I thought it was STRESS

For so long, Katie Baker, 39, put her headaches down to dental work and a divorce

- BESS BROWNING

As I scrolled through a dozen long, jargon-filled emails, my phone’s high-pitched ringtone echoed through the room. ‘Argh!’ I winced, putting my hands on my head and feeling the pulsing ache.

It was summer 2016, and this headache would not pass. I’d been feeling unwell for a while, but blamed the orthodontic work I’d had to straighten my teeth the year before for putting pressure on my head and jaw. It was either that or the endless stream of emails, meetings, and phone calls involved in my divorce from my ex, Patrick.

Our split after 13 years together was amicable, but the complex paperwork meant I was constantly stressed and often worried about our son Max, then three, and making sure he was always our top priority.

‘That sort of stress would make you feel unwell, right?’ I’d said to friends when they’d asked how I was doing.

I pondered a million different reasons for the awful, months-long headache and constant nausea. I’d convinced myself it was nothing serious, but I was dizzy sometimes, too, and had tingling in my eyes.

I’d usually be up early and out running miles but now spent longer and longer in bed, unable to muster the energy to exercise. I went back and forth to the doctors, who all agreed with me that it was just divorce stress or a side effect of the orthodontic work.

In November, Max and I joined my parents, Mike, then 74, and Brenda, 70, on a trip to Center Parcs, but, rather than being the relaxing weekend I needed, with bike rides and swimming, I spent the entire time in bed with what I thought was a sinus infection.

‘This isn’t like you,’ Mum fretted.