Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


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

        New Message Board Archives >> 2002 Posts >> Just found you
        
(Message started by: Starfire3 on Oct 1^st, 2002, 9:29am)

Title: Just found you
Post by Starfire3 on Oct 1^st, 2002, 9:29am

Glad to be here.
Glad you are here.

Spent yesterday crying and rocking and wandering in circles.
Today = pain - nausea - thinking hurts - gotta go to work anyway.
Wah! :'(

- Starfire

Title: Re: Just found you
Post by NancyMcFree on Oct 1^st, 2002, 10:05am

Welcome to the board starfire. Lots of people here with lots of experience. Give us some backround ... meds you have tried, etc. We'll sure try to help. Also, read around the board ... there's lots of good info here.

Title: Re: Just found you
Post by 2late on Oct 1^st, 2002, 11:23am

glad you found us, welcome, like nancy said fill us in on your situation. ..........2late

Title: Re: Just found you
Post by Starfire3 on Oct 1^st, 2002, 12:23pm

I posted a few things under the therapies forum about a link that I've noticed between my sinuses and many of my headaches.

I've had headaches for about 30 years - spring and fall. However, for the past two years I've had headaches almost every month. I'm tired and cry very easily now when the Destroyer looms.

I ran a gamut of doctors years ago, but I stopped going to them when I got the impression that they were guessing and when their pills made me feel worse than I did without pills (they insisted upon treating me for migraines).

I'm currently not under a doctor's care but I'm about to try it again so I can see what western medicine has to offer these days. I'm tired of hurting. I don't expect much help from that corner, though. I don't want to take drugs on a regular basis and drugs are western medicine's primary weapon. I'm searching for other remedies. Maybe I need to go to a holistic doctor instead.

I have been using steam, massage, excercise, meditation, heat therapy, accupressure, and aromatic and/or relaxing herbs. These methods have varying levels of success. Interestingly enough, the same treatment can work one day and not the next, so I often end up just trying one thing after another until the pain lets up and my eyes focus again.

I also use narcotic pain relievers when I just need the pain to stop right now. Of course, when I do that, everything else stops too while I lay around doped up so I can't feel the pain.

I'm looking forward to exploring all the methods that you folks have found to beat back the Destroyer and I hope that some of them work for me.

- Starfire

Title: Re: Just found you
Post by Linda_Howell on Oct 1^st, 2002, 1:21pm

Starfire,

When you do see a Dr. ask him to prescribe Oxygen for you. If you've read the links to the left of this board, you will see that this works for many of us to abort an attack and has no side-effects. I, personally don't know what I would have done without it for the past 15 yrs.

You say you are searching for other remedies, i.e....holistic forms like massage, herbs, etc. and then say you've used narcotics. Hmmmm

As much as we all want the pain to cease and desist, narcotics WILL NOT help a cluster. They're very addictive and cause rebound headaches from hell. I hope you will consider throwing those narcotics down the toilet, get yourself a good Dr. who is knowledgable about clusters and know that we all wish you well. Linda Howell

Title: Re: Just found you
Post by Starfire3 on Oct 1^st, 2002, 1:50pm

Narcotics are scary and I don't use them unless I've given up on all else. I use them rarely - and because I use them so seldom, I can usually get away with a half dose.

I'm afraid to toss them out though because they are a last resort that I have been glad to have handy when the crying and wandering in circles wants to turn to screaming and pounding my head on door jambs.

Among other things, I know that they are not a good answer because they don't make things better, they just hide it from me. The headache will be back as soon as the narcotics wear off, but it's a break I sometimes need.

Title: Re: Just found you
Post by pjbgravely on Oct 1^st, 2002, 4:14pm

Starfire, Sounds like you have got the narcotics under control. Most can't use them becouse they make the pain worse. I am trying a herbal abortive. It works on shadows but I haven't had a CH since I got them to try it on. I will read your post on sinuses. I have always until now have beed diagnosed with cronic sinitus.

Title: Re: Just found you
Post by echo on Oct 1^st, 2002, 4:41pm

Welcome to the board. Sorry to read the beast has taken up residence with you. Hope you find the preventative med combo platter that will keep the beast in check.

Title: Re: Just found you
Post by Charlie on Oct 1^st, 2002, 5:42pm

Welcome to the board and keep in touch. You'll find some good, non-narcotic ideas here, including this one.

Dr. Wright's Circulatory Technique

This is not transcendental meditation, imagery, relaxation, or anything psychic. It's entirely physical and takes a lot of work and concentration. Give this method a good workout. It’s not a miracle, but it’s been very helpful to many.

When I was diagnosed, my neurologist said to treat this as a vascular problem. I was told to concentrate on “redirecting” blood circulation in order to retard flow to the head. This is done by trying to “send” blood into the arms and hands or other extremities. When properly done, your hands will become warm and redder with increased circulation. I also found it easier to concentrate on one hand.

This relieves just slightly, the pressure on the affected vessel, which indirectly causes our pain. We all have this ability but it can be exhausting. I was often able shorten my attacks from about half an hour to no more than a few minutes. Sometimes, when awake, I could entirely abort the attack IF I KEPT AT IT. I would suffer only minor discomfort instead of excruciating pain. Do not stop just because your hands are warm or redder. Keep this up until you are sure it's subsided. If you let up or lose concentration, it’s very hard to restart this process. It may take some time for this to take hold but when this works, the relief is almost immediate.

I learned this from the doctor in a few minutes. He simply told me to concentrate on keeping blood away from the head. He thought the easiest is the arms and hands but any place that works for you is fine. He said to think of it as "filling your hands" with redirected blood. It’s important to keep at it THROUGH the pain. This will be difficult, but it’s the only way this technique will work. I like to keep at it a few minutes longer than seems necessary to insure success.

This will not always work, but I think it will always have at least some effect on the severity and duration of the attacks. It can be useful between medications or while waiting for some other drug to take effect. All it takes is a little practice. It was fairly easy to learn and what I'm writing here is more than I got from the doctor, as I've drawn from my own experience.

When awakened in horrible pain, it’s very hard to focus, but I think it’s always worth a try. This costs nothing but hard work, is harmless, non-invasive, and it gives us a fighting chance.

I wish you the best of luck - Charlie Strand

Title: Re: Just found you
Post by Linda_Howell on Oct 1^st, 2002, 6:25pm

Starfire,

Charlie's "method" does work. I haven't been able to do it with any success if the pain level reaches a certain point though. It is still worth the try. Linda

P.S. I wasn't really saying you should throw the narcotics away. Save them for the next tooth you have pulled or something like that. Linda