP because this isn't something that you can safety grit your teeth through, it needs to be thoroughly investigated.

I suffered with dreadful headaches myself even after the menopause. However what has worked for me is bodywork treatments from Jing.

Jing training is degree level advanced clinical massage to treat chronic pain conditions. Their approach draws on a deep understanding of anatomy and pathology and a blend of Western and Eastern techniques to manage and improve chronic conditions providing deep relief without discomfort.

Jing are based in Brighton but have a network of practitioners all over the UK. Why not get in touch and see if they can recommend someone near you? They look after lots of people awaiting referrals and undergoing investigation.

I hope this helps
Hugs

Kentish I sympathise with you,been there, got the flippin’ tee shirt!
This may sound totally improbable too, it does to me! But I swear it helps.
Sinex nasal spray!!! A couple of sprays a day for 2/3 days, it seems to shift something I don’t even know is there! Could it be a mildly blocked sinus that the spray unblocks? Who knows! Anything is worth a try, bet it works!!

Real sympathy as I was a monthly migraine sufferer all my life from 11 til menopause. Only thing that really helped me was cold, real icecubes in a plastic bag, those blue things were never cold enough. If I had the ice on my face I'd put a tissue under it to avoid cold 'burns'. Ibuprofen, once I discovered it, often helped if taken early enough. One doctor I called out in sheer desperation once, told me to alternate ibuprofen with paracetamol every two hours, which did the trick for that one. Now I'm relatively free, sometimes after stress I wake at 5ish thinking uh-oh, but an ibuprofen will usually kill it off, leaving me feeling a bit 'hungover' but OK to carry on with the day.
Best wishes

If its migraine get referred for botox.I was having daily headaches but any more the botox realy works

You definitely need a second opinion, if only to put your mind at rest. Why are some GPS so adamant they have made the right diagnosis? There’s no shame in asking for somebody else’s opinion.

Please do not take this as a silly or trivial answer. I had this for years. Tried all the medications, tried giving up - chocolate, cheese, wine etc. Nothing had any effect. Then my daughter who had been living away and in that time had done a nutrition degree (the full university, state qualification thing not something wacky) - she came back home and said - just in passing as though it was obvious:- 'It might be wheat you know - its the 'somethingth' most common sensitivity.' I thought, well I'll prove her wrong. So I cut wheat out - the weeks went by and no headache - that was in 2001. Still no headache. Just a possibility.

I doubt it is anything sinister but I don't think it is good enough just to fobbed off. I went through the same thing and my Dr gave me some medication that epileptics take which I had to use for 6 months. It was a peculiar drug because it changed my taste buds, made my acute phobia of spiders disappear and gave me an energy which I haven't had for years. It helped my weight too because sweet stuff was unpalatable. And...the best bit? The migraines disappeared!
Since I came off the drug, I have noticed certain things will trigger migraines still. I get a lot of pain in my neck so I now use a magnetic pain relief which is very good and I can't believe something like that would be so effective. If I sleep badly, it causes one and if I eat too much sweet stuff, it is a definite trigger.
It might be worth writing a diary of food, sleep, etc to see if there is a link.

I suddenly got bad migraines at the age of about 60. Daily pain for most of the day, perhaps 3 hours clear, and then again at night, I had virtually never had a headache before. The doctor prescribed Migraleve, which did not help.Finally the doctor sent me to have a brain scan far away, and my daughter in law drove me there. When I came out from the scanner the operator said "As far as I can see there are no tumours but the consultant will be in touch." He did and said I had nothing to worry about, The I got sent to a local physiotherapist for head massage. My headaches went away and so far have never returned.
All the best and I hope you soon get the treatment you deserve,

could it be sleep apnoea causing the morning headaches

This article might offer some hope to migraine sufferers: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-47831576

Hi Kentish, I have had a similar problem. Around a year ago I started to wake up with the worst headaches I have ever had - I am a tough cookie but had to stay in bed at times as I could not literally move my head. I tried physio as the least intrusive - I hate pills etc - and although I had little faith, it turned out be be my neck. A few treatments and exercises did it. You might want to consider physio?

Yes, I feel for you like others have said. It could need further investigation. I do know that the facial nerves are so close together that they easily set each other off and can take a while to settle. Don't underestimate the power of your hands. Years ago I went through a terrible period with facial pain and the GP was about to refer me. Having had to return home one day it was so bad I couldn't concentrate I sat with my head in my hands, while the pain killers kicked in, pressing tightly around my temple area with thumb and fingers. Low and behold I could feel the pain subsiding and knew it wasn't just the pain killers. Thankfully it went never to return.

Kentish I woke up at age 14 with my first big headache, it lasted for 6 weeks without let up. Since then I have had headaches most days throughout my life, so I do sympathise. I've had every check up available, opticians, scans etc etc. Lowish blood pressure, so not that. At one point I tried no paracetamol at all as maybe it was actually an over medication problem, so you could try that, very difficult for the first day or so but gets easier. I did find that helped to a certain extent, but if I get a big one I find the only thing that really works is Avmigram, unfortunately you can't get it in this country I get mine from Turkey as I worked over there for 13 years and this was what the pharmacist suggested. Maybe if you know someone who is going there they could get you a box, it's very cheap, or maybe try the internet.

Hi my OH had migraines for years. Last year he tried acupuncture for the first time and it worked, only one minor attack in 18 months. So it might be worth a try.

I think you must be right LBC about them being hormonal. I used to have classic migraines in my 40’s - with the preceding aura of zig zag lines. No family history of them. The first one I ever got was when I was reading and ‘gaps’ or blanks with no text appeared on the page. It frightened me to death! I lifted a hand up and moved it in front of me and it ‘disappeared’ at one side. I thought I had a brain tumour.

All disappeared 10y ago after the menopause.

Oh god this brought back memories of cluster headaches I used to get. Beyond awful. I would have a headache for about 5 days, constantly. I found it hard to get off to sleep even after taking analgesics and would then bluddy dream I had a headache - because obviously I still had it.

It made me anxious and a bit low. Till it lifted! One day miraculously it had gone. I only ever had one further bad episode - none since.

I do hope yours disappears soon Kent.
I really do feel for you.

It will get better.

Oh Kentish I feel for you. I suffered with headaches all my life until I hit the magical menopause (worse during) after which they disappeared. They were obviously hormonal. I was sometimes sick with them.
Like you I would suffer for about five days at a trot and was almost suicidal. GPs don't really know what to do. Much of the literature said that doctors don't really want to know unless you get them every single day. Could he refer you to a pain relief specialist?
I hope you can get better help. I just had to live through it and it was misery at times. However, the truckload of painkillers didn't kill me and I can look back at it now and shudder.
I know it sounds trite but could other things like exercise, diet, hydration and distraction help? They don't make the pain go away but provide a different focus.

I think the next doctor that tells a woman of a certain age that ' It is just their age' for any complaint should be put in the stocks and have rotten tomatoes and eggs thrown at them.

Go back to your surgery, make an appointment with a different GP and demand that you be referred on to to specialist.

I agree, ask for further investigation, even if this does turn out to be a menopausal symptom there must be other treatments available.

Definitely ask for further investigation - it needs checking to rule out anything sinister.

My husband suffered with cluster migraines brought on by stress - he would be fine while whatever was stressful but as soon as he relaxed back they came. He said he wanted to drill a hole in his head to relieve them - they were also behind his eye. Back in the '70's he used to have to have pethidine injections which would knock him out for hours but eventually years later the doctor gave him a very expensive medication which worked - unfortunately I can't remember the name of them. One particular day he was in Switzerland at a clients and one came on - the client gave him a glass of flat Coke and it did help with the sickness. Thankfully he hasn't had one for some years now.

My mother also started with bad headaches when she was in her 50's and woke up every morning with one - she lived on paracetamol most of her life.

I agree with what others have said. Without proper investigation, how can your GP be certain that the pain you are experiencing is migraine? I think he/she should refer you to a specialist.

Mine is low to normal ..

Have you had your blood pressure checked?

They're awful .. And I understand .. I take a muscle relaxer to knock it back, also use those gel eye masks with the Velcro closures, I keep them in the freezer, I strap them on my head backwards, sideways, sometimes wear 2 at a time, situate them where it hurts most, have had them during the night, upon waking up, and if I don't get on top of them right away I regret it, coffee helps for me, even during the night, when my muscles relax it subsides but quite often the areas where the pain was can stay tender for days from me massaging the muscles that actually feel like rope sometimes .. Chiropractic has helped .. As does relaxing ..

Sorry meant to add hope you get it sorted ?