I've had headaches all of my life pretty much and don't reall know why.

**SandyEye** · 12-14-2011 10:28 PM

I'm a twenty-nine, 5 foot 2 inches at barely 91 pounds since yesterday(12/13/2011-Tuesday), year old white girl and I've had headaches 3/4 of my life. (no kids, started having sex at 21 or 22 years old).

I've had headaches all of my life, as far as I can remember. They were just regular headaches on my forehead every time. I would just take regular headache-medicine for them, first the white round equate kind and then Ibuprofen.

I've went to a lot of doctors and they never could find anything wrong. I went on day-to-day and took headache-medicine a few times a week or so and just put up with my headaches.

A year or so many few months before 2007 I got on Lexapro. I went to a free-clinic and the doctor guy gave me Lexapro after I told him all about my headaches. He said for me to try those but that he wasn't saying I was depressed or anything.

They seemed to've helped with my headaches a lot. I took a half of one pill a day and my headaches were gone(as far as I can remember) around those times(while I was on and taking Lexapro). I stopped taking that medicine(because that free-clinic had closed and I couldn't get any more medicine) and my headaches returned.

I'm not sure how long ago I noticed this but I noticed how I don't really get my headaches on my forehead anymore. They've been towards the top of my head in the center, if you put your hand on your forehead and go towards the top of your head above your hairline a good few or so inches then that's where my headaches have been lately, since the middle of 2009, or so.

I found some headache medicine, Excedrin Tension Headache, not too many months before February of 2010 or so. That seemed to be the only headache medicine that would ease my headaches up at all. I can't remember if they'd take my headaches away completely, for that time being, or not. They stopped helping around not too many months before 02/01/2010. I also noticed that around that time drinking on a can of dr.pepper would calm my headaches down a lot.

Also the last several weeks before and around 02/01/2010 my sinus headaches were here, started up again. I get those(and they're the headaches that hurt the worst and sometimes make me cry and sometimes make me wanna cry) when I get cold, which is usually when I'm anywhere besides my house. I never really had any certain headache medicine for those either. I just take whichever headache medicine that I'm taking at the time for'em. I've had my sinus headaches for some years now(as far as I remember). I get'em during the winter time(when it's really cold out and such) mainly. I also get'em(my bad sinus headaches) during summer time, for example when I'm in stores or such.

Also again around 02/01/2010, someone had told me about Sudafed(and they also told me about how when they have a really bad headache and nothing else seems to work, how they'll take one Midal for their really bad headaches, they're a guy by-the-way), for my bad sinus headaches. I had already taken one set(2pills) of my Excedrin Tension Headache medicine earlier that day and when the time came for me to take a 2nd set(so many hours later) I did. Then with how he told me about the Midal and Sudafed I went and took one midal and went and bought some equate Sudafed(the pharmacy lady helped me pick'em out) medicine. I asked the lady if it was okay to take the equate Sudafed after what I had taken(which I told her what all and how many I had taken) that day. She said yeah that it was safe and everything.

I did all that and took the two Sudafeds. I had had that bad(sinus) headache all that day and it did make me cry by that night, then I took the two Sudafeds like I said and nothing had changed up until around an hour and thirty minutes later. My sinus headache had Finally eased up a lot. Four hours later I had to take two more but they seemed to be helping so so much, especially after never finding anything that would do much for my sinus ones. I took one or two sets(with one set equaling two Sudafed pills) the next day, when I was suppose to(with waiting so many hours in-between and such. The next day I didn't take any and then I got a regular bad headache(on 02/01/2010) of mine(not a sinus one though) and I took one set of my Sudafed pills. My headache was so much better at that time thank-goodness.

Before 05/02/2011, that Excedrin Tension Headache medicine stopped helping/working and that equate Sudafed did the same thing, stopped helping/working, that use to help tons on my sinus headaches and had helped for my regular headaches a few times. I've tried a few other brands and equate brands of headache medicine off-and-on, Advil softgels/quickgels or such and those Excedrin softgels/quickgels or tabs or such. They all didn't really help.

Now-a-days my headaches aren't as bad or constant and I haven't done anything different. Now when I have a bad enough headache to where I can't tolerate it but where it's not bad enough to make me cry I'll take two Aspirin(nsaid) - Pain Reliever - Fever Reducer - white pill medicine. They seem to help I'm sure. Thank goodness I haven't needed any in quite more than a few days.

I've always gotten headaches from pretty much everything or such: reading anything from magazines, to stuff on computers - watching tv, movies - not getting the right amount of sleep - staying up too late - sleeping in too late - getting up too early, getting up too late - if I don't eat right when I should or such - when I push myself while doing things, if I need to get something finished faster so I speed up in doing something then my head'll start in real bad. In other words, pretty much no matter what I do I always have a headache at the time. It's still like that with everything I said, it's just not as bad or often now.

I always lived with my dad and he always wanted to take me to the doctor to get a cat(or such) scan(where they can look at a person's brain and head and such) but we never had the money so that's never been done to me. I've never had anything traumatic happen to me and have never hit my head as far as I can remember. I'm still not sure what the cause of my headaches is, wish I knew and wish I knew what I could do for them to completely be gone and never come back. I really am so thankful that they've lightened up so much in the last several months or in the last year or such though. I still get my small tolerable headaches, just not half as bad. I get bad sinus headaches still, only when I'm out in the cold or get somewhere where I'm not as warm as I'd like to be.

I Really do appreciate Anyone who reads this. If anyone does have any comments or suggestions or anything at all, don't hesitate to say or ask anything back(to me). Any help, no matter the size, is greatly appreciated. Thank-you.

**BabyGirl** · 12-16-2011 10:46 AM

Have you had your eyes checked ? Sometimes headaches are caused from eye strain or even light sensitivity.

Keep a journal of your headaches, time they start, what you were doing, like reading, on the comp, sewing, what you ate , sometimes caffeine can cause or even help a headache.

I used to have Migraines, in my 20's, turned out I was light sensitive. I had to have glasses that Lightened and Darkened to adjust to the light.

Try to find another free or low cost clinic, see if they can do an eye test and maybe also check out your Sinuses or refer you to and eye, nose and throat Dr.

You might also apply for Medical Coupon thru your State. Especially if the Headaches prevent you from working at a job.

Also, not sure about where you are, but here in Washington State, if you go to ER ( as a last Resort ) when you have a bad Headache, they can run tests and , here we have a Fund, called the Hal Burton Fund, that covers ER costs for those who have no Medical or Money, then they refer you to the State Medical ( DSHS) if you need further Treatment or Tests. Cat Scans and EEG Scans are Expensive, but if the Dr. feels you need them, it can be Covered by the State Medical Coupon.

Covering the headache with Medicines like Tylenol, are just that, a Cover ( sometimes ) it's best to get to the Cause and Treat it.

Good Luck.

**rosekitten** · 12-16-2011 10:53 AM

I had similar problems when I was growing up. It turned out to be a mixture of MSG and HFCS in my diet. I can still drink soda, but if I go overboard (more than say, 3 cans in a day), I get a headache. MSG, again, in small doses, I can tolerate. MSG reacts much more severely to me, though, so it's something I avoid at all costs. I do a lot of computer based work, and also get headaches from it. I found that turning down the brightness helps quite a bit. What position do you sleep in? I found that having my head elevated helps quite a bit, too. That may just be me, though, because I can't lay flat (like, with one pillow) comfortably. They never could figure out what was causing my headaches, but once I cut the MSG and reduced the HFCS from my diet I noticed a positive change. I still get really bad migraines once or twice a year, but they used to be constant. When you purchase food, look at the ingredients. Most standard grocery items have HFCS in them. It's worth it to me to buy the ones that don't, because it significantly reduces my intake of HFCS. Play with your diet a bit, see if maybe you have a food trigger as well.

**SandyEye** · 12-16-2011 11:23 AM

Thank-you to the both of you. I appreciate that. I never thought about that before: Covering the headache with Medicines like Tylenol, are just that, a Cover ( sometimes ) it's best to get to the Cause and Treat it. :the cover-up part.

I forgot that part. There are some foods that give me headaches, or the ingredients in them, such as; chocolate, vanilla that you can get in pops at/from Sonic, poptarts(there's probably more). I don't know if this means anything but there's foods, or the ingredients in them, that don't give me headaches but that when I ate them(while I was chewing them) on my right side of my mouth, my cheek(my right cheek) would break out in a red spread(rash?) deal. Some of those foods are as follow: many candies(like any chewy kinds), breads(plus more).

Thanks again both of you.

**ItsASecret** · 12-16-2011 12:11 PM

Covering the headache with Medicines like Tylenol, are just that, a Cover ( sometimes ) it's best to get to the Cause and Treat it. :the cover-up part.

The problem with headaches is you cannot make them not happen. If they are going to happen they are going to happen and the only thing you can do is minimize the pain with things like Tylenol. You can reduce the factors that can bring on headaches though such as wearing glasses if you need them, not exposing yourself to bright sunlight if you know you are prone to migraines, and not staring at the computer screen for hours on end. A lot of it though is creation of the association that if you do something you will have a headache. The power of association is huge. If you wake up every morning and think "great I know I am going to have a headache" and you do, and that happens over and over and over then you can bring on a headache simply by associating something miniscule such as waking up with a headache.

As for foods that cause headaches that is really a controversial thing, scientists do not really believe any particular food or product when eaten will definitely cause a headache but they have found some foods that are sort of correlated to those who experience more headaches than others. The prominent examples are caffeine products, alcohol, cheese (the problem is a chemical called Tyramine and not the cheese itself), processed and pickled foods also contain relatively high amounts of Tyramine, and MSG is a hit and miss with research to back it up as a migraine contributor. Skipping meals can also bring on headaches, anything that disrupts body systems can bring on a headache actually.

**SandyEye** · 12-16-2011 01:23 PM

I never expect headaches. I never talk about them or think about them unless they are happening at the moment. To you, with what all you know(ItsASecret), do you think everyone gets headaches then? I'm sure there's people out there that don't..: sigh :.and.: shrugs :. Thanks for the information: ).

**ItsASecret** · 12-16-2011 02:11 PM

To you, with what all you know(ItsASecret), do you think everyone gets headaches then? I'm sure there's people out there that don't..: sigh :.and.: shrugs :. Thanks for the information: ).

Absolutely everyone gets a headache. They are again going to happen if the body decides they are going to happen. What is different between people is the amount of headaches they may get, the severity, and what may cause them (some people with physical damage from a car accident for example could be more prone to more frequent headaches compared to others). Headaches are bloody annoying, no one wants them lol. Some people hardly every get them, some people get too many. Some can handle the pain and some cannot...that is why Tylenol, Advil and such are good to have around. The other thing that is different is migraines. Those are in a totally different league of pain. Migraines are debilitating, painful, and leave you outright feeling miserable. Those are not as common as the regular headaches, migraines often need medical support to treat them.

**Aeryn Sun** · 12-16-2011 04:30 PM

I rarely if ever get headaches...I have had a couple migraines, one earlier this year.
I am not sure if this is a direct relation, but I get a deep tissue massage just about every month.

**SandyEye** · 12-17-2011 05:40 PM

Yeah I know and have heard of migraines, and how bad they are and everything. I don't think I've ever had one. Unless it was when I've had such bad headaches that I had to go to bed and put an icepack on(and switch where the icepack was sometimes) like from my head to the back of my neck(that one's only happened once, to where my headache felt better with an icepack on my neck). Those headaches are not cool at all. They make me cry:'(. Oh hey, for anyone who's reading down this far, do you have any idea to why Lexapro would completely make my headaches go away? Thanks.

**harmony7** · 12-17-2011 08:33 PM

How much water do you drink per day? As a Naturopath I help my clients heal their ailments naturally, by finding the cause. Headaches can be caused by dehydration. You need to drink about 8 glasses of pure water per day. For each coffee, tea or pop you drink you need to drink an extra 1 and 1/2 cups of water. Other causes of headaches, Nutritional deficiencies ( from poor diet) Hypoglycemia, exposure to toxins through pollution, chemicals, pesticides on our food, processed, packaged or fast food, or hormonal changes.

It's best to find the cause of your headaches ad then you can sure them completely.

All medications have side effects and are hard on the liver.

The most common side effects associated with Lexapro are agitation or restlessness, blurred vision, diarrhea, difficulty sleeping, drowsiness, dry mouth, fever, frequent urination, headache, indigestion, nausea, increased or decreased appetite, increased sweating, sexual difficulties (decreased sexual ability or desire, ejaculatory delay), taste alterations, tremor (shaking), weight changes.