Hi Kerry
Your headaches sound very much like mine, when I get them I get them for days at a time, mostly mine come on at night - either in the evening or during my sleep and they are like sharp stabbing pains in the side of my head (always on the left) and then the pain will get deeper and go towards my ear, the next day it still hurts near my neck and below my ear. When you said they hurt your face and neck it made me think of the bad headaches I get. I have been to see a neurologist about mine, my doctor referred me and I got an appointment quite quickly about a month ago. He recommends I take Amitriptyline but it doesn't go well with other anti-depressants I take so I have decided not to, as there is a slight risk of a fatal syndrome!!! anyway if you are not already on anti-depressants and there will be no mix, a small dose of anti-depressant type tablet is supposed to be the best thing. They actually worked for me when I used to get this type of headache when I was younger - but on my right side at the top! The neurologist said that they are migraine headaches and I feel he is right because they are in a certain place and not a throbbing headache at the front like a tension headache or a headache if I'm dehydrated.
I am actually back at the doctors on Thursday to see if he will prescribe me a migraine tablet that is not Migraleve as that did not work.
I am sorry if my bad heads are nothing like yours and I have just waffled on and on. Let us know how you are getting on with the codeine. I took Codeine after my Caesarian and it gave me a really bad head everyday, but hopefully it works for you,if not something has to x