Could I bother you all for a little assistance?

[jjay]

Hello I wanted to ask you because I think you guys may know but I have been getting headaches in the morning. At first they were not that bad but then they became migraines and all of the sudden I am getting them almost every morning. This morning it was so bad that I thought I was going to pass out. I had tunnel vision and everything.

I spoke with a friend of mine and she said that I needed a cpap thing because I have the apnea. But that doesn't seem right. I don't know how a breathing problem can cause a headache. Do you guys think I should use a cpap machine? If so, which one?

[jules]

you need to go to the doctor

[Emilia]

jjay.... migraines are serious headaches and should be explored by a physician as to their cause. As to whether or not you need a cpap machine, that would be determined via a sleep study that only a doctor can order. Please see your doctor as soon as possible. Good luck!

[Julie]

And for the record, headaches can be caused by sleep apnea (or respiratory problems) and/or a ton of different medical conditions whether or not you personally can see connections. Medicine is a hugely complex thing, the body IS connected in thousands of ways that you can't imagine without having gone to medical school, so don't try to diagnose yourself based on a friend's guesses or a TV show or some other idea you found on the net. Go to your doctor.

[kteague]

I echo seeing a doctor and getting a sleep study. As to how a breathing problem can cause a headache...When one has sleep apnea, there is repeated cessation of breathing during sleep, which can cause lowered oxygen levels to varying degrees, sometimes dangerously so. The organs of the body and especially the brain require maintaining a healthy oxygen level or they begin to undergo damage, and the brain can show this through headaches, and other dysfunctions if it is severe enough for areas to have cell death. Also, sleep apnea can cause the disruption of the sleep stages necessary to proper brain functioning, and can result in cognitive problems and memory issues. Another piece of this puzzle is that each episode of stopped breathing causes stress hormones to be released, and sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure, which can contribute to headaches. It also can increase stroke risk.

Sorry to present so much stuff that could scare the dickens out of you, just answering your question and hoping you will get to a doctor and require they take you seriously and do testing woithout delay. Their testing should include scans and blood work to rule out a myriad of other possible causes besides sleep apnea.

Until you resolve this, if it is sleep apnea, maybe you can mitigate the effects a little bit by taking measures to stay off your back when you sleep and elevating the head of your bed. I rolled up a comforter and placed it across the head of the bed between the mattress and box springs. These won't fix your issues, but may make them a bit less severe till you can do more. Just helps gravity work for you instead of against you. Let us know how this progresses for you.

[rosiefrosie]

I echo what everyone else has said so far. Go see your doctor!

rosie

[stanta]

I would like to compliment you on your beautifully worded topic sentence. Not many people that polite now a days.

Yes it could be sleep apnea but as the others say, talk to a doctor. oxygen deprivation headaches are real. That is one way I know i may have to up my pressure a bit on my machine but I usually wake with them and they get better as the day progresses. I am a sufferer from migraines and one thing I have discovered over the years is caffeine withdrawal headaches mimic many of the symptoms of a migraine.

[BusyLyn]

Thank you stanta for the info about caffeine withdrawal headaches. I've been taking the antibiotic from he{{ and the stomach issues have me off coffee and drinking ginger ale. Now I know why I have a low grade frontal headache.

[stanta]

Thank you stanta for the info about caffeine withdrawal headaches. I've been taking the antibiotic from he{{ and the stomach issues have me off coffee and drinking ginger ale. Now I know why I have a low grade frontal headache.

They can take up to a week to subside. I torture myself every once in a while by cutting out the caffeine for a month or so but I always go back. I discovered this because I would always get headaches on Saturday and Sunday morning and none of my migraine tricks worked on them, then I realized that Monday through Friday i had two cups of coffee each morning, something I didn't do on weekends.

[chunkyfrog]

They used to promote Excedrin for migraines. It contains about a cup of joe worth of caffeine.
An OTC 'solution' for a problem that often warrants a doctor visit. OP needs to go to the doc.
Migraines or suspected migraines can be serious--not good to self-diagnose!
Be well. Such a nice person. Hi.

[Julie]

I also suggest you don't drink ginger ale or any pop anywhere close to bedtime, if at all, because it causes GERD in so many people and GERD (acid reflux) is something that gets in the way of good treatment overnight. Also, if you sleep on your back - try hard not to as it provokes more apneas.

[pawpaw60]

if you got sleep apnea some symptoms are headaches, tired when you 1st wake up on morning still, snoring, erectile dysfunction and others it can affect you heart too so like others said get doctor to order sleep study for you.

[BusyLyn]

I've had great luck with ginger ale as an anti-nausea treatment and, boy have I needed it these last 2+ weeks! I don't drink it super cold, I drink it from a wide mouth glass (more surface area = carbonation dissipates faster), and I sip it slowly. I've finished the antibiotics but I'm still not ready for coffee, so today I made sure to up my intake of caffeinated tea which has helped lessen the headache. I'm naturally a left side sleeper which helps handle any reflux. The good thing I can report is that my body is adjusting to CPAP very nicely.

[GumbyCT]

If it's an alternate source of caffeine you are looking for there are many sodas with plenty of caffeine. I used to get a good buzz from Dr Pepper. Then there are those OTC stay awake pills like No Doz or Vivarin. Chocolate contains caffeine too.