Hello,

My problem may be vascular or neurological in nature.

I know (in advance) that you cannot give medical advice or make decisions for a faceless individual contacting you online, but i've reached (what I believe to be) a serious stage. Over the past year and a half, i've suffered from...



1. random, intermittent sharp (sometimes dull) pains in my head, in the same areas:

A.top center left and /or left temple near eye

B. and the same on the right side

C. some occasional sharp pains behind the eyes

D. and rear right sharp pain (rear head).

E. Strangest of all, random "cool" spots in the skin surface (or maybe just beneath it) at a couple places on the head.



I also have three conditions: Multiple Sclerosis, a occasional regurgitating bicuspid heart valve (my cardiologist says it is not life threatening) and high blood pressure. HBP was dignosed in 2001, MS in 1999. HBP is treated with Atenolol (25mg) and Hydrochlorothiazide (12.5mg). MS is treated with Rebif.

My BP is rarely elevated and is considered managed.



I take daily vitamins, and do not eat wheat, sugars or junk food (including sweetened sports drinks). I only drink water.



Oops, by the way, I am a 44 year old male, a LIFELONG NON-smoker/NON-drug user/NON-consumer of alcohol, and stopped eating red meat and pork in the early 1990s. I do have weight to lose (roughly 40 or so pounds according to my cardiologist), and i'm working on it with diet and what exercise I can do.

My mother had HBP.



My MS neurologist--as of six months ago--would not make a hard diagnosis, but thought the pain coupld be MS-related neuropathy. Of note, i've had a brain and cervical MRI this year (April, 2013), but no bleeding or tumors were seen--and at the time of the test, I had been suffering from the pains since 2012.



In September of this year (2013), I went to the ER for the pains, as they are just alarming--I have to say NOT the so-called "worst headache ever felt," but alarming in any case. All seem to be right under the skin of the scalp--perhaps a few millimeters deeper. I'm no expert, but no one has told me if the level is in the brain, or OUTSIDE of the skull, or what it might mean if it was outside of the skull.



The ER doctor performed blood work (normal), pulse OX (100%), BP (after settling down, it was below the 120/80 range, and a CT of the head. He saw no signs of tumor, or bleeding, BUT suggested I see a specialist, as it COULD be "vasculitis" (which I am not familiar with).



My cardiologist insists that the head pains are not related to my heart issue, and thinks a vascular specialist or neurologist should be seen.



I contacted one vascular doctor, and after seeing my GP's fax of my relevant files, he said (paraphrasing) "This is not something for a vasucular specialist."



Really?



The headaches--so far--have NOT been accompanied by nausea, vomiting, vision issues, stiff neck, etc. At times of high emotional stress, i've felt my heart race, but the head pains NEVER accompanied that at all.



I HAVE had incidents where brief physical exertion seemed to exacerbate a hard throbbing at the top of my head (lasting only seconds), but it--from memory--is usually happening when i'm dealing with head pressure (sinus).



So, my question--if you can offer advice--is am I a candidate for Brain Aneurysm? I'm currently trying to get my GP to refer me to another neurologist, but i live in fear, as the sharp pains have increased in frequency in the past few weeks. There are periods of relief, where minutes or hours go by and I feel nothing, but I do not want to be caught off gaurd.



Any advice (aside from pursuing a referral to another neurologist) about what I may be going through?



Thanks in advance.



Sincerely,



G.F.