[KimAndSophie]

I've noticed lately that I have been getting very sudden migraine type headaches that start at the very base of my skull and only stay in the area around the back of my head. They start all of a sudden out of nowhere and within a minute or two they are really bad. They last for anywhere from an hour to almost a whole day!



I do get migraines, but they always seem to start in the right side of the front of my head and stay in pretty much the same ares. These headaches are different though. It feels like there are really sharp spikes digging into the base of my skull and back of my head. I also get very dizzy and just disoriented. Like I'll get halfway accross the living room and forget if I was on my way to the bathroom or kitchen.



It has nothing to do with AD, or the usual pain I have sometimes up through my neck and into the base of my skull. This happens around 3 to 5 times per week and it feels liek someone took a really hot metal hanger , untwisted it and started poking me in the neck. This usually only lasts for a few seconds each time, and then goes away. I can handle this just fine, but I'm really starting to worry about the new headaches.



Has anyone else experienced this? Could it be the neurological pain, but different than I've been having? Is there a reason it would change like this?



Sorry if this post doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I've been up all night and it's almost 8am now. Thanks for any help/advice.

[itsjustme]

Hi KimandSophie,

About 2 years ago I had a sudden onset of excruciating migraine type headaches, dizziness, forgetfulness and all. Just to be on the side of caution my neurologists did an MRI but as it turns out I had nearly poisoned myself with Splenda.

I was dipping fresh strawberries in Splenda a couple of times a day taking in I really don't know how much Splenda with every bite. They make it sound so natural in the commercials. "It tastes like sugar because it's made from sugar." The thing is it's basically chlorine and has been banned in some countries. "The FDA has no definition for “natural,” so please bear with us for a biochemistry moment: Splenda is the trade name for sucralose, a synthetic compound stumbled upon in 1976 by scientists in Britain seeking a new pesticide formulation. It is true that the Splenda molecule is comprised of sucrose (sugar) — except that three of the hydroxyl groups in the molecule have been replaced by three chlorine atoms."

Nutrasweet or aspartame will do the same thing to me as far as headaches are concerned. So, I just wondered are you taking in very much artificial sweetener for some reason? Or could there be another dietary change being the reason?

This post has been edited by itsjustme: 29 June 2007 - 06:20 PM

[KimAndSophie]

itsjustme, on Jun 29 2007, 10:55 AM, said:

Hi KimandSophie,

About 2 years ago I had a sudden onset of excruciating migraine type headaches, dizziness, forgetfulness and all. Just to be on the side of caution my neurologists did an MRI but as it turns out I had nearly poisoned myself with Splenda.

I was dipping fresh strawberries in Splenda a couple of times a day taking in I really don't know how much Splenda with every bite. They make it sound so natural in the commercials. "It tastes like sugar because it's made from sugar." The thing is it's basically chlorine and has been banned in some countries. "The FDA has no definition for “natural,” so please bear with us for a biochemistry moment: Splenda is the trade name for sucralose, a synthetic compound stumbled upon in 1976 by scientists in Britain seeking a new pesticide formulation. It is true that the Splenda molecule is comprised of sucrose (sugar) — except that three of the hydroxyl groups in the molecule have been replaced by three chlorine atoms."

Nutrasweet or aspartame will do the same thing to me as far as headaches are concerned. So, I just wondered are you taking in very much artificial sweetener for some reason? Or could there be another dietary change being the reason?

Thanks for telling me this. Maybe that's why Diet Pepsi always gives me a headache etc. Since you posted this, I;ve been thinking about what I've been eating lately, but I can't think of anything that's different than before. I even wondered if it was because of the plug in air freshener I have next to the kitchen garbage can. I know it;s a stretch, but after unplugging it for awhile it still didn't help. I guess it's about time I say a neurologist again anyway. I'm suppose to see one every year now instead of every six months and it's been a bit over a year now.