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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> Remission at last
        
(Message started by: ArCane on Sep 27^th, 2004, 1:05pm)

Title: Remission at last
Post by ArCane on Sep 27^th, 2004, 1:05pm

I have went 4 days now without a CH and only a couple of light shadows. Its still to early to tell but I think the beast is finally back in its cage. It's hard to describe the joy I have felt these last 4 days, but I know you all understand. I want to thank everyone for their help and support. I found this website this cycle and words can't describe how much it has helped. You all are the best. I wish everyone a PFDAN. God bless you all.

Title: Re: Remission at last
Post by nani on Sep 27^th, 2004, 2:32pm

Thats Good news :) ENJOY ENJOY ENJOY :D

Title: Re: Remission at last
Post by toolong on Sep 27^th, 2004, 6:27pm

OK.Please share your seceret.Was it God that helped with your remission?Or is it a medication(s).I've been praying to God for a long time to give me some relief,and he doesn't here me.D ;)avid

Title: Re: Remission at last
Post by E-Double on Sep 27^th, 2004, 9:05pm

SSHHHHHHHH don't want to wake him... ;)
enjoy it

E.

Title: Re: Remission at last
Post by Jaime on Sep 28^th, 2004, 12:49am

Congratulations! I am having a similar experience. I had my last certain CH on Friday morning. It was like a light switch just turned them off. I was going to get on the board tonight and start a new thread about how episodes end. I've read a lot about how they start and how we suffer during them, but no descriptions of how they end.

After 8 weeks of getting nailed, with the last 4 weeks spent in the comforting company of this board, I'm more than giddy to have been completely pain free for 3 days.

What I am uncertain about is - should I keep taking the verapamil? When do I stop? I don't know if the drug therapy is what brought on the end, or if it is just the natural end of an episode. Knock on wood (pounding my head ;)) I never have them again, or at least not for years and years.

Title: Remission, that's all it is......
Post by Mr. Happy on Sep 29^th, 2004, 8:13am

Quote:

never have them again, or at least not for years and years.

BZZZZZZZZTTT.

Wrong answer, Jamie. It's a hope we all share, but that's all it is........a HOPE.

If you suffer from CH, you have a CHRONIC ailment. You get some time off, but it Doesn't Go Away.......it WILL be back. If not sooner, than later. Too many people do their damnedest to get thru a cycle, then FORGET ABOUT IT. That's the wrong way to approach CH.....and smacks pretty damned close to DENIAL.

The most important thing you need to do is ACCEPT the fact that you have CH.....but accepting isn't enough. You need to EMBRACE this disorder, and carry it with you every single day for the rest of your life. Never leave home w/o a pocket triptan as a constant reminder. Even if it's not needed today, it WILL be needed one day in the future. Never let yourself forget that. Remission is nothing more than a PF break that gives you time to prepare for the next onslaught. Line up your doc and your meds for the next go-around today, or you'll wind up right back at the Wailing Wall, gnashing your teeth and rending your hair in a state of agony that you should have been Fully Prepared to Negotiate. Anything else is a form of denial, and......well......just plain stupid. Plan ahead, because planning is everything when it comes to CH.

We're all chronic,
RJ

Oh....yeah....stick with the verapamil for a while. Taper down over the next few weeks. If it's NOT time to quit, you'll be the first to know

Title: Re: Remission at last
Post by ArCane on Sep 29^th, 2004, 12:48pm

6 days and counting. Its so nice to get some sleep and get some work done. I dont mean to rub it in but Im absolutely giddy at the moment.

Best Wishes to All,
ArC

Title: Re: Remission at last
Post by Jaime on Sep 30^th, 2004, 10:29pm

I don't remember the link, but I got it from a thread somewhere on this site, about a recent long term study of a large group of 1st time CH sufferers. The majority of those studied had one episode, and at least during the time of the study did not have any further episodes. A significant percentage had a second episode, a smaller percentage had more than one additional episode, and a small percentage were chronic.

The studies seem to show that most folks have one period of attacks, and then are through with it. I won't apologizing for hoping that I belong to that group. Only time will tell, of course. I do appreciate the suggestion to taper off the verapamil. I was at 240 mg twice a day. I did 3 days at 240 mg, 3 days at 120 mg, and have been verapamil free for 2 days now. I'm with Arcane - I had forgotten how nice it is to sleep at night.

I still haven't seen any other episodic sufferers share how their bouts end. Is it typical that the headaches go off like a light switch? Do some folks have the attacks slowly fade over a few days or weeks? I expect the attacks always come on like a freight train at full speed. That much seems obvious.

Title: Re: Remission at last
Post by Patrick_A on Oct 4^th, 2004, 8:11am

Dealing with CH's is a personal choice.
I agree with Mr. Happy on a few things, and disagree on some others. Yea, I believe its kind of stupid not to get your ducks in a row while pain free. I now have Meds in all of the places that i frequents, ie... Work, Car, and of course my house. Ain't likely a CH will catch me unaware. But, After that. I totally distanced myself from the Daily pain of CH's. Life is too precious to spend it worrying about when your next episode will come. And if you are chronic, Then your choices are different than mine.
Never live your life in fear, Easier said than done!

Patrick

Title: Re: Remission at last
Post by don on Oct 4^th, 2004, 9:34am

The CH geru over in England says no. Stop the verapamil about 2 weeks after your last hit.