Rebound Headache Help

Diseases & Conditions Migraine Headache
1
Hi,
 
Has or is anyone suffering from rebound headache.  I suffer from migraines but have turned into a tension-type headache (rebound).  The pain is in my shoulders, neck, back of head and round to my eye.  It is always one sided but swaps sides daily.  I am constantly in pain.  I have had it for about 3 months and the doctor thinks it will be better in about 3 months' time but I'm not so sure.  I am really worried about it and keep getting upset making things worse confused    I am really scared that this isn't going to go away.  Has anyone else been through this?
 
Sheena
2
Wecome Aboard!
Sorry you are having so much pain, but the symptoms you describe can definitely be migraine in nature. Migraine pain can be felt in a variety of locations, and doesn't have to be the same every time.  Rebound headaches are simply headaches you get from taking too much medication, or the wrong kind of medication, then stopping abruptly.  What medications, if any are you taking to avoid the headaches or control the pain?
 
As far as you doctor goes... RUN...RUN AWAY VERY FAST!!! mad   Any qualified medical professional would NEVER tell you a specific time that your headaches will go away. nono   Anyone that would must have a GOD complex.  Try not to stress about the headaches, as that will cause tension in the muscle areas you mentioned, and can trigger a migraine.
 
You will find that you have come to the right place for support, and as a group, we have probably encountered any problem you might go through.
First off, though, do your research and find yourself a knowledgeable doctor.
 
Good luck and let us know how you are doing.
Leigh Ann cool

"The weather is here, I wish you were beautiful."
                                             - Jimmy Buffett

3

Hi,

Thanks for replying to my message.  My Doctor is very nice and seems to know what he is talking about.  He gave me an approximate time, he said he would hope that it is a lot better or completely better by that time.  The Narcotics made my neck and shoulder muscles worse giving me a headache on one side.  I spoke to a previous Doctor of mine who didn't think of a rebound headache, and if she had told me that I would have stopped alot earlier, but it got really bad.  I am currently on Gabapentin, Amitriptyline and Citalopram to help but they don't seem to do much good.  I am really worried, I was okay for a while, because I used to get spasms in the back of my head which felt like someone was stabbing me, and when that went away I felt like the rest of me would get better in the same way.  I am waiting for the next big recovery to make me feel a bit happier again.  I keep ringing the doctor and asked him for a muscle relaxant and he has asked me to come in on monday to talk things through because he isn't that keen to give this to me.  I just hope I can get through this.

Sheena

4

Hi Sheena,

Welcome!

I'm on the same page as Leigh Ann. Your symptoms sound very much like a migraine, especially because they're one sided and around your eye. Rebound headaches tend to be dull throbbing and in a band or all over. Then there are tension headaches as well, though rebound headaches can feel like them, tension headaches are a separate type and can be started by a muscle spasm.

I recently had a similar experience to what you are describing and my doctor called it a combination headache - muscle spasms and a migraine. He prescribed a drug cocktail of Atavan (relaxant), Celebrex (muscle relaxant) and Tylenol 3 (narcotic). I've modified that slightly to Atavan and Robaxacet (muscle relaxant with Tylenol in it) and no narcotic and that works well for me. Toradol a prescription muscle relaxant that's not a narcotic also works on the tougher headaches.

I'm concerned that your doctor had an idea of when your headache would go away. Sometimes doctor's get frustrated with headaches because they don't know how to fix them and either blame the patient or explain them away hoping they will go away. If you're in constant pain I recommend asking to be referred to a neurologist. S/he will be able to determine the difference between a rebound headache, tension headache, migraine headache and a combination headache. S/he will also be able to prescribe the right medications.

Finally, how many medications are you taking. If you're not taking lots of over the counter medications or triptans regularly then your headaches may not be rebound headaches.

Good luck and keep checking in. Unfortunately a lot of us know what you're going through.

Nicky
________________________________________________________________________________
 
The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.   Buddha

5
Hi,
 
Thanks for posting a reply.
 
I have always got migraines which makes me sick and sends me to bed for 3 days so that isnt what this is.  Its muscle spasms in my neck and shoulders giving me a slight pain around my eye.  The narcotics i took were recreational so they weren't prescribed for me and i had a bad reaction.  It started off small with odd shots of pain through my head until it turned into a constant pain on one side and then it totally blew up giving me stabbing pains in my head (which have now gone) and I could not lay down for long cos it would hurt my head.  Now the pain is more in my neck and shoulders but it swaps sides - so I'm guessing its a tension headache.  The psychiatric nurse said that it will be the narcotics that flared up my neck and shoulders (cos they have been bad before, but I managed to control them), so eventually it will all go back to normal, as it was before, but doing exercise, physio, massage, acupuncture etc will help it get back to normal quicker.  The doctor thinks it will get better the same and hopes it will be in about 3 months.  I have asked about muscle relaxants but he aint too keen to give me them so he has asked me to go and see him to discuss things.  I'm gonna try my best to help myself ie sport, but i can get migraine if i do too much.  My only problem is i feel guilty cos of what i have done to myself and i keep getting upset making it worse.  I have really messed up, i was just about in control of my migraines and headaches before this happened. mad
 
Thanks again,
 
Sheena
6

Hi Sheena,

Congratulations for overcoming the challenge with narcotics. Please don't feel guilty for what you've done. We've all made mistakes, it's part of life, we learn from it and move on. Unfortunately some of the consequences are longer lasting the others.

Migraines and tension headaches aren't a punishment for past behaviour. The tension headaches may be a result of what happened but migraines are probably a result of your chemical makeup of which you have no control.
 
If medications aren't an option it sounds like you're on the right track. Accupuncture works well for me. So does deep relaxation. I see a psychologist who specializes in chronic pain and depression. She has recorded a deep relaxation medidation that I listen to when I'm in pain and it works wonder. Yoga can also help.
 
It might also be time to consider another doctor. It doesn't sound like there's any trust between you and your doctor anymore. If you are taking responsibility for your life and no longer using other people's prescriptions perhaps its time to go to another doctor, honestly tell him or her what has happened, what you have done to fix it and what your current challenges are. There are medications out there that are not addidictive and can be used to relieve pain and the doctor can write them in small amounts without repeats at first.
 
Hang in there. You'll figure it out.

Nicky
________________________________________________________________________________
 
The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.   Buddha

7

Hi,

The doctor knows about the narcotics, I haven't taken them long for less than 6 months and not that often.  There was no struggle stopping taking them as I was not addicted, just did it socially.  I am doing a bit of exercise at the moment and me and friend are going to go to an exercise class.  When I used to get neck and shoulder pain sport really helped and stopped that problem so I am hoping it will do the same again.  I am going to beat this.

Thanks

Sheena