Any doctors in the house?

[Alone]

I've been getting some serious headaches/migraines recently. I've taken 2400mg's of Ibuprofen within the last two hours and I still have a headache. That's much more than should be necessary, and I'm not taking any more.

Before I go to an actual doctor (hopefully within the next week), I'd like to get the opinions of others. So, a few questions:

1. Just so I don't screw myself up, how much Ibuprofen is too much?
2. My dentist recently told me my wisdom teeth should be causing me problems, could they have anything to do with the headaches?
3. What could cause a headache like this?

Any help would be nice.

 

[Cookie]

Originally posted by: Alone
I've been getting some serious headaches/migraines recently. I've taken 2400mg's of Ibuprofen within the last two hours and I still have a headache. That's much more than should be necessary, and I'm not taking any more.

Before I go to an actual doctor (hopefully within the next week), I'd like to get the opinions of others. So, a few questions:

1. Just so I don't screw myself up, how much Ibuprofen is too much?
2. My dentist recently told me my wisdom teeth should be causing me problems, could they have anything to do with the headaches?
3. What could cause a headache like this?

Any help would be nice.

1. Check the label on the bottle
2. Definately
3. See 2

 

[AgentUnknown]

You will get GI problems if u take too much.

 

[Alone]

Originally posted by: AgentUnknown
You will get GI problems if u take too much.

That's not too bad. I just don't want to start having seizures and bite my tongue off.

 

[RollWave]

make sure not to drink any alcohol either while you're taking that much.

Have you tried excedrin? Caffeine can sometimes help with migraines.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

It might be a too-mah.

/obligatory

 

[Alone]

Originally posted by: RollWave
make sure not to drink any alcohol either while you're taking that much.

Have you tried excedrin? Caffeine can sometimes help with migraines.

I don't drink alcohol. And I do drink a considerable amount of coffee.

 

[TraumaRN]

Originally posted by: Alone
I've been getting some serious headaches/migraines recently. I've taken 2400mg's of Ibuprofen within the last two hours and I still have a headache. That's much more than should be necessary, and I'm not taking any more.

Before I go to an actual doctor (hopefully within the next week), I'd like to get the opinions of others. So, a few questions:

1. Just so I don't screw myself up, how much Ibuprofen is too much?
2. My dentist recently told me my wisdom teeth should be causing me problems, could they have anything to do with the headaches?
3. What could cause a headache like this?

Any help would be nice.

1.) 3200mg per 24 hour period.
2.) Yes they could be
3.) Stress of any sort, and various other things that are probably too long to list. Don't goto an ER for a migraine tho, call your doctor first. Also consider getting those wisdom teeth out ASAP. Also if you get frequent migraines figure out what your triggers are and either eliminate or reduce those triggers.

 

[Trevelyan]

Wow 2400mg of ibuprofen? The bottle recommends 400mg, and my sister (a physician's assistant) says that doctor's regularly say 800mg of ibuprofen every 8 hours. I really think you shouldn't take more than 800mg.

But what type of headache are you having? I actually went to the ER today because of a severe headache. Had a CT scan -- nothing bad. But headaches are caused by so many things. Do you have any vision problems, dizziness or nausea? Any numbness on your face or arms or legs?

 

[Trevelyan]

Originally posted by: DeathBUA

Originally posted by: Alone
I've been getting some serious headaches/migraines recently. I've taken 2400mg's of Ibuprofen within the last two hours and I still have a headache. That's much more than should be necessary, and I'm not taking any more.

Before I go to an actual doctor (hopefully within the next week), I'd like to get the opinions of others. So, a few questions:

1. Just so I don't screw myself up, how much Ibuprofen is too much?
2. My dentist recently told me my wisdom teeth should be causing me problems, could they have anything to do with the headaches?
3. What could cause a headache like this?

Any help would be nice.

1.) 3200mg per 24 hour period.
2.) Yes they could be
3.) Stress of any sort, and various other things that are probably too long to list. Don't goto an ER for a migraine tho, call your doctor first. Also consider getting those wisdom teeth out ASAP. Also if you get frequent migraines figure out what your triggers are and either eliminate or reduce those triggers.

Agreed. Headaches are one of the most common reasons people go to the doctor. I learned today that ER's are a complete waste of time, unless you experience any symptoms of stroke or aneurysm.

 

[Alone]

Originally posted by: Trevelyan
Wow 2400mg of ibuprofen? The bottle recommends 400mg, and my sister (a physician's assistant) says that doctor's regularly say 800mg of ibuprofen every 8 hours. I really think you shouldn't take more than 800mg.

I've got prescription strength Ibuprofen. Each pill is 600mg. When I take it, I usually take two at a time.

Originally posted by: Trevelyan
But what type of headache are you having? I actually went to the ER today because of a severe headache. Had a CT scan -- nothing bad. But headaches are caused by so many things. Do you have any vision problems, dizziness or nausea? Any numbness on your face or arms or legs?

Don't know how to classify it; the pain is located in the back of my head, right around the base of my skull and off to the left. Vision problems? Not really. Dizziness or nausea? More often than not. I get light-headed often, as well.

 

[davidsi]

try some caffeine with ure ibuprofen, or tylenol

 

[Alone]

Originally posted by: davidsi
try some caffeine with ure ibuprofen, or tylenol

Already have.

 

[jpeyton]

I am a doctor.

Try Head-On.

Apply directly to forehead.

Head-On.

Apply directly to forehead.

 

[Jeff7]

Yes, teeth problems can cause headaches. I missed school a few times when I had braces. My jaws ached all the time, and some days, especially after adjustments, my whole head just pounded with each heartbeat. It gets to the point with some of the severe migraines where all I could do was just lie in bed, sometimes rolling back and forth a bit, almost hoping to just pass out so I could stop feeling like my head was being ripped apart from the inside.

I have found, at least for me, that keeping my head wrapped in a blanket helps. Sometimes the pain can be caused by blood vessels dialating - think of an ice cream headache. A nerve about in the center of your skull gets chilled by the ice cream passing right by it; I think it's located at the top of the back of your throat. Your brain perceives this as meaning that your head has been cooled so much that it's freezing all the way to the core. Reaction: blood vessels dialate, and your head is flooded with blood in response to the notion that your brain is just about to freeze to death. Result: a horrendous, but thankfully brief, headache.
I found that ice on my head made the headaches worse, and I theorized that this was the reason - head felt cold, so it opened up the blood vessels, headache got worse. So I tried the opposite: keep it warm. That, and just trying to sleep. I can't get anything done while in the grip of a migraine, so I might as well try to spend that time unconscious.

Fortunately, it's been awhile since I've had a migraine, and I don't miss them at all.

 

[piasabird]

Just go to the doctor. Once in a while a migrain can cause problems.

Also Dont drink coffee or caffinated drinks. Caffine is addictive and irritates people with headache problems.

 

[Alone]

Originally posted by: piasabird
Just go to the doctor. Once in a while a migrain can cause problems.

Also Dont drink coffee or caffinated drinks. Caffine is addictive and irritates people with headache problems.

I've been drinking coffee regularly for the last 5 years of my life.

 

[TraumaRN]

Originally posted by: Alone

Originally posted by: Trevelyan
Wow 2400mg of ibuprofen? The bottle recommends 400mg, and my sister (a physician's assistant) says that doctor's regularly say 800mg of ibuprofen every 8 hours. I really think you shouldn't take more than 800mg.

I've got prescription strength Ibuprofen. Each pill is 600mg. When I take it, I usually take two at a time.

Originally posted by: Trevelyan
But what type of headache are you having? I actually went to the ER today because of a severe headache. Had a CT scan -- nothing bad. But headaches are caused by so many things. Do you have any vision problems, dizziness or nausea? Any numbness on your face or arms or legs?

Don't know how to classify it; the pain is located in the back of my head, right around the base of my skull and off to the left. Vision problems? Not really. Dizziness or nausea? More often than not. I get light-headed often, as well.

What you are describing is probably a migraine. And probably caused by stress. The nausea/lightheadedness is nothing to worry about especially if you are a young guy/girl(which I'm assuming you are) Again stress, overexertion or not having enough fluid intake can be the culprit.

And yes caffeine with tylenol or motrin can in some cases increase drug effectiveness.

But for real get it checked out by your doctor first for the love of all things holy. I work in an ER and we see people with your somewhat vague symptoms all the time....and we end up giving them a decent amount of fluids, some morphine, a CT scan of the head and then when we find nothing we tell them to see their doctor...If it's serious enough for ER your doctor will refer you to an ER...just keep that in mind.

Also get more sleep and like I said eliminate stressors and possible headache triggers if at all possible.

 

[Alone]

I have no intentions of going to the ER until there's an actual problem. This is just annoying. I should be going in on the Monday after Easter, we'll see what he has to say.

As for stress...I really don't have any.

 

[bob4432]

i am not a doctor but have suffered from migrains for over 25yrs so i do have a bit of experience.

first you need to know what type of headache it really is. migraines usually have severe pain (obviously), sensitivity to light & sound, for me heat and smell too, nausea and others. i have seen neuroligsts since i was 8 and nobody really knows what causes them but the meds i have taken for them are all prescription and usually have to do with some type of blood flow to the head - normal, over the counter or even precription amounts of ibuprofen or tylenol won't help much, if at all and the risk of a gi issue is very high.

there are also tension headaches that i also suffer from, that can be as painful as migraines but you are just not sensitive to light and sound but still feel like sh!t.

for me my tension headaches are usually in the back of the head above the neck, but sadly i suffer from a neurological disorder in my upper neck, back that causes severe muscle spasms, so those are a byproduct of another neurological issue.

unless you are having any weird neurological issues, i would try to go to bed and see a doctor soon. your doc should probably send you to a neurologist and they will probably send you for a ct and or mri scan if this continues to make sure you don't have anything wrong upstairs, like a tumor or something.

for me, the only thing that really helps a true migraine is sleep - i have had both demerol and morphine for migraines but they didn't do much besides make me tired.

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: Alone
I've been getting some serious headaches/migraines recently. I've taken 2400mg's of Ibuprofen within the last two hours and I still have a headache. That's much more than should be necessary, and I'm not taking any more.

Before I go to an actual doctor (hopefully within the next week), I'd like to get the opinions of others. So, a few questions:

1. Just so I don't screw myself up, how much Ibuprofen is too much?
2. My dentist recently told me my wisdom teeth should be causing me problems, could they have anything to do with the headaches?
3. What could cause a headache like this?

Any help would be nice.

are your wisdom teeth or the area around them actually sore? if not, i doubt they are a source of your headaches.

that's all i've got. good luck!

 

[Alone]

Originally posted by: moshquerade
are your wisdom teeth or the area around them actually sore? if not, i doubt they are a source of your headaches.

that's all i've got. good luck!

Not really sore, but my gums sometimes...throb.

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: Alone

Originally posted by: moshquerade
are your wisdom teeth or the area around them actually sore? if not, i doubt they are a source of your headaches.

that's all i've got. good luck!

Not really sore, but my gums sometimes...throb.

sounds like your whole head is throbbing.

but yeh, i'll agree your wisdom teeth could be aggravating your headache if they are achey or throbbing as you say.

btw...if you have a headache right now get off the computer - that'll make it 10x worse.

 

[Alone]

Originally posted by: moshquerade
btw...if you have a headache right now get off the computer - that'll make it 10x worse.

But I don't want it to get worse!

Just kidding. But in all honesty, with the amount of time I usually spend on the computer, being on/off doesn't seem to change anything.

 

[Azraele]

Originally posted by: Alone

Originally posted by: AgentUnknown
You will get GI problems if u take too much.

That's not too bad. I just don't want to start having seizures and bite my tongue off.

Do not make light of this. My brother had allergy related migraines, and took too much. He ended up with a serious bleeding ulcer in which he lost half of his blood volume, and was hospitalized/intubated for a while.

Be careful how much you take.