What do you do for pain?

[Violet]

Hi everyone,

My husband has chronic severe headaches associated with hydrocephalus. Does anyone else have this problem? What helps you? He takes Excedrin Migraine but it doesn't help that much. It usually takes a fairly strong opiate to help him feel any better, but doctors won't prescribe them for long term use because of the potential for dependency and abuse.

I'm looking for any suggestions - I hate to see him hurting so badly.

Thanks,

Violet

[Shown]

My husband too suffers from as he calls them head pains, they will last three and four days and nothing he takes makes it any better. He developed hydrocephalus after having a roller skating accident, he also has a 2.5 cm pineal cyst. The thing about his head pains they will just stop all of a suddent but when he has one nothing helps him really, so maybe someone else will come along and give both of us some much needed advice.

Sorry I could not be of any help, however I do understand what you are going through.

Shown

[DystoniaGal]

My neuro reccomends 600 mg of ibuprofen and I want to say 400mg of Tylenol. Together at the same time.

I suffer from chronic daily headaches along with migraines from about 6 brain surgeries.

Has he tried triptans (i.e.imitrex,relpax) as an abortive?

When he has these headaches is he light or sound sensitive, nausea also?

HTH,
DG

[KathiDG]

Hi - I was having chronic daily headaches from about July-Aug 2005 until Aug 2006...I took ibuprofen or Tylenol for a while, that did not work. A neurologist prescribed Imitrex, Topamax and a muscle relaxer - that did not work either. I tried Fioricet AND Tramadol for a while (NOT TOGETHER), but neither of those worked. I was in SO MUCH PAIN. I had slit ventricles on my CTs, but MRI's and every other test came back normal. Finally after having tests coming out the wazoo...my neurosurgeon put in a Medtronic Strata valve...turns out my old shunt was intermittently malfunctioning...BOY DID THAT HURT!! Since the revision, I haven't had problems with headaches not going away. In fact, headaches are mostly non existent, except for when it rains or is cold....

Has he been checked out by his neurosurgeon? If nothing is working, that would put up a red flag for me...even if the doctor says everything came out fine and you still have problems that nothing helps take away, keep pushing for answers...it's not worth going through all that pain...I didn't push hard enough months ago...and I ended up losing the best job I ever had.... :(

[GTF]

I've had cronic, non-stop, never ending pain in my head for over 9 years.
It came with my first shunt and has never gone away.
I just live with it. When it gets bad T3's help but don't make them go away.

GTF

[Violet]

;) Has he tried triptans (i.e.imitrex,relpax) as an abortive?

When he has these headaches is he light or sound sensitive, nausea also?

HTH,
DG

I don't know if he's tried triptans. No, he isn't sensitive to light or sound or nauseated during the headaches.

Kathi, he also has slit ventricles. He doesn't have a neurologist or neurosurgeon here (he moved to GA from PA about 2 years ago). And yes, I nag him to find one in case of emergency. I'm wondering if his shunt is malfunctioning periodically. There have been times when he's been SURE the shunt isn't working and we've gone to the hospital and they don't believe him. Many of you have been there, the x-rays/CT scans look ok therefore there can't possibly be anything wrong. Stay tuned for a future rant on that topic. ;)

He won't go to the doctor because he doesn't think anyone can do anything for him.

[Shown]

;)

He won't go to the doctor because he doesn't think anyone can do anything for him.


Like I mentioned in my first reply. I completely understand where you are coming from, my hubby he refuses to go to any doctor whose profession starts with an "N". We live in TX and his NS is in NYC and he likes it that way.

But when he does get those head pains he take Tramadol for them, most of the time he takes 1 3X's a day but when it is really bad he takes 2 4X's a day it does not make it go away but it helps somewhat.

Good luck and I hope you guys find a solution soon.

Shown