"BRAIN PAIN"

[workngrl50]

I read a post here about "brain pain". What is it? Joey gets frequent headaches and sometimes they're quite severe. He's on a lot of pain medication. I give him Ibuprofen between times because he's taking so much Acetomenophin in the Percocet he takes. He also has a Fentanyl patch. He also complains of an earache but he doesn't have an ear infection.

 

Another question. He'll go along for a day or two...adequate energy, good mood...and then he'll just CRASH. Is this typical as well? And what would you suggest I do to best support him?

 

Thx for being here,

Lorri

[merichsen]

Lorri,

Initially I would get headaches, I had a craniotomy so my case is most likely different than most. The only thing I ever took was Tylenol which seemed to do the trick since they were never that severe. Now I notice if I get a headache it it usually weather related. I think my head is more sensitive to atmospheric pressure, pollen, molds and things that effect my sinuses. Another trigger for a headache for me is sunglasses. My prescriptive prism glasses are transitional and are fine, but if I wear regular sunglasses, I get a very bad headache. Since Joey has such severe vision problems it might be worth discussing with the neuro ophthalmologist whether his headaches could be related to his straining to see. Just a thought.

As for the fatigue. Brain healing is extremely intense and completely wipes you out. It is very typical. It is good that he is in a good mood; it may become more difficult as he improves and wants to get back to doing things he's just not ready for yet. The fact that he's crashing may be a blessing in disguise. It's his body's way of telling him you can't. The mood crash comes part and parcel. As he improves so will his outlook, it all goes hand in hand. Anyway I'm all cliched out, but yes this is all very normal.

Maria :friends:

[bstockman]

Hi Lorri, I had "brain pain" also it was centered where the clot was and I would "crawly feelings like something was crawling around in my head, and tingling. The Dr said it was normal.. May have been the clost dissolving, nerves reconnecting. ??? don't really know for sure.

 

This year ( 4 yrs) it is much less. I did get quite a few headaches the first year. Dr gave me generic Fiorcet (which i have taken since my early 20's for migraines) that would take the headache away.

 

As far as Crashing. I did frequently (still do if I over do) The brain is working so hard to process everything coming in... and going out. I had to learn to rest or take naps.. even 20 minutes of quiet time every few hours. I am still working on NOT pushing to hard, when I begin to feel tired to try to sit for 15 or 20 minutes and take a break and thne i can go a little more.

 

The first year I often had to take naps. It is so hard to not have the energy I once had, that at first when I felt good.. had a good day with energy I would keep going.. and then crash.. I am no longer the everready bunny.

It is so surprising how much re-learning and just information coming coming in takes so MUCH energy to process and respond to.

 

[dstraugh]

Lorri,

 

The "crashing" like Maria and Bonnie said is very normal. It does improve with time. Though, if I over-extend myself, I'm totally done. Not only physical exhaustion but mentally as well. At those times I will say that "the damaged brain cells are in control" as my speech slurs, my thoughts are jumbled, AND.....if typing, I need to use spell check more frequently.

 

As I think back, headaches were pretty much the norm for me prestroke. Post I rarely get a lasting one that lingers to where I need to take tylenol.

 

 

[ksaul]

hi lorri,

 

i had a brain bleed and had some pretty nasty headaches the first 8 months or so post stroke - now i get one maybe every few months. like everyone else has said i am still way tired too much of the time. it is normal to feel exhausted after a stroke - the brain - which sends all the messages to our body has had a trauma. i belive that the most diffucult part of living with stroke - at least for me - is not being able to be active like i was before. also, i used fentynal patches for pain too and found they can really make you tired. if you have concerns, my feeling is talk with the doctor and make sure you feel your questions were addressed. take care - kathy[

[danni3]

:blush: HELLO LORI I ALSO HAVE VERY BAD HEADACE EXSPECIALLY WHEN THE WEATHER GET NASTY LIKE TODAY, I FEEL VERY TIRED AND DONOT FEEL LIKE, DOING ANYTHING,SO AT MOST I WOULD HAVE TO SLOW DOWN AND TRY TO FOCUS,MY MIND BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY WAY I NO HOW TO EASE THE PAIN, I TRY TO CONTROL IT WITH OUT TAKING ANY MEDICATION SORRY TO HERE ABOUT YOUR PROBLEM HOPE YOU GET WELL.GOD BLESS YOU.

[workngrl50]

Thx for the feedback. The dr prescribed fiorecet. Maybe that will help some.

 

I told Joey I was asking you all for advice. I said maybe we could find out a little about why he's having headaches. He said, "My head went through a windshield, mom, I'm gonna have headaches." :BashHead: Hmmm...could be something to that...

 

Lorri

[2ndChance]

Lorri: it takes at least 6 months for the brain swelling to recede, so you really won't know if the headache is a chronic problem for few more months. Is the pain at the site of the brain injury or elsewhere?

[workngrl50]

It's mostly close to where the injury was. When he came back through the windshield the glass cut through the right side of his neck and almost to the base of his skull. His vertebral artery was severed where it comes out of the spinal cord and makes a loop and goes back down. The part of the brain affected was the pons and mid-brain. They also said the brain stem.

 

The Fiorecet seems to help. He thinks Tiger Balm helps as well.

 

Thx so much for the feedback.

 

Lorri

[Guest thegoodlife]

 

 

Lori,

 

Just wanted to tell you my neuro is now giving me botox for me headaches it helps almost 100%. Just found that out few months ago and my stroke is almost 7 yrs.

 

 

Ask see.

 

Good Luck.

 

 

Nancy