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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004-2005 Getting to Know Ya Posts >> Another Denverite
        
(Message started by: racer241 on Dec 3^rd, 2004, 2:16pm)

Title: Another Denverite
Post by racer241 on Dec 3^rd, 2004, 2:16pm

Hi there,
My name is Jon, I am 30 years old and suffered from the evil evil CH since I was about 20. I have gone most of my life without treatment due to the first dr I went to seemed to think I just wanted drugs or something and would just tell me it is a sinus headache, give me some antibiotics and send me on my way.
About 3 years ago I broke down and decided to try a doctor again and within minutes of me explaining my symtoms, this new dr told me about Cluster Headaches.
I only get them this time of year (early winter, sometimes mid winter) and they usually never last much more than a month. This year I am on about week 7 :(
Last night was the worst attack I have had to date. Got headaches all night from 9pm to about 10am today. I called into work sick (great new job, 2nd sick day, no sick time yet) today because as all of you probably know no sleep, weak mind, sore eye, ect. ect. ug.
Right now I am taking Midrin at first sign of the headache coming on. That first few seconds of building pressure and tingling on the left side of my skull. Midrin seems to do pretty good for me as long as I catch the HA in that magical window. I usually have to jump in the shower for about 15 minutes until the Midrin kicks in before I can relax.
If I miss that magical window though I have been stuck with pain killers, Vicodin, Tramadol, Darvocet which will take the bite out of the HA but that is about it.
Basically I just found this site and have started reading about all you with the same problems and it is comforting to read. I just wanted to say Hi and read about how you all cope with your pain, what your medications are ect. There is a lot of great info in here so far and I am happy to have found this place.

Take care
Jon

Title: Re: Another Denverite
Post by nani on Dec 3^rd, 2004, 2:18pm

Welcome Jon and sorry you needed to find us...
As you know, none of the painkillers will help CH. I'm a little surprised Midrin does anything. Look around here and at the OUCH site for treatment options. Talk to you dr about preventatives and abortives. Oxygen works well for some of us. Pain free wishes to you...

Title: Re: Another Denverite
Post by racer241 on Dec 3^rd, 2004, 2:30pm

Thanks :)
That is wierd that my Dr. is so much into the Midrin. How he explained how it works was it will keep the blood vessels in my head from opening up and causing the ha to start if I take it in time. Like I said it does seem to work a good majority of the time if I get the pills down quick enough.
You are right about the pain killers though, they really don't do much other than keeping the HA at a catagory 8 rather than a 10. I do seem to fall a sleep easier with them though, gee go figure.
I have the Ouch webstie open in another window as we speak :)

Title: Re: Another Denverite
Post by nani on Dec 3^rd, 2004, 2:40pm

Good. You'll even find stuff to print out and bring to your doc and employer. I think Midrin works well for migraines, but not CH. IMHO.

Title: Re: Another Denverite
Post by marieinthesprings on Dec 3^rd, 2004, 3:28pm

HI from one newbie to another. I just found this site to. I also have been on midrin, and it worked the same for me, as long as I cought it in that magic time frame. I was pain free since I had my daughter up until 3 weeks ago. I have had these God forsaken things since I was 18, but it took 4 years, or 4 cycles for the docs to stop treating me as a sinus patient. Just try to be a woman with a CH, I have heard "CH is so rare in woman" enough times to strangle the next one that says that to me, or to pay one of these idiots to tell me "you need to relax" sorry for rambling, anyway, I too get in the shower after a dose of midrin. Does it really help?It makes the pain seem less like its all in my temple. Like I said this is my first cycle in over 5 years and they seem to have changed a bit. I too seem to have 2 days that seemed like one big CH but what i think happened was I had them come on top of each other, God forbid if you say to a doc you had one that last more than 3 hours, suddenly your only stressed and not a CH patient anymore. My father and my husband both told me to get my rear end into a neuro, so I did, overpaid doc in my opinion to tell me once again how rare this is in woman, man i hate that. So what else do we have in common, oh yeah , I am in CO too, just a bit south of you, in the Springs. I have been doing some reading on the effects of elevation on CHs too. How long have u lived in CO? I have only been here 2 years....Well I hope your cycle ends soon as I hope mine does too, oh the neuro gave me zomig to try, it took the edge off after about 20 mins, but i still hit the shower and the pain did not completely leave until about 2 hours, he wants me to try the nasal spray now. I will let u know how that goes...take care....Marie

Title: Re: Another Denverite
Post by byoung111 on Dec 3^rd, 2004, 3:51pm

Hey Jon. Nice to see people from Denver, unfortunately its here. This is a great place to get information. I think the people here know more that the Drs at this point. I too had the worst CH I've had in years and it started at 1am. I took my last dose of the Imitrex nasal spray and ended up tossing my cookies while dealing with the beast. I'm at work now wishing I was asleep. I just got back from the Doc and have the Imitrex shot, and O2 being deliverd to the house. I hate taking meds so I hope the O2 helps. Hopefully your new employer will be understanding.

Take Care

Brian

Title: Re: Another Denverite
Post by thebbz on Dec 3^rd, 2004, 9:35pm

Jon
Snowing there is it? Hope ya get feelin better. Ditto Nani on the painkillers. The time of year fits mine as well I believe the solstice has something to do with it in my case. I know how tough week 7 is and trying to work. You need a plan, timing and an abortive to pull it off.
Tell your doc ..no worky no eaty. [smiley=laugh.gif]
Study the site its all there..just a little different for each individual case.

Title: Re: Another Denverite
Post by racer241 on Dec 7^th, 2004, 7:26pm

Marie,
I have lived in Colorado my whole life. Me and the wife were actually talking about moving partally because of the CH's. SHe is in grad school right now as a writer and I am sure she will be getting job offers in Cali and NY and we were wondering if moving to sea level may actually help me out too. I dunno, I love Colorado but it really might be worth a try, expecially if she gets a nice juicy job offer. :D

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone. My Employer has been uber cool about this as they have seen me get two headaches at work so far and realise how much pain I am in. I was reading through this book a co worker gave me "foods that fight pain" or something along those lines and it had a couple page section about CH. They talked about how they are usually triggered when either going into REM sleep or when you are most relaxed which is usually the case for me. Sometimes I think stress will trigger mine but it is pretty rare.

Anywhoo. I look forward to finishing up my reading here and conversing with you all :)

Title: Re: Another Denverite
Post by marieinthesprings on Dec 8^th, 2004, 4:19am

HI Jon...so ur actually a native of colorado, well I must say this state proves over and over to me that it is the best kept secret in America, if it only had a coast line....I wish you well on your move and I hope the lower elevation gives u relief, but I have lived in NY and CA and my headaches came as usual...as for the zomig nasal spray, it is working great so far much better than the pills. My neuro keeps giving me samples, nice of him to give them to me but wish he would give me an RX so i dont have to keep driving across town to his office, oh well, the side affects of zomig has me a bit concerned though. I chose to take my mother to Denver today instead of going to my neuros office for my zomig and dam it if the beast didn't pay me a visit, wasnt completely unprepared though I have the ol'standby, Midrin and I am happy to say that after the dance in the shower plus about 10 mins the midrin worked its magic. I dunno why sometimes the midrin seems to have no affect at all but other times like tonight worked great. Any way Jon wish you all the best with these dam things and hope you find relief....tak care.....Marie

Title: Re: Another Denverite
Post by thomas on Dec 9^th, 2004, 10:03pm

If you are getting hit at night, I would suggest that you try melatonin before bed, it's cheap and worth a shot.

Oh yeah and by the way, Gordon sucks! ;;D

Title: Re: Another Denverite
Post by TxBasslady on Dec 9^th, 2004, 11:30pm

Welcome to the board.

Lots of great folks here and world renown support.

Careful with the narcotic pain killers. For some folks, they cause rebound headaches. Also, as others have stated, they do nothing for CH. The beast will return with a vengeance.

Take Thomas's advice on the Melatonin, if you have nightime hits. It really works!!! ;)

PF vibes,

Jean

Title: Re: Another Denverite
Post by rextangle on Dec 10^th, 2004, 3:08pm

Hi Jon,

I'm in Denver too... Welcome to this place. Wonderful people!
I live in Capitol Hill. My CH started 3 years ago, and I'm chronic (don't get a break).
I never had CH when I lived in Los Angeles, and I know that the altitude is bad news. Whenever the weather changes, I run for my oxygen tank. Do you have 02?
Let me know if I can do anything to help.
Good luck to you!
Rex

Title: Re: Another Denverite
Post by Redrum on Dec 13^th, 2004, 9:36am

I have had CH's for over 20 years now. I first started getting them in Flagstaff AZ, about 7500 ft. I then lived in the middle east and NY (sea level) for about 5 years. I now live in Colorado at about 8500 ft. through all these moves my CH's have stayed with me and I don't think the altitude has had any effect. In fact I went from chronic to episodic while here in CO which is a definite improvement.

Just my two cents but I would recommend a lot more research on the subject before takeing such a big step.

~Andy

Title: Re: Another Denverite
Post by firebrix on Dec 13^th, 2004, 3:34pm

We live right at the beach - sea level. Mopar still gets CH.
Sorry this might be bad news, but moving is expensive and it may not stop your ha/s. If you want to try living at sea level, just have a holiday at the beach!
Happy days to all
firebrix