Robin,
Have you considered that these are post surgical migraines? You mentioned scar sensitivity and nausea, especially when the weather changes. Some suvivors are prone to these migraines post surgery. From experience with my wife, it has the potential to become worse as time goes on so you need to keep an eye on it.
I had a non-aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (sorry, I'm an interloper) on January 28 and I do suffer from the most intense headaches and I am convinced they are pressure related. At first my doctor (original neurosurgeon) dismissed them as something that would go away within 4-6 weeks. Then it was "Well, they should be gone, so I'm sure it'll be soon" (very comforting when you can't see straight through the pain). Finally I got Topamax and was praying this would be the answer and it hasn't done much except get me off drinking soda and cause me to lose 7 pounds! (Didn't really need to, but hey, don't mind that.)
When I went on Topamax I started keeping a daily headache journal and noted that any time the weather changed the intensity went up. First I thought it was just as the barometer dropped (Siri is so handy for that because she can tell me what the pressure is). Then I noticed it was any time it changed up or down. I live in the PNW so that can be every day sometimes. Then I walked a half marathon and during the half there were two tunnels. I was being smart and plan was, if my headache escalated I would jump on the SAG wagon and go to the finish and wait for my sister and husband there (prior to explode-a-brain 2012 I was and will again be an ultra marathoner). When I went into the first tunnel the pain escalated to an 8 and I thought "Okay, I'm done". I had my walker with me so I leaned on that, figured as soon as I got out I'd find the first SAG wagon, police officer, race official, or first aid tent and be done. There wasn't one immediately and by the time I did fine one my head was back down to a 3/4 so not a huge deal. Thought that was odd, but was glad. Went into another tunnel, again up to an 8.
Over the next week, the weather literally changed every day. Sunny one day, rainy the next. Each day headache level 7/8. Then a string of 3 days of rain and the change in pressure was slight, I had one of the best days I've had in a long time. Yesterday the pressure increased in preparation for today (sun) and headache started to escalate. Sun today and my head is about a 7 and I'm in a lot of pain.
My doctor had mentioned that they have done studies that show that people with SAH are sensitive to weather changes. I just hope this doesn't mean that I have to live with this for the rest of my life. Prior to my SAH I never had headaches...literally maybe one or two a year, and never very bad. Now I've had one every day for the past six months and NOTHING touches them. No OTC pain reliever, not vicodin, and I do have morphine which can take the edge off, but it gives me some side effects that are worse and not worth it. I'm not a pain wimp either...Like I said, I'm an ultra marathoner. You can't be a pain wimp and run 50 miles for fun 'cause at least 30 of those miles are probably going to hurt. I ran my first 5k today since fun-fest Jan 28 and the last 2.5 miles head was pounding. It is what it is, but I'd like it to be a more "was what it was" kind of thing.
Oh and in response to something you wrote later...yes, it is frustrating that because we are "mostly better" people often think we are "all better". It's a hidden deficit and sometimes I have to stop mid sentence and close my eyes because my brain is "rebooting" and I can't continue for a second. People look at me strange, but I now just say "Sorry...it's my head rebooting...waiting waiting..." and then I start humming "The Girl from Impenema." I figure keep a sense of humor. There are times, though, when people are thoughtless, like a "friend" who said "Oh for crying out loud, it's just a headache! It could have been so much worse! Geez!" and I wanted to give her "just a headache" for six straight months and see how she could handle teaching and running a part time business and not going postal.
Happy to be alive, love my life, but really really could do without the headache, stumbling, losing my words, and brain reboots. Still...happy to be alive (most of the time).
Hi Tory,
I’ve had nerve pain over the past few years that was exacerbated by changes in the weather. In Houston the weather can change several times in a day so sometime relief is a few hours away but it may only be gemporary. Like you, I found that the changes in the weather triggered the pain not necessarily whether there was high or low pressure.
Thankfully it has gotten better in the past year. Perhaps it is because my stress level is lower. But, the bad part is that the pain associated with the pressure changes has moved frommy upper arms to my head. However, based on past experience, when I feel pain, before I worry about something “serious” happening, I check first to see what the weather is doing.
I do hope that you find that the intensity of your pain is diminishing.
Take care,
Carole
Thanks Carole. I see my neurologist tomorrow and I hope he has some answers for me because if he doesn't, I don't know what I'll do. I am going insane with constant pain. It's been over six months.
As much as I don't want to belong to the weather pain club, it does help to hear others deal with it because it makes me realize that my hunch may be right. Maybe I just need to move to Arizona. :)
Hi Tory,
My original response seems to have disappeared. 
Good luck at the doctor’s today. I hope you can get some relief. I have also given thought to moving to Arizona for the weather!
I forgot to mention yesterday that what has given the best and fastest relief is something rather unconventional. Two Hershey’s milk chocolate nuggets have consistently provided relief for almost five years. My friend who has MS has told me that she chocolate also relieves her nerve pain. So, you may want to try it if you’re not allergic to chocolate. The relief usually comes in less than 10 minutes.
Take care,
Carole
Chocolate? How funny! Well it can't hurt to try.
Eating always helps, but only temporarily. During eating the headaches go way way down. I figure it balances the pressure while chewing and swallowing, like how chewing gum helps when you're on a plane. However, chewing gum does not help.
But chocolate, can't say I've tried that, but I totally love the sound of that!
I have a couple of after eights a night wake up with no pain the next morning my nan used to swear dark chocolate was good for pain. Hope your pain eases soon. Jess.xxx