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        New Message Board Archives >> 2005 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> Chronic Question
        
(Message started by: Juce on Jul 19^th, 2005, 4:24pm)

Title: Chronic Question
Post by Juce on Jul 19^th, 2005, 4:24pm

I think I have all the symptoms of a chronic sufferer. Most of my headaches are severe but not all of them. Is it common of other chronic sufferers to have headaches not extremely severe?

Title: Re: Chronic Question
Post by nani on Jul 19^th, 2005, 4:26pm

I am a chronic with relatively mild CH most of the time. I do, however, have more severe cycles within my "chronic-ness".

Have you been diagnosed? Other headaches have similar symptoms. How long have you gone without a remission? Are you trying any meds? Tell us more.
~nani

Title: Re: Chronic Question
Post by Juce on Jul 19^th, 2005, 4:35pm

I went to a Dr. when i was 19, I am 22 now and he said that I might have CH. He made me get a CAT scan to make sure I didn't have any tumors and I didn't. But I never wen't back to him or any other Dr. because I simply couln't afford to pay over a 1000 dollars per test. He also sent me to an eye Dr. that did a bunch of tests and found nothing wrong. So I just looked online and figured I have CH. I get headaches just about everyday usually 1-3 a day. Sometimes I will go 2-3 without a headache though. Most of the time the pain is very intense and I have to pace or rock. I have noticed my neck tenses up just before I get a headache, but not every time. The pain is most intense right behind my eye and extends around the eye into the face.

Title: Re: Chronic Question
Post by nani on Jul 19^th, 2005, 4:49pm

CH is treatable. Make an appointment with a dr, preferably a neurologist who has a clue about it, so you can start some treatment. In the meantime....read, read, read. This site has a ton of info and a whole lot of support for CH sufferers. Look over on the left: See the Cluster Quiz? Take it. See the Oxygen info link? Read it. It's also a good idea to keep a headache diary. Include info such as time of day, duration, intensity, etc. The more you know, the better your chance of effective treatment is. Here is a link that goes over traditional CH meds. Print it and take it with you to the dr.
http://www.brightok.net/~mnjday/chtherapy.pdf

I hope you don't have CH, but if you do....you're in the right place. Welcome and pain free wishes, nani

Title: Re: Chronic Question
Post by E-Double on Jul 19^th, 2005, 4:51pm

Ya gotta get yourself back to a doc for a proper diagnosis & to make sure it is not something MORE SERIOUS!!!

Though there may be doctor sufferers here, I am not one of them.....

I can offer ya some non-medicinal advice that might help alleviate some of your pain.....

Some tricks that I used to use and sometimes still do are:
*Wrapping a bandana tightly around my skull (be careful)
*neck rub
*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.

I wish I had more to help ya but not too comfortable talking about meds if someone says they do not know what they have.......I was there not too long ago and though I certainly wanted info..I appreciated most people giving me household remedies per se' until I got diagnosed. We take dreadful meds.

As far as Chronic goes.......The IHS states that to fit criteria for chronic CH, one must have CH for 1yr or more with no less than 30 days consecutive pain free time with or without meds (i think that part is new)

Good luck!!

E

Title: Re: Chronic Question
Post by Juce on Jul 19^th, 2005, 4:51pm

thank you

Title: Re: Chronic Question
Post by Topical on Jul 19^th, 2005, 10:47pm

Sorry to hear your problem. Definitely get a doc and ask for some diagnostic testing to rule out other causes.

This is a good read. There are a number of different headache types discussed. I haven't heard of all of these types like SUNCT.
http://jnnp.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/72/suppl_2/ii19

Title: Re: Chronic Question
Post by gMike on Jul 21^st, 2005, 11:12am

on 07/19/05 at 22:47:28, Topical wrote:

Excellent link. It really covers the ground well. I thought I'd read all of the available literature but this one was a new one for me. Thanks for posting it!!

Mike