Headaches - ER

[Kjs]

Well, I am out of town on Fridays due to work.

Day TWO of school. I get a call at 1pm. He was almost hysterical on the phone. Head hurt really bad, really fast. And he said he was starting to feel numb.

I had him get a hold of his dad, cause I was out of town. Dad had him DRIVE home. He wasn't feeling safe to drive, that is why he called me.

husband took him to the hospital for an injection. He was scheduled to work also. husband called his boss. Headache did get better.
later he twisted/rolled his ankle.

Swollen and a little bruised. He said he wants to get it xrayed since he cannot put much weight on it.
I told him he must go to work today. Was I wrong?

EEG on Tuesday. Hopefully headaches will get better.

 

[Liahona]

I'm assuming your asking about sending him to work? Cause the er trip was a good call. I can be scared spit-less but I can't let my difficult child 1 see. I have to maintain his normal routine as much as possible. Sending him to work would be exactly what I would've done. Then I would've had the phones ringer up loud and carrying it with me every where just in case. I'd be second guessing myself just like you're doing. And worried sick until he came back in the door.

 

[InsaneCdn]

The headache sequence worries me more than the ankle... but both depend on history.

Headache - is this a common occurance? or new? If common - usual to be this severe? or getting worse?
If it is new or newly severe... definitely needs to be handled carefully.
We're familiar with migraines here - while severity does vary, there's a "worst case" that usually hits early on in the migraine experience (one of the early migraines that you get), and from there, it doesn't get worse than that... Other reasons for headaches are more complex - and may be medical emergencies.
{{hugs}} on that one.

Ankle - how bad is the swelling? it this a common occurence? is it worse or better after a nights sleep?
Serious swelling should be looked at, although probably not a major issue.
If this happens all the time (aka klutz-syndrome), then there can be accumulated damage... which makes each new twist worse than the previous. This would warrent a medical consult - but not a trip to the ER, for example. In which case I might not have sent him to work - but it depends on what the job is, too!
If normal home care (R.I.C.E.) doesn't seem to be doing any good... also warrants a trip to somewhere.

 

[susiestar]

I am glad husband took him to the ER. With his history of migraines, it may be time to find a neuro who specializes in treating migraines. I know you had one a couple of years ago who didn't do anything, but there are a lot of neuros out there and I am sure that you can find one who will help. In the time before you can see a neuro, get the doctor to trial various triptans to treat teh headaches. PLEASE don't have him take excedrin migraine or the like. If I remember difficult child's past headache pattern, he will likely have quite a few in a period of a few weeks or months. If he takes OTC medications like those headache powders or excedrin (excedrin migraine is just excedrin with different packaging and fewer pills for more money - very small difference in the actual ingredients), he will get into the rebound headache cycle where he takes the medication, it helps the first time, then he gets another and takes it and soon it isn't helping much or he is taking it 3 days a week or more and then his body will get headaches because it thinks it is supposed to ahve the OTC medication. At tat point you are really messed up. You have migraines that are not helped much by the OTC medication, but they are triggered by not having the OTC medication in the body.

So he NEEDS actual prescription medications to treat this. It is EASY to get into the rebound cycle with OTC medications (even just plain ibuprofen, aspirin or naproxen can and will do this to him in less than a month's time - been there done that and it is UGLY and PAINFUL to get out of that cycle).

A doctor, even the family doctor, can start him on a beta blocker for prevention and give an rx for a triptan. It can take time to find the right preventative and the right triptan. Just because one doesn't work doesn't mean another won't, esp with the triptans. Also be aware that some triptans work better with naproxen (aleve). IF taken only with the triptan medication, it is OK to take ONE dose of the naproxen IF IF IF the medication doesn't have naproxen in it already. With the triptan you are likely to NOT get into that rebound cycle. YEs, it is contradictory, but the naproxen added tot he triptan will make the triptan work better and you don't take as much naproxen as if you were using it alone. The migraine medication treximet is simply imitrex and naproxen. Keep that written down and if the doctor wants to rx treximet ask if you can have an rx for generic imitrex (TONS cheaper!) and a note for school that difficult child has to take 2 aleve with the imitrex when he gets a headache. You can save a whole TON of $$ by doing this - and some ins co's won't pay for treximet because it is imitrex and naproxen.

Even if the family doctor is okay with helping to find the right preventatives, your son may need a neuro to really figure it out. A chidlren's hospital may be the place to find one, or he may qualify for an adult neuro, it just depends on the neuro.

 

[keista]

Don't know about the headache hx, but if he has to stand on his feet at all for work, I am concerned about that ankle. Swollen AND bruised is not a good sign, and if not allowed to heal properly, damage can become permanent. If he sits at work, then not the end of the world, but should try to elevate it whenever possible.

 

[HaoZi]

If he can't put weight on the ankle he needs to be seen for it. I sprained my ankle pretty badly when I was in my teens, tore three ligaments or tendons (forget which), and I had no swelling or bruising whatsoever. Heck I didn't even know right away that I had done it, I remembered landing on it badly but it was a couple days later when I was at the store and it suddenly gave out on me that and I couldn't walk on it.

 

[BusynMember]

This is JMO and not meant to be a criticism, just a statement. I wouldn't have forced my kid to go to work that day.

 

[TerryJ2]

Just wanted to send support.

 

[susiestar]

As far as the ankle, if he didn't go to work then he needs to see the doctor about it. You have no real way of knowing how bad the ankle hurts, other than to watch him. Is he fine getting around the house when he wants a soda or to change a video game, then limping badly when he is asked to do a chore or get ready for work? If so, then I would likely send him to work with an ace bandage on it. But if it is bad enough to keep him from doing things he likes to do, then he needs to be seen. As for his job, well, some of that depends on the job, but not missing work is an important thing to learn.

 

[Wiped Out]

Hugs Kjs. I agree with Susie that if he didn't go to work because of his ankle then he should see the doctor.