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Title: New Kid Post by Banana_Man on Aug 22nd, 2002, 1:12pm Hi people, I've only just found this website and it is so good to know that there are people out there who know what these headaches are like. If anything, reading some of your messages has put my own CH's into perspective - mine get pretty bad sometimes - 8's and 9's - but I don't think I've had a 10 - yet!! I've had these headaches for about 3 years now and they've got steadily worse. At first I used to get all the symptoms of a CH without too much of the pain but unfortunately those days are just a distant memory now!! I went travelling about two years ago and I was in Asia when I got my first dose of the worst pain in the world. The most awful thing about it was the way in which it just came out of nowhere - one minute I was fine, the next in the depths of despair. After that I had them almost daily while I was away but then I seemed to have control. I know this will sound weird but bananas proved to be my miracle cure. If i felt a headache coming on I would just shove bananas down my neck until, within 5-10 mins or so, the cloud would pass. At the time I'd never heard of CH's and linked my headaches to food. Although the pain was indescribale when I got a CH, I was never too concerned b/c at least I seemed to be able to stop them. However, it wasn't long before my yellow friends stopped being so effective and this time last year I went through an awful cycle of headaches where the only defence I had was the 'grin & bear it' technique! At this point I'd still never heard of CH's and it wasn't until I'd tried a number of Dr's that I found one that actually seemed interested in my predicament (is there anything more soul destroying than talking to people about CH's who are trying to be sympathetic but obviously don't have the slightest idea what you are going through - when you say you feel suicidal I swear they think you are exaggerating!) He sent me to a neurologist and I started to get hopeful that there may be an end in sight. The guy seemed very knowledgeable but the steroids he gave me triggered the worst attack I'd had all year. I can't try the injections b/c my dr's surgery say their budget won't stretch to it (if only they could have a taste of what a bad CH is like) and I'm due to my neurolgist again to see whats next in his bag of tricks. Although they don't work all the time my trusty bananas still come to the rescue now and again - has any else had similar experiences? My neurologist didn't seem to think much of my banana theory and some of you may think my CH's are actually something else - related to blood sugar maybe. Well, I've had all kinds of tests and no one has come up with an answer yet! I don't know or care what they are - I just wish I didn't live in fear of the pain. Anyway, I've gone on a bit so I'll go now but will just say again that this website has been like a breath of fresh air... Speak to you soon. Paddy. I hop |
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Title: Re: New Kid Post by Donna on Aug 22nd, 2002, 2:30pm Hello and welcome to the site, Paddy. There's so much to learn from this site that one cannot begin to recite it all. You'll find more info than believable under the buttons in the left margin. The only ingested "food" product that seemed, in our experiences, to have any real value is capsaicin. At least to the best of my memory. I'm sure others here will add to the list if there's more to mention. There are many abortives and preventatives used amoung our population, but the ones most used seem to be Verapamil, Imetrix and oxygen. The best place to start is page one -- http://www.clusterheadaches.com You'll be able to get the hang of what's going on around here if you acquaint yourself with our site. |
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Title: Re: New Kid Post by oringkid on Aug 22nd, 2002, 2:32pm Welcome Paddy! You have found the best site out there for CH. Some great and crazy people here! I'm sure someone will have something to say about the bananas. I remember the potassium word being bandied about every now and then. You can click on the "Search" button above and see what comes up! Check out the OUCH site and join! Lot of good info there too. Sherry |
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Title: Re: New Kid Post by jonny on Aug 22nd, 2002, 2:36pm "BANANA'S?" Nah!!, way to easy, Kid......LMMFAO ;D ...................jonny |
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Title: Re: New Kid Post by Jim R on Aug 22nd, 2002, 3:30pm Welcome Paddy. It's a good place to be... Jim R |
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Title: Re: New Kid Post by Drk^Angel on Aug 22nd, 2002, 4:31pm welcome to the board! Sorry that the beast is using a rusty butter knife to open up your cranium, and turn it into a big demon-pain cranium split with all the toppings. Welcome to the family! PFDAN....................... Drk^Angel |
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Title: Re: New Kid Post by Georgia on Aug 22nd, 2002, 5:57pm Welcome home. This site is filled with not only information but people that totally understand what you are going through. As for the bananas, I have tried them, in a different way though. My grandmother's remedy for a headache was always to place the peel of a banana on your forehead...she swore by it. I started getting migraines when I was very young, and she would always insist that I did the banana thing. I remember it working some of the time. Once I started ch, I tried it again, but it no longer worked for me. I know this has been discussed here before, and if my memory serves me correctly, it was said that potassium (the assumed benefit) can not be absorbed through the skin. If you are injesting the banana, that is whole other issue. As far as I know, there isn't any conclusive evidence as to whether or not bananas, either injested or applied to the skin, help or hurt a ch. For all we know it could be one of the other substances found in them...like the magnesium ( Patients suffering from cluster headaches, with low serum magnesium levels, experienced clinically meaningful improvements when treated with intravenous magnesium. The authors suggest that measurements of magnesium status may prove useful in determining the cause of some headaches, and in identifying those patients who would benefit from magnesium treatment. Mauskop A et al: Intravenous magnesium sulphate relieves cluster headaches in patients with low serum ionized magnesium levels. Headache 35(10):597-600, 1995. taken from http://www.waterfall2000.com/research/headache.htm the iron, or even the tryptophan which is a metabolic precursor to serotonin and melatonin. I think it worth looking into further at any case. I am sure if you searched the archives (type in banana or potassium) you could find a ton more info. Good luck! Peace and love, georgia |
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Title: Re: New Kid Post by Charlie on Aug 22nd, 2002, 11:48pm Welcome aboard and if you read the site and the posts, you'll likely find something to help in one way or another. It happens all the time. It's a real horror but now that you found us, stick around and let us know how you're doing. Bananas? All I know is I eat them every day....I happen to like the things. If you think it works, keep it up but careful with the peels. Charlie |
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