Chronic Headaches.

[Anonymous]

So I’ve got a pretty deep and interesting backstory to share…at some point…but to keep this point on topic…

I’ve always had headaches. I even had cluster migraines as a kid. But once I reached the age of about 21 it got out of control. I’m now 29 and have headaches daily. Oftentimes I’ll go three or four months without a headache.

Adderall, and all stimulants, have a reputation for giving people headaches.

Anyway, I was officially diagnosed in 2005, and got a script of Adderall. I still have most of it. Talk about throwing gasolene on the headache fire.

So my question is, was my original doctor right when he said that these headaches are actually a symptom of the ADHD? The way he explained it, going untreated ADHD is in effect giving you slow brain-damage. He assured me that with Fish-oil and steady dosing the headaches will go away.

I haven’t taken the medicine for awhile, but after reading this whole website with the “that’s me” voice screaming at me, I decided to try back on the stimulants again.

This got scrambled, even on the adderall…to recap…

Are headaches a symptom of untreated ADHD?

Could my headaches clear up with regular Adderall usage?

Do any of the stimulant meds have less risk of headache?

For what its worth, I took adderall for the first time in perhaps six months and my head feels pretty darn good. Still have a slight headache but I would say its better than its been in months.

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[Anonymous]

Hi MichaelDC,

http://www.caddra.ca/cms4/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=142&lang=en will give you some information on headache treatment.

Tension IS a residual feature of untreated ADHD. Tension headaches usually occur over your forehead (or frontal headaches) or over your temples (this muscle attaches to your lower jaw and tenses up when you clench your teeth in tension). These headaches will improve when you are less tense because the ADHD meds allow you to get on with your life and feel less anxious about completing things. Migraine headaches are different. They are due to vascular effects in the temporal artery on the sides of your forehead. It is more of the thumping sensation and usually on one side of the head versus tension headaches which cross the midline. These may be worsened by ADHD meds because BP goes up. Sometimes patients report slight tension headaches as well but it is usually transient.

Hope that helps.

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