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 member intro - mikehop
        
(Message started by: mikehop on May 11^th, 2005, 5:20pm)

Title: new member intro - mikehop
Post by mikehop on May 11^th, 2005, 5:20pm

Newbie mikehop here...hello all.

Glad to have found this site !

My history/intro:
Male, married, 59 years old.
Chemist by education, BS, MS.
Engineer for 33 years.

CH's for the past 19 years.
Clusters usually from mid-March to mid-May, and again in the fall. Typically 1-2 CH per day, beginning 2-4 PM, peaking at Kip 7-8, but can last several hours.

Home "Remedies": Early on, I believed these were sinus headaches so I tried all the OTC stuff, which didn't work, and my MD was no help. Then I discovered heat, steam, hot coffee, etc. Breathing steam thru a hot washcloth helped, but usually not enough to completely abort the attack. What misery !
After discovering this great site, I learned of lidocaine drops/spray, etc, but not having access to that, I found that I can swab my nasal/nasopharnyx cavity (on the CH side) with Anbesol-20% benzocaine liquid (OTC) and if I catch it as soon as the 'shadows' appear, it usually aborts the attack. If the attack is in 'full bloom', it may take 2-3 applications of the benzocaine , about 10 minutes apart, to reduce or (hopefully) stop it.

I think I prefer this homebrew trick to the more powerful,
systemic drugs...at least for now.

After reading several of your posts I can see that I'm perhaps lucky in that I seem to have fewer, less severe CH's that a lot of you. You have my sympathy.

Now that I know what type MD to steer for, can anyone recommend a good CH doc
in the Dallas, Tx area?

Title: Re: new member intro - mikehop
Post by E-Double on May 12^th, 2005, 8:08am

Hiya Mike,
Welcome to the family!!

No one is "lucky" if they have to experience even one of these damn things!!

I used to use all of the same home remedies with the exception of the ambesol.

Glad they still bring you relief.

As far as doctors in your area, you can check here:
http://www.clusterheadaches.org/doctors.htm

There is also going to be a Conention of CLusterheads in Dallas this summer. Scan through the board and you will find information. It is truly a special experience to meet another freak like yourself (like all of us ;))

Best to ya,

E

Title: Re: new member intro - mikehop
Post by Kris_in_SJ on May 12^th, 2005, 8:42pm

Welcome Mike,

You might want to look into oxygen as an abortive for those big, bad boys. It's been of great help to many here, and what could be more natural than pure O2? You've got to get it ordered the right way, which you can read about in the link to the left.

At any rate, sorry you had to find us, but glad you did!

PF Wishes,

Kris