[Aunt Donna]

Has anyone ever had tension headaches so bad you just finally exploded? I have been having them for over a week. I would wake up with one. A lot of things are going on in my life and each thing just adds more pressure. This afternoon my husband finally said something that broke the camel's back and I exploded. I let everything that has been eating at me out and cried my heart out. He apologised for what he said and he didn't realize I worried about people and things that much. The doctor had warn me not keep things inside or would crash and burn. He wasn't kidding. I don't like missing church and this made two Sunday mornings in row I missed because of headaches. My husband said he would try to help out more and don't be glued to the computer or TV and take time to really talk to me. At least he is trying. Sorry for the rambling.

Hello, Donna. One of my therapists called it gunnysacking. Gunnysacking is a metaphor used in conflict resolution that involves the act of "storing up" grievances acquired in the course of a relationship without systematically resolving them. The term may alternately refer to act of verbally bringing up past grievances (ie. dumping the contents of the sack) during the process of trying to resolve some present problem in a relationship. In which case, gunnysacking (as a tactic) has the dual effect of raising additional problems (in what is typically already a volatile situation) and presents an obstacle to dealing with the current issues.

Fortunately, your husband seems understanding and appears to have got the point.

http://www.medicinenet.com/tension_headache/article.htm

Hope things turn out for the best, Donna.

[Aunt Donna]

My husband literally takes our wedding vows seriously. For better or for worse. It doesn't like when I keep things bottled up inside. We have been married for over 24 years. Take it from me and it takes work. The thing is, we each know no matter what we say in an heated discussion, the other will be there. Marriage isn't for whimps. We have been through a lot together, miscarriages, his horrible asthma attacks, his legs blowing out (not a pretty sight), my mental and physical problems and etc. Can't give up.

[Aunt Donna]

http://www.medicinenet.com/tension_headache/article.htm

Thanks for the website. I do have the medications to treat it with. Just hate taking them all the time. My husband is the only person I can tell some things to. Sometimes we get so busy that we don't talk and we have to remind one another of it.

You two are to be commended for making your marriage work.

[sugahorse1]

Faylowell - seems like you have a really loving husband - congrats.

Back to the topic of tension head aches - I had such a bad migraine last night; it felt like I'd been shot through the head. I didn't know what to do with myself, as painkillers didn't help in the slightest. I finally managed to get to sleep, woke up and it was gone, and just before mid-day I can feel a slight headache coming on.

With a tension headache, try lying on a flat surface - like the floor - with a hot water bottle in the small of your neck. Find a quiet and dark room.

[sugahorse1]

On a more personal note, i have only recently been put onto mood-stabilisers, for bipolar, and the sodium valporate (anti-epileptic) which I'm prescribed is also at times prescribed for migraines, yet I've never suffered from anything as bad as in the last few weeks. Seems crazy.
Anyone had similar experiences?

[ruffy]

(((sugahorse))) I suffered from terrible migraine headaches when I started taking medication for my bipolar disorder. Somehow I came to realize that my headaches seemed to have something to do with the amount of coffee or caffeine I was drinking. I noticed that if I didnt drink the same amounts at the same times each day I would get a terrible migraine headache that would last for days. Hope this helps.

[sugahorse1]

ruffy - I hardly drink coffee. Not even a cup a day, just on some days in the morning. Like this morning, but I don't have a headache or anything today.

[ruffy]

(((sugahorse))), Do you eat and drink at regular intervals throughout the day? Low blood sugar and dehydration can cause headaches. Some antidepressants can actually cause migraine headaches. Ive seen it listed as a side effect. You may want to look up the side effects of all your medications. I hope you can find some answers. Glad to hear you dont have a headache today!!!

How are you doing, Donna?