posted
How do you describe your headaches? dull? throbbing? always there? Mine just won't go away. Is there an infection that headaches are more likely to be caused by?
..I'm seeing a Lyme specialist in the beginning of December (I know, a long wait) and I have a ton of questions.
Just wondered how everyone else dealt with their headaches.
Posts: 195 | From - | Registered: Sep 2011
| IP: Logged |
Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Hey trubeeeeeeeeeeee!
Welcome to LymeNet!
Sorry you are feeling so poorly. I have already turned into a pumpkin, so I can't think to explain much now, but hopefully some early birds will have some clear thoughts for you by dawns early light.
I can say that headaches are quite common. They can be caused by any tick borne disease, however, I associate some of my worst ones and most constant ones (pressure) with babesiosis.
They can also be caused by other diseases or conditions too. But the WORST headaches I get are often after I read something written by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). Ou, ou, ou and ouchy on that! They are nuff to make anyone sick!
posted
HAhahaha Tincup, thank you for that welcome! I needed a good laugh as my head feels like I need to wrap it up tight to prevent it from falling off my head!
So.. headaches are common, huh? Neuro couldn't figure it out and meds haven't helped so I wondered. I'll have to be careful reading about the IDSA since I don't want a worse headache!
Alice in Lymeland, yours sound exactly like mine... always present 24/7. Sorry you're going through this too--maybe we can learn together? Posts: 195 | From - | Registered: Sep 2011
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have had headaches since I had meningitis in 1992. After many visits to neurologists, all they could say was that I have migraines and trigeminal neuralgia.
The headaches that come with those illnesses are very distinct and easy to identify. The daily headache I had was not either one of those, but it was very hard to deal with.
Lately, I have found some relief by taking magnesium. The dose that works for me is 500 mg three times per day.
I still have headaches, but not nearly as often or as severe as before.
When I do have a bad headache, I put ice on my head and apply pressure to the place that hurts the worst, and this seems to help.
-------------------- Take care -kelly --------------- Posts: 330 | From TX | Registered: Mar 2009
| IP: Logged |
lymeboy
Unregistered
posted
I get every type of headache. Back of the head, top of the head, all over, pressure headaches, feeling like my head is going to pop like a balloon. But the worst ones are behind the eyes for me. So painful and intense. Luckily they only last for 20 - 30 minutes. They are hell though. I think that type of headache is Bartonella. I think each kind of headache indicates a different infection, which would make sense for me, since I have the big three....
IP: Logged |
posted
Amen to the both of you..like any other symptom over the years it has fluctuated with me too.. but lately its been really bad.
Yup to the brain fog too, veery difficulty thinking when one's head is pounding plus there must be an aspect of 'vascular' stuff happening-- I plan to ask my LLMD about systemic enzymes or whatever they're called, I've already done the curcumin thing, etc. No doubt inflammation.
So much to learn-sigh-and from the sounds of things I don't think even the doctors have a complete picture.. guess time will tell.
Hope you both feel better!
Posts: 195 | From - | Registered: Sep 2011
| IP: Logged |
posted
Yes! My headaches are just like Alice described. No pain killers seem to lessen the pain at all (which is weird). For me, if I eat a banana or two, the headaches will lessen or disappear altogether.
So, I'm thinking those headaches are caused by a lack of nutrients that bananas have. It's not potassium, because coconut water does nothing. kellyjk4 is probably right that it's magnesium that I'm lacking. I haven't tried a mangesium supplement to test the theory, though. I can't take too many bananas or else they mess up my sugar balance.
I'll still get stiff neck and tension headaches, though, which are a bit different from the really painful ones that the bananas help with.
I'm a little new at the whole Lyme treatment thing and so far I'm the only one who does well with bananas. Maybe I'm just weird :-)
-------------------- IgM: [18++,31+++,34++,41++,83-93+] [39 IND] IgG: [41 IND] Positive according to IGeneX. Negative according to CDC. Negative for co-infections. Currently treating for Lyme, Bartonella, Babesia Posts: 225 | From Minnesota | Registered: May 2011
| IP: Logged |
posted
Interesting thing about bananas helping you, I guess whatever works!!! And yes, you're right no pain medicine has helped me either. I've tried upping my magnesium only to run to the bathroom!!
Lymeboy and JeniferM, I too have the 'triad' of headaches and I wish they knew what was what so we could target the worst one...sigh - this whole illness is 'weird'!
Posts: 195 | From - | Registered: Sep 2011
| IP: Logged |
MannaMe
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 33330
posted
My husband has / had headaches too for years. The worst of it eased when he quit eating eggs. (food allergy testing showed he was severely allergic to eggs) The 'egg' headache he described as feeling like his head was going to explode or implode.
Meds really don't do much too help his headaches either.
He has the behind the eyes headaches and muscle tension headaches.
Cranial therapy helps some to ease the tight muscles.
Posts: 2390 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2011
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thanks MannaMe, your post makes me go hmmmm. I wonder if I should get allergy tested...I'm SO glad quitting eggs helped him. It's like something is driving these headaches, only I don't know what.. Posts: 195 | From - | Registered: Sep 2011
| IP: Logged |
MannaMe
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 33330
posted
Do a test at home - avoid eggs for 3 or 4 days... and read labels - egg can be in lots of things.
We like to say we did enough double blind tests on my hubby to know it was really the egg and not just notion!
I accidentally used salad dressing in something for him and sure enough he had an 'egg' headache!
For him, the 'egg' headache comes 48 hours after he ate it.
Another time he ate a candy bar at work. 48 hours later he had an 'egg' headache. I couldn't think of anything I had served him with egg in it..... he went to work - checked the label on the candy bar - less than 2% of egg white!
So yes, food allergy testing could be worth looking into - or even additives can be tested also. My hubby sure thinks it was worth it. He won't eat anything that we suspect might have egg in it, because those headaches are so horrible.
The food allergy testing showed allergies / intolerance's to several grains also. He was to avoid all the severe allergies for 6 months, then try adding them back one by one to see if they still cause problems. Egg is the only one that caused the headaches.
Posts: 2390 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2011
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[lol]](graemlins/lol.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic