I have been having headaches

chekmark · 04-26-2012, 08:42 AM

and I was just wondering what everyone thought. All and all I have felt fantastic but for the last 5 days I have had a headache in the back of my head. I have had some chiropractic adjustments which have helped some but I still have the pain in the back of my head. It feels sore and cracks and grinds alot. My chiro thinks it is tension and maybe some arthritis but said to keep an eye on it. I mentioned a headache to my oncologist on my last visit which was just a mild one and she asked some questions and said it was also arthritis most likely due to location and tension but this one has been worse. Any input? I will call my oncologist if it persists. I am having surgery tomorrow so it wont be for a week so I need alittle insight. Thanks everyone for listening to me whine and complain again. The headaches are at the base of my head and neck.Darlene

Jackie07 · 04-26-2012, 10:00 AM

If it persists, you might want to get it checked out.

I had some scary pain on my right neck/shoulder area a year back. Because my bc was on the right side and I'd had recurrence, I was concerned it might have been caused by 'metastasis'. Actually I was very 'sure' about it!

Went to my family doctor and got my neck x-rayed. He called me a few days later and said I'd had some 'cervical vertebrae degeneration'. Looked up on the Web and realized it's because the nerves were exposed.

Hope you will feel better soon (perhaps the anesthesia in your surgery tomorrow will help numb it for a while...) Do get it checked out if it persists.

Sending you good vibes.

tricia keegan · 04-26-2012, 01:21 PM

I always use the two week rule and anything that persists after that time I have further testing done with the approval of my onc. I hope this is nothing sinister but if it persists or gets worse do have it checked

jml · 04-26-2012, 02:41 PM

Hopefully and most likely it's musculoskeletal- have you tried massage or do you take Tylenol?
I don't mean to oversimplify or minimize your symptoms, but on the 2 occasions I've been dx'd & treated for brainmets I never experienced headaches. Each time I would meet with my RadOnc he would ask if I was experiencing headaches, blurry vision, seizues, balance issues. The answer was always No, thankfully, but I did ask him to elaborate the type of headache I might keep an eye out for. He said "one that doesn't resolve with Tylenol."
I'm hoping for the best for you, but definitely ask your Onc next time you have an appointment. If you're feeling uneasy, I don't think it's unreasonable for you to put a call in to your doc for their opinion.
Keep the Faith~
Jml

chekmark · 04-26-2012, 02:50 PM

Thanks for your responses. JML, tylenol has never worked for me, I have always been an excedrin girl and it is off of the market. I have a friend that is a massage therapist and she is coming to my house before my surgery tomorrow to work on my neck. I am also hoping that it is muscoskeletal but are minds tend to think the worse. It does seem to be a little better this evening. I will do the two week rule like Tricia indicated but hopefully I wont have to. Jackie, thanks for the info, I have a herniated disk in my back and this kinda feels like it could be a nerve. Time will tell. Thanks again everyone. Darlene

snolan · 04-27-2012, 07:51 AM

I am always an advocate of physical therapy. It can be stressed related or posture related. You may have some residual tightness from your mast. etc. You may have some weakness in your mid back causing you to over use your upper traps which can refer pain to the base of the neck. Massage will help but you may need more specific tissue work that a PT can do.
Suzanne

caya · 04-27-2012, 08:46 AM

Like Trish, I always use the 2 -3 week rule.
However, just after I had finished chemo, I had a 6 day headache that would not go away, and I took pretty well every med in town, even Tylenol 3s (codeine). Nothing worked. My DH finally took me to the ER at my treatment hospital, and I got a brain CT... all clear. The ER doc gave me Percosets - 2 at once, and had me stay in the ER to see how I reacted. Headache was gone within 2 hours! The doc gave me a prescription for more Percosets, and I took a few over the next 2 -3 days. I was fine afterwards.

It likely is something innocent, but at this point I would probably have it checked out, just to calm yourself. The stress alone could give you a headache!

all the best
caya

chekmark · 05-02-2012, 03:33 PM

Thanks everyone for your replies. I am feeling better. Went to surgery friday with a headache from hell, while in recovery I noticed it was much better and now it is gone. Sad how cancer changes are way of thinking. 2 years ago I wouldn't have given the headache a second thought. I am told that gets better. Cant wait for that to happen!

Firework · 05-02-2012, 05:29 PM

I'm glad you are through your surgery! I just had a thought I wanted to share regarding the headache you had.....if it's at the back of your head it could be related to your vision.
That's generally where the strain pain comes from. Has your vision changed lately? Do you wear contacts or glasses?
I ask because my vision recently changed and I've read about these changes being related to our treatment.
Just a thought.
Happy healing,
Lorraine

Cheryl D · 05-03-2012, 05:21 AM

Went through the same thing, ended up with brain and neck scans and it turned out to be the arthritis and tension they thought it was, thank goodness.

CoolBreeze · 05-03-2012, 05:28 PM

I want to warn you about going to a chiropractor after having breast cancer. A really good one won't treat a breast cancer patient unless you have had bone scans. There are legitimate reports of chiropractors breaking the spines of a cancer patient who was unaware that it had spread to bones.

Never see a chiropractor without your oncologist approval, always tell your chiro your medical history and if he doesn't ask about bone scans, then I would find another one.

Hope you are okay.