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js_choice
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One miserable pregnant clusterhead
« on: Jul 25th, 2006, 6:28am » |
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Hi All,
My name is Jo, i'm 22 n yesterday i was diagnosed as having cluster headaches. This is only my second bout of them but they've been goin on since wednesday now n i haven't slept at all in about 5 days. Whats worse is i'm pregnant so i can't take a damn thing to ease the excruciating pain n i worry that the stress is gonna harm my baby  .
My first attacks happened in January of this year n i remember the very first one clearly - i woke up at around 3am with what felt like a pickaxe in my head, my husband was laid beside me as i began to sob n cry. My brain felt as if it was trying to push its way out of my skull using my right eye, ear n teeth as escape routes. I began to rock backwards n forwards and my poor husband was desperately trying to do or say anything that might comfort me - all in vain. Finally, after 1/2 an hour the pain subsided n i fell to sleep, unaware that this was only the first of many that would last for over 2 weeks.
I ofcourse went to the hospital with these symptoms - i thought i was havin a stroke or something - or that i had some sort of tumour, all this stuff goes through ur head when ur in pain like that. They took bloods n urine at the hospital n they informed me that i was pregnant and that the headaches were 'probably a result of changing hormones, here's some co-drydamol, bye'
Its now 6 months later n i'm 7 months pregnant and the headaches are back with a vengence. This time i went to my gp about the headaches n told him my symptoms n what the hospital had said about them the last time. 'Nonsense' he said 'i'm sorry to tell you that you're suffering from cluster headaches, which unfortunately are some of the most painful headaches you can get. The bad news is that because you're pregnant i can offer you none of the traditional pain relief treatment for them'
So here i am one miserable pregnant clusterhead, exhausted, fed up and desperate for these awful headaches to just go away  .Nice to meet you 
Jo
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kissmyglass
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Re: One miserable pregnant clusterhead
« Reply #1 on: Jul 25th, 2006, 8:27am » |
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Hi Jo,
Sorry you are hurting. Ask your doc if you can use oxygen. Helps a lot and I can't imagine it would harm your baby.
Good Luck!
Kev
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starlight
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Re: One miserable pregnant clusterhead
« Reply #2 on: Jul 25th, 2006, 9:48am » |
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Honey, please get yourself some oxygen...ask your GP to see a neurologist also...but please get some oxygen. I do not think that could in any way hurt the baby but a doctor could tell you for sure. Also what about imitrex nasal spray--ask your doctor if that would in any way harm the baby--I have a feeling that it would be OK. Good luck. Let us know how you are doing, Starlight
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LeLimey
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Re: One miserable pregnant clusterhead
« Reply #3 on: Jul 25th, 2006, 9:50am » |
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Hi Jo
congratulations on being pregnant, I'm just so sorry you're having such a rotten time of it.
O2 is about the best abortive I can recommend, pregnant or not! You should be absolutely fine using it to abort your headaches with.
In a cluster attack the lood vessels on the affected side of your head will swell by up to 20 x their normal size which is what causes the excruciating pain.
Oxygen can be used at a high flow rate of 15 litres per minute breathed through a non rebreather mask. It works by constricting the blood vessels in your head and thus reducing the pain.
Triptans, the usual abortive meds given work in much the same way but the difference is that they constrict your entire circulatory system whereas o2 only works on your noggin. Much kinder to your body especially now!
Please give OUCH UK a call, the helpline is manned by sufferers who all know exactly what you're going through and will help in every way possible. Its an answerphone so leave your details and someone will call you straight back. The number is 0161 2721702
Good luck!
Helen
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js_choice
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Re: One miserable pregnant clusterhead
« Reply #4 on: Jul 25th, 2006, 10:33am » |
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Thankyou all for your support, i'm goin to c my gp again next monday - i'm hoping by then that this cluster cycle will be over. Hopefully now that its been diagnosed future cycles can be treated straight away. Although if i have another night like last night i may go to the hospital for some o2.
Thanks again
Jo
xxx
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LeLimey
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Re: One miserable pregnant clusterhead
« Reply #5 on: Jul 25th, 2006, 10:38am » |
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Jo you can also go to your local fire station, they have o2 in the flow rate etc you need and they will always let you use it.
You might like to try either ice packs or heat depending on what makes you feel better too, ice works for me every time.
A lot of us use red bull to abort with as caffeine is also a vaso constrictor and the taurine in it as well intensfies the effect of the caffeine. Probably not the best idea for whilst your pregnant but certainly well worth knowing for afterwards!
Helen
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Bob_Johnson
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Re: One miserable pregnant clusterhead
« Reply #6 on: Jul 25th, 2006, 10:39am » |
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I checked drug info on medscape.com and Olanzapine is o.k. for limited use in pregnancy.
1: Headache 2001 Sep;41(:813-6
Olanzapine as an Abortive Agent for Cluster Headache.
Rozen TD.
Department of Neurology, Jefferson Headache Center/Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate olanzapine as a cluster headache abortive agent in an open-label trial. BACKGROUND: Cluster headache is the most painful headache syndrome known. There are very few recognized abortive therapies for cluster headache and fewer for patients who have contraindications to vasoconstrictive drugs. METHODS: Olanzapine was given as an abortive agent to five patients with cluster headache in an open-label trial. The initial olanzapine dose was 5 mg, and the dose was increased to 10 mg if there was no pain relief. The dosage was decreased to 2.5 mg if the 5-mg dose was effective but caused adverse effects. To be included in the study, each patient had to treat at least two attacks with either an effective dose or the highest tolerated dose. RESULTS: Five patients completed the investigation (four men, one woman; four with chronic cluster, one with episodic cluster). Olanzapine reduced cluster pain by at least 80% in four of five patients, and two patients became headache-free after taking the drug. Olanzapine typically alleviated pain within 20 minutes after oral dosing and treatment response was consistent across multiple treated attacks. The only adverse event was sleepiness. CONCLUSIONS: Olanzapine appears to be a good abortive agent for cluster headache. It alleviates pain quickly and has a consistent response across multiple treated attacks. It appears to work in both episodic and chronic cluster headache.
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Olanzapine has a brand name of "Zyprexa" and is a antipsychotic. Don't be put off by this primary usage. Several of the drugs used to treat CH are cross over applications, that is, drugs approved by the FDA for one purpose which are found to be effective with unrelated conditions--BJ.
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OTC meds are not very helpful with cluster, as you know, but may be one of the few options available to you. Some folks have good luck aborting/easing an attack by applying an ice pack to the pain site. Others find very hot water also works; others have used a hair dryer blasting the pain site works! No predicting; just try.
Re. special needs of women. Both of these in HEADACHE QUARTERLY, Vol X, #2, 1991: "Women and headaches:a comprehensive approach", p. 31-36. "Special considerations in the management of headache in women", p. 37-43. The last one focuses on role of hormones in headache and how medications must be altered.
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J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2006 Jan 11
Cluster headache in women - relation with menstruation, use of oral contraceptives, pregnancy and menopause.
van Vliet JA, Favier I, Helmerhorst FM, Haan J, Ferrari MD.
Medical Centre Haaglanden, Netherlands.
Abstract In contrast to migraine, little is known about the relationship between cluster headache and menstrual cycle, oral contraceptives, pregnancy and menopause. We performed a population-based questionnaire study among 224 female cluster headache patients, and studied the possible effect of hormonal influences on cluster headache attacks. For control data, a similar but adjusted questionnaire was sent to healthy volunteers and migraine patients. We found that menstruation, use of oral contraceptives, pregnancy and menopause had a much smaller influence on cluster headache attacks than in migraine. Cluster headache can, however, have a large impact on individual women, for example to refrain from having children.
PMID: 16407458 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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Bob Johnson
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lionsound
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Re: One miserable pregnant clusterhead
« Reply #7 on: Jul 25th, 2006, 10:47am » |
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Hi jo! 
Last year when I was pregnant I used only O2. Ask a knowledgeable neurologist, check with your obstetrician.... it very safe. I found good support, good doctors and O2 kept me afloat and helped me make it through pregnancy and now nursing.
DO NOT WAIT to get the Oxygen!!! you and your baby are worth it! There is no need to suffer if you don't have to.
Whne your head hurts you can also try...
an ice pack (frozen peas work great)on your head or neck,
taking a cold or hot shower,
or putting cold water on your head. (some people like heat instead)
Sometimes breathing steam with a towel over your head over a sink of hot water helps too.
almost forgot..I was given a very low grade tylenol with codeine to help me sleep when I was completely worn out....which I only took twice.... but YOU MUST ASK your doc about this..everyone is different. And you must weigh benefit to you vs. risk to baby.
PLease let us know how you are doing...support is the best medicine!
Be well and PF,
lionsound
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| « Last Edit: Jul 25th, 2006, 10:54am by lionsound » |
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nani
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Re: One miserable pregnant clusterhead
« Reply #8 on: Jul 25th, 2006, 10:57am » |
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Hi Jo. Get some oxygen to keep at home and travel tanks to take out with you. If your dr resists (I don't know why, but some do) show him this:
http://www.chhelp.org/mhni.html
pain free wishes, nani
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