Anyone recommending something for Tension Headaches?

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Q&A | Fibromyalgia Drugs | Anyone recommending something for Tension Headaches?

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Name: richardrglr Title of Question: Anyone recommending something for Tension Headaches?

Question: Anyone recommending something for Tension Headaches? Have had Fibromyalgia for 26 years now and need advice on alternative drugs because paracetamol is slowly destroying my liver... ?

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Name: fibroandcmpsince1979 | Date: December 29, 2007, 1:37

Answer: Hi.... First off for those who do not know what Paracetamol is, it is Acetaminophen. Like you Richard... I have had FM for 26+ years and have taken tons Acetaminophen to relieve my FM & CMP over those 26+. My symptoms also included tension headaches, migraine headaches and sinus headaches. Acetaminophen, TylenolPM and Tylenol Sinus were like candy to me over the past 26 years. I sometimes took up to 10 Acetaminophen related caplets a day, but no less than 2 Acetaminophen caplets a day over the last 26 years. The Acetaminophen started doing damage to my liver also and this was discovered about 2 years ago. I completely got off all straight Acetaminophen meds and meds that also contained Acetaminophen in them. (Tylenol Sinus and Tylenol PM) Within about 2 weeks I was completely free off all my chronic headaches. The end result was that Acetaminophen was actually the reason I was having chronic headaches. I rarely get any headaches now and I no longer suffer from Migraine headaches. I did some research on Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and found that chronic users of Acetaminophen actually will suffer more headaches due to your system being overloaded with Acetaminophen. (do a Google search for these 4 words combined together...) Headache Migraine Tylenol Acetaminophen If I get a RARE headache now (due to stress or tension) I simply take 1 chewable baby aspirin (81mg) and I wait about 20 minutes to see if I am getting some relief. If I am not... I take another 81mg chewable Baby Aspirin after 20 minutes, again waiting 20 minutes to see if I get relief. Most of the time all it takes is two 81mg of Chewable Baby Aspirin over a 25 minute period to get rid of the headache but if it is a bad headache I will take up to eight 81mg Chewable Baby Aspirin over a 4 hour period. (Normal Aspirin Dosage for Adults is 650mg every 4 hours). The reason I take Chewable Baby Aspirin... 1) Chewable Aspirin gets into your blood system faster since you chew it and do not have to wait for it to desolve in your stomach. 2) Chewable Baby Aspirin tastes much better that chewing on a non Chewable Adult Aspirin 3) Baby Aspirin comes in 81mg and it allows you to take just enough to get rid of the headache without taking more than you really need to take to get headache relief. (Why dose yourself more than you need to?) I strongly suggest that you completely wean yourself off all Acetaminophen products for a few weeks and see if your headaches completely disappear or see if your headaches come less often. Also you did not mention if you were taking any other drugs to relieve your FM. It is very possible that you hold alot of FM tension in your neck and shoulders. If you do this may be the cause of your tension headaches. I suggest that you ask you doctor for a good muscle relaxer or start seeing a good Massage Therapist who knows how to work with FM/CMP sufferers. You might also check with your Doctor to see if also have CMP (Chronic Myofascial Pain) in your neck and shoulders as most FM folks have CMP also. Best of luck to you! =