Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


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

        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Posts >> What was it?
        
(Message started by: hopefull on Mar 19^th, 2004, 9:08am)

Title: What was it?
Post by hopefull on Mar 19^th, 2004, 9:08am

Last night I had the worst headache...it started like a cluster but never settled in the eye....the top of my head if i could have cut it off i would have...the cluster abortive didn't touch it..it lasted 45 min or so ended like a cluster...i have migrains but this is nothing like any i ever had.....this morning my body is so sore and my neck seems to be the worst of it.....if my eye had been hurting i would have called it a 10.....confused what happen?...

Title: Re: What was it?
Post by AlienSpaceBabe on Mar 19^th, 2004, 9:11am

on 03/19/04 at 09:08:31, hopefull wrote:

A trip to the doctor is in order.... right away! If the doc can't get you in quickly, go to urgent care. It could simply be a weird cluster headache but it sounds like something more.... neck soreness? Get checked out right away!

Title: Re: What was it?
Post by Dave_Emond on Mar 20^th, 2004, 2:03am

Hopeful,
If this is the first time you've had an attack that was different than all others, I agree you should see your doctor.
Not all CH attacks are exactly alike after time. When I first got CH you could set your watch by the exact time I'd get hit, except for length of attack, they were basically all the same.
Over many years though, I learned the Beast can attack in many different ways. 80% of the time, yes, they fit the "typical" description of the CH attack.
But, if I'm alone on this, I'm in trouble! I get many attacks that hit other areas besides they eye. (Still remain on one side though). The pain might first hit in my temple, put moves around hitting almost anywhere on my right side of the face/head. People who see me going through an attack say my skin gets pale and they can see a red blotch moving around my face and know where I'm about to grab next. The neck pain is very common for myself. Feels as if nerves so deep you can't put pressure on them are about to snap, sometimes it feels like this nerve is attached to the top of my head and is being stretched. When all of the above hit at once, I'm pretty much a zombie praying for a guillotine!
The temple and eye are definifity the most common attacks for shorter times, but the longer the attack, the more areas affected. Actually, since medications don't work for me, I've found that oft times extreme heat on the neck either by shower or hot water bottle lessens the pain to some degree.
After attacks that brutalize my entire right side and neck, it feels like my whole head is bruised and in heavy shadows and I'm exhausted. This has become more prevalant over the years and especially since becoming chronic. Somtimes I can be walking or sitting and with no warning I get hit so hard it litterally knocks me in the air, off my feet and wherever I happen to land. (These are always in the temple). Sometimes I get warnings, usually from sharpe pains in the neck or ice pick "jabs" (instead of Psycho eeeek ... eeeek ... eeeek "stabing" of the full attack) for a couple minutes before the biggie.
So, I don't think every CH attack has to meet the typical description we read so often.
If anyone disagrees with this, my next stop must be the asylum.
I don't have migraines, but have been through very many attacks as you described. Still wouldn't hurt to tell your doctor though, just in case anything else is going on.
Best of luck,
Dave

Title: Re: What was it?
Post by ChrisUhl on Mar 20^th, 2004, 6:50am

I've only had CH for 3 years so I'm not the most experienced to give advice. But here goes anyway.

Usually my attacks fit the typical cluster description one hundred percent. But sometimes the beast surprises me be hitting just like you described. It you imagine an axis of pain it can go from my scalp down to my neck joint. Seconds later it can strike from the back of my head through the eye. Or just become a fixed burning pain in the teeth for example.

Last year I was rushed to the hospital after having an attack. I got some kind of seizure. After the attack had ended my body started shaking and cramping. I blacked out an when I woke up my neck was all stiff. So obviously everybody were concerned about what this could be. After being scanned several times they found absolutely nothing - just that the hypothalamus was a bit larger than it should be (which I understand is a common cluster thing).

My point is - I don't think you should be that concerned. The beast is a strange fellow and he loves to surprise us. BUT I can easily say that since I was checked in any way possible. So see a doctor first thing to make sure that everything is "normal" (I wouldn't exactly call clusters normal. But you get my point).

I'll send you a payload of vibes.

Chris

Title: Re: What was it?
Post by Renee on Mar 20^th, 2004, 10:32pm

Hopeful,

This sounds VERY familiar and NEW to me also! Monday morning at 230 am I woke up to one of the worst ha I've EVER had. Went to the E.R. and got 75mg demerol and 25mg phenergan. That didn't knock the pain but put me to sleep. They woke me at 530ish and sent me home although my head was STILL killin' me, but ONLY on the top of the head and my neck was stiff and hurting. I didn't get more than a mile from the E.R. when I started throwing up and the PAIN hit the same level as it was at 230ish, SO we turned around and went back to E.R. They gave me 50 more mg Demerol and 25mg for phenergan and I slept (drug induced) until about 9 am. They woke me up and sent me home and when I got home I threw up again.

This was NOT a CH and no pain in eye or temple area at all but rather all on top of head and neck. They did a CT scan at E.R. and it was ok. On Wednesday I had a triple study (MRI with and w/out contrast and an MRA) and am awaiting results from those on Monday. Wednesday night I was back at the E.R. for the very same HA...much worse than a kip10 CH! Then Friday afternoon I got hit with it AGAIN and tried a zomig and o2 and they did nothing to help the HA but I rode it out as my arm already looks like one big bruise from all the iv's this week and I survived the other HA's so i knew I'd survive this one also!

I have no idea if it is the demon manifesting itself in other way's or what, but I'll know more on Monday and will let ya know what I find out!

Have ya had anymore of these HA's since your post?

Renee

Title: Re: What was it?
Post by hopefull on Mar 22^nd, 2004, 9:28pm

Thanks guys sounds like you understand.....i was wondering if i was going crazy...I was home alone with my 14 year old son first time he has seen me go thru the whole thing.....usually my husband is the only one to hold me thru it but as i said before he is in Iraq now rebuilding the power plant with Fluor Daniel...first time he hasn't been here....well now I know I can do it with out him here...but I don't like it....Thanks for your support......