Does the neurologist need to know about headaches

[CQ:)]

Before my surgery I used to get a lot of headaches which I think were a combination of seizures & possibly not sleeping properly.
After I had the surgery my headaches reduced a fair bit & I didn't get them as often as I used to.

Well for the last few months I have been getting headaches more regularly, I probably get about 2 mild headaches a week which I can soon get rid of with panadol & a really bad headache maybe once a week or once a fortnight.
We are in the middle of our summer here so I think a lot of the headaches are from the really hot days we had in January. I woke on Friday with a real bad headache, I took some panadol at breakfast which helped ease of the headache but felt crap for the rest of the day (I hadn't felt that crap for about 3 weeks). I had a bad sleep on Thursday night so think that is why I felt so crap on Friday.

I'm not to concerned about my headaches but one of my best friends & my Dad are both concerned about the headaches & think I should tell my neurologist. I don't think my headaches are epilepsy related so don't think my neurologist needs to know but my friend & Dad told me I should still tell my neuro & it is up to him to decide why I'm getting the headaches & if it is important.

Usually if I have nay concerns I email either my neuropsych or epilepsy nurse & they will advice me on what I should do or pass on any of my concerns to my neurologist. To put my friends & Dads minds at ease I emailed my neuropsych on Saturday to let her know about the headaches & see if I should tell the neurologist about the headches when I see him next month. The neuropsych only works during the weekday so I am expecting to get an email back from her on Monday or whenever she gets some spare time.

So I was wondering even though my headaches are more regular but I am sure the headaches are nothing to do with my epilepsy does my neurologist need to know?

 

[Nakamova]

I agree with your Dad CQ -- the headaches may or may not be related to your epilepsy, but it doesn't hurt to let the neurologist know. If it's nothing to worry about (and it sounds like it isn't), then the neurologist can confirm that and put everyone's mind at ease.

 

[sjconner]

I would let him know. Sometimes things we don't think are important can be important clues or indicators for medical personnel.

 

[momof3boys]

I had really bad headaches with taking regular keppra. the dr at the time increased my dose to 4000mgs which made it worse, but once I was switched over to the Keppra XR, all the headaches went away. So i would def bring it up to your neuro.

 

[CQ:)]

Thankyou all,
My Dad & friend both told me if I am not feeling well I should tell my neurologist & let him decide if it is important.

I always worry about wasting the neurologists time if I go to them with any little issue. When my seizures returned in 2002 & I started having partial seizures I used to try to work out if there was a trigger before I told my neuro about the partials. He ended up asking me not to wait so long in between appts & let him know straight away if I had a seizure so he could treat the seizures better. I did get better & contact my neuro more regularly when I would have a partial.

I have tried to see if there is a trigger to these headaches so I don't need to bother the specialists with it. When I emailed the neuropsych I told her I didn't think the headaches were epilepsy related & didn't think it was important but wanted to get her advice as to whether I should mention it to the neuro.

I was also wondering if it would be a good idea to make note of any real bad headaches I get?

 

[CQ:)]

I had really bad headaches with taking regular keppra. the dr at the time increased my dose to 4000mgs which made it worse, but once I was switched over to the Keppra XR, all the headaches went away. So i would def bring it up to your neuro.

I used to be on 400mg Tegretol & 1000mg but in March last year my neuro at the epilepsy clinic lowered my dose of Tegretol to 200mg. I had a headache when the Tegretol was 1st lowered which I put down to withdrawal symptoms but after about 3 days of being on the new dose of Tegretol the headaches stopped & I would very rarely get a headache.

The headaches have only become more regular in the last couple of months which is why i wonder if it is related to the heat.

 

[arnie]

I have kind of decided that if I think something that is going on is related to my epilepsy there is a good chance that it is, if that makes sense. I think our bodies and minds know about relationships and causes even if we may not. That said, you are having unusual, fairly strong headaches with no known cause, and you have some idea that they may be related to your epilepsy, so it is clearly worth running by your neurologist. As you know, they may not find any relaitonship, and may not find any cause at all (which is frustrating!) but at least you will have a medical opinion. Keeping a journal of things like that can be helpful to both you and the docs, too.
Send some of that heat our way, please. It's barely been above freezing here for weeks and I'm tired of being cold!

 

[Cint]

Hi CQ,

I started getting really bad headaches after I had my lobectomy. And they were frequent, whereas, before the surgery I only had headaches maybe once in 6 months. So, I would definitely let the neurologist know. Even if the headache is heat related, at least set your own mind at ease. Don't want you to have a heat stroke.

 

[BrandiBrat]

I think you did well to let her know. Since they have become fairly regular, your neurologist should be made aware. That's why he makes the big bucks

 

[CQ:)]

Keeping a journal of things like that can be helpful to both you and the docs, too.

Hi Arnie,

I have always kept a seizure diary which I used to document anything I thought was epilepsy related - auras, partials, Tonic Conic & funny things that happened in my sleep. I have my seizures under control at the moment & am coming up to 2 years seizure free but I still write in the epilepsy diary if something isn't right (eg - last September I was getting funny feeling in my head which turned out to be due to the stress I was having at my old job.) I might write about the headache in my epilepsy diary anyway.

Send some of that heat our way, please. It's barely been above freezing here for weeks and I'm tired of being cold!

I hear it's pretty cold over there at the moment. My American friend said they have snow in Chicago. Summer ends in March so I think we are now past the really hot 40c days. Today it's supposed to be approx 32c (89.6f).

 

[arnie]

I have a friend in Fairbanks, Alaska, and they were -60 a few days ago! Over 90 degrees coder than what we have right now, and 150 degrees below what you guys are having! Hard to conceive of, isn't it?

 

[CQ:)]

I have a friend in Fairbanks, Alaska, and they were -60 a few days ago! Over 90 degrees coder than what we have right now, and 150 degrees below what you guys are having! Hard to conceive of, isn't it?

The weather sure is crazy & unpredictable.
We have some parts of Australia with bush fires then other parts of Australia which have just had floods.

 

[CQ:)]

I got an email back from my neuropsych this morning. She agreed with me that the headaches weren't related to the epilepsy or surgery & I don't need to mention it to the neurologist.
She said that if the headaches do start bothering me or I find over the counter pain killers don't help with the headaches to speak to my GP . I am usually able to get rid of my headaches with panadol or by taking a nap. I have to go see my GP either end of this month or early next month to get a referral so if my headaches do increase or get worse I'll mention it to the GP when I see him.
We only have 1 more month of summer left & I don't think we'll have many more really hot days so I'm hoping once the weather gets cooler the headaches will reduce.

 

[AngelwithDentedHalo]

I'm glad you mentioned it to the doctor and yes you needed to mention it to the Neurologist. That's who you go see if you have migraines and stuff related to the brain, the brain and nervous system is what Neurologists specialize in. That's who they send you to if the headaches become really bad. I'm sure it's probably stress, lack of sleep and the like but yes, anything related to the brain and the nervous system, you always talk to a Neurologist about if your GP can't help.

 

[AngelwithDentedHalo]

You're still in summer? Lucky you, I live in the states and it's winter here. Guess by the time it's winter there, it'll be spring here. I have a cousin that used to live in Sidney.

 

[CQ:)]

I'm glad you mentioned it to the doctor and yes you needed to mention it to the Neurologist. That's who you go see if you have migraines and stuff related to the brain, the brain and nervous system is what Neurologists specialize in. That's who they send you to if the headaches become really bad. I'm sure it's probably stress, lack of sleep and the like but yes, anything related to the brain and the nervous system, you always talk to a Neurologist about if your GP can't help.

Hi Angelwithdentedhalos,

I don't cope well with the heat so I think alot of my headaches were to do with the heatwave we had last month. Other triggers for my headaches are if I don't get a good night sleep or if I spend to much time on the computer.
It was my neuropsychologist who I spoke to about the headaches as she & my epilepsy nurse are the ones I speak to if I have any concerns & they either advice me on what I should do or if the neurologist needs to know they will speak to him & get straight back to me with his answer.

 

[CQ:)]

You're still in summer? Lucky you, I live in the states and it's winter here. Guess by the time it's winter there, it'll be spring here.

Yep we are still in summer here in Australia.
Our seasons are -
Dec - Feb - Summer
Mar - May - Autumn
Jun - Aug - Winter
Sep - Nov - Spring.
I have a really good friend in Chicago & she said it was snowing there Today, the 1st big snowfall they had all winter.

I have a cousin that used to live in Sidney.

I'm about 6 hour drive from Sydney but I have a few family members from that area & my parents both grew up around Sydney.

 

[sixyearsold]

I was having these really bad headaches(my sharp, some nagging) and I laos didn't have energy.
I just thought I was being lazy and I have always had bad headaches.
I decided to finally talk to my doctor. He told me that overtime meds(I wa son trileptol) can just cause different syptoms.
I know now to talk to my doctor about everything.
We actually email back and forth if I have a problem.

So... talk to your doctor! I make a list of questions and how I am feeling before an appointment.