Posted by Laure (12.74.16.35) on August 28, 2000 at 12:06:44:
Greetings all.
I was diagnosed in my late teens as having cluster headaches and migraines. However, no two doctors could ever agree on what was causing my tremendous headaches. The headaches themselves seemed contradicting: They would go from 0 to 60 (painwise)in minutes, but could last for days with no change in intensity. I would vomit, experience light/sound sensitivity, but would be uncomfortable trying to lay down and 'be still'. I would normally end up rocking back and forth, crying or screaming and often pulling my hair. I was unable to eat or sleep while in the grip of one of these monsters. Doctors tried several drugs, but none seemed to help. I was finally given a prescription for VicadenES which offered little but at least SOME comfort.
I am now 36 and about 6 years ago I visited a doctor recommeded by a friend. He was known as 'the headache guy'. On our first visit, he suggested that we take a look at the root of the pain (my pain was always around or between my eyes and would radiate out from there like a block of dry ice in the center of my head). He did a cat scan of my facial area (facial bones) and discovered that I had "Hypertrophy of Turbinate" which is an overgrowth of the sinus bone (i.e. instead of looking like just a cone, mine looked like a cone with a large dollup of icecream on top). I was scheduled for surgery and had the overgrowth removed. I did have a few of my severe headaches the months following surgery, but after several months, I didn't suffer from one again. Twenty years after my first life altering 'monster' headache, they finally ceased. The experience was beyond words. I sent the man flowers. I'm not kidding. I sent that doctor a dozen long stemmed roses.
My reason for writing this is that in the years since my surgery, I have developed a new, odd type of headache....that I and 'the headache guy' can't quite figure out. It is very much like a sinus headache, but it starts in my neck and moves up to my eyes (rather than in reverse). It happens when the Barometric pressure drops and when a front or storm system is on it's way (Note: the headache does not occur in cold weather so is not 'cold rhinitus').
This barometric correlation was noticed by chance after a few years of experiencing this particular headache. My husband can put on the weather channel and then ask me what the Barometric pressure is doing, and depending on how I feel, I can call out "rising, falling or stable". I haven't been wrong in two years! What are the odds of that? And why have I become a human Barometer? Luckily, these headaches in no way approach the intensity of my former headaches, but they do cause light/sound sensitivity and mild nausea (not intense enough for me to actually throw up as before). I guess from my experiences with hellish headaches, I don't give these much of a nod. I take Ibuprofin and a Flexoril when I feel one coming on, and I do get relief. I am just curious what the correlation is bewteen my head and the barometer. If anyone has similar experiences or any insights, please let me know. Thanks for listening, Laure