Do Headaches Make Your Symptoms Worse?

[terradactyl]

Last night was pretty rough--I had a 4 hour block of college classes that are super important for my major, and about 15 minutes into the second half I felt a headache coming on. For the first hour I was okay and could pay attention, but the headache got worse and in the last half hour I felt really bad. My heart was beating funny and I felt really tremble-y, I was very anxious and my headache was almost blinding. By the end of class I kept going pale and shaky, and I started to lose consciousness even sitting down with every pale spell. I passed out onto the ground twice trying to get home, even with someone walking me, and I've got some pretty nice bruises from the pavement. The only thing that made the headache less severe was to lie down, sitting kept it throbbing and to stand up felt like I was being stabbed in the skull right before I blacked out. Usually I'm not that bad, it was kind of alarming to have it sneak up on me in a public place like that. Last week during the same long block I got a headache and felt pretty symptomatic to a milder degree, so I don't know what the trigger is.

While it is usually not that severe, I have noticed a strong correlation to this specific type of headache and my symptoms, especially full-on passing out. It's a really specific pain, always on one side of my head (usually the right side), and almost always in either the front or the back. (The headache last night was centered around the front/right side of my head near my temple/above my eyebrow, but when I woke up it had migrated more to the back of the right side.) There is a combination of a dull pressure that spikes into a really sharp pain when I stand that almost always corresponds to me fainting. My head feels heavy or full, like I am off-balance. It's really weird, and usually if I get a headache like this (like if I go without caffeine) I just stay inside and lie down for a few hours.

I have wondered if maybe I get the bad headaches because of the symptoms, but they are definitely connected somehow.

I was just wondering if anybody else has had any sort of connection between headaches and symptoms, especially passing out? Just curious if this is something common at all or if it might be something different.

[Katybug]

It sounds like these might be migraines. I can only speak for myself and say that my migraines do bring on my POTS symptoms. My neuro specializes in dysautonomia and migraines and he said that that general belief is that there is a link between the two they just don't know what it is yet. I would recommend seeing a neuro that specializes in headaches to get an accurate assessment of the type of headache you are having. It will make all the difference in getting the right treatment. Hope you feel better today.

[k&ajsmom]

Ive wondered about this. I am just getting over a 4 day excrutiating headache. It wasnt a migrane but originated in the base of my skull/neck area. I wondered as I was dealing with it if I was feeling worse because of the headache or it was just a normal spiral of symptoms since I seem to be just stuck in a bad rut lately. I do knowwhen I get these headaches it exxagerates the shift in bp from changing positions although catching it on a moniter seems impossiable. It seems to make it harder for my bp to transition from changing posture.

I would agree though, with katybug, yours sounds very similar to migrane, I would def. check with ur doc about this connection. Maybe if try a preventative medicine for the migranes it could help (assumming thats what it it?) If u get these from caffienne withdrawel, that can be another flag for migranes.

I hope u are feeling better though =( it sounds like a horrible spell, and Im so sorry ,please take care -sarah

[cupcakemomma5]

I have had a headache since Aug. Frustrating! However, with the headache being a continual thing. I don't think it makes my symptoms worse, I just become more agitated due to the other symptoms and then the headache on top of it all.

So I now have a "Bring it on " attitude.

Good luck finding something out.

Keep me posted : )

[Chaos]

I have had migraines since I was 7 but when I developed POTS etc, I started having horrible headaches/migraines much more frequently. According to my POTS neuro that is a frequent occurrence. Your headaches sound a lot like mine, although I don't pass out. I've been told by a cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic that I "really SHOULD be passing out" because of how low my BP drops, but I just don't.

Are you being seen for your POTS by cardiology or neurology? If you can find a neurologist who understands it, that will be helpful. Personally, I couldn't find one locally who did. The ones I tried would only treat my migraines but refused to even discuss the ANS issues so I have to travel out of state to see a neurologist who understands that the two are connected and since both issues are occurring in the same person need to be addressed as a whole. It's been worth it though.

Good luck!

[yogini]

For me I think it's the other way around. When my POTS is acting up, I get a really bad headache.