Update from Don re severe head pain

Hi y'all. This insanely bad head pain hasn't stopped and it's been 2.5 months. My wife found a couple of studies on morphine suppressing the immune system and so our GP has given me some Tramadol samples. If I don't take something 24/7 the pain is enough to bring tears. Four CT scans - followed by my wife throwing chlorella and various anti-radiation things at me. 2 of the scans were of the head (one involved dye), one of the neck, one of the body. MRI just done on my head (not neck). CTs show no obvious tumours in head. Young neurologist says no way is anything in neck causing the pain. Body CT scan shows bone mets stable or reduced and no other issues. Spinal fluid came back with no cancer cells in it but she wants to repeat it.

I'm lost on this one. No one seems to think it is a brain metastasis. It literally started up overnight, along with the very stiff neck and never left. Wife wants me to get a second opinion from a more experienced neurologist. Hope everyone is doing well. My wife's a bit down today so she says to say hi for her as well as see if anyone has any new ideas.
Don

Boy, what a terrible mess, but at least no mets are showing up in that area.

 

I can't remember what meds/supplements you are on, but I am wondering if there is some reaction (maybe an interaction) with your drugs. Is there any possibility/advisability of just stopping all the meds and supplements for 3-4 weeks?

That might prove helpful.

 

Also, how is your blood pressure?

 

Does activity influence the pain?

 

Mel (grasping at straws)

Don,

I know that you and MLN are tired of this crap and are impatient for answers, but I have to admit to feeling a degree of relief about all of the god-awful causes you are ruling out.

The only thing that occurs to me is that the prostate cancer could be a distraction that is keeping the right questions from being asked. Maybe if you sort of started over, ignored the PCa thing, and found yourself a headache doctor, that might help.

Hi Hummbug, - Did you start any new medications immediately prior to initiation of the headaches? Without evidence of other causes it MAY be an allergic reaction to a new medication or a drug interaction as mentioned by another Poster.

Sulfa drugs and/or their derivatives caused me unbelievably severe headaches that can be avoided by simply not taking such drugs. Of course, allergic reaction may not be applicable in your case but it is something to consider and investigate, if there are no other logical explanations. - Just a guess, based upon my own past experience. - John@newPCa.org.com (aka) az4peaks

Similar situation two years ago. Woke up with headache that just got worse (thought migraine) then got so severe could hardly hold head up without being in excruciating pain. Docs thought meningitis. Had spinal tap. Had numerous head/neck/total body MRIs, CT scans, CT myelogram. After three months, finally diagnosed with "orthostatic headache due to spontaneous spinal fluid leak caused by ruptured arachnoid cyst in thoracic spine area." An interventional radiologist at Tampa General Hospital finally figured it out when he checked an MRI and noticed the spot where the cyst ruptured. The cure: high volume analogous blood patch into the spinal column. Sealed the leak, cured the headache. Just a possibility docs could check into. Hope it works out.