Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


    
      
        Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        New Message Board Archives >> 2002 Posts >> BLAST - IT, Headaches again, this is helping.....
        
(Message started by: Leggs on Aug 14^th, 2002, 1:12pm)

Title: BLAST - IT, Headaches again, this is helping.....
Post by Leggs on Aug 14^th, 2002, 1:12pm

Well, I thought they were through, I haven't been AWAKENED by CH, but I have been waking up with them. I am thankful, they have not been the 10 kip version though.

Yesterday was so good, I thought they were really and truly gone for good. I was thinking about what I did differently. Yesterday was my exercise class, and I came RIGHT home and walked on my treadmill. This meant I had a lot of water to start, and I was home and drank and drank when I was getting the "feeling" of the headache sneaking up. Also, since Monday, I have been taking Feverfew twice a day, once with breakfast and once after lunch or in the afternoon.

I did the same thing with the Feverfew today, but I WASN'T drinking as much water, I had to run errands after exercise, and I didn't want to have to use the bathroom a lot! It hits me in the car, the eye pain, ugh, not again. I knew the beast was lurking, one side of my sinuses were plugged all morning with my mild headache.

When I got home, I took some more Feverfew, and since lunch, I am just having an aching head, not the one sided sharp pain. I expect it will come back later, but HOPING not.

I just CAN'T get into serious meds, I am a Mom having to take care of two kids and drive my daughter to and from school. Thank heaven my husband was around when the really bad ones happened last week. I literally have not a soul to help me if I have a problem and can't drive. I am praying they will continue to disipate and eventually creep back into their slimey hole.

Title: Re: BLAST - IT, Headaches again, this is helping..
Post by Tesa on Aug 14^th, 2002, 1:23pm

I have 3 children, and I could not imagine trying to deal with CH's without medication! At least get a tank of oxygen w/rebreather mask. Sometimes, on a slight CH, the oxygen will abort it within 10-15 minutes. And it's not really a medication. I used to suffer through the pain without med's too, but once I tried the imitrex one time, and my pain went away within minutes, it was like a dream come true! I could not take care of my children and suffer through a CH at the same time. I took everybody's advice last year and got the oxygen, and it made a BIG difference!

Tesa

Title: Re: BLAST - IT, Headaches again, this is helping..
Post by Marcos618 on Aug 14^th, 2002, 1:50pm

I know you don't like drugs but try Prednisone. 20 MG 3 X day. I got the doctor to give me some last week and refill it this week to take me all the way through next week. I am in classes all next week to get re-certified (need that cert for my job) and must have a clear head in this one week class and pass a test next Friday. This drug keeps my head clear and headaches under control most of the time.

As a added bonus I am trying Magnesium and B2 also. Not sure if they are helping but I try anything.

Title: Re: BLAST - IT, Headaches again, this is helping..
Post by 2late on Aug 14^th, 2002, 2:35pm

Hopefully they will go away on their own, but not likely, I have 4 kids & climb telephone poles for a living.some meds made me feel lethargic,some don't, you just need to find the right combo for you.without "serious meds" I don't know where I'd be today.02 is pretty safe,look into it,best of luck to ya!!!! ...........2late

Title: Re: BLAST - IT, Headaches again, this is helping..
Post by Melissa on Aug 14^th, 2002, 2:57pm

When I found ch.com in Sept. of 2000, I was completely against any medication whatsoever. If it was a drug, you could bet I'd steer clear of it. Well, the one thing I did try, and which helped for the first couple weeks of my cycle, was Oxygen. With the flow meter at 12 lpm, I was able to break an attack within 15 min, instead of my regular hour long bout with the beast.

Now that I'm anticipating my cycle to being next month, I'm definately going to ask my doc for imitrex. I've come to the realization, that being strong through not taking meds, is not always the best way to go about coping with clusters. I will no longer keep punishing myself and my family, by suffering longer than I have to. If by some strange chance the imitrex doesn't work, I'm still going to keep trying, until I can find something that does.

Good luck,
Mel :)

Title: Re: BLAST - IT, Headaches again, this is helping..
Post by Drk^Angel on Aug 14^th, 2002, 3:26pm

O2 is a great abortive. The only one that I've found that works for me. Luckily, the verapamil I'm on is keeping my attacks at a minimum, so it's not too often that I have to worry about being away from the O2.

I hope your cycle winds down soon, and you are able to find many many PFDAN. Good luck!

PFDAN................................. Drk^Angel

Title: Re: BLAST - IT, Headaches again, this is helping..
Post by catlind on Aug 14^th, 2002, 4:09pm

Magnesium and Feverfew are documented and researched and proven to be effective against migraine headaches. The jury is still out on the B2. The US hasn't completed the trials on magnesium and feverfew, but most european countries and Canada have. Health and Welfare Canada and the Canadian Migraine Association have feverfew listed as an approved and effective treatment for migraines.

I was taking the feverfew, magnesium, and the B2's, but research it, you have to take a LARGE dose of magnesium for it to be effective and the feverfew has to be a certain purity level of the plant. It does work for migraines, however I personally haven't had luck with it for CH's.

Maybe I should try taking them all again and see how it measures up with the CH's :)

Cat

Title: Re: BLAST - IT, Headaches again, this is helping..
Post by Leggs on Aug 14^th, 2002, 4:19pm

Ah yes, O2. I think I would love to try it, again the insurance thing going on.

We have made 3 COBRA payments in two monhts of $513 each to keep our most recent stuff from turning into "previous conditions." Actually, we SHOULD be getting refunded at least one of those payements SOON I hope when my husband's May hours roll in to make him eligible. It amazing how you can't be a DAY late, but they take months to refund it when you are due it.

The GOOD news is, I am realizing with my recent operation, and all the other copayments we have made, we have probably made the 7.5% of gross adjusted income in medical bills to let us use some of an IRA to pay the next one for August we probably have to mail off next week. We don't qualify under the unemployment rules, it has to be 12 consecutive weeks, he just misses that each time (glad he's working, but if he could just miss that week, we could get stuff out of the IRA without penalty).

Believe me, I am NOT turning a deaf ear to all you kind folks telling me to find some medicinal relief from these monsters. One of the FIRST things I am going to do when I get the insurance straightened out is find a nuerologist! I waited WAY too long to get my hernias, female problems and bladder fixed. I really learned from that lesson you do your FAMILY a favor by looking out for your health, when YOU are happy and healthy, you have a happier and healthier family.

I am amazed at how much the water and the Feverfew seem to stop them in their tracks, but even though the headaches aren't there, I feel lousy, it's just this spacey feeling in my head. I know they aren't really gone, just temporarily aborted.

Thanks for being there everyone! T.

Title: Re: BLAST - IT, Headaches again, this is helping..
Post by gammavh on Aug 14^th, 2002, 4:55pm

I'm so sorry the beast is back. >:( I have to admit that without zomig, my attacks would last hours but it does stop it short most of the time.

And damn COBRA and insturance for messing you around. Been there and it's not any fun at all. At least being back home I don't have to worry about that here in England. It may take a while to get to see a specailist but at least I do get there in the end at no charge.

Just a suggestion, I don't get any side affects from Zomig, it might be worth a try if your insurance will approve of it. Unfortunately not many of them do,unless all else has fail.

Hope you have a few PFDAN.

gam