Constant headaches
Hi, everyone!
Hope you're all doing well!
(Sorry for my broken english, it's not my first language)
I wanted to share my story, since I've been feeling pretty down lately.
I'm 22F, I've had chronic daily headaches for more than 10 years now. I don't even remember what it feels like to have just a minute headaches free, I have 24/7 headaches. I wake up with it and I go to sleep with it. When I was young, I complained of headaches but my family thought I was doing it for attention so they never bothered with it. When I was old enough to go to the doctor alone, I went to see my family doctor to try and see if there's anything we can do but he blatantly said I only need to drink more water and go outside more. I was very healthy as a child, I ate full meals, drank a lot of water, went outside everyday, slept correctly, no screen time and I still had headaches. It's like a vicious cycle, you forget one thing and it gets worse and you can't come back from that. I started developing anxiety because of the headaches then it went downhill. I slept 10 hours a day and still fell asleep in class, advil or tylenol would never work nor ease the headaches, no matter how healthy I was I still had those headaches. I'm honestly living in survival mode everyday and I forget a lot of things.
I've had these for years but sometimes it's still hard to tell which type of headaches it is because sometimes it would feel like a simple tension headache but I would have nausea and photophobia. Other times it would be a simple pulsating pain but with no other symptoms. It feels like they are kinda overlapping, it's weird. Swinging on the swing is a no since it worsens headaches, reading and screens are a no too. Sometimes even having my glasses near my face is too much. I spend most of my times sleeping since every activity is too hard to do. When I do get out with friends, it has to be a good day and I'd have to recuperate for the next 2-3 days minimum. My head is very tender and I can't lay it on a hard surface, like on a wall or the floor because it would hurt top much. Sometimes even my pillow would be too hurtful.
I went to the ER a few times to get something to work but I get denied every time since I have a family doctor but he doesn't want to try anything.
I really had to push to get just the tiniest thing.
I had migraines every time I was on my period and I had a short cycle so I asked for a contraception pill (indayo). I then had less migraine but headaches were still constant
After being denied a few times and finishing school, I developed depression because I couldn't take it anymore. Nobody takes you seriously, everyone thinks you're lying and living with this constant pain is truly a challenge.
I went on antidepressants for like a year but stopped because of the suicidal thoughts it gave me
I worked a few jobs after but I'd always leave after a few months cause the headaches would get too hard to live with.
I went back to see the family doctor and he gave me amitriptyline. I tried it for a few years, no changes. I went up to 30 mg but I never felt anything different.
Some days the only relief I can find is scratching my forehead till it bleeds but then I look crazy when I go out after that so I can't really do that everyday let's say.
Now I have a three year job, I love this job but it's becoming harder and harder. I have to do naps at my lunch break or else I fall asleep during my working hours. My boss adapted my situation a bit because it's a physical job and with migraines, I had to leave from work a lot.
Driving is hard and sometimes I would even almost fall asleep on the wheel.
My family doctor retired in december 2025 after prescribing me a new contraception pill (sylene) and leaving without a follow up cause he was sure it would work. It left me with bigger headaches and it was unbearable so I stopped them. I asked to go back to the one I had before but I had to schedule an appointment with a random doctor for that. When I went to that appointment I explained the situation to her and she told me she can't prescribe it to me since of my headaches situation and scheduled me for another appointment with another doctor but she asked me to try and get another appointment for a real follow up for my headaches. So I tried and called and I explained the situation again. They told me to take more OTC, which I told them never worked since I had these headaches but they really insisted on that, then they told me it was urgent and that they would try to get an appointment in the next 2 weeks. Called me back to say there's no space and they can't do anything for me right now. Now I either go to the ER again or call again in 2 weeks to try and get a real appointment.
Headaches are never taken seriously, but I genuinely don't think I can work for much longer and I don't want to quit this job. I'm getting kinda desperate here. I feel so alone in this if anyone wanna share what worked for them, even if it's temporary relief. 🫂
Have a nice day everyone!