More migraines, now I know why
Yesterday I got another migraine. It lasted for over four hours and was accompanied by nausea.
My friend and I stepped out for a bit to go look at dresses, and over the few hours we were out, the headache went away.
Got back home, went about the rest of my day. By bedtime, the headache returned. It was a headache, not a migraine, but I was worried. I never get migraines.
I told my man that the furnace has been smelling funny lately, too, and that because I never get migraines, I suspected carbon monoxide poisoning. He didn’t take it seriously, mainly because he’s not experienced any headaches or nausea. But he’s not home all day like I am.
Although, he did agree that the house does smell kinda weird when the furnace is running, now that I mention it…
But yer not supposed to smell carbon monoxide, which is why he didn’t take me seriously.
Today I bought a carbon monoxide tester. Plugged it in, let it sit for a bit. Fine, no problem.
Turned on the furnace.
Half hour to 40 mins later,
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!!!!
Ok so the instructions say to press the reset button and wait four minutes. If it goes off again, GET THE HELL OUT OF THE HOUSE AND CALL THE GAS COMPANY.
Four minutes later,
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!!!!
All windows are open now, and yes I have a headache and nausea again. Called the landlady. She’s on the horn with her heating guy now.
Good times.
BTW, carbon monoxide testers are sold at your local hardware store for as cheap as $25.
9:34pm Edit: Been thinking about everything in the past five days with regards to the carbon monoxide poisoning.
January 24th: worst headache I’ve ever had - officially called it a migraine. In the house full time, bedridden due to george.
January 25th: let on that I’d been having nightmares. In the house full time, bedridden due to george.
January 28th: woke up in whimpering neck and shoulder pain with another migraine that lasted over 4 hours. The pain went away when I stepped out of the house for a few hours. Got paranoid that either I’ve got brain cancer (see my cancer fears) or the house has high levels of carbon monoxide, cuz I realised too that the house had been smelling funny when the furnace goes on. I can’t remember if it was around the 24th, 25th or 26th of January when I realised this about the furnace. When I went to bed on January 28th, I cracked open the window so we wouldn’t die in our sleep, I was that paranoid. Even though we don’t normally run the furnace at night, the thermostat is set to 65°F, and sometimes the house temp dips below that. I could’ve just turned the furnace OFF, but well I wasn’t thinking correctly. I WONDER WHY.
January 29th: charlie horse to the right foot in the wee hours of the morning. Was out of the house for much of the day, no migraines. Picked up the carbon monoxide tester on the way home, and you know the rest - the headache/nausea came back (it’s still with me despite windows open and me freezing) and the tester alarm went off twice, indicating high levels of carbon monoxide present in the house.
My neck and shoulders are killing me, and I’m REALLY tired now. I have that same sort of fuzzy vision I get when I’m stoned on Tylenol3. I know I should’ve left the house as soon as the alarm went off. I thought opening all the windows would suffice. My lower legs ache, too.
The treatment for poisoning is high dose oxygen mask according to emedicinehealth.com. For now, I’m just trying to breathe as much outside air as possible. It’s 45°F outside and 65°F inside the house with the cold night air pouring in. I keep stepping outside for a few minutes, then coming back in.
My man will be home, soon. Maybe we go to E.R., dunno yet.