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Topic: Something that might help (Read 210 times) |
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Byll
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Something that might help
« on: Aug 1st, 2007, 8:28am » |
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I have been getting episodic cluster headaches since age 23 (I am now 52).
I had heard that as you age the headaches will often disappear and I had not had a "bout" for several years until a few weeks ago.
This time my headaches started like clockwork one hour after I fell asleep. They were very severe but only lasted about an hour.
I happened to have some tylenol with codeine (available over the counter in Canada) left over from a toothache and I decided to try taking a couple before I fell asleep. Sure enough, I woke up with a headache but it was much less painful - just a dull ache rather than the usual stabbing pains.
I also noticed (as I had before) that drinking alcohol would tend to bring on the headaches, sometimes immediately. Often I'll have a drink in the evening - as a test I tried not consuming any alcohol and after a couple of days the headaches stopped. Then when I drank again (I'm talking only one drink) I got another headache after falling asleep.
Not sure if this might help anyone but it sure helped me. It was such a relief to me having some control over the headache pain (the tylenol with codeine) or even better preempting the headaches all together by not drinking alcohol.
Bill
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Karla
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Re: Something that might help
« Reply #1 on: Aug 1st, 2007, 8:55am » |
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Welcome to the boards Bill. You have found out what we all have known for years and proven by research that alcohol will trigger a ch. You wont find to many people here that will agree tho that tylanol with codiene worked for them. Most all of us find it useless. Have you tried oxygen to abort your headaches? See the link on the left about oxygen info. It is natural and works miricles. Also many of us use Imitrex to abort a ch also. If you are getting hit frequently you may want to find a preventative medicine like verapamil or lithium or predison, etc. There are many out there so you have lots of options. I suggest you find a good neuro and do some research here so you can go into your apt knowing what to ask for exactly. I hope your pain free soon.
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Karla
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Guiseppi
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Re: Something that might help
« Reply #2 on: Aug 1st, 2007, 10:40am » |
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I'm no doctor.....(but i used to play one with the neighbor girl....but I digress).......my guess is the codeine is changing your sleep patterns...a lot of people get that 90 minute after you fall asleep hit, i think it's the REM sleep. If that's the case you may want to try melatonin..(spelling??) before you go to sleep. An over the counter med you can find at vitamin stores, may accomplish the same thing the codeine is doing to your sleep patterns without the...umm..uncomfortable  side efects of coddeine!
When you get a chance let us know what else you use, we might have somesuggestions for tweaking your regimen!!!
Guiseppi
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BMoneeTheMoneeMan
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Re: Something that might help
« Reply #3 on: Aug 1st, 2007, 11:29am » |
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I havent tried the tylonol with codeine, but i will certainly agree with your findings regarding alcohol. Alcohol is bad news for me, and i never drank much. only 1 drink per night.
Unfortunately, i have a collection of high end red wines that have since probably turned to vinegar. Havent had red wine in a couple years.
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LeLimey
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Re: Something that might help
« Reply #4 on: Aug 1st, 2007, 3:15pm » |
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Hi Byll its nice to meet you and thank you for posting about your experiences.
Alcohol is probably the single biggest trigger for CH. Not everyone is affected by it but I can't think of anything else that is more common amongst us (in every day substances that is)
In general codeine and tylenol are not effective for CH as they don't work in the right way. In a hit the blood vessels on the affected side of your head swell by up to 20X their normal size and so require drugs that reduce the size of the blood vessels (vaso constrictors) to relieve the pain. Triptans like Imitrex are one such option.
However alot of people do find relieve from "shadows" with OTC pain meds and that may be what you are finding.
Have you tried any other meds? Has anything else worked (or not worked) for you? Lets see if we can't widen your range of weapons!
Take care of yourself
Helen
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Charlie
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Re: Something that might help
« Reply #5 on: Aug 1st, 2007, 9:41pm » |
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Welcome aboard Bill.
I've never heard of Tylenol & Codeine having much of an effect. Takes too long to work as an abortive but maybe as you take it, it makes some sense. If it helps, terrific.
I'm 60 and my CH disappeared 16 years ago. I'm not complaining. I'm also fully aware that this horrow can return but I'm probably so mean now that I scare the beast.  I'm convinced that the age factor is real.
Stick around Bill.
Charlie
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Jonny
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Re: Something that might help
« Reply #6 on: Aug 1st, 2007, 9:44pm » |
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Hmmm
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It is up to YOU to educate yourself and then help your doctor plan your treatment. If you just sit down in front of your doctor and say "make me better" you are setting yourself up for a great deal of pain.
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