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(Message started by: sherryberry on Feb 27th, 2004, 9:44pm)

Title: The beast is back and I am experimenting!
Post by sherryberry on Feb 27th, 2004, 9:44pm
Hey there my (long lost) friends!  Sorry it's been so long, but.... I've been LHE (Living Happily Everafter)

Unfortunately, 3 days ago, ... almost 2 years to the day... the beast returned.  I expected it, but hoped that it would pass me over and give me 3 years.  

Don't get me wrong!  I am very grateful for the 2 year hiatus!  It's just a bitch when it does show up and it takes a bit of acclimatization (sp?)  My first thought was: "Sinus???"  Then it became all too clear...

Now to the point of my post.  Not here for good wishes or support.  I got my icepacks and there are many more here that need support more than I.

3 days ago at around midnight, (I was still up)  I got what I thought was sinus pain (burning and clogged up nose and pressure)  then it became pure torture.  Luckily and as has been the norm in the past for me, the pain did not go past approx. a kip 7.  I told my husband "Guesssss whaaaaat's baaaack!",   he said,  "Oh no! , your one sided headaches?";   " Looks like it";  I said.

Next day.... nothing (Quite normal for the beginning of an episode)

Yesterday, got one at approx. 12 noon.  Had been complaining the previous day that the first HA had caused my neck to become VERY tense ( also normal for my episodes)  My husband who recently had had some trouble with shoulder and neck pain had some Flexeril (sp?) left over and said I should take one to ease the tension in my neck.  I took that at approx. 1:00 when I told my husband that the tension was building and that another HA was coming on.  That HA lasted all total about 45 minutes.  My average HA lasts from 1 to 2 hours.  HOWEVER, at the beginning of a cycle, they are usually shorter in duration.   But because of the ending of the HA at approx. the time the Flexeril (sp?) kicked in, my husband and I thought further experimentation was warranted.

I had no HA last night.  Today, I took a flexeril (sp?) at approx. 11:00 am  and at approx 12 pm  I got that "eminent HA" feeling and then all of a sudden, it felt like I was at the very end of an attack!  Like the middle was taken away!

Now, I know, that this could be just the erratic way the beast hits at the beginning of the cycle... but, if the flexeril (sp?) continues to keep the beast away....YAHOOOOO!

I will keep you informed on how it goes.

I guess I should ask ( but I'm afraid of the answer LOL) but have any of you been on Flexeril (sp?) (muscle relaxent) while in cycle?  Did you notice any affect on your CH?

Thanks you guys.  I know I haven't been around in a while, but, I do think of you often.  I'm just in a stage of my life right now that I can't devote too much time to myself.  I will be moving back East in May to take care of my father.  He is 81 and hasn't had a meal other than "ready to eat" or microwaveable since my mother died.  Also he can't fix the things that are breaking around the house... etc.  He needs someone to  take care of him.

Lot of planning has to go into this move and we have just been so busy and preoccupied, haven't had time to visit online much.

Please forgive me and know that you are all in my thoughts.

Sherry
("I'm not quite dead yet")

Title: Re: The beast is back and I am experimenting!
Post by BobG on Feb 27th, 2004, 10:28pm
Hi Sherry. Good to see ya.

Sorry to hear the beast at your head again. Hope it's just a one time fluke and goes away real quick.

Movin' East huh? Arizona just ain't going to be the same without you. Take good care of your dad. Let us know after you get settled.

Title: Re: The beast is back and I am experimenting!
Post by jonny on Feb 27th, 2004, 10:52pm
Welcome back kid.......Mega jonny vibes to ya, Babe

........................................jonny

Title: Re: The beast is back and I am experimenting!
Post by suzy617 on Feb 28th, 2004, 7:27am
My CH also came back last week, almost 5 months late.  I thought I was gonna be a lucky one and skip this cycle but I guess the beast just lost his calendar.  >:(
I skipped a few days here and there too but I looked at my notes from the last one and it did the same thing too in the beginning.  He is sharpening up his ice pick now and they are coming more frequently now.  However, I hope you found something that is going to help you.  Keep on experimenting and let us know how your doing.

Suzy

Title: Re: The beast is back and I am experimenting!
Post by cathy on Feb 28th, 2004, 9:18am
Hi Sherry sorry to hear your getting hit again.....I don't know much about the med you mentioned but if it works for you then you go girl!! Let us know how it goes and fingers crossed this end that it isn't coincidence...

Catch up with you soon, when all calms down in my house of horrors  ::)

Cathy  :)

Title: Re: The beast is back and I am experimenting!
Post by kim on Feb 28th, 2004, 7:43pm
Hey SherryB, good hearing from ya, girlie, but sorry you are walkin on one side of the room again....er.

I tried my dad's muscle relaxers.  Helped in beginning but as time went on it became moot.  Best luck.

Thinkin of ya.  Good luck with the move and best wishes to your dad****

Kim

Title: Re: The beast is back and I am experimenting!
Post by pubgirl on Feb 28th, 2004, 8:33pm
Hi Sherry

Good to see you.
Sorry you are in cycle again and hope it is a short and manageable one.

Wendy the Brit

Title: Re: The beast is back and I am experimenting!
Post by Edna on Feb 29th, 2004, 2:05pm
Hi Sherry!!!!   Great to see you around here, so sorry it had to be the head to bring you here though.

Hope your new "remedy" helps you out in receiving some pf time.

And, keep us posted as much as possible with your move. I wish you the best of luck in caring for your dad, and may God bless you for your efforts.

Love and hugs to you,
EDNA

Title: Re: The beast is back and I am experimenting!
Post by sherryberry on Mar 8th, 2004, 3:52pm
I'm sorry I can't report a cure... but, staying on (keeping the blood levels up for Norflex -- ran out of flexeril) the muscle relaxers seems (I repeat, SEEMS) to be cutting out about half of the pain...

I couldn't really tell, but I think the flexeril was a little bit better than this Norflex (which makes you less drowsy and also seems to me to not be as effective as a muscle relaxer)

There are 2 doctors at the hospital where my husband works that are VERY interested in my experiment....

Unfortunately, it hasn't gone as well as I hoped, but if it can reduce the pain and the duration of the ha's without side effects.... I am all for it.

But, (Kim, I hear ya!) I'm not overly enthusiastic...  I skipped 1 and 1/2 days and the pain came back both barrels...and the pain was still severe after I started back on it... but somehow different...the pain was... clearer...does that make sense?

It seems to me that about 25 to 50% of our pain may be due to muscular tension which is a reaction to the onset of the pain... I'm thinking that the muscle relaxer, may help to cut out or at least lessen the..."reactive" pain from muscle tension.

So...what would normally be a kip 9 might only get to a kip 6

I will continue to take the Norflex, as the doctors recommend and see what happens.

Might not be the cure or solution, but a reduction in pain and duration with no side effects is worth it to me.

Love you all and sending you pf wishes!

Sherry

Title: Re: The beast is back and I am experimenting!
Post by Tiannia on Mar 8th, 2004, 4:19pm
Hiya Sherri,

Never met you as I just met the Beast this last July. He has been a constant friend ever since.  :(

Anyway, muscle relaxers I have tried for my back. (Degenerative disks here) Flexeril and Soma to be precise.  I know that when I am out or leave them at home and dont have them in my system (ie supposed to take 2 times a day) the HA seem to be stronger. I end up with back spasms while i am getting hit which REALLY sicks.  >:(   Never really thought about it before and I will try and keep better track but after reading your post I have to agree with it.  

Sorry that the Beast is bugging you again. Thought myself and a few others where keeping him pretty busy. Anyway, stop by when you can.  And PF vibes headed your way.

Tiannia



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