Calm down, brain....

[novapsyche]

Yesterday morning, I awoke with a splitting headache. I first took two ibuprofen. Four hours later, I took one maximum strength acetaminophen, which cut through some of the pain for about an hour. Seven hours later, I took two(!) Aleve, which did nothing for the pain--in fact, it seemed to enhance it.

Through the night, my headache reached into my slumber. I awoke at least four times, wincing and sometimes crying out.

This morning, my companion was still right there with me. I told my father, and we resolved to go to the hospital. However, this being a huge, conglomerate structure, we decided, after waiting for over three hours, that we could find help elsewhere. We made an appointment for me with a general practitioner for later this week.

In the meantime, I bought more acetaminophen. I don't quite understand why that and none of the other painkillers could dampen the pain so much. But mine is not to wonder why.

F says he's worried. He says that, coupled with my vision-related HPPD symptoms, what I'm exhibiting now may be indications of a brain tumor. I shrugged and said that that was an idea I'd entertained several months ago; he was telling me nothing new.

The funny thing was, I went downstairs to speak with my father (who'd heard nothing of this private conversation), and he proceeded to tell me about a friend of his who had been complaining about headaches and soon ended up dead--the cause of death, a brain tumor. The fact that two independent sources used that phrase seems more than a coincidence to me. But as much as I think God speaks to us through ordinary channels, I know I can't chalk anything up as fact until I see a physician.

You never know what a good thing health is until you lose it.

Comments

[netmouse.livejournal.com]

Headaches are funny things and can be caused by many things. Have you ever seen a chiropractor? Is your neck at all stiff? a misalignment of the spine in the neck area can pinch a nerve that goes up into the head and cause a bitch of a headache.

Though it may feel like your brain is hurting, most headaches are completely caused in areas external to your skull. The veins there are probably swollen. I personally recommend you take 500 milligrams of acetaminophen, 500 milligrams of aspirin, and some caffiene. a can of coke is about the right dose. possibly your can find the same doses of all three in Excedrin. -- I just looked. Extra strength Excedrin has those proportions but not that strong a dose - take two. I have some if you want me to bring it by.

[padpedpladuk.livejournal.com]

Have you ever had migraines? I suddenly started having migraines (with aura) a couple of years ago and for weeks I had NO IDEA what was going on. Even my doctor didn't get it.

For me they are brought on when I relax. (!) Propranolol (beta-blockers) seem to reduce the occurrence for me.

Wish you the best...

[xiombarg.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I gotta agree with everyone else here. Headaches can indicate a lot of things, things a lot less scary than a brain tumor.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

I wish I could take your advice as it stands, but I feel I shouldn't. What you could not have known is that I have had a slight heart arrhythmia, which eventually got me to the emergency room. The doctors there confirmed that my heartbeat is irregular and that I should avoid caffeine (along with tobacco and alcohol). I cut caffeine out of my diet almost completely (I'm sure I still get some in the chocolate I consume from time to time, but I specifically choose non-caffeinated beverages now).

I do take 81 mgs of aspirin each day (except for the last two days because I was taking a variety of pain reducers, and I know enough not to mix certain substances together). I didn't think that I could take acetaminophen and aspirin together, but I guess I should have figured that out yesterday. Shopping in Wal-Mart's medicine aisle, I too picked up the Excedrin bottle and noted its ingredients. It was the caffeine that got me to put the bottle back on the shelf. :)

Anyway, the headache is nearly completely gone today; I woke and the pain was just a little nagging thing on the left side of my head. Also, I have an appointment with the doctor tomorrow afternoon, and I'll be able to explain several things to him that I wasn't able to do with the emergency room doctors. Maybe then some things can get straightened out.

I have some if you want me to bring it by.
*smile* I love you, Anne. :)

The reasons why I don't want you to are few, but all involve my SO (specifically the fact that he is staying with me in Michigan, when in fact I was supposed to be here by myself). It's a long story--a long, long story--but it is something I would love to chat about sometime. We should just find someplace to meet... maybe a bookstore. :)

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

I don't know what are the typical symptoms of migraines. When I mentioned the possibility to my SO, who is a sufferer of migraines, he didn't think I exhibited the normal signs. I suspect that he is extrapolating too much from his own, ideosyncratic experience, but absent other information of course I cannot be sure.

I'll poke around ask.com tonight and see what I can dig up.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

Oh, I realize that. At the same time, I know what habits I've been keeping for the last year, and I know that I have done things that could have definitely wreaked havoc with my actual brain. (Have you heard of a substance called foxxy methoxy? That moniker refers to 5-MeO-DiPT, which I foolishly played around with in December of last year, and again in April. The April episode, which I don't really want to go into great detail here, was the worse of the two general experiences in terms of mode of use. This was really the start of my HPPD, and of my heart arrhythmia later.)

All I'm saying is that there well may be a reason to worry, though I do keep my worry at a more than reasonable level. "Hope for the best; prepare for the worst"; I'm just being honest about what the worst may entail.

[xiombarg.livejournal.com]

Well, you concentrate on getting well, then...

[netmouse.livejournal.com]

:)

Glad to hear your head is feeling better. Sorry to know you've had an arrhythmia. The thing about taking both aspirin and acetominophen is useful to know. They each have a 24-hour max, but those are independent of one another, so you can pretty much double the amount of painkillers you can take if you take both kinds or swap back and forth. (though maybe you should check that with your doctor).

Meeting someplace, like at a bookstore, sounds nice. As a matter of fact, this weekend on Sunday the Stilyagi book club is having a discussion of American Gods - a book I've been meaning to give to you for nearly a year. It's at 3 pm at a bookstore over here in Ann Arbor in the westgate mall just east of the Jackson Rd exit from I-94. Details are at the club website. I'll be there. I think you might find the discussion interesting, too.