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        New Message Board Archives >> 2005 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> My story
        
(Message started by: SpacemanFL on May 10^th, 2005, 2:44am)

Title: My story
Post by SpacemanFL on May 10^th, 2005, 2:44am

I am a 40 year old white male. Mother has migraines. A few years ago I won the daily double with headaches in that I started getting clusters in addition to my 25 year history with Migraines. The clusters started happening 2 1/2 years ago in the middle of the night and I thought it was just a migraine. If I take Excedrin during the aura stage the migraine is greatly reduced. Nothing worked for the new headaches I was getting so I just thought I was sleeping through the aura and missing the window to take the medication. I also started getting these headaches several times during the day. This went on for a few weeks before I finally went to see a doctor. When diagnosed with Clusters I started taking a combo of Verapamil, Amitriptyline, and Clonidine. These were to control slightly high bp and prevent clusters. Until that combo started working, a week, I was prescribed Stadol which worked well, although I would have a hangover type headache later in the day. This was of course nothing in comparison and could be controlled with Ibuprophen. This had been working well until a week ago when the clusters staged an uninvited return performance. The bp is still ok and I am now taking the Stadol once or twice a day. I understand how potent this stuff is but it worked for me. This has been less effective than when I last used it 2 years ago. The doc said to give it a few weeks and if it continues he would send me to a neurologist. Anyone have the pain fluctuating during an episode? After the five minute startup phase mine goes from a minute or two of 7 then spikes to a 10 for ten to twenty seconds. This goes on for about 30 minutes then the episode fades in a few minutes. Like I tell people, the good thing about clusters is they only last about 40 minutes for me, the bad thing is that it's a LONG 40 minutes. During my first stint with clusters I once had it switch sides during the middle of an episode. I felt the pain slide across from the left to right side of my forehead. This took about 4 seconds and sure seemed odd. I have never had any symptoms like tearing or feeling flushed. I do have what I call "aftershocks" it is just a mild pressure where the cluster had been and I also get the sinus pressure. Hopefully things will return to normal soon. It sure sucks when you fear going to sleep because unlike a toddler, you know the boogey man coming to get you.

Title: Re: My story
Post by Bob_Johnson on May 10^th, 2005, 9:32am

Stadol is NOT a first drug of choice for Cluster. Suggest you print out this excellent article to share with your doc.

Here is a link to read and print and take to your doctor. It describes preventive, transitional, abortive and surgical treatments for CH. (2002)

http://www.brightok.net/~mnjday/chtherapy.pdf
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I highly recommend the second title, especially in a complex situation which you have.

HANDBOOK OF HEADACHE MANAGEMENT, 2nd ed., Au. Joel Saper, MD, 1999, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. A highly condensed volume for doctors but good for "advanced" clusterheads who have a grasp of medical terminology and medications. Covers all types of headache with the section on cluster being brief. Sections on general considerations in treatment and on medications are important.

MANAGEMENT OF HEADACHE AND HEADACHE MEDICATIONS, 2nd ed. Lawrence D. Robbins, M.D.; pub. by Springer. $49 at Amazon.Com. This volume is better organized and easier to read for nonprofessionals compared to Saper's book. It covers all types of headache and is primarily focused on medications. While the two chapters on CH total 42-pages, the actual relevant material is longer because of multiple references to material in chapters on migraine, reflecting the overlap in drugs used to treat. I'd suggest reading the chapters on migraine for three reasons: he makes references to CH & medications which are not in the index; there are "clinical pearls" about how to approach the treatment of headache; and, you gain better perspective on the nature of headache, in general, and the complexities of treatment (which need to be considered when we create expectations about what is possible). Finally, women will appreciate & benefit from his running information on hormones/menstrual cycles as they affect headache. Chapter on headache following head trauma, also. Obviously, I'm impressed with Robbins' work (even if the book needs the touch of a good editor!) (Somewhat longer review/content statement at 3/22/00, "Good book....")

HEADACHE HELP, Revised edition, 2000; Lawrence Robbins, M.D., Houghton Mifflin, $15. Written for a nonprofessional audience, it contains almost all the material in the preceding volume but it's much easier reading. Highly recommended.