POTS and Headaches

[DSM3KIDZ]

I'm picking your brains with all my questions. I just started getting headaches for the past 3 weeks. They have been constant and my doctor prescribed tramadol. what do you do for headaches?? Does pots cause headaches? It feels like there's not enough blood flowing to my head. I know that sounds weird but most of my symptoms do.

[Gena]

When I first came down with POTS last summer I had intense headaches every day for a month or so. That was the worst.

I get that sensation of not enough blood going to my head quite often, accompanied by a headache. Sometimes an Advil will work, other times just breathing or doing some Yoga actually helps me. I've also tried using a heating sock on the back of my neck (the kind filled with rice or oatmeal that you microwave) and sometimes a cold pack works too. I never really know what's the best thing. But eventually it goes away. You may want to experiment to find what works best for you.

[Ernie]

I got one dose of Stemetil the other day and got rid of my migraine.

Ernie

[steph37822]

oops

[DSM3KIDZ]

steph- thanks so much for your reply. I hope you find some relief soon. I actually elevated my bed two weeks ago so I'll try sleeping a few nights without that. My G.I. doctor won't prescribe zofran. I've tried it in the past and it helped (felt a little dizzy) so maybe I'll have to fight him for it.

Did you have the gastric empty study for your nausea and vomiting?

[steph37822]

oops

[ramakentesh]

i started getting weird 'autonomic storms' and all sorts of weird migraine activity once I got POTS - apparently the predome of a migraine is caused by the arteries in the brain constricting before they expand - my doctor says that many POTS patients get predome quite often - nausea, sound sensititviuty, tunnel vision, but not always with an actual migraine resulting.

I do get migraines, and also basiliar arteries migraines - that give you tremors, mental confusion and a weird surging feeling in your head.

They seem to come in cycles or after i eat trigger foods

[DSM3KIDZ]

What do you guys take for headaches/migraines?

[Eli6596]

Hi

POTS is associated with migraines. Migraines are probably an autonomic nervous system problem too. Dr. Low thinks so, and I recently read a journal article proposing this. POTS is also associated with small fiber sensory neuropathy (numbness, tingling and pain in limbs). Lucky me, I have POTS, migraines and neuropathy.

To get the right medicines, we need the right diagnosis for the headaches. A neurologist should be able to diagnose whether the headaches are migraines. The best rescue medications for migraines are the triptans like imitrex, maxalt, axert, zomig, relpax, etc. If you have more than one headache per month, you might need a daily preventative medication. Beta blockers work for POTS and migraine prevention. Midodrine, and florinef work for POTS but can make headaches worse. Midodrine allows me to get out of the bed, so I take it even though my migraines are hugely worsened. Some antidepressants can work for POTS and migraines, like the serotonin reuptake inhibitors (prozac, paxil, lexapro, etc). Your neurologist should be able to find the right fit for you. Good luck.

Karyn

[Christine]

Hello,

I use to get the worse headaches that seemed to last forever. Advil would help sometimes but not always. I would lay down with a cold cloth in the dark. This seemed to work the best. I started to figure a pattern out when I was getting these headaches. I would seem to always get a headache in the late afternoon or if I became upset. Also, the light bothers my eyes very much. I started to wear sunglasses all of the time. That has helped too. I think my eyes are more sensitive to the light since I have been diagnosed with POTS.

Good luck,

Christine