All of a sudden

By sandranv

1 min read

Hi my name is Sandy, I woke up @ 3am July 11th 2016 with a pressure pain in the right side of my skull that to this day has not gone away? I have had a CT scan because I panicked that I was having a stroke and all looked good. I have had brain and cervical MRI's with contrast last month and all looks good, no new MS lesions and no active swelling around old lesions! I have also been living with Multiple Sclerosis for 23 years so I was thinking this is a weird MS symptom? I read my journal to my doctor last month and he said "Migraines". I have had a migraine before that put me in a dark room with tons of Advil and it went away after about 3 hours, but never has there been constant pressure in my head, daily never goes away until I fall asleep pressure that will sometimes pulsate sending electrical tingles from the spot down my face and into my arms and hands. I also sometimes get a squeezing feeling in my left arm when the pulsating hits? I know medical advice is not allowed, but I am curious if anyone else has this constant pressure feeling in the right side of their skull and has been diagnosed with migraines? I am on gabapentin 600mg daily but so far no relief. I did have a headache yesterday and it seemed to hit right after I had massaged my head with my hand!!! weird huh. I am at a loss especially since this started just all of a sudden!!! Bless all of you who's stories I have read on this sight, you are all in my prayers for relief of this oh so painful disease.

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Lisa Robin Benson Moderator & Contributor
Hi Sandy, Thanks for sharing your story and I'm so sorry to hear of your new and unexplained pain. Yes, we cannot give medical advice, but I can share some resources that might be helpful to discuss with your doctor. My short answer is, there are many causes for headache besides either migraine and things that an MRI or other scan can pick up, and though pressure in the head can be a type of migraine pain, since this pain you are experiencing seems different from your previous migraine attacks it is probably prudent to not stop exploring. First, is your doctor a headache specialist or neurologist, or simply your primary care doctor? I always suggest seeing a headache specialist if possible since they see patients with headache all day every day. Here's an article that goes into more detail about this: <a href='https://migraine.com/blog/looking-for-a-migraine-specialist' target='_blank'>https://migraine.com/blog/looking-for-a-migraine-specialist/</a> Also, here is some info about the symptom of pressure in the head in migraine and other types of headaches: <a href='https://migraine.com/blog/migraine-comorbidities-idiopathic-intracranial-hypertension' target='_blank'>https://migraine.com/blog/migraine-comorbidities-idiopathic-intracranial-hypertension/</a> Weather changes can trigger a migraine and people often mention feeling pressure in their head: <a href='https://migraine.com/blog/migraine-triggers-weather-changes' target='_blank'>https://migraine.com/blog/migraine-triggers-weather-changes/</a> Also, you mention you are on gabapentin for prevention, but has your doctor mentioned any abortive therapies to try? That might help you cope and also be a gauge for if it is a migraine you are dealing with. Here is some general info: <a href='https://migraine.com/migraine-treatment/migraine-medication-relief' target='_blank'>https://migraine.com/migraine-treatment/migraine-medication-relief/</a> I hope all this helps and feel free to reach out with any other questions. -Lisa
1. sandranv Member
 Thank you Lisa, I have a neurologist now but do have an appt with a migraine specialist neurologist unfortunately it is not until December 2nd 🙁 I am on the waiting list though. My GP has prescribed me a triptan and I picked it up tonight, we will see if it works on the headache because he said if it does not it may not be migraines. I have read through the IIH and that is scary but could make sense since it was all of a sudden!!! Thank you again for the reply I am just frustrated beyond belief as it has been 2 months with this pain 🙁.
kirafix Member
Sandy, I have had a migraine almost 24/7 since sureviving a subarchanoid hemorrhage, thank God I didn't need surgery! (10% survive, and almost all have bad migraines until they die). My pain is 98% of the time on the right side. I also suffered a TIA during recovery at home and was readmitted for several days. My neurologist released me after a year of out-patient Topamax treatment that they weaned me off of and was told that there was nothing more they could do. I went to the ER in January 2016 and was given 1 liter of IV solution with IV benadryl, Phenergan (thank God I have a medi-port so the Phenergan doesn't burn), Toradol, and subcutaneous Imitrex. I never had any testing done. They doctor stopped by 5 minutes after meds were given and asked how I was, I replied "no better yet". The next time I saw staff was when my IV bag was almost done and I rang to use the restroom. The nurses came in with my discharge paperwork. I told her that I was barely 10% better and I asked to see the doctor again and I was informed that that was all the doctor was going to do, so the nurse said that he would not be back. Had I been thinking more clearly, I would have protested, requested to see the oncologist duty hospital charge nurse. Needless to say, I have lived and learned. My pain doctor has started Botox. Other than that, nobody's helping me. I wish you luck, buy please don't give up like I did. After that ER visit, I just kept everything to me until I broke down in my pain doctor's office in the beginning of May. Just keep fighting the fight until they figure out what it is.
1. Brooke H Moderator
 Hi Kira Fix, Thank you for sharing your experience with the community. I'm so sorry you went through surviving a subarachnoid hemorrhage only to be left with chronic migraine. It sounds like your ER experience was very difficult. Please don't be too hard on yourself for not advocating more - it's frustrating that you have to do that when you're not feeling well! Your share made me think of a few article topics that may be of interest to you. The first: <a href='https://migraine.com/blog/tips-and-tricks-for-a-successful-emergency-department-visit' target='_blank'>https://migraine.com/blog/tips-and-tricks-for-a-successful-emergency-department-visit/</a> some of our members have found helpful for getting through ER visits when needed. The other is about Botox: <a href='https://migraine.com/blog/10-tips-for-getting-the-most-from-botox' target='_blank'>https://migraine.com/blog/10-tips-for-getting-the-most-from-botox/</a> - I hope you find some relief in the treatments. Lastly, do you have a migraine specialist? They are different than general neurologists as they treat people with migraines day in and day out. Here is some further information on that topic: <a href='https://migraine.com/blog/looking-for-a-migraine-specialist' target='_blank'>https://migraine.com/blog/looking-for-a-migraine-specialist/</a>. Thank you kindly for the words of encouragement - we wish them right back at you! Please keep us updated as to your progress. Feel free to come here for support anytime. Best, Brooke (Migraine.com team)
2. sandranv Member
 Oh my gosh Kira Fix what an awful experience at the ER and being released by your neurologist I cannot believe you were treated so poorly 🙁 you keep hanging in there and I am praying the Botox will help you tremendously so you can live pain free
ado6d6 Member
Quick note on the "triptans and if they don't work it's not a migraine" ...... I have severe migraines and it took trials of 3 different triptans to find one that actual worked. I have been waiting almost two years for a migraine specialist so I feel you pain in the wait, it sucks.
1. Lisa Robin Benson Moderator & Contributor
 Hi Tamara, Thanks for adding that point on the triptans. I sure hope you can see the specialist soon! Lisa
1soro31 Member
Hi Sandy, I'm so sorry for what you're going through. You're right in that we can't give out medical advice. I will share that I went through a zillion doctors & do have chronic migraines. But I had similar symptoms as you minus the pain down the arms. Although my cousin did have the pain down the arms. There's a slew of other possibilities, migraine types & not, your neurologist will look into such as trigeminal neuralgia & hemicrania continua. Hang in there. That's a long time to wait for a physician appointment.
1. 1soro31 Member
 Btw, gabapentin didn't work for me but the extended version of it did. ??
2. sandranv Member
 Thanks 1soro31, I will be starting topamax tomorrow night hopefully it will help, getting very tired of being in pain all the time 🙁 that is interesting about gabapentin being extended release!!
lq0r8o Member
Hi Sandy, My name is Kristina. I have been suffering with migraines since June 17, 2014. It started with a feeling of one eye being pushed into my brain while the other eye was being pushed out of my skull. I took some Advil and went out to do my shopping. All of a sudden, I lost almost all feeling in my right leg, arm, and face. I also lost my vision in my right eye. It was almost as if I was trying to look thru a jar of Vaseline. As far as the loos of feeling on my right side, It was almost as if someone snuck up behind me and gave me a shot of Novocaine. I immediately went to the hospital, and was taken back so that they could do tests. The doctors thought that I might be having a stoke, or an Arianism, or even some kind of tumor in my brain. All of the tests, came back "normal"... but that didn't explain the pain nor the symptoms. It took me 6 months to get an appointment with a neurologist. After enduring CT scans, MRI's (with and without contrast) stress tests, EEG's EKG's, nerosycological evaluations, and many other tests, I was told that I have what is called Hemiplegic migraines. No cure, just some relief from the intensity of pain. I am now taking a total of 53 different medications, ranging from Trip-tans, anti-depressants, preventative, pain, and panic/anxiety meds. Come to find out......It is hereditary!!! My 18 year old daughter, 16 year old son, and my 14 year old son..... all have the same type of migraine. Thankfully they have been diagnosed early, so they are only on 1 preventative medication, and only take the pain medication when absolutely necessary. You might want to ask your Dr. what type you have as well as do some research of your own on the symptoms that you have.
daw49 Member
Hi Kristina, In my experience that's how my migraines started beginning this summer. According to my headache Dr. the culprit is the barometric pressure. I've had a chronic migraine since June. I'm beginning to doubt the cause after so months of debilitating pain. I hope this helps in some way...Daw49