Headache prone???

[Susie*Bee]

Just wondering out loud... I get headaches quite often and just wondered if some of you do too-- and whether anyone knows if it could be something that comes along with the other scoli-- and post-op-- baggage.

I know half (and then some) of the non-scoli people get headaches too, but thought maybe some of us might be more prone because of extra strain somehow. Anyone have some ideas or knowledge on this?

[trishthedish]

Hmmmm....

I developed migraines after my first surgery in 2003, but have not had one in the 2 months since the 2008 surgery. That's something I am keeping a journal on. Will let you know if I find any info on this.

[sccrm08]

Susie,

I have been wondering the same thing too.

Years ago, I suffered from severe headaches and minor migrains. The last two months I have had several migrains. Just last friday I felt like something snapped in my neck and by the next morning I had a migrain that would not let go by Tuesday evening my husband wanted me to go to the ER but I would not go as I didn't want to get sick in the car.(stupid I know) also I thought it might be the turning point and start to go away which it did, I had no headache today.

I would love to hear if anyone else gets Migrains or severe headaches since there surgeries....I really hope this is not going to be a side effect from the surgery.

[JoAnn5]

It may possibly BE connected somehow, but happened in reverse for me. I haven't (knock on wood) had a migraine since i had my surgery, but they were frequent before!

[loves to skate]

I have had a definite increase of migraine auras (thank God, I don't get headaches with the aura) recently at 7 months post-op. I have been waking up in the mornings with them. I always though they were caused by stress, however, I don't feel stressed right now. It would be interesting to know if they are related to the surgery. I know they can be related to menopause for those of us who never had them when we were younger. Sally

[Singer]

Interesting....I must say that headaches are one thing I almost never get.

[lelc2002@yahoo]

Same as Singer here, I've never had headaches, migraines since surgery..
I do feel I am much worse on remembering people's names etc.....sure I lost a few brain cells with the anesthesia...augh!
Lynne

[Singer]

Lynne -- YES, I am also much worse at remembering names since surgery. I often wonder if it's anesthesia-related or the stress of the operation.

[Janet]

I too have difficulty remembering names - of people, events, objects, etc. It was a lot worse in the first 3 - 4 months following surgery. Also I would use the wrong words - sometimes not even related to what I was trying to express!

I'm much improved now, but the name thing is still lurking and makes itself known from time to time.

I suppose like everything else related to this extreme surgery, it just takes a long time to (hopefully) fully recover.

[Susie*Bee]

Ahhhhhh!

I like the way this thread is moving... that's the fun part of something like this-- sometimes it heads off in another direction -- and in this case, it's been really fun and fantastic. (For me, who started it!)

This is why: It has to do with not remembering names/words, etc. (I'll lump them together to make myself feel better!) Anyway, I keep wondering if I am having pre-Alzheimer's problems or something occasionally-- not always, mind you! I just can't remember some words that used to be "right there" always for me. But usually I can think of the first letter of that word... weird, huh?! The other day when I was posting about the test they did on my legs to see if there were blood clots, I could not think of "ultra sound" so had to go round-about and look it up. Aughhhhh! Now you ladies are helping me to rationalize those lapses and feel a little better. I think the clarity is still there in almost all cases-- I am as lucid (I think!) as I've ever been, but I just can't seem to capture the correct word I want at times... Maybe there is hope-- and then again...

Regardless, thanks for the info and all your sharing. It looks like the headache thing is probably just a "some do, some don't" thing. And maybe so is the "brain cell" revolt/rebellion. Some of us had our brains say "hey, she went to sleep *forever and a day* so we're just gonna take it easy too"... Sounds good to me! Hopefully those little buggars on R&R will "hop to" and do their jobs better soon!

[Susie*Bee]

I hope most of you realize that was a bit tongue in cheek... I am not forgetful about most things-- just the occasional word, and not that often. OK? So please don't feel concerned. It dawned on me that it might have come across sounding bad when it's really not. Besides, we are ALL constantly sloughing off brain cells. I think it just happens to escalate a bit when we get older.

[Singer]

If I had a nickel for every time I've said to my husband, "I swear I have early Alzheimer's...."

I have drawn total blanks while attempting to introduce people to each other...people I have known for years. It's very disconcerting.

I've tested myself with trying to remember what I was wearing the day before, or what I had for lunch or dinner the previous day, and I have to really concentrate and reconstruct the day mentally to remember.

I was NEVER this way before surgery. I'm going to start working part-time in September (office work) and I'm hoping that the increased activity and interaction will sharpen me up a bit. In my opinion I'm WAY too young to be so dotty!!!!!

[JamieR]

I had pretty constant migraines, enough to be put on medication for them. After my surgery, I have had maybe 2 or 3 since, so my headaches have gone down, I don't even have to take the preventative medication anymore. Before surgery, I was having 4-5 migraines a week, sometimes even more than that. I don't know if my scoliosis had anything to do with my headaches, but I have noticed a big improvement either way.

[Susie*Bee]

Hi-- just me again. I have another one of my biggie headaches today. I wake up with them sometimes, and they get progressively worse as the day wears on. They even make my skull hurt-- forehead, temples, back of eyes, top of head, a broad region around the occipital area, etc. I FINALLY figured out what they are called, and it all makes so much sense to me. They are cervicogenic headaches. At least all the symptons, duration, intenseness, etc. meets up with what those can be. I knew they didn't have all the migraine symptoms but couldn't figure out what kind of other bad headache they were, as they are bad enough to make me feel sick. Anyway, it has to do with originating in the cervical spine. Hence, I am sure in my case it is scoli related. I used to get them before the surgery also, and would often describe them as going down into my back (and yes, everyone would look at me weird then!)

Tylenol didn't begin to touch this one, so just took a darvocet and hopefully once it kicks in it will allow me to feel well enough to function for the rest of the day. Anyway, just thought I'd pass on the info about that other type of headache, as it's not a label I've run across when searching about headaches. (Like on the Mayo website, etc.) Actually, I think I'll go to that one again, now that I have a name for the type of headache, and see if it's listed there.

[Qikdraw]

This is why: It has to do with not remembering names/words, etc. (I'll lump them together to make myself feel better!) Anyway, I keep wondering if I am having pre-Alzheimer's problems or something occasionally-- not always, mind you! I just can't remember some words that used to be "right there" always for me. But usually I can think of the first letter of that word... weird, huh?! The other day when I was posting about the test they did on my legs to see if there were blood clots, I could not think of "ultra sound" so had to go round-about and look it up. Aughhhhh! Now you ladies are helping me to rationalize those lapses and feel a little better. I think the clarity is still there in almost all cases-- I am as lucid (I think!) as I've ever been, but I just can't seem to capture the correct word I want at times... Maybe there is hope-- and then again...

I have the same problem! You mean I can blame it on the surgery? I never knew that! So the time I forgot my wife's birthday its not really my fault? *whew* Maybe I will hear the end of that one.

Regardless, thanks for the info and all your sharing. It looks like the headache thing is probably just a "some do, some don't" thing. And maybe so is the "brain cell" revolt/rebellion. Some of us had our brains say "hey, she went to sleep *forever and a day* so we're just gonna take it easy too"... Sounds good to me! Hopefully those little buggars on R&R will "hop to" and do their jobs better soon!

I'm one of those that don't get headaches. Well I do, I just don't think its an abnormal amount.

Brad