What more can I do?

[MWB]

I am waking up nearly every morning with a headache. This has been happening for a few months. I've had an MRI which showed up some very slight neck anomaly, nothing to worry about or that would cause the headaches the Dr said.
I take voltarin & norflex as per Dr orders & codeine & paracetamol when they get very bad. Which is getting more frequent.
I do get some nausea at times.
The Dr says not much else can be done, that the above pills are as good as I can take.
I don't hold any stock in natural remedies.

[NoMercy]

Had an eye test recently?

[MWB]

I've never had an eye test, Nom. But now you mention it, I will.

The headaches are always on the left hand side of my head on top of my head. I've never had pain on the right hand side.

[sqad617]

Sounds like migraine....are you male or female?

As yr Dr. if you can try Imigran.

[devil99]

have you changed your pillow lately?? maybe you have too many on your bed, that can cause pain.

[chinadog]

It could be sinus related MWB. I get pain on the left side of my head and over my brow. Try a salt rinse. Pour a pint of tepid water into a basin,add just a 1/4 teaspoon of salt and stir. Put the basin the sink or wash hand basin, close one nostril and scoop up the water into the open nostril and sniff. Do this at least 3 times then repeat with the other nostril. Its messy but worth it. See if it helps.

[MWB]

Female.

They're not migraines, squad. I've had a couple of those. These are different & just a medium grade but rather debilitating pain as they happen so often.

I woke up with one today, took lots of pills which only partly helped.

[sqad617]

MWB....not convinced, but google..."cluster headaches" or "migrainous neuralgia"......see of that fits.

[MWB]

Pillows, devil!!!!

i have tried so many - spent a small fortune on them. They are ok for a while then flatten or no good at all.

I will occasionally get a sore neck, again on the left hand side & went to physio about it. She said to do this & that exercise & what height of pillow, etc.

[Pigletion]

caffeine withdrawal?

What about seeing a chiropractor? I love it! (assuming this is ok based on the results of your MRI). Maybe your back/neck is slightly out of alignment. Having mine clicked sorted out my back and neck and stopped my nose running!

Would say the eye test is a good idea.

Just ideas.. I'm slightly concerned the Doc says there's nothing else that can be done. Something must be causing them, definitely think you should investigate all avenues.

[devil99]

go back to your gp and ask him to refer you to a pain clinic, a consultant will be more able to pin-point your trouble and be able to give better advise, maybe an cortisone injection to the neck will help?

[MWB]

I googled them, squad. The pain is nowhere as severe as that. And I don't wake up in the night with them. I'll wake up naturally with a small pain that will increase exponentially if I don't take pills. However the headache will remain all day but be not as severe.

[MWB]

Ohhhhh, I like all these suggestions!

I am going to do them all.

I can't go on like this, it's making me miserable & I don't get much, if anything, done. Like housework, gardening, reading, etc.

[devil99]

Hope you manage to sort it out MWB, i have a stiff neck this morning from sleeping funny but could'nt put up with it on a daily basis. Good luck xx

[MWB]

Need to go to bed. These damnable headaches are stopping me doing things. It's too early for bed.

But I will start on these suggestions on Monday morning.

Thanks everyone. :)

And if anyone else has more suggestions, type 'em here please!

[NoMercy]

I suffered Migrainous Neuralgia in my twenties, and your symptoms do sound similar.

[BagPussAA]

You are in the same position that I was 3 months ago. I have been waking up with headaches every day for about 12 years and have done what my doctor told me to and taken paracetomol & codeine daily for them with little effect and the headaches started to get worse. When I changed doctor, she suggested that I was suffering from Medication Overuse headaches as one of the major side effects of most pain killers is a headache! I have now gone cold turkey and stopped taking ALL painkillers for my head and although that was like hell as my body got used to having no codeine in it, I have felt much better without them. My new doctor has also recommended that I take nothing with codeine in it as they are the worse culprits for this kind of headache. I just take paracetomol now and only take it for 1 day without a break. See this website for more details on what you can do.

www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/23068946