LymeNet Flash: headache EVERY day

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Posted by jaime1978 (Member # 11786) on :

Ok, now I have been getting headaches EVERY day

for the past 2 months. Do you think this is

related to the lyme? I had a CT scan....normal

of course, getting MRI tomorrow. I read about

lyme induced meningitis....could it be that?

I go see LLMD june 27th.

Thank you for any insight.

jaime

Posted by jaime1978 (Member # 11786) on :

I guess pertinant info also is that I have never

had headaches before....the only time I did was

when I was pregnant with my second child, 4 years

ago. Also, I believe I have had lyme for 20

years.

Posted by Vermont_Lymie (Member # 9780) on :

Could be...good that you are seeing an llmd soon.

I had headaches, bad ones, every day when I had 'acute' lyme disease -- that is, in the weeks and two months following a tick bite.

Headaches started before the bulls-eye rash.

It was meningitis confirmed by a spinal tap. The spinal tap was not fun (it is not painful itself, just that I could not stand for two weeks afterwards without awful headaches).

But the confirmation of meningitis led to a script from a duck for IV rocephin.

Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :

Could definitely be from Lyme but also is a common symptom of Babesiosis!!! but yes, could be Lyme!!! Or even Ehrlichiosis- Anaplasmosis!@!

1: Cephalalgia. 1993 Jun;13(3):207-9. Links

Headache resembling tension-type headache as the single manifestation of Lyme neuroborreliosis.

Brinck T, Hansen K, Olesen J.
Department of Neurology, Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

We present two patients with monosymptomatic headache resembling chronic tension-type headache as the first manifestation of Lyme neuroborreliosis.

The headache developed over a few days in both cases and lasted for three months in the first case and for two and a half years in the second case before the diagnosis of Lyme neuroborreliosis was made.

Neuroimaging and many laboratory investigations did not lead to the diagnosis, which was only established after lumbar puncture. The CSF in both cases showed high protein, lymphocytic pleocytosis and Borrelia burgdorferi-specific intrathecal antibody synthesis.

The headache disappeared completely after treatment with penicillin G.

In patients suffering from daily headaches which have developed subacutely, Lyme neuroborreliosis should be considered even in the absence of signs of meningeal irritation.

A lumbar puncture should be performed more often than is presently customary and the CSF should be examined for pleocytosis as well as Borrelia burgdorferi-specific intrathecal antibody synthesis.

PMID: 8358780

1: Pediatrics. 2003 Dec;112(6 Pt 1):e477-9. Links

Lyme disease presenting with persistent headache.

Moses JM, Riseberg RS, Mansbach JM.
Department of Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 32115, USA.

Increased intracranial pressure in patients with Lyme disease is an uncommon but reported finding.

We discuss 2 patients from Lyme endemic areas who initially presented with headache, nausea, and vomiting and were eventually found to have increased intracranial pressure, a mild cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis, and positive Lyme titers.

It has been shown that increased intracranial pressure in association with neuroborreliosis can lead to blindness. In endemic areas, it is important for practitioners to consider Lyme disease when patients present with persistent headache, especially in those who have evidence of increased intracranial pressure.

PMID: 14654649

Posted by ByronSBell 2007 (Member # 11496) on :

I have had a chronic headache that has never gone away for almost 2 years now... were in the same boat

Posted by groovy2 (Member # 6304) on :

Babs causes Killer Headaches -Daily --

After treatment 98% gone--AAHHAHHH

Jay--

Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :

I too, am now getting a really bad headache every day.

I am pretty sure it is babesia that is causing mine....again.

I've treated once for three months, but have had a gradual return of babesia symptoms.

The headache, sometimes just stabbing pains, are one symptom that had gone away for a while.

Hugs,

Geneal

Posted by Life inLymbo (Member # 8388) on :

I had intollerable headaches that would last for weeks at a time. For me it was babesia. Now that I'm on malarone and lariam the headaches are much improved. hopefully your llmd will be able to get you on the right regimen and finally give you some relief.
Good luck

Posted by jaime1978 (Member # 11786) on :

thanks for all the replies....pretty much what

I was thinking. It's going to be a LONG month.

Isn't it strange though, that I've had lyme for

20 years, and never had headaches, and they come

on all the sudden?? Nothing helps them. Doc

gave me Midrin, doesn't help. He gave me imitrex

I refuse to take that...I have too many of the

"don't use this medication if you have" things...

you know. Excedrin migrane doesn't help,

the rub on stuff doesn't help....

thanks again everyone [Smile]

Posted by Allison Smith (Member # 11631) on :

I am 31 years old and have had lyme for most my life. I have grown up with terrible headaches. I remember as a child I would lock myself in my room and put blankets over my windows to keep the lights out.

I tried my darndest to not cry because that would just make it worse.

After the birth of my third child my Lyme came back and has not gone away and I have had headaches EVERYDAY for the past 5 years. It's horrible.

I have gone untreated and have not had antibiotics and would love to find an LLMD that took insurance so I could afford treatment and get rid of these headaches and the Lyme of course.

They are horrible and quit debilitating so I feel for you!

Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :

[group hug]

jamie and all others suffering with daily headaches/migraines,

my heart goes out to you all; i used to get them daily too as well as STRESS related.

have you had your eyes checked lately?

is your AXIS CORRECT? i have 1/2" lenses, and when it's a SMIDGEON OFF, migraines hit me hard. so that's the 1st thing i check when these come on. good luck.

i NO LONGER GET DAILY AND RARELY! there is hope.

never had babs... [Wink]

Posted by klutzo (Member # 5701) on :

I am thinking outside the box here, just on the off chance that this is not due to Lyme/Babs. Just because we have Lyme, does not mean we cannot have other problems too, unfortunately.

1)Another possiblity could be drugs, even though you are not on ABX.

Over the years, I've taken two drugs that gave me non-stop headaches, 1) Trazadone and 2) Prilosec (the Prilosec headache was dose related and stopped when I halved the dose).

If you take any meds, please look them up at an online drugstore to read about side-effects. It would be nice if a simple change of meds could fix it for you.

2)Another possibility is perimenopause if you are between 35-50 yrs. old. You say you've been having headaches most of your life that include light sensitivity. Light sensitivity happens with migraines. Have your headaches been evaluated by a headache specialist?

Migraines typically increase dramatically during perimenopause, then may disappear at menopause. You may need medication designed for migraines, like Phrenalin for example, which is a mild narcotic made just for migraine. The supplements GABA, Magnesium, and feverfew can also help with migraine. Migraine can often be prevented with a daily dose of drugs like Inderal or Verapamil.

I went into perimenopause early (age 37) due to Lyme, and my headaches went from one per month that lasted about 12 hrs. up to 5-7 per month that each lasted 3 full days! By age 44, I was though menopause and have had zero migraines since.

Best of luck in resolving this,
Klutzo