Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


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

        New Message Board Archives >> 2003 Posts >> Help! Wht do I do?
        
(Message started by: plywood on May 4^th, 2003, 7:29pm)

Title: Help! Wht do I do?
Post by plywood on May 4^th, 2003, 7:29pm

My hair stood on end reading the similarites of my condition. What do do next to get rid of these headaches? I just want them to stop. I have been to doctors, chiropractors, MRI's, EKG, Pills, O2. What next?
Get rid of my wisdom teeth? Why only in Spring and some Fall? Why do they shut off like a switch. Why is God doing this to me?

Title: Re: Help! Wht do I do?
Post by Wendy the Brit on May 4^th, 2003, 7:33pm

Hello Plywood

Jesus, the names people have on here!
Sorry you are in trouble, but welcome anyway!

The Why's- God knows. Research in the UK suggests that us seasonal episodics (and in fact all CH sufferers) have a hypothalamus that is enlarged and has too many grey cells. beyond that no-one has a bloody clue what this means!

As to treatments, I'll let the more experienced people here answer that one.

W the W

Title: Re: Help! Wht do I do?
Post by achinghead on May 4^th, 2003, 7:35pm

have you been diagnosed with CH yet? Talk to your Dr about 02 treatments ... verapamil.... and or Imitrex as an abortive.. Keep reading the board.... very good info here and on the med board... look at ouch too..
I dont know why spring/fall.. seems that most of us eposodic suffer at seasonal changes.. your not alone.. I believe thats one of the most common simularities.. and god didnt do this to ya... this is just one of those things to make us tougher than the average person.. at least thats what I keep telling myself...
good luck to ya... but give us more info about urself

Title: Re: Help! Wht do I do?
Post by andy on May 4^th, 2003, 7:44pm

Plywood, sorry that you are in pain. Tell us more!
Quote:

I have been to doctors, chiropractors, MRI's, EKG, Pills, O2. What next?

Have you seen a neurologist? What pills? did you use the o2 with a non-rebreather mask? Tell us more. Take the cluster quiz on the buttons to your left. Read about o2, meds... Welcome aboard .............andy Wendy, is that really you?

Title: Re: Help! Wht do I do?
Post by Karla on May 4^th, 2003, 8:38pm

There are many meds to try. Predisone, lithium, verapamil, topamax, neurontin, depakote, just to name a few. There are many more preventatives. Oxygen, Imitirix, zomig, axert, maxalt, amerge, frova, migranol, etc. for abortives. Many people get them in the spring and fall for a short period of time lasting a couple weeks to a few or several months. I hope you find something to help you stop the pain.

You can try sleeping in a reclyner. It has helped reduce the number of ch a person gets in a night. Try Dramamine to go to sleep with. It reduces or stops rem sleep and will reduce ch for a night or two. Ice or heat effect different people differently but one will sooth you and help in reducing the severity of a ha if you are lucky. Read all you can there is lots of helpful hints in the archives and on the side bars.

Title: Re: Help! Wht do I do?
Post by Drk^Angel on May 4^th, 2003, 8:51pm

Welcome to the board! Sorry that the beast is driving extra large, rusty, infected nails into your cranium. Welcome to the family! Good luck!

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

Title: Re: Help! Wht do I do?
Post by cootie on May 4^th, 2003, 9:47pm

Hello plywood.......yer questions are often asked....hope you git some answers.....(why the name plywood.....don't mean ta sound mean at all, it interests me where names come from) Hey I'm a cat name sake favorite word (cootie) Pam :)

Title: Re: Help! Wht do I do?
Post by Callico_Kid on May 4^th, 2003, 10:49pm

Welcome aboard,

Glad you found us and I hope you can find some of the answers to your questions here. This is a large family that has a lot of wisdom stored up to be tapped. Be patient and read as much of the information here as you can. As someone else mentioned tap into OUCH as well. Each of us has to find his own way of coping. What works for one does not for another. Sorry my answers seem equivocable, but that is the best I can do. The only question I have a definative answer for is that God did not do this to you. You have been afflicted with a neurological condition that could have been brought about by a number o fdifferent factors. Learn to work with it and don't try to fight it head on. Strenuous excercise works for some while it makes it worse for others. Some handle it with meditation while others focus their attention on something outside of themselves. Heat helps me while cold helps others. Just to make it interesting, what works one time doesn't another. Just keep experimenting to find what does work for you and keep in touch here. There are a number of people who can and will help you.

Welcome to the family.
jc

Title: Re: Help! Wht do I do?
Post by Mark C on May 4^th, 2003, 11:13pm

Grab an oar plywood and start rowing...the more the merrier.....plywood...cool. Sorry to say but on the surface it sounds like you belong....bummer. Its sucks to need to be a member....however...all is not lost. You are amoung many hundreds, if not thousands, of years of CH experiences. This has been the best thing for my CH since they started, over 25 years ago. I will attach a favorite link here. (http://www.clusterheadaches.org/library/general/index.htm)

PFDAN's
Mark

Title: Re: Help! Wht do I do?
Post by JDH on May 4^th, 2003, 11:23pm

Plywood,
Welcome to clusterville. Instead of asking why, start reading all you can about your condition and
FIGHT BACK!!!
There are many resources here that can help you and there are many of us dealing with the same thing...you're not alone.
pfdan's

Jim

Title: Re: Help! Wht do I do?
Post by Charlie on May 5^th, 2003, 5:29am

Welcome Plywood. You'll find some good ideas and ways to cope with this horror. As for reasons: Poor design is the main factor. Believe it or not, even with the sloppy construction, we'll get around it. I'll leave the drugs and technical stuff to others and offer the following which worked very well for me and others Stick around and tell us more

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 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. Often, 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 but when this works, the relief is almost immediate.

I learned this from the doctor in a few minutes. He simply told me to try to keep blood away from the head. He thought it easiest to concentrate on 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. Don’t let up until you are sure the attack has ended.

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