Headache fears..

[MrMumford]

Hi all, this is my first post. I probably should have introduced myself in the introduction forum, but I figured it would be better if I just jumped into it.

Okay so about a year ago I was diagnosed with G.A.D. I've been going to therapy and so far have been medication free. I've made great strides in my treatment and I'm proud of myself for this. For example, I would got out or do anything a year ago for fear of having a panic attack. Now I got to college, and hang out with my friends all the time.

Anyway, I think my anxiety has moved from fearing panic attacks to fearing health concerns. One of my biggest fears is getting cluster headaches. I read about them about a year ago and they scare the crap out of me. I think about them all the time and I can't seem to get the thought of getting them out of my head. The fact that I've been getting headaches and eyeball pressure(nothing particularly painful, just frightening because of my fear) does not help. I think I have a sinus infection(one of my nostrils is constantly stuffed), but I just can't shake the thought of getting those horrible horrible headaches. I know I don't have them but I scare myself to death just thinking about getting them. I think about how painful people say they are and if I'm going to get them and it eventually leads into my getting panicy. Its a really really crappy cycle. What scares me is that I usually get headaches weekly, like on the same day each week. Its weird and its got me afraid. The headaches aren't bad, no migraine symptoms or anything( I've never been diagnosed with migraines and I'm pretty sure I don't have them).

What do you guys think? Are my fears warranted? I just want someone to talk to who understands my situation you know? I tell my friends and family and they just tell me to calm down and that its all in my head. Thats not good enough. I'm sick of being anxious all the time. I was thinking about going to my therapist and asking him to put me on meds(something I normally wouldn't do because I had a bad experience with meds when I first was diagnosed. Imipramine to be exact).

What do you guys and gals think I should do?

[looking4answers]

Your fear is worse than the headaches are.If you are having them on the same day you probably are more tense and stressed that day than other days during the week. You need to find out what is causing you to become this stressed.About 20 years ago I had some terrible headaches and would even go to the hospital with them .The only thing they would do is give me Tylenol. They would tell me it was from smoking and the veins contracting or stress or anything and everything but nothing.Those headaches like to have killed me.I never did find out what caused them and after they finally went away I have always been frightened I would get them back but I haven't so far .As for being afraid of getting headaches well..It might help you to talk to a therapist but the meds the therapist will have to decide if they would help or not.Maybe they can hypnotize you into not fearing the headaches,that would be better than meds.. Good luck and take care

[MrMumford]

I can't think of why that day would be stressful, its a wednesday and thats my day off. I just usually get a headache on wednesday. Its not a particular bad headache, but it hurts a bit. It responds to tylenol and ibuprofen so I'm thankful for that. I don't smoke either.

I've told my therapist about my fears and he says that worrying about it doesn't help at all. I've tried to tell myself over and over that I don't have cluster headaches, but the fear is always in the back of my mind. Thanks for the advice.

[MrMumford]

bump for the hell of it.

[belgarion]

You have got to stop thinking about those headaches you read about. Have you ever had it? I'm not goin to read about them in case they stick in my head too. Te less we know, the less we worry about. Like when your really young and don't fear anything. :)

Next time you think of it, instanty think of something else. Anything that you can avert your thoughts to. Britney Spears or whatever. Hopefully you will get bored of thinking of Britney, so you will also think less of that other thing too just because you know you don't want to think of Britney again. Or maybe you do..

[MidnightCalm]

Who wouldn't want to think of britney :blush:

[MrMumford]

I think you just suggest something worse than the headaches!

I try to think of over things, and usually it works. But its just always something that's in the back of my head.

[smeagoll]

Hi,
Many years ago I used to always get a bad headache on my day off and we were investigating it when I was seeing my doctor about depression & panic attacks. I always found that they started on my day off which puzzled me but what he said was that when I was stressed and at work the adreneline was pumping to get me through the day and when I relaxed cause I knew I was off the following day the adreneline levels dropped causing the tension headache to kick in. I'm not sure how to avoid this other than to deal with the stresses that affect you as a whole but just wanted to offer you an explanation.
As for your fear of cluster headaches, unfortunately there's nothing I can say to alleviate your fears - however, I suffer from them and in fact have one just now. They are horrible but I have found painkillers that work for me and am typing this from my desk at work so they are manageable, frustrating but manageable.
I know I have no answers but hope this helped at least a little
:)