Headaches can't sleep

[Maisie1]

Headaches all day go to bed awake at 0400hrs. Feel shattered all day. I know doctors are reluctant to give out sleeping tablets but at the moment I can't function. Ok when I am not at work but otherwise I struggle. Seeing my GP Thursday hope he will give me something me thing. Can't understand why the pain won't go. Getting me down

[Bea6]

Hi I so totally know how you feel. I recently changed my consultant as I was getting nowhere and life was unbearable. I was so lucky to find my new prof as like you I hadn't slept more than a few hours each night when he suggested giving melatonin a try.. Well it's wonderful I now get 5 hours unbroken sleep which has greatly improved my pain levels. I still get the headaches but they are more bearable. Hope this helps. Bea

[Maisie1 in reply to Bea6]

Thanks I will mention that. If I get some sleep I think I will cope with the pain more

[Sunsh1ne in reply to Bea6]

Hi is melatonin only on prescription ? I am on amytrptyline but doesn't help me initially to drop off .

[Bea6 in reply to Sunsh1ne]

Hi yes meletonin only available from consultant but really helps. Bea

[Thunder1]

Morning Sorry you have bad headaches ,can i ask you what tablets you are on ? ☇

[Hidden]

have you tried the pressure technique ? sit on bed and press soft part between big toe n next toe about 2cm down, top n bottom and squeeze for 5 mins, release quick. i never thought it would work but often does. for headaches. hope it helps you. i suffer migraines and often helps mine.

[AlegnaB in reply to Hidden]

I will definitely try this...Thank you for the tip x Angela

[Sherry44]

A simple but good remedy is to put a damp cloth (cold water) on the back of your neck and let it lie there. It has always worked for me. Good luck.

[granrain]

I'm having headaches at the moment and and it aches like when you have had a dental injection and is wearing of and last night I had my amitriptyline and Phenergan and relax music and eventually sleep came about 3am and work up shattered and my eyes 👀 struggling to focus and my hands are no good can't grip so 2 things needed for daily use so today is taking it slowly 😞

[Hidden]

Hiya...

I was going on just 2 hours sleep per day an constant headaches, I think the Tramadol was causing them to be worse but since I stopped them an tried the BuTrans 20mg/pH pain relief patches the headaches have almost gone an I get a little more sleep which in turn gives some more energy to help elevate the normal body pains a bit more...

GP's seem reluctant to give much away so it's best to Google various meds an read up on the reviews before asking for them as they often tell you a lot of nonsense an fob you off...!

Hope this can be of some help

Hugh, Belfast.

[Maisie1 in reply to Hidden]

Will do that. I think it will better if I am armed with some info

[Alison-Brown]

Hi,

I am getting an awful lot of migraines. Nothing I take even takes the edge off. After a four day stay in hospital, in excruciating pain, I saw four different doctors who all had a different view on what was wrong with me. The last one I saw gave me a jab of something in my leg and it was instantly better. I can't tell you the relief it gave me. Four hours later my headache was back so I asked for the same again only to be told it's an every eight hour drug. So I had to wait but when they gave it to me again my headache went and didn't come back so they discharged me, WITH some of the drug in tablets form. I'm never without it now.

I'm getting about two migraines a week at the moment. I have to wait till the migraine has set in before I take a tablet. I don't know why but it doesn't work if I take it too early. Just my make up I think. Normal headaches I can control with Paracetamol but my migraines need what I call my wonder drug. Sumatriptan.

A x

[Hidden in reply to Alison-Brown]

yes I have had these for 2 years to take only when a migraine onset starts. they are magnificient, never had migraine until 2 years ago and so had no idea what was happening,I was admitted to hospital in 2014 after a lumber puncture showed positive? Positive what for I wasn,t told. I found myself miles away from home and woke up in a ward with ladies who had major head trauma and had had brain surgery-really scarey!!

[Alison-Brown in reply to Hidden]

Hi you can take them on the onset of a migraine can you? When I tried it didn't work.

[Hidden in reply to Alison-Brown]

Alison I guess it might depend on the strength of the tablets, my prescription says take one and then another 2 hours later if no effect. Tell your g.p about this because this remedy has proved a good result..when I get migraines its in the night it wakes me up and thru a lot of help and "listening" for a change; a rheumatologist agreed its set off by muscles at the back of neck that go up into head are tight and are stopping blood flow thus causing the almighty pain.

[Alison-Brown in reply to Hidden]

Thank Caz

will do

A

[Robbie138 in reply to Hidden]

I'm getting that a lot just now.

[Maisie1]

Nothing at the moment my consultant wants me to have a 5 week drug break but am going to see my GP today. Can't wait that long. Thanks for replying

[Alison-Brown in reply to Maisie1]

Good luck x

[moo196 in reply to Maisie1]

Hi

I'm normally posting in Headway these days but still here since my original diagnosis of ME / Fibro was relevant before CVST - and I recall the neuro team saying that it's never good to take painkillers for headaches for more than 4 days in a row - they explained why - but can't remember that bit for now. So it might be worth discussing that again as your consultant suggests similar. I know now that the fewer drugs I have the better. Assume you have had eyes tested recently ? Just in case

Hope you get some answers and some pain free time. Best thing I ever did for pain relief was giving up diet coke and all things containing artificial sweeteners

Good luck !

[Maisie1 in reply to moo196]

I know you can get rebound headaches if you take too many pain killers. I was hoping to get something to help me sleep

[moo196 in reply to Maisie1]

Hope your GP has some suggestions for you. I know that I needed reminding of the sleep hygiene things when I first came out of hospital in 2014. ....... much better with that than the sleeping tablets but I guess we all need different things. good luck

[Maisie1]

I already take magnesium thanks

[Maisie1]

Yes

[Fibrofoggiest]

Can I just remind everyone that we can only give advice based on our experience of medication. We are not trained medics and in lines with the rules of the forum we should advise people always to check with your own GP before embarking on any change in medication. Earlier in the post melatonin was mentioned, it does have a reasonable reputation as an aid for sleep, the problem is that it does have contra-indications with other meds that some of us with fibro are on. That is what prompted me to remind everyone about checking with your GP as some people purchase stuff online after recommendation and have nasty side effects. Wishing you all well 🙂

Foggy x

[_Esined_ in reply to Fibrofoggiest]

Well reminded post Fibrofoggiest! 👍👈

[Scouser58]

Hello Maisie1,,,,could it be that you have got tension headaches?,,,would you consider taking time to rest with a warm moist flannel on your forehead with lavender essential oil on,,,and a cool one on the back of your neck,,,,,maybe you could have a change of pain relief,,,possibly to dissolvable for quicker action,,,,,also have you considered asking for diazepam to help you relax,,and allow the tension to pass,,,,,I hope your doctor is going to be very helpful and help you get some sleep,,,ttfn from Karen.

[TheAuthor]

Hi Maisie1

I am so genuinely sorry to read that you are suffering and struggling in this way, and I sincerely hope that you are feeling better now. I want to sincerely wish you all the best of luck with your GP, and I genuinely hope that they can give you something to help. Please take care of yourself my friend.

All my hopes and dreams for you

Ken

[Gr91275]

Have you had a sleep study done? I had very similar issues. I still struggle, but now that I have a dental sleep apnea device, I don't feel lethargic throughout the day and awake at night as often. The dental device allows me to get better sleep so my pain has gotten better, too. I strongly suggest a sleep study.

In the meantime, if the dr won't give you a sleeping pill, there's a powder called "CALM" that you can mix into water-it's magnesium. Start out slowly as it can cause diarrhea if you take too much. I took a fourth of the suggested amount and it helped. I tried to take more, but my stomach couldn't tolerate it.

[Petitepam]

Hi, I was diagnosed with cluster migraines which would kick off at 4am after tests at hospital I was advised to take a coffee per day, ground not instant to dilate my veins and arteries for better blood flow. I was also told to get outside for air and if all that failed to get to a and e for oxygen. I have to say I do manage quite well keeping to this and find a headache will fade away once I have my coffee, an ice pack or cooling gel on the back of the neck can also help by calming any inflammation.

Hope you find something that works for you.

Take care of yourself.

[Hidden]

me too with the ground coffee, i also need it for potassium. i had a call ooo your potassium levels are up from 2.4 to 3.4 lol meant to be 5 lol ill keep drinking the coffee

[granrain]

I take Phenergan at night it helps the brain activate to quieten down but some nights that not working but that not that often now but everyone is different hope it's helpful. granrain

[Fibroman]

after 10 years of sleepless nights and constant headaches / Migraines I found the answer. Amitriptyline 50-75mg every night I sleep for 8 hours rarely wake up , have more energy and less pain / headaches.Its changed my life , the daft part was Doctor prescribed me Amitriptyline 10mg 12 years ago but I refused to take them because they did nothing. After reading posts on here I asked my Doctor about taking a higher dose. I just wish I had found this out years ago. I am now a volunteer driver doing up to 30 hours a week. I feel better than ever.

[Maisie1]

I take 50mg but in the past have had up to a 100mgs