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The Question
05/29/09 09:26 PM

"Can chronic daily 24/7 headaches(that have been treated as migraines since Jan) be a symptom of diabetes?"
Asked By: wickedwitch151  
Category: Children's Issues

Background Info Hide
My 16 year old daughter has been having daily severe headaches since January. These started with no explanation or obvious cause. Numerous trips to the dr, neurologist,er, spinal tap & mri,, with still no clear answer as to why she's having these headaches. on the last visit to the er, the doctor bluntly told me that some headaches have no explanation, which I absolutely do not believe. I may be grasping at straws, but her biological father has diabetes, as does both grandmothers. She has had numerous tests(not sure about blood sugar) and nothing shows up. Doctors don't seem to be listening nor do they appear to believe anything is wrong. I am one frustrated mama.

Expert Answers (1)

06/06/09 12:22 PM

Dear frustated mama: I applaud you for wanting to find the root of your daughter's headaches. Like some of the doctors have told you, headaches can be a symptom of numerous health issues. The good news is that if the MRIs and other tests have not shown any problem, then we can narrow down to other causes. It is very common for teenage girls to "diet" or even "skip" meals in the hopes of losing weight or keeping their weight down. Although you make no mention to this, there is a possibility that if she is not eating enough, headaches may be present as a sign of her body telling her "please feed me". On the other hand, stress can cause chronic headaches and nowadays kids have a lot of pressure at school ans outside of it, that could lead to major stress and therefore headaches. Lastly, because of the family history of diabetes, you should rule out that the headaches are not related to undiagnosed diabetes. The best way is to obtain a blood sugar (fasting glucose) test. If her fasting Glucose is over 126 mg/dL on two seperate occasions, or a random reading of 200 mg/dL or more she may have diabetes. If it is not clear, obtain a GTT (Glucose Tolerance Test) that shows if she is handling sugar adquately, by measuring her glucose on a fasting level, then at 1, and 2 hours after a sugar load. Good luck!
Answered By: Sonia Angel
Accreditations: MS, RD, CDE
Sources Show

Community Answers (1)

06/07/09 08:05 AM

Heaches are serious and need further investigation. I'd suggest a start with your PCP, get a 'second opinion' from another Neurologist. Once you've ruled out any other possiblities. (I've had some experience with discounted teenage headaches)!! Hang in there and be persistant to find the cause!! Suelou
Answered By: suelou
FLAG
SourcesShow



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