Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


    
      
        Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        New Message Board Archives >> 2004-2005 Getting to Know Ya Posts >> new to board
        
(Message started by: painstruck on Sep 10^th, 2004, 9:55pm)

Title: new to board
Post by painstruck on Sep 10^th, 2004, 9:55pm

Hi everyone,
my name is michelle, im 36 years old, married with three great kids. two years ago, i started to get these terrible headaches, i went to three different doctors,who would say there sinus, and give me meds for them. it did nothing for me. everynight i would get the headaches, praying that i would just die. i used frozen veggies on my head, which seemed to help,as long as i did not put it on spots that were so painful. my eye,jaw,cheek, and the back of my right side of my head and neck killed me. they got so bad, that i would loose the sight in my right eye. one night my daughter who was four at the time, was on the computer and was typing in her name on search and brought up a porno site that a girl named chloe made. i almost died once the headache was over. usally i got them about 9pm every night, and only once a day. but then they started to get more and more and i was having them three and four times a day. finally i went to a nuro, who told me they were migrians, and gave me wonder meds, which helped almost instanly. they went away, and now a week ago yesterday, they came back. i called the doctor and got an appt,by begging and telling them i could not go through the pain again. i saw a different doc, in the group, who told me they are not migraines, they are cluster headaches. he wanted to give me steroids, but i said no thanks. just give me what the other doc,gave me. they went away and i was fine. but not this time, i woke up at 4am with one, and today had three already. i will call him on monday to see if he can give me something else.
i own my own bussiness and im in a terrible marriage.
i have stress to the fullest, the poor doc asked me how my life was,and i balled like a baby....
i hate to go to sleep,cause i know im waking up with one,now they are starting to come during the day,which is worse now, cause when im in my store, i have to put frozen fish in my head, and deal with the customers and my kids. i dont know what to do.....
im glad i found this sight and i pray i can get some help
michelle

Title: Re: new to board
Post by don on Sep 10^th, 2004, 10:03pm

Quote:

one night my daughter who was four at the time, was on the computer and was typing in her name on search and brought up a porno site that a girl named chloe made.

And this has what to do with what ?

Quote:

and gave me wonder meds, which helped almost instanly

such as?

Title: Re: new to board
Post by painstruck on Sep 10^th, 2004, 10:04pm

that the headache was so bad, i did not know what she was doing,cause i was suffering with the head ache.

Title: Re: new to board
Post by don on Sep 10^th, 2004, 10:06pm

Quote:

i have to put frozen fish in my head,

What kind of fish?

Title: Re: new to board
Post by Kevin_M on Sep 11^th, 2004, 1:40am

on 09/10/04 at 21:55:02, painstruck wrote:

I saw a different doc in the group who told me they are not migraines, they are cluster headaches. he wanted to give me steroids, but i said no thanks. just give me what the other doc,gave me. they went away and i was fine. but not this time, i woke up at 4am with one, and today had three already. i will call him on monday to see if he can give me something else.

If the second doctor had thought they were clusters and offered medications for clusters but then you suggested different to him, then yes, if they are clusters, you made a mistake. Go back and listen because he was trying to probably help you through this.
The usual medications are preventives and abortives. The steroid may have been prednisone which might have spared you this recent pain.
If it's clusters, you will need that doctor and his prescriptions, otherwise, what kind of fish was it?

Kevin M

Title: Re: new to board
Post by Giovanni on Sep 11^th, 2004, 5:49am

Try to educate yourself as much as possible about these headaches and become proactive with your treatment. Verapamil seems to help a lot of us. Abortives like oxygen (click on link to your left) aborts many individual headaches. Imitrex injections used to work with me in less than 5 minutes. Melatonin at about 9mg one hour before bedtime works on many. Strong coffee at the first signs of the headaches will probably help. Keep us informed about how you're doing.

pf,

John :-/

Title: Re: new to board
Post by miapet on Sep 11^th, 2004, 9:18am

painstruck,
I'm sorry you are getting slammed with headaches. Read as much as you can, such as the oxygen link, it works for a large number of people at aborting individual headaches, and works pretty quickly. Since you already know that ice can be helpful, continue using it. If you are at home, sometimes a hot (REALLY HOT) shower, followed by icepacks (veges or whatever) also sometimes help. Cold air conditioning also gives some relief. The shower/ice treatment isn't perfect, but it can be better than nothing.
As for the pain making it so you aren't able to see what's happening with your kids (like when your daughter had the porn site come up), one fix for the computer would be to use a block, so that the computer won't allow access to those sites.
Hope you are able to get some relief soon.
*positive light and energy*
miapet

Title: Re: new to board
Post by painstruck on Sep 11^th, 2004, 9:29am

as for the frozen fish, it was spearing. it was the smallest bag in the freezer at the store.
im going to call on monday, last night i had two back to back. today, im tired,and my head hurts like a hangover. ill see about what new meds he can put me on, i really need something to stop this.

Title: Re: new to board
Post by Jonny on Sep 11^th, 2004, 9:38am

Get 02.......its even great for hangovers.

02 is gods gift to CH'ers

.............................jonny

Title: Re: new to board
Post by painstruck on Sep 11^th, 2004, 9:42am

i will ask about the o2 on monday, as for the computer it was done then, lol....
i am afraid about the roids, but if it helps them im going to ask for them on monday.....
i have tried the hot shower, it does help. thanks for the info on everything else.
hopefully, he will be able to help me with the o2, where do you buy it once you have a pres for it???

Title: Re: new to board
Post by Kevin_M on Sep 11^th, 2004, 10:27am

Quote:

hopefully, he will be able to help me with the o2, where do you buy it once you have a pres for it???

Michelle,

Oxygen suppliers are found in the yellow pages, otherwise your doctor may recommend one maybe. Read about oxygen on this site, it has it's own tab on the left. There also may be someone from your area on the board here who might suggest a medical supply company for the oxygen.
Where you would need something for helping attacks at work though, if an oxygen tank is not practical there, also get an alternative abortive medication. Many have the triptans such as Imitrex or Zomig nasal sprays, which work ok and are easy to use, but then there is the injectable Imitrex too for faster results.
A preventative medication tries to help you have less headaches but takes several days to get built up in your system, so that would have been the reason the doctor attempted to give you the steriod, that works immediately while the preventative medication has a chance to get effective.
Good luck on Monday, and actually, I hope you can get that same doctor again.

Kevin M

Title: Re: new to board
Post by unsolved1 on Sep 11^th, 2004, 2:05pm

on 09/11/04 at 09:42:48, painstruck wrote:

i am afraid about the roids, but if it helps them im going to ask for them on monday

I'd be afraid if I couldn't have 'roids' every now and then. It gives me a break when I need it.

Unsolved

Title: Re: new to board
Post by Superpain on Sep 11^th, 2004, 5:18pm

Do the steroids! There's a better than average chance it will bring relief almost immediately! O2 is a lifesaver as well!

Title: Re: new to board
Post by painstruck on Sep 16^th, 2004, 9:58pm

[smiley=huh.gif]
the doctor put me on dexamethason 4mg, i started on tuesday, five the first two days, im down to four today and tommorow and so on. plus im still taking the pamelor 10mg 2 pills before bed. i am very dizzy and i fell today,running after my one son, i called the doc,but he did not call me back. im very out of sorts now, and i feel like im spinning alll the time, the good news is the clusterhead aches are gone,but now i have a dull headache,which is part of the side affects... i looked up this steroid and it said it is ten times stronger then predisone. i have to go back on tuesday for a follow up ,and i want to know, once the pills are done, will i get the headaches back. i just cant go through that pain again so soon.
have a nice night
michelle

Title: Re: new to board
Post by lionsound on Sep 16^th, 2004, 10:14pm

MIchelle,
I would call that doctor back!
I don't know about the side effects for dexamethason, but dizziness is side effect for pamelor(I believe that's nortriptyline). I've taken it. I wouldn't wait until tuesday. Make sure you tell them you fell. It might be a good idea to keep a headache diary with pain, times of meds and symptoms/side effects to bring to your appt and have handy for doc phone calls.

Good luck!
PF wishes for you!
-Lionsound

Title: Re: new to board
Post by painstruck on Sep 16^th, 2004, 10:18pm

thats for the info, i will call back in the morning to speak to them. i did tell the nurse that i did fall today. i think it is the pamelor,and yes you are right about the other name of this drug.... i will start writing the info down as well.
michelle

Title: Re: new to board
Post by lionsound on Sep 16^th, 2004, 10:36pm

Glad to be helpful :)

Title: Re: new to board
Post by TreenaS92770 on Sep 17^th, 2004, 7:24am

Hi Michelle,I'm sorry to hear that you are having these painful headaches.The symptoms you were discribing sounds like mine which I went to a neurologist for the first time last month and he said I have cluster headaches and classical migraines. I tend to fall with my headaches also because I tend to blackout and then when the pain from the cluster headache wears off then I will have the migraine. I tend to get really hot with the cluster headaches and I get cold with the migraines.All I know is that the headaches hurt like heck and they affect your whole body and your life.What I would like to say is to try to have patience when your neuro is treating you and tell him/her about your experiences of the treatment.I went to the neuro because I wasn't getting relief from the family doctor so he referred me to a neurologist.I told the doctor how the headaches affect me and etc. He has me on Verapamil which helps control blood pressure also and it's a calcium channel blocker and it can take a while for it to be affective and he has me on Relpax.If I get hot I will go to the restroom and splash water on my face and neck and etc and sometimes I will use a ice pack around my head and on the back of my neck.These are not fun and they disable you where you can't work.I hope you find some comfort soon. If you aren't happy with your marriage then leave your husband and get a divorce. I left mine cause he was abusive to me for four years but I didn't have a child with him.Hope things get better for you.

Treena

Title: Re: new to board
Post by EmpressJMB on Sep 17^th, 2004, 9:15am

Michelle, a week of steroids is better than CH pain. The pain can destroy your life, especially with kids. You cannot function properly and be a good mom on 3 hours sleep a night (if that). I have always preferred natural remedies over meds but when it comes to CH, get it under control, then you'll have the energy to investigate other options. I just finished a week course of steroids and am taking Verapamil everyday. I have not had to use the Imitrex yet. I don't even know if it will work but from what I'm reading from all these great folks is, it will. I have been pf for 7 days now. My boys said to me last night that it's nice to have their mom back. Good luck! [smiley=hug.gif]

Title: Re: new to board
Post by Kevin_M on Sep 17^th, 2004, 9:18am

on 09/16/04 at 21:58:36, painstruck wrote:

[smiley=huh.gif]
the doctor put me on dexamethason....... plus im still taking the pamelor....... i have to go back on tuesday for a follow up ,and i want to know, once the pills are done, will i get the headaches back.

Michelle, I don't know about that steroid in particular but I was prescribed pamelor as a preventative years ago.
To answer your question, will I get the headaches back? The steroid is usually short lived relief while a preventative is being worked up in your system. If this preventative is pamelor, then I'd venture to say the headaches will come back. And I don't see any abortive medication for the headaches, ask him on Tuesday, should you use the frozen peas or the frozen spearing fish, get a professional opinion. just kidding, but let him know spearing fish has no generic, could he prescribe something that can be farm raised. j/k again, but be prepared.

Kevin M

Title: Re: new to board
Post by painstruck on Sep 19^th, 2004, 10:22pm

thanks kevin,
i will tell him about the fish on tuesday... still pf since tuesday, and loving it.... i cant take the dizzyness still or the way i feel, but its better then the ch.... the meds make me nuts and i have become the cleaning monster this weekend, and since the roids, well i am a tiger.... if somethink happens i get nuts. something i really dont enjoy. hopefully he can control these ch's, i wonder if he is going to put me on another round of them come tuesday. in your opinin, how long does it take for them to come back once the roids are done. thats what im afraid of.
michelle

Title: Re: new to board
Post by Kevin_M on Sep 20^th, 2004, 12:42am

on 09/19/04 at 22:22:20, painstruck wrote:

thanks kevin,
i will tell him about the fish on tuesday...

Well, if he isn't going to prescribe some sort of triptan or oxygen as an abortive, then ask which frozen fish he could suggest, or if you should just stay with the frozen peas.

Quote:

still pf since tuesday, and loving it....
....and since the roids, well i am a tiger....

Could be the steroid keeping things that way for now. When it ends, is the pamelor the only preventative? Docs usually give something to help sleep when on the steroids. Inquire about triptan or oxygen.

Quote:

hopefully he can control these ch's, i wonder if he is going to put me on another round of them come tuesday.

Well, it won't be any more steriods, and be careful taking them. What else will you have after the steroid taper other than pamelor?

Quote:

how long does it take for them to come back once the roids are done. thats what im afraid of.
michelle

Well, don't be afraid, but once the roids are done, usually soon after unless an effective preventative has been slowly introduced which might help.
I can't help to mention again, inquire of abortives. The frozen fish or peas can be a little too handy to toss through a window or chip paint from the walls after you're done banging your head with it.

Good luck

Kevin M

Title: Re: new to board
Post by painstruck on Sep 20^th, 2004, 9:50pm

;;D
you just all crack me up, im glad i have found you all....i will ask about the other meds tomorrow when im there.
for the frozez fish jokes, when you own a bait and tacle store it is on hand so i went with the fish. maybe i should of just said a bag of ice lol......
thanks gang
i will let you know how i make out tomorrow.......
fish head

Title: Re: new to board
Post by E-Double on Sep 20^th, 2004, 9:58pm

I hear frozen night-crawlers work well too.

Title: Re: new to board
Post by thebbz on Sep 22^nd, 2004, 7:31pm

Spoons in the freezer works on the eye, just dont forget to moisten them first or they will stick!! and they don't smell as bad.LOL [smiley=hug.gif]
Do not let the pain, personal situations and frustrations rule the day, this all comes with CH. Many have lost alot and still have CH. Baking cookies at 3:00am on prednipoison or other steroids is not uncommon. All the best to you and yours.
BB [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Title: Re: new to board
Post by zline on Sep 22^nd, 2004, 7:38pm

hello i'm new to the board .. i like the spoon idea, would of helped last night