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        New Message Board Archives >> 2002 Posts >> history and CH
        
(Message started by: clavers on Nov 13^th, 2002, 8:12am)

Title: history and CH
Post by clavers on Nov 13^th, 2002, 8:12am

I have a question. It seems reasonable that people have been getting cluster headaches for centuries, maybe since there were people. What did they do about them in the past? Did they take huge doses of opium or some such if they could afford it? Did they all commit suicide? That seems to me to be the only thing one could do if it was impossible to abort them. Are there any literary references to this? Have oxygen and imitrex literally made the diference between life and death?
What a horrible thought, to be caught in the l6th century with CH.

Title: Re: history and CH
Post by Hound_Dogg on Nov 13^th, 2002, 9:56am

I've heard this in many different forms in this M.B. Basically the bottom line question is: "How could anyone take the pain of a Cluster Attack in its Pure Form, i.e no abortives or rescue meds.?"

If it was possible for someone to show me 1 second of Cluster Pain, before I got them. Let's say, when I was 12 years old. I probably would've said I couldn't handle that pain for 1 minute, yet alone an hour and God help me 10 hours. But then I had to deal with the pain for 1 hour, 3x's a day, 1 or 2 cycles a year. And I dealt with it for 5 years before Imitrex was even thought of and Verapamil was just for hypertension. I dealt with it, cause I didn't have any other choice.

Now, I cant say how people dealt with it in the past, probably Morphine or Opium, which were very legal and very cheap prior to 1916. But I'm sure like many people here, who had Cluster's before the Meds of today. We just dealt with it. We didn't have another choice.

Just to add, I'm sure in the near future (Thanks to Groups like OUCH and Physicians like Dr. Goadsby & Dr. Kudrow), when a "CURE" is found---the Cluster sufferers will wonder the same thing about us.

Title: Re: history and CH
Post by Charlie on Nov 13^th, 2002, 10:57pm

There are very few references to CH in the past but Jefferson was know to have horrible headaches and Civil War General Upton eventually commited suicide, and some think it was for his severe headaches.

They just didn't have a name back then. Of the two, Upton is a possibility. I know my reply is off the mark. Narcotics are and were pretty useless for clusters.

Charlie

Title: Re: history and CH
Post by Lori on Nov 13^th, 2002, 11:23pm

personally i suffered for about 10yrs now with clusters and never was treated until this last cycle in feb 2002. i went to the drs for them a few times but misdiagnosed and given junk that never did sqwat for the pain. i just had to deal with something i didn't understand and the drs didn't understand. there were times i wanted to die, but never attempted suicide. I don't think we could ever know how many suicides years back could have been from ch.

Title: Re: history and CH
Post by fubar on Nov 14^th, 2002, 12:15am

I think, no matter how you slice it, every person is capable of dealing with the pain. This is because your body is, under natural conditions, going to prevent you from experiencing anything over your threshold.

I ripped my kneecap off in a skiing accident. That was the most painful thing ever. Until I actually crushed (powderized) part of my knee in another accident. Surely that was as painful as it can get. Until I experienced long cycles of Kip10 clusters. Yet, each time I find myself alive at the other end of the tunnel, somehow impressed I actually survived. And knowing there'll never be anything worse. I guess I could stay depressed that the beast has chosen my house to play in, but damn, if I can survive this, I can take anything. Bring da shit on.

Title: Re: history and CH
Post by suzy617 on Nov 14^th, 2002, 2:27am

I agree fubar. I've had ch for 21 yrs and last yr was the first time I actually got some useful meds. Before that I just endured the pain but glad I decided to do something about it now cause this was the worse yr yet.

Title: Re: history and CH
Post by don on Nov 14^th, 2002, 8:54am

Quote:

What did they do about them in the past?

Cave men probably clubbed themselves then fed each other to the dinosaurs. I know frozen bags of peas weren't available.

I went over 20 years with out proper meds. Went the opium route in a different form and it did nothing.

I'm sure they did exactly what many of us here have done and thats find the most effective form of pain magagement. Course that may have been giant leaches.

Title: Re: history and CH
Post by Charlie on Nov 14^th, 2002, 3:11pm

Clubbing one another would explain a lot about most of us.

Charlie

Title: Re: history and CH
Post by Slammy on Nov 14^th, 2002, 3:31pm

on 11/14/02 at 00:15:28, fubar wrote:

I ripped my kneecap off in a skiing accident.

I actually crushed (powderized) part of my knee in another accident.

I experienced long cycles of Kip10 clusters.

Nice fucken name! It fits! ;D

Slammy 8)

Title: Re: history and CH
Post by spaceman on Nov 14^th, 2002, 3:32pm

Like Suzy, I've been a long-time sufferer and, until last year, never did anything in the way of treatment. One of the most incredible things about humans is their ability to adapt to their situation. For good and for bad. It's what allows us to exist through horrific pain and suffering (CH and otherwise) but it is also the source of complacency that keeps us from taking actions we otherwise might. If the pain of CH, without meds, is the only thing you know, you figure out how to get through it (or you don't). Those that don't are the ones clubbing each other.

;)

Title: Re: history and CH
Post by GlennR on Nov 14^th, 2002, 3:43pm

My brother and I had this conversation not to long ago, he proposes that Hemingway shot himself due to a CH attack, as he was known to have bad bouts with headaches.

My brother makes sure his guns are disassembled and scattered around his house, knowing there would be no way he could function enough to reassemble them during an attack.

Title: Re: history and CH
Post by Jabeen on Nov 14^th, 2002, 4:16pm

Since modern doctors can't properly diagnose CHs, I don't know what they did years ago. I know that I walked around for a while without telling anyone what was happening to me because I thought it sounded too bizarre-attacks at night, one eye, runny nose, tearing eyes-then it goes as fast as it comes-nothing all day. Then the freaky thing was when I changed time zones and it still followed me at the same time into that time zone. I couldn't make sense of it- look how many people are on here and they still misdiagnose us. ??? ??? ???

Title: Re: history and CH
Post by domm on Nov 14^th, 2002, 7:14pm

I've always kind of felt like CHs might be an explanation for trepanning. If you want some creepy web surfing, visit a few sites after doing a seach for "trepanning". Apparently, people are still doing it today.

Title: Re: history and CH
Post by Charlie on Nov 15^th, 2002, 5:13am

If you go to antique shows and see 19th Century doctor's instruments for sale, you'll often find trepanning saws among the bizarre instruments. It was pretty common.

Charlie

Title: Re: history and CH
Post by LTBullitt on Nov 15^th, 2002, 5:27am

I still think CHs were engineered by the CIA and haven’t really been around that long. It’s the perfect weapon and we are test subjects.

FRANK CAPRA used to suffer from cluster headaches of some type.