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        New Message Board Archives >> 2005 General Board Posts >> I had a cluster last night,today I feel groggy
        
(Message started by: tazreenie on Mar 8^th, 2005, 1:54pm)

Title: I had a cluster last night,today I feel groggy
Post by tazreenie on Mar 8^th, 2005, 1:54pm

Has anyone had a cluster in the last day or so, I am trying to make it through my workday, I am on vicodin so it is hard. Any advice, I am scared cause I don't want another cluster, to come back.

Title: Re: I had a cluster last night,today I feel groggy
Post by guesst on Mar 8^th, 2005, 1:58pm

You get more than one cluster headache, that's why they are called "clusters". I would get off the vicodin too, it doesn't help MOST people with cluster headaches. You need to use O2 or a member of the triptan family to abort them, narcotics are not very good for CH pain.

Title: Re: I had a cluster last night,today I feel groggy
Post by Kim Y. on Mar 8^th, 2005, 2:01pm

Does Vicodin take the pain away? Or does is just make you groggy? Most pain meds like percocet, Loratab don't work on clusters but each person is different. :-/
No clusters in the last few day for me just shadows with Ice pics off and on around 930-10PM.

Hope this helps you. PF wishes. Hang in there

Title: Re: I had a cluster last night,today I feel groggy
Post by floridian on Mar 8^th, 2005, 2:03pm

Vicodin and other narcotics are not that effective - for most people they are not effective at all. They don't prevent or abort a cluster headache, and usually they do little for this type of pain.

Losing sleep to the beast makes me groggy. Wrestling with the beast zaps my energy.

Have you been diagnosed? Has your doc put you on anything (other than vicodin)?

Title: Re: I had a cluster last night,today I feel groggy
Post by Kim Y. on Mar 8^th, 2005, 2:14pm

Take him/her some CH information if not DX. :)
I get groggy as well.

Title: Re: I had a cluster last night,today I feel groggy
Post by ghost62 on Mar 8^th, 2005, 2:20pm

on 03/08/05 at 14:18:08, vig wrote:

I'm dopey from a 2am wake up call.
either that or I'm just plain dopey.

but anyway, yes, it lingers sometimes, residual pain.

vicodin doesn't do diddly for me...

Well it does me helps me sleep between attacks but nothing during. I agree o2 it thats better in my opinion.

Title: Re: I had a cluster last night,today I feel groggy
Post by Gator on Mar 8^th, 2005, 2:21pm

on 03/08/05 at 13:54:04, tazreenie wrote:

Has anyone had a cluster in the last day or so, I am trying to make it through my workday, I am on vicodin so it is hard. Any advice, I am scared cause I don't want another cluster, to come back.

Yeah, unfortunately about 5 every day. Did the demerol/percoset pain killers thing. Got nothing more than goofy or sleepy out of them. I've had ch attacks laugh at 200mg of Demerol. Oxygen is a life saver for me and I don't go anywhere without my injectible imitrex. Check you IM's. I've sent you a list of links where you can get some info and help.

Title: Re: I had a cluster last night,today I feel groggy
Post by Jonny on Mar 8^th, 2005, 4:05pm

on 03/08/05 at 13:54:04, tazreenie wrote:

Has anyone had a cluster in the last day or so

Your kidding right? ::)

Title: Re: I had a cluster last night,today I feel groggy
Post by Redneck on Mar 8^th, 2005, 6:50pm

on 03/08/05 at 16:05:31, Jonny wrote:

Your kidding right? ::)

[smiley=crackup.gif]

Title: Re: I had a cluster last night,today I feel groggy
Post by BlueMeanie on Mar 8^th, 2005, 7:37pm

Do you take CH meds ? Vicodin is NOT a CH med. Check the medical info to the left of this page. Print it out and take to your doc asap. You need 02 and CH meds if you want to stop ClusterHeadaches. Hope you get the right stuff.

PFDAN

Title: Re: I had a cluster last night,today I feel groggy
Post by Charlie on Mar 8^th, 2005, 8:36pm

Yup. They definitely come in clusters, pain meds are useless, and they wake you out of a sound sleep and scare you to death about nodding off. They will end after the cycle is over however.

In the meantime; you might try the technique I describe here. It made a lot difference for me:

Dr. Wright’s Circulatory Technique

What follows is a technique learned from a neurologist:
I am not sure what mechanism is triggered by this but whatever it is, at least indirectly helps kill the pain. I do know that this technique has nothing to do with meditation, relaxation, or psychic ability. It is entirely physical and takes some work. It involves concentrating on trying to redirect a little circulation to the arms, hands, or legs. It can described as a conscious circulatory flexing. Increased circulation will result in a reddening and warming of the hands. Try to think of it as filling your hands with redirected blood. The important and difficult part is that it has to be done without interruption through the pain. Do not give up in frustration. It may not work on the first try. Every now and then it will work almost immediately. I lived for those moments. Try experimenting between attacks. You will find that it gets easier with practice.

I was given less than five minutes instruction in the use of method. The doctor, while placing his arm on his desk, showed me that he could slightly increase his arm and hand circulation. After several attempts, I was able to repeat this procedure and use it successfully. I have had about a 75% success rate shortening these attacks. My 20 minute attacks were often reduced to 10 minutes or less. Once proven that I had a chance to effectively deal with this horror, I always gave it a try as I had nothing to lose but pain.

Perhaps it will help if you think of it as trying to fill the arm as if it is were an empty vessel. I used to try to imagine I was pushing blood away from my head into my arm. Use your imagination. There is one man who wrote that his standing barefoot on a concrete floor shortened his attacks. This may be similar as it draws some circulation away from the head. Cold water, exercise, or anything affecting circulation, seems to be worth a try. My suggestion is to not let up immediately when the pain goes. Waiting a minute is probably a good idea. So long as you do not slack off, this has a chance of working.

This technique is very useful while waiting for medication to take effect or when none is available. It costs nothing, is non-invasive, and can be used just about anywhere. It is not a miracle but it helped me deal with this horror. It can be a bit exhausting but the success rate was good enough for me and a cluster headache sufferer will do just about anything to end the pain. It gives us a fighting chance.

I hope this technique is helpful and I wish you the best of luck

Charlie

Title: Re: I had a cluster last night,today I feel groggy
Post by tazreenie on Mar 9^th, 2005, 1:23pm

Thanks for all the support, info and info links.
Yes, I will talk with my doc about the 02 and no the pain killers don't help. It makes me calm so I can handle my day to day schedule.