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        New Message Board Archives >> 2003 Posts >> I'm looking for anything that works
        
(Message started by: moni on Apr 12^th, 2003, 11:41am)

Title: I'm looking for anything that works
Post by moni on Apr 12^th, 2003, 11:41am

my husband suffered an eye injury 6 years ago. After the injury he suffered from headaches for a while. Three years ago they came back and from everything I've researched it sounds exactly like clusters. Doctors have placed him on all kinds of medication, verapamil, kepra and probably ten more I don't recall. Vicodin and Ty-3 seem to help him. As anyone else found this and if so what is comparable but not has armfull. We are willing to try anything at this point

Title: Re: help
Post by don on Apr 12^th, 2003, 11:59am

There is documentati0nn that CH has been triggered by some type of of physical trauma.

You haven't given a whole lot of info to work with;

Is the diagnosis Cluster Headache?
Exactly what treatments and meds?
Suffered headaches for awhile. What is awhile?

Describe the headaches and patterns.

Title: Re: help
Post by moni on Apr 12^th, 2003, 12:15pm

Thx for responding.

the heacaches as he describes are somewhat always dull but able to handle as day progresses particulary at night it starts behind left eye and he also describes it as ice pick which in turn leaves his forehead and top left of head aching. Mostly during seasonal change severe ones last up to 4-6 days effected more by bright sunshine. Once they severity diminishes he describes that a dull ache is always present. Different neuros have touched on several disorders and also on clusters he received a nerve block over the base of eyebrow. which did not help. As far as meds as mentioned before he has tried verapamil, keppra, neurontin,and i apologize but do not recall the rest. All I know is that nothing as helped. We have ended up in ER approx. 4 times over the last 3 yrs. They are absolutely no help.
After the eye injury he had severe headaches for a year.

Title: Re: help
Post by don on Apr 12^th, 2003, 4:58pm

Have him take the cluster quiz located on the left of the site.

Title: Re: I'm looking for anything that works
Post by catlind on Apr 12^th, 2003, 5:03pm

Moni, I'm sorry to hear about your husbands suffering. Click on all the links to the left and read read read. If he does in fact have clusters, the vicodin and narcotics will be of little use. They can take the edge off but that's all they can do. Narcotics do not abort CH.

Try and get your hubby to keep a specific journal. What you describe initially sounds more like migraines up til you talk about night time and ice pick. It may be he is getting what we call shadows, and not realizing the break in between the hits. It's rare for a cluster to last that length, but not rare to have a hit and then have shadows constantly.

Immitrex has helped many folks here, and O2 is the nectar of the gods as far as I'm concerned. Your best bet is to take the test, and read all the info you can.

Hoping you find some answers soon!

Cat

Title: Re: help
Post by brain_cramps on Apr 12^th, 2003, 5:04pm

on 04/12/03 at 11:59:01, don wrote:

Is the diagnosis Cluster Headache?

A diagnosis by a neurologist is very important. There is no other way to rule out all other types or sources of headache.

on 04/12/03 at 11:59:01, don wrote:

Describe the headaches and patterns.

Since the headaches returned 3 years ago, have they remained pretty well constant or have there been pain-free stretches?

There is a wealth of information with the buttons to the left. It'll keep you reading for a while.

grant

Title: Re: help
Post by don on Apr 12^th, 2003, 5:10pm

Thanks for expanding on that brain.
I can be a little abrupt.

Wish someone would call me brain.

Title: Re: I'm looking for anything that works
Post by Opus on Apr 12^th, 2003, 7:33pm

It sounds like migraines to me, but I need more facts, does he have any Pain Free time? Does the pain get worse when lying down like clusters or better like migraines? Clustersheads dance when the pain gets to a point, there is no way to sit still, does this happen or does he need to lie down in a quite dark room like Migraine sufferers. I get both and there is a distinct diffrence but some times the onlyway to tell if It is a bad migraine or a CH shadow is to lie down. Then I know how to treat. If his pain runs down his face then thats anouther problem altogeathure.
Opus :P

PS Great post Brain

Title: Re: I'm looking for anything that works
Post by amber on Apr 12^th, 2003, 8:21pm

Moni, I'm going to e-mail you some information that I think may be useful, once you get a firm diagnosis ok?

Keep on being the great support that you are!
Amber