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Topic: my father says he cant take the pain no more (Read 533 times) |
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fyre
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my father says he cant take the pain no more
« on: Aug 25th, 2004, 1:28pm » |
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What do i do . when my father cries cause it hurts so bad it kills me i want to take the pain away but i dont know how. hes been to the doctor and they put him on imitrex it helps the pain go away but now he cant afford them. he has lost his job over this and the pain is getting so bad on the 10 scale if you know what im talking about. im a fireman so i have tried him on o2 but dosent help. please help if you can
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IndianaJohn
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Re: my father says he cant take the pain no more
« Reply #1 on: Aug 25th, 2004, 1:46pm » |
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For O2 to work it must be with a non rebreather mask and a high flow rate. 10 - 15 liters per minute. If all else fails get him to an ER.
Hope this helps..
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Did my brains fall out or is this headache over?
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karma
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Re: my father says he cant take the pain no more
« Reply #2 on: Aug 25th, 2004, 1:52pm » |
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We all know what hes going through. Try and get him to cruise through this site and at least talk, bitch, complain, whatever to people that know what he is going through. It helps.
Check the oxygen info tag on the left. It works for a tone of people but it needs to be done right.
Until he can get some medication or the oxy works try and get him to relax during the attacks. Deep breathing works well for me and don't fight the pain it just makes it worse. Ice packs on the neck and head. Caffiene helps.
Don't take over the counter aspirins or Ibuprofan etc. They seem to make it worse.
Alcohol is a no no for most people when that hits start.
There is help out there. Don't give up.
Others with more experience will give you guys the heads up on medications.
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Margi
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Re: my father says he cant take the pain no more
« Reply #3 on: Aug 25th, 2004, 1:59pm » |
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We feel your pain, Fyre. One of the best things you can do is bring your dad to this site so that he knows he is not fighting this alone. Getting him to meet others who understand what he goes through (we supporters can only do so much) is probably some of the best "medicine" out there.
Oxygen really is the most successful abortive - but it does have to be delivered correctly as IndianaJohn mentioned. Ice can be another big help to get him through his attacks. My husband lays an ice pack on the back of his neck or directly on the pain location. Chilling the skin temporarily fools the brain's pain receptors and it busies itself trying to warm that area. My hubby sits with his ice pack on his neck and works hard to stay calm while breathing the oxygen (staying calm is a HUGE defense against this - tough work, but very worthwhile if he can achieve it.)
Another thing that he can do if he is med free is the water treatment. It really has helped some people here - it's described in one of the buttons to the left here. It broke a particularily nasty cycle for my husband and he was at the same point as your dad.
Keep us posted, ok - we really do care here.
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floridian
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Re: my father says he cant take the pain no more
« Reply #4 on: Aug 25th, 2004, 2:01pm » |
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Has he tried melatonin? Its cheap, and has a 50-50 chance of helping him. Magnesium is another OTC treatment that is innexpensive and helps some (not always quick acting).
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Bob_Johnson
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Re: my father says he cant take the pain no more
« Reply #5 on: Aug 26th, 2004, 8:53am » |
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WWW.HEADACHEPAINFREE.COM The content of this site has been expanded since I first posted it. It now covers several types of headache and a more general coverage of medications. It remains, to my knowledge, the best single source of information on the use of magnesium for headache--both for prevention and as a treatment during an active cycle.
Magnesium as a preventive treatment for CH is the main value of this site. It appears that magnesium has been used in Europe for some years for this purpose and I've posted one medical report about using IV magnesium to abort headaches which would not repond to the usual medications. [With thanks to Shawna @ 6/22/00.]
============
Print this out and ask your father to ask his doc for samples. If it works for him, you will find it less expensive than Imitrex.
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------
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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Bob Johnson
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eddie
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Re: my father says he cant take the pain no more
« Reply #6 on: Aug 26th, 2004, 9:48am » |
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I sure hope he finds relief im kinda new
but i read every thing and try to focus
on what would work. dont give up INFO HERE
IS GOOD & GOOD FOLKS
GOOD LUCK and positve thoughts help
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karma
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Re: my father says he cant take the pain no more
« Reply #7 on: Aug 26th, 2004, 10:13am » |
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Fyre,
how's you'r dad making out?
You still there?
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fyre
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Re: my father says he cant take the pain no more
« Reply #8 on: Aug 26th, 2004, 10:25am » |
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i stopped by his house last nite and told him about the caffine and the ice cold towels so last nite he was waken at 1:30 with one . he took a imitrex and put the ice cold towel on his face rubbing it as hard as he could and in ten mins he said it was gone 
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E-Double
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Re: my father says he cant take the pain no more
« Reply #9 on: Aug 26th, 2004, 10:37am » |
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Glad your father got some relief!!!
I am becoming a huge advocate for melatonin.
It seems that many of us have caught a break from the night time hits by taking it prior to attempting sleep.
I personally take 6-9mg about 1/2 an hour before I'm going to lay down. I've taken back my nights and have pretty much eliminated the night hits. Sleep is a bonus for most of us and rarely occurs. I feel lucky because of this.
The O2 is awesome and the triptans have helped immensely. I think.... First cycle on meds so I guess I won't really know if the preventatives have helped or this is just the way my cycle is running.
Either way, tons of caffiene have helped many a time as do ice packs on the back of the neck (for me) and sometimes placing a towels over my head and covering a sink with steam (clears up my sinuses and feels like it alleviates pressure).
Best to you and get your father over here. It has been a life saver for me and my supporter.
Eric
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I can't believe that I have to bang my
Head against this wall again
But the blows they have just a little more
Space in-between them
Gonna take a breath and try again.
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fyre
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Re: my father says he cant take the pain no more
« Reply #10 on: Aug 27th, 2004, 6:34am » |
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good morning to all. well its getting worse i think or its getting ready to go away. dad had four yesterday .i put him on a sleeping pill from gnc dont ask what was in it those word was way to big for me  . i also put him on o2 last nite and it helped a little he didnt take his imitrex. but he called me at 6a.m and said he was out of it .well yall have a good day
justin ,kentucky
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karma
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Re: my father says he cant take the pain no more
« Reply #11 on: Aug 27th, 2004, 12:32pm » |
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Hi Fyre,
Sounds like you guys are making some progress. I've never used the o2 but its so successful for others that it may do the trick. I think the best results are found when its used as soon as he feels a CH coming on and the right set up.
Don't discount the melatonin. Its cheap, available at any pharmacy or health food store and seems to make the nites much easier. No script needed and probably better than sleeping tabs.
Valrapamil is also a cheap perventative the seems to help. But you need a script for this.
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bluesunshine
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Re: my father says he cant take the pain no more
« Reply #12 on: Aug 28th, 2004, 12:52am » |
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Hi fyre,
Is it the first time your father got those HA?
How long do they last? How they ended - when-How do the remission happen? Is there a remission?
Was he refer to a neurologist- with headache speciality?
What are the particular things about those HA? symptoms?
blue
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Pinkfloyd
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Re: my father says he cant take the pain no more
« Reply #13 on: Aug 28th, 2004, 1:57am » |
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Check out www.clusterbusters.com
If you'd like a testimonial from another firefighter, let me know and I'll get you his email addy. 
good luck
PF
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"Nothing is so firmly believed as what we least know."
"There is no passion so contagious as that of fear."
[Michel de Montaigne
www.clusterbusters.com
www.obscuredview.blogspot.com
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bluesunshine
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Re: my father says he cant take the pain no more
« Reply #14 on: Aug 28th, 2004, 2:08am » |
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on Aug 28th, 2004, 1:57am, Pinkfloyd wrote:Check out www.clusterbusters.com
If you'd like a testimonial from another firefighter, let me know and I'll get you his email addy.
good luck
PF |
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I know clusterbuster is good for Clusterheads.
Before that , i think he should get medical attention first, to rule out anything more life treathning-like tumor-cancer.
Do we know his historical pathology file? NO, so refer him to a neuro first. point.
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mynm156
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Re: my father says he cant take the pain no more
« Reply #15 on: Aug 28th, 2004, 10:58am » |
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Hey Fyre,
I just wanted to send you and your father some GOOD VIBES and hope for pain free days!
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Pinkfloyd
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Re: my father says he cant take the pain no more
« Reply #16 on: Aug 28th, 2004, 12:55pm » |
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on Aug 28th, 2004, 2:08am, bluesunshine wrote:
Do we know his historical pathology file? NO, so refer him to a neuro first. point.
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Counterpoint(s) 
Agreed that if he isn't currently seeing a headache specialist, he should. Neurologist or otherwise.
He is though, already seeing a doctor that has prescribed Imitrex and he is using it to treat his headaches. Giving him ideas he can research while the medical community does their thing is what a board like this is about. If the doc ran all the tests he should have prior to prescribing Imitrex, he shouldn't need a neurologist to run them again. Since we don't have his chart in front of us, and WE can't order up any tests, all we can do is make suggestions that can be further researched or that he can question the doctor about.
If he had 4 attacks in a day, I doubt very much he blew 4 aneurisms.
The Imitrex worked but became too expensive. I know imitrex does wonders but I assume imitrex doesn't stop the pain that would be caused by cancer. If it does, and this doc didn't rule out a tumor prior to prescribing Imitrex, then the doc (and every doc that does so) prescribed something that would mask a tumor and cause it to go and grow, untreated. I would hope neither is the case.
There had already been some good advice given prior to my post, including your's suggesting a headache specialist if one wasn't already on the case.
Checking out Clusterbusters was just a suggestion to be researched, not a prescription. Research and procurement alone, should they decide to go that way, puts that treatment out probably a minimum of 6 weeks. For many, research on the subject can take a year before people are comfortable enough to try it. Never too soon to research one's options IMHO.
respectfully submitted,
PF
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"Nothing is so firmly believed as what we least know."
"There is no passion so contagious as that of fear."
[Michel de Montaigne
www.clusterbusters.com
www.obscuredview.blogspot.com
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fyre
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Re: my father says he cant take the pain no more
« Reply #17 on: Aug 30th, 2004, 6:28am » |
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hes has only had two ch in 2.5 days . VERAPIMIL was the trick  [flash=200,200][/flash]
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E-Double
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Re: my father says he cant take the pain no more
« Reply #18 on: Aug 30th, 2004, 7:12am » |
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knock on wood!!!!!!! & may relief continue
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I can't believe that I have to bang my
Head against this wall again
But the blows they have just a little more
Space in-between them
Gonna take a breath and try again.
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Redd
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Re: my father says he cant take the pain no more
« Reply #19 on: Aug 30th, 2004, 7:33am » |
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on Aug 30th, 2004, 6:28am, fyre wrote:| hes has only had two ch in 2.5 days . VERAPIMIL was the trick [flash=200,200][/flash] |
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Verapimil has seemed to be a staple in many of our arsonals agianst this. Seems to help hold the level of most of my attacks down to a low roar, but biggies still break through more often that I care to have happen and I have to use the imitrex injections. But I can't up my doseage due to already very low blood pressure. Keep an eye out for that just as a precaution. And tell your dad to get into the habit of taking fiber of some sort. Verapimil can cause constipation.
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I saw an act of faith today. A man was on his knees, not in a pew in a Church, but in a garden planting seeds. ~~Unknown
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