ANA Discussion Forum

General Category => AN Issues => Topic started by: Jwh on November 28, 2007, 12:51:10 pm

Title: Icepick Headaches related to AN????
Post by: Jwh on November 28, 2007, 12:51:10 pm

Hi everyone,

I've recently started to have icepick headaches (so I think).  I have a stabbing pain on the side of my head and eye tenderness.  It's on the same side as my AN.  It's very fleeting - comes and goes.  Does this sound familiar?  Is this anyway related to my AN.   Or can this be trigeminal pain?

I'm trying to figure this out ( :

Title: Re: Icepick Headaches related to AN????
Post by: Jim Scott on November 28, 2007, 04:12:15 pm

Quote from: Jwh on November 28, 2007, 12:51:10 pm

Hi everyone,

I've recently started to have icepick headaches (so I think).  I have a stabbing pain on the side of my head and eye tenderness.  It's on the same side as my AN.  It's very fleeting - comes and goes.  Does this sound familiar?  Is this anyway related to my AN.   Or can this be trigeminal pain?

I'm trying to figure this out ( :

Speaking as a patient, not a doctor, it's very likely AN-related.

I experienced similar, intermittent, very brief (but painful) 'stabbing' sensations (on the 'AN side') prior to my surgery.  I'm sure others will tell you the same thing.  The stabbing pain was one reason I finally saw a doctor.  I knew this wasn't normal.  It wasn't...unless you have an acoustic neuroma tumor...which I did.  My eye on the 'AN-side' was also slightly affected (dry eye syndrome).   

If you haven't already done so, this is probably the time to consider how you'll address this situation (surgery, radiation or possibly both). 

I hope this helps a bit.   :)

Jim

Title: Re: Icepick Headaches related to AN????
Post by: Jwh on November 28, 2007, 06:10:00 pm

Jim,

Did the doctor happen to tell you why this happens?  The stabbing has stopped and now my head feels tender in the same spot ) :

Thanks!
Jen

Title: Re: Icepick Headaches related to AN????
Post by: satman on November 29, 2007, 07:59:19 am

It very well could be related,mine was.
It's amazing all the gremlins A N's produce.
When I had my headaches it was accompanied[sp ?] with
blurry vision and a wosh,wosh sound in my AN ear along with a drunken stagger.
These symptoms would only last 3-5 minutes then everything would clear up.
Thats probably the reason I kept ignoring it. 

Title: Re: Icepick Headaches related to AN????
Post by: ppearl214 on November 29, 2007, 08:36:40 am

Hi jwh

*raises hand*

I'm one also. I started 2 threads that, I'm not sure, you may have seen:

"AN Inquiry" forum, with a survey to post treatment AN'ers that may have run into this (those that have had all forms of AN treatment protocols):

http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=5418.0

Another, in "Headaches" forum for "Ice Pick Migraines".

http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=5460.0

Maybe worth checking out as other's have chimed in with their thoughts/experiences.... just fyi only.

Hang in there!
Phyl

Title: Re: Icepick Headaches related to AN????
Post by: Jim Scott on November 29, 2007, 05:21:42 pm

Quote from: Jwh on November 28, 2007, 06:10:00 pm

Jim,

Did the doctor happen to tell you why this happens?  The stabbing has stopped and now my head feels tender in the same spot ) :

Thanks!
Jen

Jen:

Only that the growing tumor is impacting the surrounding tissue and presses on the skull when it gets big enough (mine was 4.5 cm).  The stabbing pain is almost always intermittent.  If it were steady, I don't think anyone could tolerate it for long.  It's a way of telling you that something is wrong, even if you know that already.

Jim