Headache/pressure for 3 weeks

[Krazidaze]

Hi there

I'm so glad I've found this website - it's been something I've been needing for ages - I wish I'd found it before now!

I never used to have health anxiety, but I reckon I started with it about 6 months after leaving university. I'm sure it's all tied in with unemployment and resulting depression. I can be ok for a while and then out of nowhere I'll get a twinge, or pain, or something and it all snowballs out of control. I can't enjoy anything whilst I'm worrying about the pain/whatever it is. I always, always think worst case scenario to the point I considered planning my funeral once, *just in case".

This time, the worry has eased a bit since I went to my doctors. But I'm trying so hard to not run immediately to my doctors when my anxiety hits. In this case, given this headache has been continuous for 3 weeks, I figured about time I should go.

The best way I can describe it is like someone is pushing their thumb really hard into my left temple. At its worst, I get a throbbing ache and stabbing pains on that side, although the pain has been known to move around my head to the top, right temple and base of my skull. When it's really bad I find it hard to concentrate on anything, feel dizzy and occasionally see sparkles in my vision. Painkillers of any kind don't touch it whatsoever.

My doctor seemed unconcerned and she says it sounds like a particularly nasty tension headache, especially since it's moving. I have recently been prescribed a low dose of Citalopram (10mg) to treat my general depression and anxiety, but also that my doctor says it's supposed to be good for treating people with migraines and hopes it will help relieve my head pains.

Anyone else had experience with this?

Many thanks and good to be here :)

[AutumnRose92]

Hi,

I have noticed that we both posted about similar problems at exactly the same time! It too is my first time posting.

I am afraid I don't have the 'answer' to what is wrong with you but I can say that I have very similar problems to you... I have had a (almost) non-stop headache for a while now, painkillers don't help, and it worries me quite a bit. I have a few other 'symptoms' as well and I am always jumping to the worst possible conclusions.

I too have been to the doctors who, like you, told me it was probably tension headaches. The pain moves around my head and I get sharp pains randomly too.. I get dizzy and nauseous sometimes and occassionally see flashing lights in my vision.

I don't know the cause for my problems, I am hoping it is tension as the doctor suggested or else I am just being overly anxious and the anxiety is giving me the symptoms.

I don't know, really I just wanted to say: ME TOO! And I know how you feel! :)

Hope you feel better soon!

[krisdeancooper]

I can offer my thoughts as an anxiety sufferer of almost two years. I started out with pressure and a strong heartbeat. I was an absolute mess as I'm sure you both will be and worried there was something seriously wrong. I would have headaches, head tension and general pressure and I still get all of these to some degree. These symptoms got so physically intense for me that I was close to passing out at times and at others I needed to lay down or drink a pint of beer really quick to offset the feelings.

I went for an eye test after a year and a half of this madness as my doctor recommended it as I complained about the floaters, stinging eyes and red veins appearing across my eyes, as well as the headaches. My doctor said it would also be able to alert me to a brain tumour. I popped into Specsavers and lo and behold I needed glasses for the computer and reading! After using these my tension and pressure have reduced substantially, but I'm not sure if it's the glasses or the fact I now know I don't have a brain tumour.

The trick here would be either talk to your doctor about ways of showing you that it's nothing serious, or pop into the opticians and get an eye test even if you wear glasses already, because at least you can have a picture of the back of your eyes and know that there is nothing serious there!!

Please also try to remember you're not alone and you're not the first or the last person to have these horrible symptoms and live a long and healthy life. Watch how you go and stay lucky. :)

EDIT: Now that I've just explained about head pressure and tension, despite not having it badly for months, it's suddenly set on like crazy and my head feels like it's going to burst. And THAT is exactly how you can tell it's anxiety causing it because bad illnesses don't just flare up all of a sudden. Hope you realize you're perfectly healthy (apart from anxiety of course) and have a great day!!

[spacebunnyx]

Just wanted to add that I've had this for the last 4 weeks as well... EXACTLY the same symptoms. Def think its tension as if I mentally try to relax my muscles around my forehead the discomfort sometimes decreases. Also suspected it could be a touch of hayfever... maybe...

[honester]

I too get pressure feelings and lots of weird stabbing / shooting pains in my head accompanied with persistent dizziness....I''m sure it's all anxiety related other wise we'd all have something serious and the chances of that are very slim x ........just need to convince myself!

[Krazidaze]

Thank you for such great replies! It's always comforting to know that it's "not just you".

Spacebunny: I've not consciously tried to relax my muscles, but I know if I'm distracted by something I often get distracted from the pain until I think about it again, and then it's back. That says to me it must, at least in part, be because of anxiety, since anxiety about it makes it so much worse.

Krisdeancooper: That sounds awful and very familiar. I've never passed out, but there're times when I feel I might. The worst is when I'm out and about, and out of nowhere I get a cold sensation and palpitations and feel like I'm about to collapse. I reiterate that I never ever used to be like this til the enforced structure (school, university etc) fell apart.

It's interesting you mention eye tests. I wear glasses for long distance vision (and technically should probably wear them more than I do, but they're not obligatory 24/7 and I can certainly see fine without them, just not crystal clear as I can with them.) I went for an eye test when this first started up about 6 months ago or so, but the optician couldn't see anything.

I have a lot of history with my eyes and always have to have a glaucoma check. Basically, I should have ended up blind and brain damaged (I was 13 weeks premature), but the doctors were testing new techniques of cryotherapy on babies and so they tried it on me, and amazingly, it worked. One of my eyes is better than the other admittedly, but I can see, and I can never, ever thank the doctors enough for that.

All that said, I know I never used to have migraines until I worked a few years back marking examination papers and I had my first one then. That was terrifying - 80% vision loss, vertigo, horrendous pain...the works. I didn't know what was happening at the time, but we went to the doctors then and she said it was likely eye strain. Since then, I've had at least one horrendous migraine every few months.

I think you're right though. An eye test certainly couldn't hurt and it would (hopefully) alleviate the fears of worst case scenario.


Thank you again so much! :)