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Headaches and HIV
#163953 - 11/11/05 07:15 PM
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I need help desperately. I don't know what is going on with my body. Sometimes with HIV you can gauge yourself and see if things are going your way, sometimes you can't. I can't figure it out. I have been experiencing bad headaches in the last 2 weeks. They are on the right side of my head and localized in that area only. The headaches occur most frequently when I get up in the morning or after a nap of some sort. They are very sharp and throbbing at times. The headaches are mostly in the front of my head nearer to the forehead area. Here is the thing that I don't understand, they only last for about 1/2 hour at times or less, and then subside. I also can get them possibly 2 or three times a day, but i feel like I am getting them more and more often. But they are severe, and leave me feeling weak and almost breathless. I never had severe headache pain prior to this before. Another thing, last year about this time, I was suffering from what was diagnosed as Third Cranial nerve damage, and experiences similar headaches at times as weIl. I was checked out which included MRI, Cat scan, and a lumbar puncture( the most painful and screwed up test in the world). The tests at that time did not show any abnormalities at that time. I am currently on meds, bactrim for infection twice a day , DDI, once a day, Reyataz, twice a day, Viread, 1 day, and Norvir, 1 per day. Are the headaches a side effect of the pills, or are the side effects just related to bloating and stomach issues. Do I need an MRI or cat-scan. Has anyone experienced bizzare headaches also. Is anyone else on this combination? Is this a normal combo? Let me know. Thanks.
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i will reply to my own post since i got no responses. But i will take any advice as well and afterwards I am going to sleep. It seems after doing some research that the Bactrim/ SMZ makes me photosensitive, and thus the photosensitivity is causing the headaches on the right side of my head. Just a side effect and the dangers of the bactrim and too much light in the right eye. The headaches have pretty much ceased. Thanks anyway. Keep in touch.
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shadow1
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Reged: 12/06/00
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Sorry, didn't notice your post until now.
Yes Bactrim can be one of the causes. Also another thing that has been found even with those who are not taking any medications is, for some reason many seem to be having tension headaches caused by the tightening of the muscles in the upper back and neck. Some medical professionals think it is caused by the person thinking about things and having higher stress levels after diagnosis, others think it is a reaction caused by the infection but not enough tests and research have been done on the subject as of this time. Most doctors will give there patients a low dosage of Elavil to be taken at bedtime to help with the situation if muscle tension is what is being found to be one of the cause’s. I do not want to put my opinion on it because I am not a doctor; I know the Elivil helped me.
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ScotCharles
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Reged: 05/06/05
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DDI can cause fevers that come and go at two or three day intervals accompanied by shortness of breath, headaches in the back of the head and upper right quadrant abdominal pain. I just went through what my doctors now believe may have been a DDI reaction. Best way to diagnose is to eliminate a med and see if the symptoms go away, I've found. Good luck don't let the doctors try to shine you on, if you genuinely don't feel well, tell them, and if they don't do anything, tell them louder and more often.
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Life is a river.
Carpe diem.
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Thanks for the imput. I am continuing to suffer the headaches and the pain is severe at times and can last at least one half hour or sometimes more. Pain is more significant at night, I do have pain in the back of the neck and they are sometimes like more tension more than anything else. It is definitely a migraine headache since it affects some of the sinus cavity and the right eye. For the last 2 days the pain never really goes away, just under the surface. Which one of my meds is the DDI? I am at the point that I am getting more and more used to the meds but for the headache pain where I didnt have them prior to the meds. The shortness of breath is definitely a part of this and it scares the hell out of me. It makes me feel this is the end, and dammit my house is not clean enough. I have been poz for about 10 years also and I feel if I can get through this episode i will be just fine. I want to head to the Gym and pump some weight and feel I am still in good enuf health where i can benefit from it. Will keep u on track as to developments. Thanks again Gman and Scot.
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ScotCharles
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You list DDI in your original post so you must know what it is, but...just in case you are probably taking it in the form of Videx. The headaches with DDI reactions are migraine severe. Long term reactions can cause significant liver damage from fat accumulations in the liver which decrease that organ's functions. Ask your doctor about eliminating it for a few days. As for Bactrim, many of us have bad reactions to that med, but the reaction is usually in the form of a painful burning rash, that the doctor's diagnose as a Bactrim induced sunburn. Unless your count is really low you don't need such a powerful drug as a PCP prophylactic, there are milder less toxic alternatives on the market now.
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Life is a river.
Carpe diem.
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ScotCharles
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Medications to counteract the effects of medications seem like amateurish medicine to me. Medieval medicine was modern compared to this strategy. We deserve better. Surely modern biochemisty is more advanced than this. I for one expect more of an industry that is earning millions from AIDS meds. I say we should bitch (excuse the term ladies) and if they don't listen to us, let's pour our infected blood on their doorsteps. We deserve better!
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Life is a river.
Carpe diem.
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