Hello shancoleman. Bummer. Hopefully, your medication will take care of the bulk of your symptoms soon. Have you seen your ophthalmologist yet? In the meantime, I suppose you are already sleeping with your head elevated. Did you begin any new medications or the like or have a recent illness that may have assisted in IIH symptoms returning (you don't need to answer)? Just wondering. Sleep apnea? Sophiasmom will probably be along soon to fill you in on that. Many of the typical migraine triggers can make IIH worse too, so ditch any strong cleaners, cologne, air fresheners, etc. and try to stick with an all natural or organic diet (skip most all hot dogs, careful on the chocolate, etc.). Check back in with us and let us know how you are doing. Happy Birthday, wish it were pain-free.

I think the only thing that has changed is the fact that I haven't been taking my high blood pressure meds like I should. No worries I have begun to do so again, also on my birthday I slipped and fell trying to put up a shower rod. I actually fell off the tub.

some of us have seen improvements in ICP symptoms with BP meds. it seems like BP spikes can spike ICP, so I have found the meds prevent that.

the big difference between you at 16 and you at 37, is that probably now you have sleep apnea. obstructive sleep apnea can cause hypertension, and it can cause IIH. if you have snoring or any sleep issues, make sure to get that evaluated.

Well I ended up going to the er for the headaches, good news is that my PTC is still in remission. I had to get several Spinal taps before they came back to that conclusion. I don't have sleep apnea, but I am pre-diabetic and my iron is low again. Can't seem to bring that up for nothing in this world. But I do have a concussion from the fall I sustained.

So I'm in some pain more so from the spinal Taps than from the headaches they had to stick me about 6x before they did it under microscope.

I was thinking about the concussion possibility when you mentioned your fall, but thought the medication you were on was due to IIH, and the docs would have ruled out a concussion related headache. At least you know what is causing the headache that your pressure is okay although you still have to deal with the concussion issues. Hopefully, they filled you in on all the best and latest advice. Ouch....on that spinal tap pain; hope it feels better soon.

They did fill me in, I did not realize that a concussion headache could last so long. I swear they pumped so many drugs in me between Saturday and Sunday you would have thought I wouldn't feel a thing. But when they wore of boy oh boy back pain made me forget about my headache. I swear they hit a nerve they had to pull the needle out the time they actually did get it because my right leg began to twitch and hurt so bad. So I got a knot on my dang back and from the needle marks. But I'm doing better I worked from home today and I think I will do the same tomorrow to be on the safe side.

how do you know you don't have sleep apnea? sleep apnea causes hypertension, diabetes, and many other problems including headaches and IIH. low iron can be a big problem in OSA because your oxygen will drop lower when your hemoglobin is low, during apneas. concussions can trigger OSA. if you snore, you have OSA. as far as I can tell, all humans have OSA, it's just a matter of degree. being male, your risk is twice as high as for the females, and I would not write this off so easily. it can make a big difference to treat it, or to ignore it. and make sure your docs figure out why your iron is low. that is very unusual in a male, they need to look for occult GI bleeding or hidden problems elsewhere in your body like something causing chronic inflammation.

I am not male I am female, my iron is low because I had gastric bypass surgery in 2008 and my body does not absorb iron from the food because of the surgery. Also because I have issues with menstrual related issues. I have polyps and fibroids on my ovaries. I just recently had an ablation to stop my menstrual cycle. It didn't stop it but it greatly decreased, to the point I don't have one. I do not snore and because of the bypass surgery a sleep study was done. So I can safely say I don't have sleep apnea.

I have also had my GI checked as well!