message for Janet Hollier(email bounced-unknown host?)
Quote:
>Considering these descriptions, I would fall toward the "tension-type" end of
>the spectrum. I have pain on both sides of the head (primarily climbing up
>from the base of the head in back or hitting my eyes like a band around my
>head) which occurs daily if I don't take medication. Plus the tense neck and
>shoulder muscles... indicates tension-type headaches, I assume. But on the
>other hand, I have nausea (never vomiting) which is often strong enough to
>make the headaches seem mild. Could the nausea also occur with tension-type
>headaches -- particularly when there's no family history of migraines?
>BTW, the doctor I originally saw a year and a half ago (in France) diagnosed
>me with migraines. Since returning to the States, I've seen a GP and an
>internist about the headaches/nausea, both of whom accepted the diagnosis of
>migraines. Is there an important enough difference between the two headache
>types (particularly, in treatments to alleviate them) that I suggest my doctor
>revisit whether the ailment is "migraine" or "tension"?
Janet,
I don't know exactly where this discussion started but given the refereneces
to depression medications for headache, I'll assume you were curious about why
these have been prescribed and what affect they'd have and perhaps why. I'm
speaking as a life long,(actually since puberty) headache sufferer and I had
both kinds, with the tension type continuing for days then developing into
a migrain. I tried many things, which in some ways was part of the problem.
There is some evidence that continued use of analgesics for these daily
headaches causes them to continue. It got to a point where it was kind of
like russian roulet, sometimes aspirin/tylenol/ibuprofin/fiorinol( not at the
sametime of course; I'd have to try and decide which to try based on most
recent experience and severity, which might work), would get rid of the pain
or make it worse. This was a pattern for 30 odd years, some years better than
others. Two and 1/2 years ago we got around to trying amitriptilin. This
immediately changed my life. I believe that the doses for antidepressant action
is 150mg and above, I take 20 mgs at bedtime and I now may still have an
occassional minor headache and have actualy had a couple of migrain over that
time, but this is normal and a far cry from daily. I'm not sure if its known
exactly why it works, but it definately worked for me.
