Spent the last 15 hours in the ER

[toepick]

Last Friday I got the worst headache of my life. I was completely fine and then BOOM - completely incapacitated. It lasted a few hours of ridiculous pain and then eased up. On Monday it happened again while I was at the gym. Went to urgent care who immediately sent me to the ER where I waited for 6 hours without being seen and gave up and went home.

I went to my regular doctor yesterday and it happened again in front of them. They sent me directly to another ER where I waited some more while freaking out due to the pain. When I finally get to the back and get some drugs (best moment of my life) the doctor tells me that is very worried about a brain bleed. So they do a CT scan and a lumbar puncture.

Good news is that there isn't a bleed. Bad news is that they don't know what caused them or whether they will come back so got sent home with directions to take Aleve if needed and to follow up with my doctor.

One of my coworkers met me here at 4 pm and finally left to sleep a few hours at my house at 3. She is on her way back to pick me up. I can't imagine how I will ever be able to thank her properly. It's hard to be alone in a medicial crisis.

What's a day. And ultimately no answers.

[McGavin]

Scary! I hope you have answers soon.

[alzi]

Hope you get some answers. Go to a neuro. Headaches suck.

[blanca]

I'm so sorry that sounds scary

[mom2twoboys]

I'm so sorry! I hope it doesn't happen again.

[karenj]

that is scary but thank goodness no bleed. I hope you get answers soon or they just go away

[pittsmcgee]

I'm so sorry. Fingers crossed they get you some answers soon.

[sterl724]

That is scary! Hope the docs can figure it out!

[underwaterrhymes]

I'm glad it's not a bleed, but it still sounds awful.

The suddenness of this makes me think it might be cluster headaches. Was it on one side and did you get a runny nose or eyes with it?

[sharknado]

Aleve?

[Eagles]

Holy shit, that's scary. I'm sorry! Is your primary going to refer you to a neurologist?

[qcinoct]

yikes, that's scary. Glad the dr was proactive about checking for a brain bleed, but that sucks that you have no answers.

[Deleted]

That is scary! I hope you get some answers soon.

[oliveyou]

I'm sorry, that sounds scary! I hope they can figure out what's causing them.

[toepick]

Aug 27, 2015 6:59:00 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

I'm glad it's not a bleed, but it still sounds awful.

The suddenness of this makes me think it might be cluster headaches. Was it on one side and did you get a runny nose or eyes with it?

It was on both sides and very low on the back of my head. No other symptoms - light didn't make it worse, sound didn't make it worse. 

[underwaterrhymes]

Aug 27, 2015 8:43:13 GMT -5 toepick said:

Aug 27, 2015 6:59:00 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

I'm glad it's not a bleed, but it still sounds awful.

The suddenness of this makes me think it might be cluster headaches. Was it on one side and did you get a runny nose or eyes with it?

It was on both sides and very low on the back of my head. No other symptoms - light didn't make it worse, sound didn't make it worse. 

Ah, so given its location, probably not cluster. I would definitely see a neurologist, though. I'm sorry you're having these.

[panbitch]

I'm sorry and second the trip to a neurologist.

[jennistarr1]

CSF leak is my guess

[MrsPenny]

I had the same issue and did see a neurologist. I went several times and saw several different doctors. They never could find anything wrong and told me that sometimes it just happens to people. Luckily mine eventually went away and it's been a while since I've had any at all. I hope it's nothing major and that you get some answers soon. I'm glad your coworker was there for you, it's scary to be alone during a time like that.

[lg28]

That is terrifying!! I am glad it isnt a brain bleed but I am so sorry you dont have any answers.

[malibu]

My SIL gets this every so often. She has to go in for some kind of procedure to drain excess spinal fluid (I think that's how she explained it to us)? I have no idea what it's called, but the lumbar puncture, I believe, is what diagnosed it for her. She has this happen every six months or so. She was diagnosed by a neuro doctor after a handful of episodes that sound awfully similar to yours, complete with the location of the headaches.

[toepick]

A nice poster from my area told me about a headache clinic at the local university that is in the neurology department. I'm going to give them a call.

[WOT?*]

That sounds scary. I hope they figure it out soon. OTOH, even with a physical referral it took how long to be seen? Next time I'd consider an ambulance transport or something equally emergent rather than driving yourself over to the ER (well, not really but maybe really.)  That type of wait when it's happening in front of a referring physician is crazy.

[toepick]

Aug 27, 2015 12:42:35 GMT -5 WOT?* said:

That sounds scary. I hope they figure it out soon. OTOH, even with a physical referral it took how long to be seen? Next time I'd consider an ambulance transport or something equally emergent rather than driving yourself over to the ER (well, not really but maybe really.)  That type of wait when it's happening in front of a referring physician is crazy.

My doctor sent me to the ER via wheelchair - they are in the same complex.  I waited about 2 hours for a bed, and then another hour for my meds when I got in the room.  I was begging nurses for relief.  The rest of the time was spent waiting for the doctor, waiting for the CT scan, waiting for the scan results, waiting for the lumbar puncture, waiting for lumbar results.  Then I had to wait for the migraine cocktail of drugs.  Then I slept from 3-6 am.  Then they woke me up and sent me home.