Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


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

        New Message Board Archives >> 2003 Posts >> A cluster attack for me is!
        
(Message started by: Elaine on Oct 5^th, 2003, 8:03am)

Title: A cluster attack for me is!
Post by Elaine on Oct 5^th, 2003, 8:03am

A cluster attack for me is my nose at first gets stuffed up and I get this pain along side my nose on my left side. That’s usually the fist sign for me. Then the pain generates from the nose to the whole left side of my face ear jaw and eye. The eye is where the pain is the worst it fills like something sharp is in my eye.
The pain seems to go deep down behind the eye. My ear will hurt like I have an earache. My Jaw hurts and my teeth hurt like I have a toothache. My eye will start watering, within five to 10 minutes of the warnings I am getting hit. Then my nose will start running .When I get hit it’s a 10. I have learned to take my meds as soon as I get that warning sign and by doing that I am living a fairly pain free life. I always want to rip the side of my face off I feel like if I could reach under the skin and rub my face from the inside out I could make the pain stop. The reason I never liked the name cluster headache is because it’s more in my face than in my head. The top of my hair is sore but I think that is from pulling on it.

The only thing that has ever changed about my clusters is the fact I am no longer chronic and I think that is because I have learned when to take my meds. By doing that I kill it before it hits me full force.

Title: Re: A cluster attack for me is!
Post by BarbaraD on Oct 5^th, 2003, 9:32am

My eye starts swelling (I usually don't even notice this - others do) and my ear gets a "cramp" in it. This is a "warning" sign.

Sometimes, I can abort the CH with 3 Excedrin and some strong Black Coffee and maybe some O2 (if I'm at home - don't keep it at the office -yet - but am thinking about moving it over there).

If the Excedrin and Coffee don't work (and it's about a 50/50 shot) the pain will hit with a K-8 to 10 force without notice and then it's Cafagot time immediately. Running nose, watering eye, head banging, pacing, screaming, hair pulling, the whole thing.... the next 1/2 hour I'm not fit for humans to be around.

Then after the pain subsides -- the exhaustion sets in and well.... you know the rest...

I hate the pain and I hate the exhaustion. But until we find a CAUSE and CURE............

Hugs BD

Title: Re: A cluster attack for me is!
Post by Ozuser on Oct 5^th, 2003, 10:03am

Behind the ear, back of the head, then progressively to the back of the eye, next to the nose and teeth.

It's horrible isn't it, when they come back. After months or sometimes years without them they come back. With the first signs I know what I'm in for for the next few months. I get snappy and irritable with my wife and kids when I shouldn't, and I despise that I have to fight my tormentor all over again.

I hate that I might be doing something really enjoyable, like playing with my kids, or at a bar with friends, or shopping for new furniture (last week with my wife) and I have to drop everything and get away from them before they see me go to pieces. The kids don't understand yet. At work, in a meeting, "sorry peoples, I have to go now to cry and pull my hair out for a while. If I don't fall asleep exhaused afterwards I'll try to come back". My wife understands, but no one else I'm sure would care to watch my jekyll and hyde transformation into insaneguy.

Ranting again....sorry lol

Cyas
Joe