This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Hi there
I wonder if any of you has been suffering form pressure headaches, mine feels like a very tight band around my head and is there 24h/day, it's been there for more than two years now and constant. I guess they call it tension headache, but I ma just wondering if any of you has dealt with this and somehow recovered from it?
I have no disabilty though... i don't look like i have MS except if one notices my nystagmus...
Thanks for your help

A horrible headache was actually my presenting symtom, responsible for my diagnosis.
It had been present for a while, I downed a significant amount of ibuprofen in the months prior.
I got a CAT scan, and the MS was visable...
I later had MRI/MRA, there were no circulation issues on the MRI.

I have had neuros say it's not MS, but I don't suffer with them when I'm under control.

Coincidence? I think not. It's hard not to blame everything on MS, but I blame the headache 100% on it.

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Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle..

Had the tight head, was dianosed and treated for CCSVI. The tight head went away.

Thank you for your replies.
msmything, what made them under control? Mine is there all the time no matter what medication I take...
ALso, are you RRMS, or SP... How long have you had the headaches?Thanks for your help.

Well, though I hate to admit it, I never have the remission part any longer, it's been a few years actually....circling the drain I call it.

I've been diagnosed for 5 years, however, I can trace symptoms back for much of my adult life it seems. I would go to a doc with the strange constellation of early MS, and leave with prozac and tranquilizers....who knew? I'm 55, cat scans, nevermind MRIs werre not common, nor the internet to hunt down symptoms.

Anyway, to your question I've had the headaches constantly for the past 6-7 years. I'm on the dangerous slippery slope of opiates. Finally, I was given a fentanyl patch. I can't say enough good things about it. The pills were fairly effective, but the blessing of not waking up with a headache every day is indescribable.
I'm fortunate, I work at a hospital, and see a pain specialist we have on staff. He's very serious about finding what works for each of his pt.s. My old neuro told me that there is no pain with MS. He also told me to get Long Term care insurance and get used to the idea there's nothing more that will work for me...nice guy huh?
The patches come in very low dosage, and last 3 days each. However, you have to be opiate tolerant to start them, or someone will have to hold a mirror to your nose all night (respiratory depression).
I have kind pain pretty much everywhere unless I keep on a very strict swimming regimen. Even the headaches are less disabling. It's amazing. So, if you're not a fan of being addicted (which I am-scarily enough). The doc calls it dependent to soften it, you'll have to go around it.
I have pills for breakthrough pain, and use them more and more often. My arms and legs hurt badly, again, exercise is magic, but the crowbar doesn't always get me off of the couch.
The best thing about the fentanyl is that you don't 'feel' anything, so your body isn't seeking a 'high' every 6 hours.
The headaches make your eye's feel like they're crossed right? Unbearable.

I hope things out for you filmmaker

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Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle..

well the headache feel like my head is going to explode and that there the pressure inside is so intense that it sometimes even feel like facial bone pain... It's crayz, I still don't understand how this is related to MS , in fact I have been dealing with these headaches everyday 24/7 for more than two years now, but my motricity is fine, if there wasn't the pain I'd be the happiest person in the world... but nothing seems to help this... Also, it sometimes felles like it's related to my stomach as sometimes they can ease off a little bit but as soon as I eat, they start again!! Weird huh...