Ok, I am getting just a LITTLE frustrated with this; the short version of my story is as follows: had a headache which encompassed the entire top half of my head (from top lip up) for a week which did not respond to OTC meds. Also had a severe increase in fatigue and felt like I had a hard time keeping my eyes open, espcially in the light. Went to urgent care, they sent me to the ER for a CT scan, which, I was told, was negative. They diagnosed me with a migraine and sent me home with 2 Tylenol #3. Saw my PCP the next day and told her about the ER, the CT scan, and their diagnosis. She prescribed Zomig for my supposed migraine, which was a little better after the IV Toradol the ER gave me, but I still had the headache. The Zomig did nothing but make me very sleepy. Fast forward another week, still have this headache. I was kind of wondering what the heck was wrong with me, so I called the radiology dept. and got someone to go over my CT results with me. Turns out, the CT scan shows that my sphenoid sinuses are totally opaque! If I had not called, I would not have found this out. I called my PCP who started me on Cipro a week ago. The thing is, I still don't feel any better. How long should it take for the Cipro to take effect? I still have a headache, sleepiness, and my neck is killing me. Tell me I am just making a big deal out of nothing. Thanks in advance :flowersfo
Be careful, too, of rebound from a headache perspective. Taking pain meds for more than 2 days a week can lead to rebound headache. This is a complicating and frustrating type of headache that, in result, leaves the sufferer unresponsive to other efforts of prevention, etc.
Sounds harsh to limit pain meds to 2 days per week. In fact, I take up argument on that with my neurologist more often than not, but that's for a different situation.
I had sinus surgery twice this year due to having a tumor 8 years ago on the side of my nose. Never quite realised how MUCH damage that tumor/surgery had done! Sinus congestion can be a symptom of many headache types, as well as sinus congestion can trigger many headaches.
There's some odd statistic out there (would have to go look it up) which states that the vast majority of sinus headaches are really migraine with sinus symptoms. I found that interesting, yet perplexing. When I knew I was having a sinus problem in the hospital, the RN called the resident for some sort of treatment for it. He told her to tell me it was just a side effect of the migraine. I laughed. No, it really wasn't in that case. I had 99% blockage in one nasal passage, and the other side wasn't much better.
Finding out what, exactly, is causing the headache and sinus trouble is important, and can be a lot of work. It's a sort of chicken-egg phenomenon with headaches and sinus issues.
NeoNurseChic
25 Posts
Be careful, too, of rebound from a headache perspective. Taking pain meds for more than 2 days a week can lead to rebound headache. This is a complicating and frustrating type of headache that, in result, leaves the sufferer unresponsive to other efforts of prevention, etc.
Sounds harsh to limit pain meds to 2 days per week. In fact, I take up argument on that with my neurologist more often than not, but that's for a different situation.
I had sinus surgery twice this year due to having a tumor 8 years ago on the side of my nose. Never quite realised how MUCH damage that tumor/surgery had done! Sinus congestion can be a symptom of many headache types, as well as sinus congestion can trigger many headaches.
There's some odd statistic out there (would have to go look it up) which states that the vast majority of sinus headaches are really migraine with sinus symptoms. I found that interesting, yet perplexing. When I knew I was having a sinus problem in the hospital, the RN called the resident for some sort of treatment for it. He told her to tell me it was just a side effect of the migraine. I laughed. No, it really wasn't in that case. I had 99% blockage in one nasal passage, and the other side wasn't much better.
Finding out what, exactly, is causing the headache and sinus trouble is important, and can be a lot of work. It's a sort of chicken-egg phenomenon with headaches and sinus issues.
Best of luck!
carrie :)