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Constant headaches, pressure behind eye

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Migraine Headache
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Posted 4/5/2010 10:24 PM (GMT 0)
I'm a 25 year old female, and I'm having daily headaches. It's been this way for about 3 months now, and I'm really beginning to lose hope (there was no trauma to any part of me). I've been to my GP and he was zero help. He gave me fiorcet, which does not help. I went back again and requested bloodwork and a CT scan, all of which came back normal the pain is so bad I was literally praying for something to show up). I've been to a nuerologist who perscribed depakote which made me too out of it to work. When I told him that he told me I should "Get over it" and just take it anyway. Since losing my job isn't an option (as it provides my insurance), I had to stop. I wasn't on it long enough to know if it would help or not.

I've suffered from depression for more than a decade now and I'm disipramine and mirtazipine to control it (both of which I've been on for a couple years now, with no recent dosage changes). I also use depo-provera as my birth control (which I have been on for 2 years now). The only recent medical oddity is that my blood pressure is low (90/50), and that's just when the doctors can actually get a reading, which they usually can't (and we're talking everyone in office tries and can't get it. Not from my upper arm, lower arm, thigh, calf... I doubt this has any significance but I'm grasping at anything). I am overweight too, if that matters.

The headaches usually start around the same time each day, around mid-morning. Generally, I have a sharp drop in energy and then it starts. I've kept a food journal, a headache log... I've varied everything but the headaches still happen. Some days it's already started when I get up.

The pain is constant, with severe pressure behind my eyes (it usually starts behind my right eye, but feels like it spreads to both sides). Sometimes it's not so bad, and sometimes it's so severe I feel like my head will explode. While the severity changes, the frequency never does. I haven't had a pain free day in months. No medication (OTC) has helped. I generally take half of a muscle relaxer after work (Tizanidine), which helps relax me. It does not, however, get rid of the headache (which seems to improve in the evening).

I'm starting to run out of hope. I've been put on topamax and it didn't help. None of the abortive medicines have worked (including triptans). I've tried B vitamins, magnesium, no caffeine, extra caffeine... I've gotten my eyes checked. I had bi-lateral ocipital lobe injections. I've tried NSAIDS, asprin, tylenol... I'm already on an anti-depressant that is used for chronic pain... I don't know what to do. It's really starting to ruin my life and I don't feel like anyone around me understands how horrible it is.

I have an appointment with a headache specialist this coming week, and I’m trying to hopeful about it. However, I haven’t been able to work a lot recently and I think I will need short term disability until a treatment begins to work. Is that a normal type of request for these kinds of doctors? I’ve never had to ask before and I’m afraid she will think I’m just there to “get” the disability if I ask for it the first time I see her. What do you think? Is it a reasonable request? I’m afraid of losing my job (and my insurance) and I’ve now used all of my sick days and half of my vacation days because of this.

Please, if anyone can help me figure out what this is from or what I can do, I would be beyond grateful. I just need an answer.
Posted 4/5/2010 10:41 PM (GMT 0)
I went through this. Dr.'s did bunch of tests...nothing. Found out on my own that I was not drinking enough water. Drank VERY LITTLE. Was getting dehydrated and wicked bad nonstop headaches. Drink PLENTY keep a bottle of water with you at all times and just sip. It's a long shot but I thought I'd let you know it stopped my headaches.
Posted 4/6/2010 10:24 PM (GMT 0)
JohnJ- thank you for your reply. I do drink plenty of fluids each day and I'm not dehydrated. And although it was a long-shot, if I wasn't doing it already, it could have helped. :)

 

Posted 4/6/2010 11:06 PM (GMT 0)
To moot0009:

Your problem is a deficiency of magnesium ions in and around your brain. The lack of magnesium ions doesn't allow your muscles (controlling blood vessels) to relax once they are contracted. I know you have tried magnesium before, but it was probably the wrong type and insufficient amounts. Also, your low blood pressure indicates a potential issue with magnesium as magnesium controls the movement of potassium and calcium in all of the cells in the body. Did you know that many doctors and pain clinics give ionic magnesium injections to cure migraines?

I found a really good source of ionic magnesium at www.mineralremedies.com - check out the list of conditions from magnesium deficiencies - I think all of yours are there.

Ionic magnesium cured my migraines and headaches, my leg cramps, and an episode of serious depression that I had two years ago. I'll be it will do the same for you. I learned the cure from reading, as no doctor was able to do anything for me. Sound familiar?

Good Luck!
Posted 4/7/2010 4:51 PM (GMT 0)
Well, as I said in the first post, I did try magnesium suppliments and they did not help. I even tried the liquid type (same formulation, different brand) that "300 Books" had a link for, and it still did not help. I wish it had.

The doctors still aren't sure of the cause of my low blood pressure, but they said it more than likely isn't related to my headaches and that it isn't something they try to fix unless I start passing out on a regular basis.

Post Edited (moot0009) : 4/7/2010 10:54:37 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/12/2010 11:07 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Moot,
Have they checked your sinuses? CT-Head is different from CT-Sinuses.
Even if you had a sinus CT, that's no guarantee you don't have some sort of problem. My ENT said that the sinus CT did show something but that it was nothing to be concerned about. A couple weeks later the infection had eaten through the wall of one of my sinuses & into my tear duct. I got an abscess, which was initially misdiagnosed, that ended up bursting. Finally, when I was crying tears of blood, my eye doctor (MD) did some kind of exam that showed what the issue was. She asked me if I had headaches, dizziness & several other symptoms. She was right on the button with every one of them! After 5 days on way more than the standard dose of azithromycin (Z-pack), I started to feel better. She cleaned out my tear duct & had me run a warm air vaporizer (which you have to be careful to clean religiously) & do a few other things and low & behold, the headaches improved.

I think I'm starting to get the same infection again, so this time I'm not wasting my time with neurologists, headache clinics, ER's, ENT's & everyone else, I'm just going straight to my eye doctor. :) Know that there is a difference between the people who usually prescribe glasses (optometrist) & an eye doctor (ophthalmologist). An eye doctor is an MD who can write prescriptions & do surgery. As my eye doctor explained, there are a lot of eye problems that can cause headaches -- anything from vision deficiencies to problems with the optic nerve to infections. If you've tried everything else, maybe pay a visit to your eye doctor -- be sure to mention the headaches when you call to set up the appointment or they will book you months or years out like they do for people needing routine eye exams.

best wishes,
frances

PS -- Daily exercise in the afternoon can also help (walking, yoga or such, nothing crazy like running or aerobics which make headaches worse) with migraines. Plus regular exercise can often help bring up blood pressure. Also, have you had your thyroid checked? Hypothyroidism can cause headaches, weight gain, low bp & a whole host of other issues. It's a simple blood test. Probably not what you have & the medication itself can cause headaches, might be good to get checked & at least it could bring your bp up if that's the cause. My bp used to be really low (60/30 or 70/40 was quite common, really went never higher than 80/60) but now it's just perfect (110/80). :)
Posted 11/20/2013 3:16 PM (GMT 0)
I know it has been three years since you wrote your post but now i have the same problem (pressure in my head and behind my eyes) for almost three months and i would like to know how did you get better? The pressure eventually just went away or the headache specialist gave you any idea what could have been wrong? I am taking topamax for a month now and there is no effect at all. I have spent a month in a hospital and did MRI, MRA, VEP, lumbar puncture, checked my sinuses, my vision and eye pressure, heart and lungs, thyroid and everything seems to be normal.
I know it is a long shot but maybe you will notice my post and give my helpful advice :)
Posted 11/23/2013 6:22 PM (GMT 0)
Perhaps see a neuro and rheumy
Posted 11/26/2013 1:35 AM (GMT 0)
Yes, it's a reasonable request of a headache specialist, you are certainly not the only one. They deal with this commonly, and you have every right to take a short leave of absence---so you can devote all your energies to finding some kind of medical or naturopathic solution to your pain. I know the headache clinic in my city use to have their no. 1 doctor do nothing but see patients who were endeavoring to go on Disability, those were the only patients he saw, and so I know there are some Clinics that are very empathetic to headache patients in this plight.

Your head pain reminds me of my own in the sense that you state that it is mainly a "pressure" pain. But pressure pain (anyone who has had sinusitis knows what I mean)----really can be almost unbearable when it is at its worst. It's the most awful thing. I feel like I have a claw pressing in, more like an imploding pressure at my left temple, and all around left ear. It's constant. Mine use to be predominantly behind and over the left eye and constant, before an exacerbation some years back. Thus now the pressure is worse at left temple area.

Unlike me, you stated that yours improves in the PM hours. Mine is just there when I wake up in the morning, and gradually gets worse in the course of the day. By the PM hours, it is always worse, and with me it is worse if I lye down. I am so much more aware of it when I lye down, for instance lying down on the couch just to relax and watch TV at night.

My beast is not a classic migraine but more of an histaminic cephalgia. I don't know if this is what you have, but I really hope you get an accurate diagnosis so that they can most effectively treat you. Hang in there, you are not alone!
Posted 4/12/2014 2:54 PM (GMT 0)
I am 30 years old, and I have been having daily headaches everyday. I went to an optometrist in early December and my eyes are healthy. I have no sinus infections, I have really good blood pressure. I feel a lot of pressure behind my eyes and in my forehead.
Posted 4/18/2014 6:41 PM (GMT 0)
Chelsey 83: Check into mayofacial dysfunction.
Posted 6/8/2014 7:05 PM (GMT 0)
I have been suffering from almost unbearable headaches like you. Mine mainly get the worse in the evenings so I couldn't take another night of it and went to the ER. They gave me 2 injections of demerol and phenergan (which were the most painful shots I have ever had). I am very thin and apparently that is why because I have no fat on my hips for the shots. Anyway, the demerol helped mellow the 2 1/2 day headache but they also treated me for a sinus infection just in case. I had been dealing with that headache and it felt like my right eye was going to explode out of my head, there was just soooo much pressure. The medications helped eased it off and the Dr. decided to treat me for a sinus infection, sending me home with an antibiotic, prednisone, zofran, and Norco for the pain. Since taking the meds I have had just a little twing of the headache but no where near as bad as it was. I see my Neuroligist on this Tuesday and hopefully he can help figure it out. I have to fly in 3 days so it is very important that I get this pressure and pain under control before I fly because it may make it unbearable. One secret that the Dr. told me is that Afrin is good to use to open up those sinus' and also to use it right before I fly because it supposedly helps with the pressure in your head and ears. I don't know if this was helpful at all but I know how you feel and it is miserable. Definitely go to the Dr. as soon as you can so that you can get some relief. I am lucky that I already had this appointment coming up. I hope that they get you straightened out and that you feel better.
Posted 10/14/2014 11:22 PM (GMT 0)
i am new to this forum, i have been experiencing constant headaches for over a month. back of the neck over the head, temples and pressure behind the eyes. it sounds similar to what many of you have been talking about. i would love some advice as well as maybe hear from someone that posted a year ago... did you figure it out? how are you feeling now? thanks
Posted 2/26/2015 4:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hello, I came upon this forum because I am dealing with a similar issue yet less severe. I have a friend (female, 30yrs old) that suffered for years from the headache symptoms described above. She spent a significant amount of time with doctors without any help. Finally, her acupuncturist suggested she go gluten free. She has found the only way to stop the headaches is to have a gluten free diet. I think its worth a try. I hope it helps you!
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