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New to severe tension headachs/migraines, afraid of muscle relaxer! Plz HELP!

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Migraine Headache
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Posted 6/8/2009 9:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hello my name is Jennara and I'm new to this forum.  I'll just get right down to it bc I'm so scared!  Um yesterday I got this different kinda headach.  I had never felt anything like it before!  It hurt in the back of my head and behind my eyes a lot.  Well I took some ibuprofin and went to bed.  Going to bed usually helps the "little" tension head achs I get once in a while.  Well I woke up this morning in so much pain that I was throwing up!  I went to the ER bc I had a panic attack over it (being that I've never felt it before and I'm a hypocondriac).  The doctor felt my neck and said my muscles were very tense back there.  He prescribed me a muscle relaxer and sent me on my way.  The med is called cyclobenzaprine 10 mgs.  I havent taken it yet bc I'm really scared to!  The ibuprofin is helping a little and making the pain bareable.  I dont know though, maybe I should just swallow my fear and just take it. 

Have you ever had a headach that hurt when you bent over or looked up more than when you dont?  Or hurt a lot more when you cough or sneeze or pick up something kinda heavy?

How do muscle relaxers make you feel?  What should I expect if I do take it?

Is there a more natual technique I can use right here at home that may help?

Thank you!

-Jen

Posted 6/8/2009 9:22 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Jen and welcome. Severe headaches make even the most stalwart nervous at times, so don't worry about that.

Cyclobenzaprine is the generic for Flexeril, it is a good muscle relaxer and you don't need to be afraid of it. For some, a muscle relaxer will put them right to sleep, so until you know how you react to it, please take it at home and don't drive. It may very well do you much more good than you can tell. The more upset you become with headache, the more tension you are creating in your neck, shoulders and head, the worse your head pain will become. The flexeril will help to alleviate this for you.

Please start to keep a diary of what you felt when this started, write down what you ate, or perhaps your vision was blurry. Write these things down so that you have a record and should you have another, you will be able to recount this experience for a Doctor.

People, like me, who have chronic migraines experience pain every day and we have specific medications to take for them. Motrin, ibuprofen, can help in some instances, but too much over too many days can cause a headache. This is true for excedrin or anything with caffeine, so please be careful there.

Should the headache continue for another 24 hours, please call your Dr. and get in to see him/her; your diary will help a lot when you see them.

Let us know how you're oding.
Janice
Posted 6/8/2009 9:57 PM (GMT 0)

Janice..you said most of what I was thinking cool

I know, as a personal experience, that Flexeril makes me very tired and once I do fall asleep I sleep for a while. That could be a good thing too when dealing with head pain, it is relaxing and lets your body "reset"

I would take the medication and take note of how you feel before and after. With a migraine a lot of things are challenging and at times bending over, coughing, physical activity etc and increase the pain...make sure you tell your doctor that!!!

I hope you feel better SOON!

Keep us posted and let us know whether you decide to take the muscle relaxer.

Posted 6/8/2009 10:29 PM (GMT 0)
Well I may take it. I thought about maybe taking it right before I go to bed to help with the obsessive thoughts I always have about taking new meds. Does this sound like a good idea? I'm just TERRIFIED of new meds! Had a really bad experience with one a few years back and now I'm very cautious!

-Jen
Posted 6/8/2009 10:45 PM (GMT 0)
Jen, I have a lot of problems with medications, and I review them with my Dr., but this is a fairly benign medication (compared to heavy duty pain med for example). I think you can feel comfortable taking this; I generally will try a new med at home, before bed so that I can sleep if it makes me sleepy.

Like Sara has said, this can make you sleepy, so it may make you sleep longer than you normally would, and if your body is tired from fighting this pain, the relief that the flexeril provides may allow you to sleep more soundly. You may want to call work tonight and let them know (even if this means leaving a voice mail for your boss) the situation.

I hope you feel better soon.
Janice
Posted 6/8/2009 10:50 PM (GMT 0)
Janice, I am loving your advice today!!!

Posted 6/8/2009 10:55 PM (GMT 0)
Ok I just went ahead and took most of one. I called the pharmacy and asked if I could just take a half and he said that was fine. Well I tried biteing it in half and ended up swallowing most of it. I just did it. Thats a big step for me! Like I said, I used to just NOT take meds prescribed to me. The reason is, a year and a half ago I took an antidepressant that actually worked in an adverse way and made me suicidal. I stayed in the mental ward of the hospital half suicidal and the last half of the time I was there I was in constant panic! Like level 10 panic!
Then about a year ago I was put on clarition for allergies and that raised my blood pressure to an unhealthy level. So I have had bad experiences. But I think I made a major step in taking at least most of the flexeril! I'm proud of myself! Now just to wait and see what happens.
Yeah if it gives me a good night's sleep, that may be just what I need!

Thanks so much for the advice and encouragement! I dont know where I would be today if it wasnt for you guys! Go to bed tonight knowing you've really helped someone today!

-Jen

Thank you soooooooooooooooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Post Edited (Jennara) : 6/8/2009 5:03:50 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/8/2009 10:55 PM (GMT 0)
Sara, I feel the same about you..you make me smile and feel so welcome! (and can I say the ER Treatment form is a wonderful document, thank you for making that available!)
Posted 6/8/2009 11:02 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, I agree, thank you BOTH so much! I know these baby steps are my own but its wonderful to have help from people like you! I'll update you on how I'm doing later. Tomorrow if I fall asleep.

Thanks again!

-Jen
Posted 6/8/2009 11:10 PM (GMT 0)
Jen, I'll stay close in case you need anything. I'm not a Doctor, but I give you guidance. You did take a big step, and with your history, I can understand your fear. I hope you sleep well tonight and wake refreshed and without pain.
Janice
Posted 6/9/2009 12:33 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much for that!

Well its been over an hour so I'm about to just take the rest of the pill. Then I'll lay down and rest. I was thinking, it may also have something to do with the fact that I sleep on a footon (sp?) and its VERY uncomfortable! I can always feel the bars in my back! I was wondering if maybe thats got something to do with why my head might be hurting? Well going to go take the rest of the pill and get some rest. I'll be on here tomorrow to let you guys know how I feel in the morning.

Thanks again!

-Jen
Posted 6/9/2009 12:56 AM (GMT 0)
I'm glad you're doing alright, you sound much more calm and hopefully in less pain. Yes, a futon will/can cause some muscular-skeletal issues for some people (I wouldn't be able to walk for a week if I slept on one, haha!!). If you're not comfortable while you're sleeping, you may be tensing and that tension can translate into back and neck pain and head pain, but that's just my theory!.

Anyway, I hope you sleep well tonight.
Janice
Posted 6/9/2009 6:04 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you! That is so nice of you to say (both of you!!)

I agree, if I slept on a futon I would be a mess. I have to really watch how I fall asleep or neck issues can trigger a nasty headache for me the next day.

Its 2am and you haven't been back on Jen so I am guessing that is a good thing. YAY!!!!!! I will check in when I get back from the doc tomorrow, i have to go have a follow up from a procedure to remove cancerous cells (at my 6 week post-baby appt I had an abnormal pap, cancerous cells and then a procedure to remove them.)

I hope you all have slept well and are having some relief!
Posted 6/9/2009 10:44 AM (GMT 0)

Sara, I'm sorry to hear that!  I've just been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer, but it's early and treatable.

Are we talking cervical? I'm a lot older than you (53) so the procedures they did for that back then are probably vastly different than what they do now.  How old is the baby and did you  have some help?  What did your final pathology report say, did they get everything?

Ok, I've gone on long enough, haven't I...I hope you're okay!

Janice

Posted 6/9/2009 10:45 AM (GMT 0)
Jen, how did you sleep last night, how do you feel this morning? Unlike Sara, there is no way I was up at 2, but I am at work at 6! (Obviously not working right now...let's just call it an early break!!)

Let us know!
Janice
Posted 6/10/2009 4:07 AM (GMT 0)

LdyJane said...

Sara, I'm sorry to hear that!  I've just been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer, but it's early and treatable.

Are we talking cervical? I'm a lot older than you (53) so the procedures they did for that back then are probably vastly different than what they do now.  How old is the baby and did you  have some help?  What did your final pathology report say, did they get everything?

Ok, I've gone on long enough, haven't I...I hope you're okay!

Janice

Janice, I am so sorry to hear that! what are they doing as far as treatment! I am glad that they found it early, it makes a huge difference.

 

yes, cervical. The procedure that I had done was fairly "simple" it is called L.E.E.P. "Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure: LEEP uses a thin wire loop electrode which is attached to an electrosurgical generator. The generator transmits a painless electrical current that quickly cuts away the affected cervical tissue in the immediate area of the loop wire. This causes the abnormal cells to rapidly heat and burst, and separates the tissue as the loop wire moves through the cervix. " 

It caused some cramping and bleeding for a while, but was not any worse than the actual biopsy (ouch!) So far things seem ok...i went to my appt today and was told that they moved my appt back a month and forgot to call me. So, nothing actually happened today on this "front" lol

My daughter is 8 months old now (born Sept 23) and I had the LEEP procedure done in Feb. My mom came up for the day and watched the baby while I was rested but I had to return to all my duties as "supermom" the next day :-)

I'll be praying for you!!!

Posted 6/10/2009 7:51 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry it took me so long to respond and tell you all how I was doing. I took the med and I did fine. It makes me kinda drowsy but that's a small price to pay. It doesn't MAKE me go to sleep. Its actually relaxing. So that's good. I took half and it works fine. I'm not afraid to take a whole one if I need to though.

Thanks for your advice and support!

-Jen
Posted 6/10/2009 8:39 PM (GMT 0)
How's your head pain and neck tension?
Posted 6/11/2009 12:15 AM (GMT 0)

Jen-

I am glad it gave you some time to relax, I hope that it helped with the pain also! ...awaiting your response :-)

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