Headaches since surgery

[jimnyc]

Ever since my neck surgery, I've been dealing with 3-4 headaches per week, and they are worse if I work out or do anything which stretches the neck area by the spine where the muscle was pulled away from the vertebrae. For fear of opiates and any type of addiction, I've been going back and forth with various medications - Advil, Bayer Advanced, Care One Migraine (cheap version of Tylenol). The best is a combination of Flexeril with Aleve - BUT - the Flexeril, while not an opiate, is still prescription based, and the amount of Aleve I am taking in combination with it, 275mg, was also prescribed. Someone recommended the combo on another health related site, and I happened to have both, so I tried it. But of course I am now running low on both as I use that combo like once per week.

I have general pain in the back portion of my neck, and the headaches feel like the beginning of migraines, above my eyes in the forehead area. I had went in to speak to my surgeon about this, but he tells me the same as I read on other sites, it's an unfortunate side effect of sorts until things are fully healed. The associated pains and stretching simply cause headaches. So I guess really all I can do is take care of myself and do my best to avoid exacerbating things, but it's not always that easy.

Anyway, being that the combo seems to work best, and Flexeril is not an opiate, would anyone recommend I stick with that? And if so, do I ask my surgeon to prescribe these meds do you think, or my regular internal medicine doctor? The first doctor I saw who diagnosed me with the degenerative disc disease is the one who gave them to me, but I haven't seen him but once before he referred me to the surgeon, who in turn "upgraded" me to the Percocet. I feel awkward asking either of them quite frankly, after the withdrawals I went through, and certainly don't want to look like a seeker, but I have to have something on hand to deal with these continued headaches.

Btw, the Flexeril is technically a muscle relaxer, but as the muscle feels better in the neck, away goes the headache.

[gabosaurus]

As my husband found out, neck pain starts with poor posture. Which is often a result of where and how you are sitting.
You really need to get one of those special chairs they advertise. Also get a pillow that conforms to your neck.

Muscle relaxers are good for pain. They are also addicting.

[aboutime]

Jim. In 1991. I had spinal surgery on T-2, T-3, and T-4. The navy doc did the surgery from the back of my neck, instead of the standard practice...through the neck.
He explained how dangerous it was, operating so near the Jugular in my case.
Long story short. Those headaches often come in bunches, and many days in a row for what was about three years, until the scar, and internal healing fully took place.

Ask you doc. If you haven't already. But my doc told me to use Tylenol extra strength. I think it was 600MG at the time, and I slowly backed off to finding the headaches had stopped.

Your body takes time to heal as we get older.

By the way. Two years later. I had the same surgery on L-2, L-3, and L-4 (I think that's right). Not to mention having my TAILBONE (coccyx) removed when I was just 16.
So my spine looks like an advertisement for a Halloween Character...Keeps me in STITCHES (lol).

[jimnyc]

I brought this up earlier as I have a headache. Now I'm starting to get a tad nauseous which is what happens to me often when I get a migraine. I have an appointment for another blood test on the 19th with my regular doctor. I'll bring it up to him then, and maybe he can find something non-addictive to prescribe that can better help with these headaches. Not only has this gotten worse since the surgery, but I have a long history with migraines since I was a kid anyway. I would only get them real bad a few times a year though.

I also have another medical issue for anyone caring to read too! This started about 3 weeks ago or so. I have to get up 4-5x per night to pee! And it's not drinking fluids, as I've been trying different things, like stopping drinking everything say after 6pm, and it's made little to no difference. No major diet changes that I can think of. Really no changes at all from the point before until when this started. Also, when I get up to go, then it's as if I have "stage fright" and takes me awhile to go. And yes, I know, when I tell my doctor he is going to want to do a prostate exam. Yek! With all of our technology, can't they figure out a better way to check than jamming a finger into my butt? There's other conditions that can cause this too, so I hope it's something easy to diagnose and we don't play the merry go round with medications to see what helps. I put enough crap into my body as it is.

[gabosaurus]

Believe it or not, frequent urination also has to do with your neck and spine problems. If you are sitting incorrectly as a result of trying to relieve pressure, your spine could be putting pressure on your bladder.
It could also be a side effect of one of your medications.

[aboutime]

I brought this up earlier as I have a headache. Now I'm starting to get a tad nauseous which is what happens to me often when I get a migraine. I have an appointment for another blood test on the 19th with my regular doctor. I'll bring it up to him then, and maybe he can find something non-addictive to prescribe that can better help with these headaches. Not only has this gotten worse since the surgery, but I have a long history with migraines since I was a kid anyway. I would only get them real bad a few times a year though.

I also have another medical issue for anyone caring to read too! This started about 3 weeks ago or so. I have to get up 4-5x per night to pee! And it's not drinking fluids, as I've been trying different things, like stopping drinking everything say after 6pm, and it's made little to no difference. No major diet changes that I can think of. Really no changes at all from the point before until when this started. Also, when I get up to go, then it's as if I have "stage fright" and takes me awhile to go. And yes, I know, when I tell my doctor he is going to want to do a prostate exam. Yek! With all of our technology, can't they figure out a better way to check than jamming a finger into my butt? There's other conditions that can cause this too, so I hope it's something easy to diagnose and we don't play the merry go round with medications to see what helps. I put enough crap into my body as it is.


jimnyc: See my PM ABOUT THAT.


DON'T PLAY WITH IT. Let the DOCS check. It can save your life. I know. Been there. Done that. And I'm still here to complain about it.

[Robert A Whit]

Jim
I was wondering how you are feeling.

Did you get that device put into your neck? I sent my son in law the photo and told him the model number you provided.

I am dumb as crap about a lot of medical ailments.

All I have had is a huge gall stone busting a hole into my instestine and plugging me up. Surgery cured that. For years, the pain was terrible but not too often. I spent a week once in bed due to that problem and took heavy doses of Motrine.

I am a diabetic and have to get back to losing weight. I gained about 20 pounds after losing most of what I needed to lose.

I had a heart bypass that saved my life. But the recovery has been fine.

I take half a dozen pills daily prescribed to me.

[jimnyc]

Jim
I was wondering how you are feeling.

Did you get that device put into your neck? I sent my son in law the photo and told him the model number you provided.

I am dumb as crap about a lot of medical ailments.

All I have had is a huge gall stone busting a hole into my instestine and plugging me up. Surgery cured that. For years, the pain was terrible but not too often. I spent a week once in bed due to that problem and took heavy doses of Motrine.

I am a diabetic and have to get back to losing weight. I gained about 20 pounds after losing most of what I needed to lose.

I had a heart bypass that saved my life. But the recovery has been fine.

I take half a dozen pills daily prescribed to me.

Compared to what I went through with the withdrawals, doing great! Peeing often during the night is nothing next to that! LOL Nonetheless, if I can get something to help with the headaches, that would be good. And if I can confirm what is causing this bladder issue, and confirm it's nothing too awfully bad, that would be good too.

[aboutime]

Compared to what I went through with the withdrawals, doing great! Peeing often during the night is nothing next to that! LOL Nonetheless, if I can get something to help with the headaches, that would be good. And if I can confirm what is causing this bladder issue, and confirm it's nothing too awfully bad, that would be good too.


Believe it or not jimnyc. Those headaches may just be the warnings your brain, and body are giving you. Telling you to get checked out. Remember. The Brain is the HARD DRIVE of your body...so to speak. Everything that takes place in your body, gets a reaction, or impulse though your brain. The headaches may be related to something else your body is trying to tell you.

Take nothing for granted, and just allowing the bladder issue to slide...hoping it will go away isn't the smartest thing to do.

[Robert A Whit]

Glad you are mending Jim.

[Gaffer]

Having to pee often during the night is a sign of an enlarged prostate. Your doctor can give you meds for that. I had that problem for a while and the meds I got have stopped it. Just tell your doctor about it.

[jimnyc]

I have my appt. tomorrow at 10am. First it sucks as I can't eat or drink until after the blood test, and secondly I know that the prostate exam will follow. I need to get me a very petite woman doctor! :thumb:

[Gaffer]

I have my appt. tomorrow at 10am. First it sucks as I can't eat or drink until after the blood test, and secondly I know that the prostate exam will follow. I need to get me a very petite woman doctor! :thumb:

Never had the prostate exam. My doctor asked how often I pee at night and then prescribed pills for it. Enlarged prostate is very common in older men and even men in their 40's.

[jimnyc]

Never had the prostate exam. My doctor asked how often I pee at night and then prescribed pills for it. Enlarged prostate is very common in older men and even men in their 40's.

Really? I think I may just ask him about this and politely turn down the test. Maybe a urinalysis or something will help them, I don't know. I was drinking a lot of tea throughout the day as well, which is a natural diuretic. I tried cutting back on it, especially after noon, and I've only been waking up once through the night as of late.

[aboutime]

Really? I think I may just ask him about this and politely turn down the test. Maybe a urinalysis or something will help them, I don't know. I was drinking a lot of tea throughout the day as well, which is a natural diuretic. I tried cutting back on it, especially after noon, and I've only been waking up once through the night as of late.


jimnyc: As a Cancer survivor of Prostate Cancer. I can tell you, or anyone who might be worried. That MAGIC FINGER is merely used by the Doctor to determine SIZE of the Prostate.

The real test is simple. It's called a 'PSA' test that involves a simple Urine test, or Peeing in the cup.

What's so bad about that?

I learned after many months, prior to my Radiation, and Chemo that I needed to Limit Drinking any liquids at least 2 hours before going to bed. Take that last Pee before you go to sleep.

If you are still waking up needing to Pee several times at night. SAVE YOUR BUTT....Get tested.

It CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE early on.

And that's not a joke.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

Ever since my neck surgery, I've been dealing with 3-4 headaches per week, and they are worse if I work out or do anything which stretches the neck area by the spine where the muscle was pulled away from the vertebrae. For fear of opiates and any type of addiction, I've been going back and forth with various medications - Advil, Bayer Advanced, Care One Migraine (cheap version of Tylenol). The best is a combination of Flexeril with Aleve - BUT - the Flexeril, while not an opiate, is still prescription based, and the amount of Aleve I am taking in combination with it, 275mg, was also prescribed. Someone recommended the combo on another health related site, and I happened to have both, so I tried it. But of course I am now running low on both as I use that combo like once per week.

I have general pain in the back portion of my neck, and the headaches feel like the beginning of migraines, above my eyes in the forehead area. I had went in to speak to my surgeon about this, but he tells me the same as I read on other sites, it's an unfortunate side effect of sorts until things are fully healed. The associated pains and stretching simply cause headaches. So I guess really all I can do is take care of myself and do my best to avoid exacerbating things, but it's not always that easy.

Anyway, being that the combo seems to work best, and Flexeril is not an opiate, would anyone recommend I stick with that? And if so, do I ask my surgeon to prescribe these meds do you think, or my regular internal medicine doctor? The first doctor I saw who diagnosed me with the degenerative disc disease is the one who gave them to me, but I haven't seen him but once before he referred me to the surgeon, who in turn "upgraded" me to the Percocet. I feel awkward asking either of them quite frankly, after the withdrawals I went through, and certainly don't want to look like a seeker, but I have to have something on hand to deal with these continued headaches.

Btw, the Flexeril is technically a muscle relaxer, but as the muscle feels better in the neck, away goes the headache.

Sometimes headaches are caused by not drinking enough water. Of course with your peeing so often at night the sleep loss builds up and that is sometimes the reason for headaches.
I read about this long ago, many decades. My lawyer friend has had extreme migraine headaches for decades , I suggested two things, that he come off caffeine(coffe and cokes) and drink more water , give it a 2 or 3 month try. He did so and the results were the headaches that often put him into bed all weekend etc. were reduced about 95%, thats his estimate and that was 6 years ago, he is diabetic and asked me about that as well. Sad to say I had to tell him to see a doc and have the tests done as my advice . He did and is now on medicine for that.
Just know if you drink lots of coffee/cokes coming off the caffeine will cause headaches until your body adjusts, I know I came off drinking anything with caffeine in it a couple years ago. . -Tyr

[Binky]

When I get headaches, believe it or not, I drink a lot of water to help relieve them. And for me it works. But then again, there's the potty thing to deal with. I don't like taking anymore pills than I have to, so popping one for a headache isn't something I do when I can skate by without them.

I have an extreme case of anemia and my blood count does a lot of fluxuating up and down. So when I get tired out and dehydrated I drink more water than normally to help ease the pain of the headaches. Most of the time it works. Other times I find some gentle music to listen to while I'm lying down resting my head. The worst that happens is that it doesn't work.

I also have arthritis in my spine from the tip to the bottom and I think the pain from that helps to cause the headaches as well. You have more courage than I as I will never get my spine/vertabre operated on. Nope. Nada. Ain't gonna happen. At least I can still walk rather than taking a chance on becoming paralized. I don't want anyone messing with my spine. :no: Anyway, I don't know if they could do anything for it anyway. And I have no intentions of finding out. My arthritic spine and I will go to the grave together.