I don't know a lot about opiates. I have been on a lot like lortabs, percs, and vicodin off and on since 2006 when I was in a bad car accident. I have bad arthritis from some broken bones (had surgeries on em), lupus (causes joint pain), as well as epilepsy. The main reason I get so many opiates is my epilepsy. I get a very severe headache from my seizures, not to mention the pain I'm already in from having the seizure.. I could explain but I don't want to make this post even longer then it already is. Anywho.. I had several seizures in a row, several days in a row, a few days ago. I was kept in the hospital for several days because of this. I just got out earlier today. During my stay in the hospital I was in a lot of pain. My orders from the doctor were dilaudid every 3 hours. After the first day the doctor also added a fentanyl pain patch. I am not sure the dose of the dilaudid but the fentanyl patch was 25 mg. As time went by my headache increased.. They knew my pain levels but no one really seemed to be bothered by this. The pain went from a normal seizure headache to a different kind of headache.. I have had a spinal tap before that leaked fluid and gave me a spinal headache. This is what my headache feels like. It throbs and pain meds do not effect it (I'm wondering if they are causing it..?) It's really strong on my temples like a stress headache would be.. but a million times worse. When I stand up it gets worse, and when I cough or something it makes me feel like I'm going to die. Not to be gross.. but I cannot go to the bathroom because it hurts insanely bad. I have been off the dilaudid for almost 24 hours now. I went off it in the middle of the night last night because my IV was bothering me and when they took it out it took several hours to get someone who could change it (I'm hard to stick..) and the doctor put me on lortabs in the mean time, and didn't put me back on the dilaudid when we got the IV back in. A few of the nurses did tell me the dilaudid could be causing the headache. I assumed if that was it.. the headache would be gone by now.. or at least not be as severe? When I was leaving the hospital I got a new pain patch, that was 50mg instead of 25. I decided about an hour ago I should try to go without the pain patch to see if that clears up the headache in case that's the problem. The pain is still the same as of now.. Even though the process of standing up hurts, when I am walking around I do feel a bit better. Also, sitting up feels better then laying down so I can't really sleep right now.. I was wondering if anyone else has had a similar problem with opiates? With all the pain pills I've taken I can't recall ever having this type of problem. I know I have taken far more then the dose I should have of my pain pills and I never had this kinda shit happen.. so I'm just like what the hell. Also... I have been hoping one of my doctors would give me these pain patches someday.. I'm sick of being in pain all the damn time. I'm gonna be pissy if this is a reaction to them and I can't ever use them!
i think its odd they're giving you opiates for headaches. I don't know much but from experience they tend to give me headaches.
pure narcotics shouldnt give you a headache, hydrocodone gives me one but thats because of all the god damn tylenol
Ive gotten cramps and at worst a stomach ache from taking alot in a short time, but never a headache.
Yes, some doctors do not like to give opiates for headaches. But.. this isn't like, a "headache." This is some of the worst pain you could imagine. I'm talking about as bad as a broken bone. That's why they give me them. As for the other comments, I thought it was really strange too.. but "headache" is listed as a side effect of both medications. On dilaudid it's listed as one of the "severe" side effects though.. the ones you are supposed to call your doctor about. Anyway, I'm feeling much better today. I put my new patch on an hour ago and I don't feel sick from it yet or anything. I guess we'll see..
Just thought I'd update.. Ended up in the hospital again because I got even worse.. Got to the point where I couldn't keep down food or my medicine. Even though at first I didn't want it, the doctor said the only way he thought he could help my pain, which I had also started aching all over, was to give me some more dilaudid. Geeze these doctors give it to me like candy.. It makes me sad because I realize how ill I really am. Anyway.. he thinks this may be some really strange, horrid reaction to the flu shot. Other then that he has no explanation for it. The reason he thinks that is because a lot of the pain starts at my neck.. and apparently it can cause that. *shrug*
that all sounds very strange... is the doctor doing tests or is he just giving you more opiates? anyway, hope you find some relief.
I agree, this sounds so strange. First off let me say i have bad seizures all the time (due to epilepsy). Opiates are not a treatment for epilepsy or seizures they treat them with benzos most commonly ativan or haldol. Second, neither siezures or epilepsy cause pain unless you hit your head/body or bite your tounge during one. Headaches due to hydromorphone is a bad sign, if your doctor knew you were having headaches from the hydromorphone he would not keep prescribing it "like candy", unless he was an idiot (which he probably is seeing as how he is treating epilepsy with with "pain" medication). And another major side effect of opiates is urinary retention and constipation. Leave it go long enough it will cause severe pain when urinating, that is probably why it hurts to use the bathroom. My advice is to get the right meds and a different doctor. .
I get a headache from to many OC's .. sounds weird but I do. Similar to cocaine headache.. Then I take some Tylenol or Aleve and it goes aways..
