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        New Message Board Archives >> 2005 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> CH Inexperienced Doctor
        
(Message started by: Neetch on Mar 22^nd, 2005, 12:00pm)

Title: CH Inexperienced Doctor
Post by Neetch on Mar 22^nd, 2005, 12:00pm

Hi all,
I am new to this site so bear with me if I ask a silly question...or two. I am presently on day 30 of this cycle. This is only the third cycle in my life. The last one started in November 2001 and lasted about a month. I'm not sure if the Propranolol and Zoloft that my primary physician put me on back then helped to end the cycle or if it just ran its course and ended on its own. Here I am 4 years later and he has me taking Zoloft again after a week on propranolol that did nothing. The Zoloft doesn't seem to be doing anything either. I've read about many of the other preventive and abortive treatment options (prednisone, ergotamine, etc.) here and on other sites. I go back to the doctor tomorrow. Should I talk to him about other treatments, ask for referral to a neurologist, or just ride it out for another week and see if it ends?

After reading about some of your patterns I consider myself soooo lucky to have had 4 years without pain.

Thanks for any advice.

Neetch

My question is about my doctor...

Title: Re: CH Inexperienced Doctor
Post by guesst on Mar 22^nd, 2005, 12:03pm

on 03/22/05 at 12:00:42, Neetch wrote:

DEMAND A referral to a neurologist...

That's what you should do.

Title: Re: CH Inexperienced Doctor
Post by BarbaraD on Mar 22^nd, 2005, 12:19pm

Agree -- get thee to a neuro.....

Hugs BD

Title: Re: CH Inexperienced Doctor
Post by E-Double on Mar 22^nd, 2005, 12:21pm

Here is a great resource to know like the back of your hand

http://www.brightok.net/~mnjday/chtherapy.pdf

It will present the appropriate treatments that you should seek and the doctor should know!!!

Wishing you the best !!

Eric

Title: Re: CH Inexperienced Doctor
Post by jokrs2 on Mar 22^nd, 2005, 1:03pm

GREAT advice from all previous posts. Ditto. 1 day of suffering is 1 day too many. Blessings and vibes your way. Joe

Title: Re: CH Inexperienced Doctor
Post by Neetch on Mar 22^nd, 2005, 1:26pm

Thank you all for the advice. Eric - I've read and printed the article on treatments...lotsa stuff there that I didn't know. Guess it's time to see another doctor. Thanks!

Title: Re: CH Inexperienced Doctor
Post by sandie99 on Mar 22^nd, 2005, 1:29pm

I hope things work out just fine for ya! :)
Good neurologist is a piece of gold...

Best wishes,
Sandie

Title: Re: CH Inexperienced Doctor
Post by don on Mar 22^nd, 2005, 5:00pm

I highly recommend Dr. Brian Lieberman in Norwood MA.

Title: Re: CH Inexperienced Doctor
Post by pubgirl on Mar 22^nd, 2005, 6:29pm

I highly don't recommend ergotamine unless you fancy a bout of gangrene after using it for too long

Actually I'm serious Neetch, ergotamine is a dirty drug to use only if other abortives don't work, hopefully we've moved on a bit from taking rye fungus!

Wendy

Title: Re: CH Inexperienced Doctor
Post by unsolved1 on Mar 22^nd, 2005, 6:51pm

huh ? DHE is one of my favorite drugs ;)

Unsolved

Title: Re: CH Inexperienced Doctor
Post by pubgirl on Mar 22^nd, 2005, 6:59pm

Unsolved
You always bloody catch me with loose comments don't you you bugger :-*

What I mean is ergotamine as someone's daily abortive as you well know ;;D

DHE has its place in our armoury, ergotamine only has a place if the main recommended aborts don't work/can't be used.

Wendy

Title: Re: CH Inexperienced Doctor
Post by TonyG1 on Mar 22^nd, 2005, 7:02pm

Ditto on what others have said Neetch ... Neuro knows best (at least the good ones). I've found that you have to tell the GP what you want -- I didn't really ask my regular doc for a referral but rather told him I wanted a referral to a Neuro. It was that easy.... had an appt. with the Neuro in about a week..

Best Wishes for find a good doc and pain free time!!

Tony

Title: Re: CH Inexperienced Doctor
Post by Bob P on Mar 22^nd, 2005, 7:08pm

I find cafergot has it's place when your sucky insurance company won't cover other meds. It's cheap and effective. I've used it for 30 years worth of episodic attacks and always keep a jar of a couple hundred tabs on hand.

Try to take away my cafergot and you die!

Title: Re: CH Inexperienced Doctor
Post by unsolved1 on Mar 22^nd, 2005, 7:22pm

lmao ;;D

Unsolved

Title: Re: CH Inexperienced Doctor
Post by maria9 on Mar 22^nd, 2005, 7:27pm

Hey,

I feel like one of those CH dinosaurs here because I have only used cafergot , no imitrex injections for me or zomig pills, but I think the shrooms worked better than the other abortives on the last cycle. Just my 2 cents.

Marsha ;;D

Title: Re: CH Inexperienced Doctor
Post by pubgirl on Mar 22^nd, 2005, 7:50pm

I know you've posted this before Bob about taking Cafergot for years, but are you sure you've got all your extremities intact.

Just check and see for me would you? ;;D

W

P.S. Marsha, sounds like your doctor is the Dinosaur!
Out of interest, I think Imigran is a synthesised form of the part of Ergotamine which works to abort headaches so you can have the good bits without the damage to your circulation that long term use of ergotamine has.
Someone will probably explain the techy bit, but it was discovered that Ergotamine was good for migraines and the drug companies saw lots of money to be made and developed Imigran (I think)

Title: Re: CH Inexperienced Doctor
Post by Neetch on Mar 23^rd, 2005, 10:41am

Thanks again everyone for all of the help and advice. It's a pretty daunting road to travel alone. I'd much prefer to see a doc that knows something about CH rather than trying to educate one with the info that I've found here.

Hey Don - Thanks for the name of Dr. Lieberman. Hopefully he can see me soon...very soon.

Peace,

Bill

Title: Re: CH Inexperienced Doctor
Post by Gator on Mar 24^th, 2005, 10:50am

on 03/23/05 at 10:41:42, Neetch wrote:

Unfortunatly dude, unless you draw a good one, you may end up teaching any doctor - even a neurologist about ch.

Good luck.

Title: Re: CH Inexperienced Doctor
Post by mynm156 on Mar 24^th, 2005, 1:26pm

Yeah a Nuero is your best bet but not a cure all. I have found that I have to be the strong and DEMANDING with the Doctors. You are your own best bet. Learn all you can and work with your Doctor. There are not silver bullets with Clusters and not two of us are exactly alike. What works for some wont for others. So learn the current treatment and dosages used. Then dont let them Jerk you!

Good Luck.

Your Brother in Pain

MYNM156