What kind of headache?
So I'm a 16 year old girl, I've been getting what I've thought was migraines since 3rd grade (at least that's the first I can remember), but hearing about all these different kinds of headaches has made me question if they've really all been migraines.
I already know I get tension headaches about every day so I know what those are, and I already know at least two of those "migraines" were actual migraines... at least I think so. The ones that hurt like the devil on the side of my head. That's what migraines are described as usually, and my mom gets them and she says yeah, those are migraines.
But the other headaches/migraines/whatever I've been getting a lot, they don't hurt on the side of my head. They hurt behind my right eye every time and then my eyes start to water and my face gets really hot and I just get really angry and bothered by everything, but it doesn't make my headache worse (it's pretty much already as bad as it can get at that point). I tried looking this up and it said cluster headaches can do that, but I've only ever gotten these headaches once a day, even if it's for the entire day. And they always start with funky-eye-things, like a Migraine with aura. Those sparkly tumbly things or the big black space in my vision. I get these headaches every day for like a week straight and then they won't happen for awhile, or if they do it's only for a day until they show up again every day for a week.
I'm just really frustrated with trying to figure out what's wrong with me, and I don't want to go to the doctor because they never seem to listen to me and then my parents have to pay for a wasted visit. So I'll only go to the doctor if I have an idea of what might be going on. Please, help!
Dear goldiefish73,
While I am not a doctor and not even healthcare professionals are equipped to diagnose someone without a thorough physical diagnosis, I have been a patient advocate for many years and can surmise that you may in fact have migraine despite all the "weird" symptoms.
Take a look at this page first, just to familiarize yourself with basic ins and outs of migraine: https://migraine.com/migraine-basics/
Any time your health problems/headaches are having an impact on your ability to live life to the fullest, it's time to start seeking medical care. I understand that your current doctors are not good listeners. It sounds to me like it's time to seek a migraine/headache specialist. Here's a good place to start: https://migraine.com/blog/making-decision-see-headache-specialist/
It's important for me to note that not all doctors and neurologists have a super-thorough background in migraine and headache disorder management. In your case, since you've hit a dead end with your healthcare providers and are still suffering, it is probably time to seek care from a specialist. There's a very real possibility that there are treatments out there that can ease your suffering and get you back to living a more fulfilled, healthy life.
Let us know how you're doing, and we'll be rooting for you.
Take care,
Janet G.
"The Migraine Girl"
