'Ice pick' headaches

Hi, well its been a long time since I;ve posted on here, which is probably a good thing, as it means I’m not progressing very quickly with my ms after being diagnosed with rrms 6 years ago. Don;t get me wrong, I have been to the doc many a time with small things and even had time off work for some symptoms, but at the moment I dont really have anywhere else to go!

My consultant and ms nurse have passed me back to my gp to find another hospital (post code lottery, I guess!). Funnily though, the two other hospitals they have recommended are futher away! But anyway, since being diagnosed, following a bout of ON followed 6 weeks later with sharp stabbing pains in my head and spasms down my right side, I had a week off work with ‘ice pick’ type pains in my head again. It wasnt the pains that stopped me from working but the side effects of carbamazapine. Some 6 weeks later I was sent home from work with continual ‘ice pick’ pains. I had a telephone consultantation with my gp and together decided to put me on gabapentin.

So, here I am at home waiting for the nurse at the gp surgery to ring so they can contact a hospital so I can see or chat to someone. The ‘Ice pick’ pains are starting to show themselves through my meds. I presume this is a relapse. My face it itchy, slightly numb and I have come to the end of self certification from work. I don’t really want to go back to work as things are stressed at the moment. My head is ‘wooly’ or ‘woolly’ - should that be two l’s? They both look wrong!

Arghhh!!!

Ice pick headaches are normally migraine aren’t they? In which case you’d be better with migraine meds? Have you tried them?

Sorry, questions rather than answers here because I’m not sure! My neuro did tell me that mine were my migraine and not my MS though and migraine meds definitely help me.

Why not phone your GP and ask about it?

Karen x

PS It’s woolly I think…(?!)

Hi Karen, thanks for replying, these sharp pains are the same as when I has my last relapse which were sharp pains in head with spasms down one side of my body, stopping me from talking, writing and walking for up to 3 mins, then they would go again- leaving me with slurred speech for 5 mins. The only difference is it is not affecting my body, just stabbing away. I have been getting them on and off over the last 6 years, just not this bad.

Also my right arm feels strange, it often does and my fingers dont grip as well, but only on things like light pull stings (for showers etc.) it could be arthritis in my knuckles as I used to do a lot of sewing. The Gabapentin is an anti convulstant drug and it seems to be stopping most of the pains, perhaps i will need to up the dose. I have just spoken to the nurse at my docs who in turn will get the doc to call me back.

My local ms hospital is 18 miles away 1 bus and 1 train journey - they dont want me - Postcode lottery I think. The hospitals they want me to go to are 20 and 36 miles away with more train journeys and bus rides to get to my destination. Its ridiculous! Can I insist on staying put? But should I stay if they dont want me? Incidentiallly I met the neurologist at the hospital furtherst away yesterday, as he was acting as mediator over aligations that we made when my son operation went belly up moments before going to theatre! He was lovely and said he would see me personally but i realise the system to get an appointment is long and arduous.

Arghhh! I am confused.

Sharon