ARGH! Sick of this headache

Had a constant headache for the last 6 damn weeks on and off. I know it's not caused my the medication because I've only been on this one just over 3 weeks. Tried taking nurofen, panadol, ibprofen, razene, zyrtec and couple of other sinus/allergy things and NOTHING is getting rid of it!!

I'm back to the doc on Thursday next week to follow up on how this medications going and will bring it up with him then. I'm just afraid as 6yrs or so ago I had the same thing and had eye tests, MRI's, CT's, ultrasounds and lots of blood tests and the only thing they found was a mild case of polycystic ovary syndrome from the ultrasound. Didn't find out what was causing the headaches though. They put me on codeine and that helped with the getting rid of the pain of them till they stopped. I think also the headaches may have something to do with why I felt like was gonna pass out the other day, and why I do feel dizzy/light headed at times.

Everyone at work now is gonna be keeping an eye on me too, went in yesterday arvo and the duty manager who took me home had brought it up at the course they were on yesterday morning, so now all the managers know and they gonna be checking up since I work in the chiller and am often working alone.

LC, it sounds like you have reason to be feeling a bit fedup with it by now.

You didn't list your meds that use regularly, but it is possible that one or more of them is contraindicated - (if you take Pill A, you should not take pill D as well, cos they don't get on - thats a simplified explanation, anyway).

So, what to do before your doctors appointment?

You could learn as much as you can about your meds and see if you can can spot a problem, maybe? I'd be sitting down with my meds in front of me and visiting the governments MedSafe site, to see if I can spot what might causing problems for me.

http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/Consumers/cmi/CMIIndex.htm
takes you to an Alphabetical Listing of ALL prescription meds available, and it presents it in a reasonably simple manner, targeted at Consumers. Then maybe, I'd print off what I read at MedSafe and go through it with a highlighter pen and mark the bits I questioned, so I could take it up with the doctor.

Its not that unusual for contraindicated meds to be prescribed - its not done 'on purpose' but it does show a need for greater education on meds - for doctors and for the folk who have to swallow them.

And, if the MedSafe information sheets don't throw out a potential conflict, then all is not lost either, cos its something that can then possibly be eliminated from the investigation into the cause of your headaches.

Oh, and I think that your employer is doing the right thing - the supervisors are aware that you are not always as well as you would like to be, and that knowledge can help keep you feeling better and helps ensure your safety at work, which is a two-way obligation. Yep, it sucks having 'more people' knowing, especially at work, but look on it as a positive thing - your heath and welbeing matters. C'mon, you gotta admit, thats not such a bad thing.

LC, if the thought of trawling thru the MedSafe site information puts you off, um - send me a PM with a full list of your meds, dosages etc and I will see if I can make the time to sit here and do it for ya. Then, I can PM ya back with whatever I find. You try it first though, cos they're your meds and we should all know as much as we can about what our meds might or might not do.

But if its too much, just say "Pat, I'd like you to do this for me please, and if you're tempted to say No, just remember, I do Kung Fu."

That should be enough to scare me into action, lol.

Have a good, safe and enjoyable day, LC and take care of you, eh?

Pat.

Hey Pat,

Thanks for that, had to laugh at what you wrote at the end there bout the kung fu. Yea it is good though that the managers do know I guess, as on the Monday/Tuesday when I'm in chilled foods I'm on my own until the duty manager does the milk and that's usually only 3-4 times a day.

I'm only on the one medication, Efexor-XR 75mg a day. Don't take anything else unless it's panadol/nurofen and even those I only take if absolutely necessary. Taken so many medications over the years I try to avoid taking anything unless I have to now. Given up even trying to take anything for the headache as feel its putting too much things into my body.

Thanks for the offer though.

Ive been told nurofen is addictive and if used day after day the body becomes imune to it i dont know how true that is but when I had a REAL bad toothache at one time I was using nurofen for the pain first started off every 6 hours i had to take one to where within the next day or 2 after taking one i was still left feeling the pain of this bad toothache that eventually had me going to the doctors for something a bit stronger and then a trip to the dentist haha

I'm immune to panadol which is why I have to take it with nurofen or ibprofen or something stronger. Nurofen can work on its own for me sometimes, depends on the pain level though.

I am immune to panadol as well thanks to a couple of over doses. Suxs cos everything else so much more expensive.With meds you have to be sooooo careful with anything you take. I was going to take a cough med till my flatmate told me to look at the label and said not to use with anti d's

Yea roswell. Because I've been on efexor before I know these meds are fine to take with it.

Well that was pointless. Doc just told me to get my eyes tested in regards to the headache. They were only tested just over a year ago with no change.

hmmm LC any update?

Nar no update, headache just comes and goes every now and again. Still get light headed/dizzy and that far to often for my liking though. But oh well. I'm alive, I'm here and yea.

Well i for one am glad that you are here