[QUOTE=Laurierace;7426426]
Didn’t you say you are near Baltimore? We have some of the best doctors in the world here. Try a neurosurgeon next time. Mine was at Mercy Medical Center but Hopkins is obviously good too.[/QUOTE]
Yes I can get to Baltimore, but meant just locally (Carroll/Frederick area). Neurosurgeon is a good idea.
IMO, please make sure that the next Doctor you see does whatever type of diagnostic is used to rule out aneurysm. A neurosurgeon is indeed the most likely to be able to tell if you have a surgically correctable problem. Unfortunately, I believe the practitioner you just saw must have graduated at the bottom of her class, or is just pretending to be a Doctor. No way was that an adequate exam!
Oh yes, if you’re near Baltimore, you’ve got great options! I traveled to Johns Hopkins for their neurologists when I wasnt happy with UVA years ago. They have wonderful Doctors there. (I got VERY lucky that my Neuro from up there moved to UVA, which is in my hometown 
)
Good luck, and do keep us updated. How is your head, by the way? Any improvement?
Headaches are severe less often but still consistent and severe at least once a day. Memory is still iffy and a little slower than usual mentally. I don’t think the steroids worked at all. If anything, I got my most severe headaches for the day about an hour after taking the steroid each time during the day.
Please find another doctor! This problem has been going on for way too long. Sometimes it takes several doctors before you get the right answer. I recently visited four specialists (all in the same specialty) because each one gave me conflicting advice. It was crazy. When I went to my primary care doctor to tell him what I’d found out he said (facetiously), “Well, you see what an exact science this is!”
Good luck and keep us posted.
[QUOTE=Crown Royal;7426302]
The only physical examination she gave me was tapping the back and sides of my head to see where exactly the pain was. Once I reacted to the occipital nerve, she said that was the problem, along with a migraine that couldn’t break, and that the steroids would break it and that was that. .[/QUOTE]
You do realize, of course, that there is no such thing as an occipital nerve?
Among the cranial nerves, there is an OPTIC nerve, which connects the OCCIPTAL region of the brain to the eyeballs, but you can’t access it physically by tapping on the head. The optic nerve is inside the interior regions, and never gets close to the survace of the head.
So what the “doctor” thought she was tapping when she tapped the back of your head, I can’t begin to imagine. You may have had a bruise back there, from the fall, but that doesn’t mean you have pain in your occiptal part of the brain, or in the optic nerve. If your optic nerve is inflamed or damaged, you would be having visual changes and symptoms in your eye sight, and might not involve pain at all.
I can’t imagine what she thought she was “tapping”.
This link has a simplistic discussion of the cranial nerves, which are the nerves in the skull http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranial_nerve you can scroll down and see a list of their names and the basics of what they do. As you can see, there is no “occipital” nerve. The only nerve associated with the occipital portion of the brain is the optic nerve, and while the anterior portion of the optic nerve (the part nearest the eyeball) can become inflamed, or irritated by a virus, or injury, such as a concussion, or build up lesions in certain diseases, such as MS, you can’t access the nerve by tapping on the head anywhere. its deep inside. What she told you just doesn’t make any sense. It sounds pretty bogus in fact.
Just thought I would mention.
I went through something similar, but not trauma-related which perplexed the doctors even more. I had intense sharp, jabbing pain in my temples, usually the left, but sometimes the right. A head “ache” that traveled across the crown, and a deep pressure band on the back of my head that never, ever went away. Had the headaches for over 3 months, saw my doctor, ended up in the ER about 6 times when my vision was affected (had an enlarging black spot in my right eye, had a “veil” over my left eye.)
Finally, after 4 months, things have calmed down a bit.
Here’s what’s helped somewhat (courtesy of a neurologist):
magnesium supplements - 300 mg of ELEMENTAL magnesium a day. Titre up at about 50 mg a day until your system can handle it. I’m taking 500 mg a day.
butterbur, but it has to be a certain kind. If you’re interested, I’ll look it up.
Vitamin b2 - 400 mg a day, at the same time each day.
Get off the codeine/caffeine painkillers. The caffeine is probably making your headaches worse. Do they tend to get worse in the evening? If so, it’s the caffeine/codeine. I was taking T3s, prescribed by my doctor, but the neurologist said aleve - 1-2.
Keep a headache diary. Pain from 1-10, disability for the day, any triggers, etc.
See if you can get an MRI done. MRIs show more than CTs. (Mine came up clean which was both very good and bad).
Just throwing some ideas at you. I was pulled off all pain meds for a month which was hell. I was laying in bed for days on end. Now I’m allowed a max of 15 aleve a month, which is tough.
But definitely try to get an MRI done. The neurologist said those are way more informative than CTs.
Oh, and get a recommendation to see a neurologist. I got one after going to the ER for the 5th time and the ER doctor submitted me as an “interesting case” (since that’s all they take). The neurologist did a lot of physical exams to make sure cognitive processes were still working (i.e. feeling vibrations on the toes, not tripping when walking, etc.)
PLEASE GET A SECOND OPINION
My husband, at 53, died last year from an undiagnosed brain aneurism. He had migraines for years, ever since high school.
In the weeks before, he had major headaches that were not migraines, along with nausea, memory and personality changes. I made him go the doctors and it was first diagnosed as allergies and he was given new medication and the next time as an ear infection, the day before he died.
On the day he died, I was taking him to grad school and he collapsed from the head pain and nausea. I took him to the school health center and they called the ambulance. Every one keep asking if he had a fall and hit his head but he had not.
By the time he got to the hospital he was seizing. An MRI and CAT scan showed an inoperable aneurism and he was gone by 3pm. There was nothing that could be done.
SO PLEASE GET A SECOND OPINION AND PUSH FOR MORE EXACT TESTS.
OTV, if you had read the thread, you would see that this is all about a neurologist. She has been seeing a neurologist.
towerkeeper, I’m so sorry that happened to you and your husband. That must have been really hard. Hope you are well.
Agreed a neuro exam should have been done. Have you tried Botox for your migraines by chance? Should be covered by your ins.
We all know there are some really crapastic MDs (and vets) out there but really, is it actually possible there’s a neurologist out there that doesn’t know the names and location of the cranial nerves? I sincerely doubt it. That’s anatomy 101 for a biology freshman!
Don’t doubt the OP was injured on her horse and is experiencing possibly severe problems from it but IMO she’s giving us a line about seeing anyone for it. OP, do you have health insurance?
[QUOTE=Ambitious Kate;7427143]
You do realize, of course, that there is no such thing as an occipital nerve?
Among the cranial nerves, there is an OPTIC nerve, which connects the OCCIPTAL region of the brain to the eyeballs, but you can’t access it physically by tapping on the head. The optic nerve is inside the interior regions, and never gets close to the survace of the head.
So what the “doctor” thought she was tapping when she tapped the back of your head, I can’t begin to imagine. You may have had a bruise back there, from the fall, but that doesn’t mean you have pain in your occiptal part of the brain, or in the optic nerve. If your optic nerve is inflamed or damaged, you would be having visual changes and symptoms in your eye sight, and might not involve pain at all.
I can’t imagine what she thought she was “tapping”.
This link has a simplistic discussion of the cranial nerves, which are the nerves in the skull http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranial_nerve you can scroll down and see a list of their names and the basics of what they do. As you can see, there is no “occipital” nerve. The only nerve associated with the occipital portion of the brain is the optic nerve, and while the anterior portion of the optic nerve (the part nearest the eyeball) can become inflamed, or irritated by a virus, or injury, such as a concussion, or build up lesions in certain diseases, such as MS, you can’t access the nerve by tapping on the head anywhere. its deep inside. What she told you just doesn’t make any sense. It sounds pretty bogus in fact.
Just thought I would mention.[/QUOTE]
Actually, not to start anything, but there are such things as Occipital nerves - there are the greater, lesser and dorsal occipital nerves all of which can contribute to headaches, and really wicked ones at that. Occipital neuralgia is a terrible condition (as one who has it I can attest to it). They are related to cranial nerves but are nerves in their own right which lead from the back of the skull all the around to the front of the head, which if she hit the back of her head, could be contributing to her frontal headaches. BUT, she needs to see a proper neurologist!! I agree the tapping is just stupid, plain and simple.
Try a massage therapist that does cranial-sacral work and see if that helps. After a nasty concussion a dozen years or so ago I used to get shooting pains up the back of my head. It lasted for years. I had a couple of people recommend a local lady that does therapeutic massage (the gentle stuff not the kind that pummels you!). She was amazing! Now I rarely get those pains.
OP, how close are you to family? Can a family member or friend accompany you to appointments? You’ve had a head injury and need a knowledgable advocate.
[QUOTE=rcloisonne;7427579]
Don’t doubt the OP was injured on her horse and is experiencing possibly severe problems from it but IMO she’s giving us a line about seeing anyone for it. OP, do you have health insurance?[/QUOTE]
Are you kidding me? What would I possibly get out of lying to members on a public forum?
Yes I HAVE seen a neurologist. Yes I have health insurance. Yes I have seen my primary care doctor once, my local ER twice, received a CT scan once, and an MRI without contrast once. All before my appointment with the neurologist (that I had made at the beginning of January and had to wait two months to get in with). Yes, she really did not think I had a concussion because in her opinion I wouldn’t have a concussion if I hadn’t “seen stars”. I disagree with that simply from reading about plenty of cases of concussions or head injuries where the person didn’t feel hurt immediately at all. I was surprised that all she was really concerned about was pain management…I would think, in my uneducated opinion, that different diagnostics to find the problem would be most important. No, I am no longer on any of those narcotics. I tried each one maybe two or three times (seperately, after my primary care doctor and the ER doctor prescribed them) and after no success from any, discontinued use. I am currently not on any pain medication. Yes, she really did tap around the back and sides and told me I had hit the occipital nerve. I honestly don’t know much about anatomy, but I know that’s what she told me because I had her repeat herself to make sure I was clear on her diagnosis. I also had thought that an MRI without contrast isn’t particularly useful but she looked at the report and decided everything on the MRI and CT scans were fine.
I’m not arguing with anyone here as clearly I do not know what the issue is and all of you bring up very good points. I am just trying to clarify exactly what’s been done, what hasn’t worked, how I am now, and what exactly that particular neurologist told me.
No, I have not tried Botox for my migraines. I actually only ever used ibuprofen for my migraines because my pain tolerance is pretty good.
My aunt has been a massage therapist for a long time and did work on me about two months into the headaches, working especially around my neck and head. It did not relieve any of the specific head pain.
I have gotten recommendations for other neurologists and will follow up asap with them because clearly the last one I was referred to hasn’t done enough to diagnose the real issue and isn’t helping.
[QUOTE=grayarabpony;7427836]
OP, how close are you to family? Can a family member or friend accompany you to appointments? You’ve had a head injury and need a knowledgable advocate.[/QUOTE]
I did go to my primary care doctor and the ER alone the first time, but my brother came with me to the ER the second time and my dad’s wife (who is a nurse) came with me to the neurologist appointment. I will most likely have a friend come with me to any additional appointments. It’s helpful for them to remind the doctor of anything I may be forgetting to mention about my symptoms and keep everything straight.
I had a neurosurgeon tell me that I needed emergency surgery on my neck or else I would be driving my car, look up at a sign and crash my car. My second opinion sent me for injections and pt and I have been fine since. That was about 5 years ago!
[QUOTE=Laurierace;7427899]
I had a neurosurgeon tell me that I needed emergency surgery on my neck or else I would be driving my car, look up at a sign and crash my car. My second opinion sent me for injections and pt and I have been fine since. That was about 5 years ago![/QUOTE]
Wow…what a huge difference in treatments!
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