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        New Message Board Archives >> 2005 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> what to do during attack
        
(Message started by: msharpe2k1 on Jan 12^th, 2005, 9:29pm)

Title: what to do during attack
Post by msharpe2k1 on Jan 12^th, 2005, 9:29pm

Well its almost 10pm here/ only 1/2 hour left til pure hell will take over my head...I think its the anticipation that freaks me out,knowing there aint a damn thing I can do about it.
The beast will wait til I am sound asleep..then BOOM,out of nowhere,the white hot fiery sword will slice thru my left eye..That pain will last 2-4 hours,just in time to get 30 min of sleep then off to work...During that time when I am standing in the dark listening to my heart beat thru my eye,,I wich there was something i could do besides pray....Counting each second of the pain is crazy....any ideas out there what to do ? maybe turn the tv on? hurts too much...bang head against wall? tried that...roll on ground,cry,curse..theres gotta be something elese to do at the heat of the battle..any ideas? -mike

Title: Re: what to do during attack
Post by nani on Jan 12^th, 2005, 9:45pm

Welcome Mike, so sorry you're here. Have you seen a doctor about these? Have you been diagnosed with CH and/or tried any of the standard CH treatments?
CH is not curable, but there are things you can do.
First...what you can do tonight:
Ice packs on the affected eye often help ease the intensity of the attacks. Drinking large quantities of water help some. Putting your face into cold air (like a car A/C) helps some. A jolt of caffiene can help. And melatonin an over the counter supplement has helped many with the nighttime hits. Look on the medication board for a thread about it.
Next:
If you have not seen a dr yet, make an appointment. A Neurologist with knowledge of headaches is your best bet. Most CHers use a combination of treatments to make their lives a little easier. Take a special look at the Oxygen info link, too.
Look around the boards here and look at the OUCH site (link on the left) and learn all you can about this. Arm yourself with as much info as you can...you are about to become the expert when it comes to your treatment. We often have to take the lead to get the help we need. Ask questions if you have them. I am sending pain free wishes... nani

Title: Re: what to do during attack
Post by msharpe2k1 on Jan 12^th, 2005, 9:56pm

thanks for that info nani - i will see doctor friday.....i will definatly try ice pack on left eye tonite..thanks again-mike

Title: Re: what to do during attack
Post by BMoneeTheMoneeMan on Jan 12^th, 2005, 10:03pm

Welcome Mike, you are not alone.
For a long time, I did not take any drugs specifically for CH.....no Imitrex or Oxygen. I only took OTC pain pills and pounded them so hard that it caused another health ailment. I was taking over 3000mg of ibuprofin and my doctor told me to not take that much cause my blood pressure was through the roof. I used to take a tylonol/advil cocktail and hope that it would at least reduce the pain from a 9 to a much more bearable 7. I do not believe those drugs helped me at all.
Recently, I have gotten Maxalt, (which doesnt seem to help), Imitrex and received 4 canisters of Oxygen. The Oxygen has seemed to help quite a bit. The Imitrex also seems to help for those real bad ones.
I advise you Mike, it is worth your while to see your doctor and demand Oxygen just to start. Imitrex is so expensive, they only prescribe it after other comparable medications have proven to be ineffective. Take the comparable drugs and if they dont work, then demand to get Imitrex. The same day I went to the hospital, I had my prescriptions and had the Oxygen delivered that afternoon. My doc also gave me Verapimil and says that over time that may reduce the potential to get the CHs in the first place.
If you do not have access to medical people and prescriptions, I have noticed that firmly massaging my head over my eye and a little on my temple seems to help a little. Also, putting warm-to-hot water on my head where the pain is has also given me small amounts of relief. I just hunch over the bathroom sink and use my hand to put the water from the tap on my head and massage it a little.
Welcome again and may you have PF nights
BMonee

Title: Re: what to do during attack
Post by BlueMeanie on Jan 12^th, 2005, 10:11pm

Welcome Mike,

How long have you had Cluster Headaches ? There are several options to try. The best ones have already been posted. The 02 is pretty good, you must have the correct mask and flow regulator for it to be effective though. Read as much info to the left of this page as you can. From experience, most ppl will agree you have to go to the doc knowledeable of treatments as most don't know much about Cluster headaches.

Hope you get relief soon.

Title: Re: what to do during attack
Post by don on Jan 12^th, 2005, 10:34pm

Imitrex injection.

Or this:

http://www.clusterheadaches.org/resources/non_script_treat.htm

Title: Re: what to do during attack
Post by unsolved1 on Jan 12^th, 2005, 11:34pm

on 01/12/05 at 22:34:59, don wrote:

Imitrex injection.

Imitrex injections have saved me from many. many hours of pain.

Unsolved

Title: Re: what to do during attack
Post by Langa on Jan 13^th, 2005, 3:43am

on 01/12/05 at 21:45:46, nani wrote:

Ditto!

Welcome Mike!

I just want to add the Melatonin 9-12 mg of it combined with Benadryl 1/2 before bedtime, stopped the night-time hits for me completely.

Also, if ice doesn't help, one thing I used to do was keep my head under the hot shower, letting the hot water run on the affected side of the head, neck and face, rotating back and forth between the areas (hot enough where you can stand it without burning yourself ;)...it seemed to help me with the intensity of the pain...that was my technique before imitrex and 02.

Good luck. Keep us posted on the Doctor's appt.

Langa :)

Title: Re: what to do during attack
Post by athome on Jan 13^th, 2005, 10:08am

I posted yesterday that I needed info on melatonin and I took 9mg of it last night (1st time) - I was not visited by the beast last night but I do still have that feeling of I am going to get hit again or I just got hit? But at least I did not get the pull-your-hair-out pain at night. Try it till you go to the dr and get something else - that is what I am doing. Also the hot /cold thing it depends on the person I use cold either ice packs or a shower. I hope some of this will find you relief till you can get to a dr. Good Luck!

Title: Re: what to do during attack
Post by Rock_Lobster on Jan 13^th, 2005, 1:25pm

As others have stated, for many of us the 'during an attack' phase lasts about 5 minutes. We are quick to abort them, either via a triptan or with o2. Find what works for you with haste.

Then stepping back a bit, many of us have sucessfully found a working preventative. Get cracking on that as well.

Hope you made it through your hit pretty well.

Title: Re: what to do during attack
Post by RichardN on Jan 13^th, 2005, 2:09pm

Hi Mike,

Ditto to the above. You haveto have an abortive and preventative and start trying to identify triggers (alchohol was big trigger for me - quit 2/02)
My only abortive is 02. I can't do Imitrex (if you have high cholesterol or possible arterie blockage, your doc might want to do a stress test before prescribing - I have both and could cause a heart attack)
I LOVE my 02

PFDANs,

Richard

Title: Re: what to do during attack
Post by E-Double on Jan 13^th, 2005, 5:14pm

If you do have the "typical" wake you up in the middle of the night horrors then.... Melatonin might be a savior.
Many of us (myself included) have found that taking 6-9mg (some take more) about a 1/2 hour to 45minutes prior to bed have Knocked out the night visits and can finally get sleep.
Some tricks that I used to use and sometimes still do are:
*Wrapping a bandana tightly around my skull (be careful)
*Filling a sink with scaulding water creating a steam bath and placing my head over it with a towel covering
it.
*Going from Steam to Frigid shower.
*Standing infront of A/C
*Icepacks or frozen veggies on the back of the neck or eye
*Tons of STRONG coffee.