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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004-2005 Getting to Know Ya Posts >> Marty M:  An Introduction
        
(Message started by: Marty_M on Aug 23^rd, 2005, 9:34pm)

Title: Marty M: An Introduction
Post by Marty_M on Aug 23^rd, 2005, 9:34pm

Hello. My name is Marty. I am 34 and I currently live in Michigan (near Lansing). I have been attempting to deal with CHs since I was 22 or so. I have had to leave one job and have been fired from another because of my CHs. Currently I am working for a family business and am looking for a new job. Once again, I am concerned about how my potential employer will deal with the knowledge of my CH's when I disclose it to them. (I usually wait a month or so to disclose it so that I am considered relatively unexpendable by then.) I read the letter for employers/friends on the messageboard and I find it useful, but getting others to truly understand seems nearly impossible. Only a few close friends who have seen me in total agony have some sense of what havoc it can wreak.

I am currently in the midst of a rather nasty phase. I am without health insurance and am currently looking into free medical options where I live. I have tried Imitrex to no avail. I am hoping to try O2 as it isn't all that expensive, hopefully.

An ER nurse friend of mine told me that if I were to go the ER that they would likely strap me to a bed and give me a sedative or heavy painkiller. This is not a useful option, but there are times I have considered it. I can't stand being helpless to this beast. I have injured myself by counter-stimulating in the past (not too bad, a few bruises and a some cuts over my eye).

I guess I'm just venting since I know here is the only place where I know others will know what I'm talking about.

As a side note: do any of you have problems with certain smells causing a CH? There is a certain degreaser that gives me one everytime as well as a few perfumes, etc. This makes moving among groups of unknown people rather treacherous for me. One whiff of a certain perfume and my next hour is spent dancing. It doesn't happen all that often, but it does happen. Am I alone on this?

I feel guilty for spilling this.

Marty M

Title: Re: Marty M: An Introduction
Post by mcf69 on Aug 23^rd, 2005, 10:40pm

Hey Marty,
Welcome to the board, don't feel guilty for suffering from CH, at least not here by any means. Are you episodic or chronic? O2 is a great help, relatively cheap compared to many of the meds prescribed for CH, and has none of the side effects of many of them. Check out the oxygen links on the side of the page, print them out and bring them to show your doctor. I know where you're coming from by being over stimulated during an attack, I've banged my head on the wall a few times as many others here have too. Interesting you mention smells that trigger an attack, I avoid petroleum when I'm in cycle, especially gasoline and other volatile petroleum products, along with alcohol they're an instant trigger. Feel free to make yourself at home, look around the site, and most importanatly don't be afrid to ask questions, you'll find a great bunch here willing to help any time you ask. Best of luck to you.
Ben

Title: Re: Marty M: An Introduction
Post by AussieBrian on Aug 23^rd, 2005, 11:14pm

G'day Marty, and welcome to the fun palace. Everything Ben just said is spot on and you're in the right place, but leave your guilt outside the door. We know exactly what you're trying to deal with and you're among friends now.

It's only good days ahead, mate, so climb aboard and enjoy the ride.

Cheers from down under,

Brian.

Title: Re: Marty M: An Introduction
Post by Barry_T_Coles on Aug 23^rd, 2005, 11:32pm

G'Day Marty

Welcome
Ben's said it all and he's spot on, your among people now who know exactly where you are comming from.

Read everything you can find on this great site,iv'e only been diognised for the last 8 months but have suffered for the last 5-6 years and what I have found out on this site has been nothing short of amazing and I learn more each day.

Kind Regards
From another sufferer down under
Barry

Title: Re: Marty M: An Introduction
Post by BobG on Aug 24^th, 2005, 4:09am

Hello Marty, welcome to the board.
Smells as a trigger? Yep.
The soap/detregent aisle in supermarkets. The big perfume/cosmetic aisles in the big department stores and those scented candle/aroma doohickey stores will bring on shadows very quickly for me and if I stay in one very long the kip number starts climbing.

Title: Re: Marty M: An Introduction
Post by Sandy_C on Aug 24^th, 2005, 7:27am

Welcome Marty. Glad you found us. There is a wealth of information on this site, and wonderful people here. Hang around, you'll find you have a whole new family. Read everything you can here. Look into the Kudzu threads on the medications board. It has helped many people, and its OTC - you can find it in health food stores.

Smells - you betcha! I know exactly which doors to enter when going in to a department store to keep me away from the perfume aisles. And like BobG said, those candle/incense stores? They will never get a dime from me. Even when I'm not in cycle, I avoid those places like the plague!

Again welcom to our family. Wishing you PFDAN

Sandy

Title: Re: Marty M: An Introduction
Post by Bob_Johnson on Aug 24^th, 2005, 7:55am

The central theme of our collective experience is the need for self-education and becoming skillful in taking charge of our own treatment.

***** AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. An outline of your rights to refuse to give information about health issues during a job interview. See in archives, 8/5/01, message, "ADA:job interviews and chronic illness. Your rights...."

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....")

Title: Re: Marty M: An Introduction
Post by Kris_in_SJ on Aug 24^th, 2005, 2:25pm

Hi Marty,

Welcome to the board from another Michigander. Sorry you're suffering so much right now.

I'll just ditto what's been said above. Hopefully, Oxygen will be your ticket to a little relief. If cost is an issue, you might also PM Jonny, our resident O2 "guru" about how to set up welder's oxygen.

And don't ever feel guilty about ranting or spilling your guts here. That's one of the purposes of this board. Believe me, you're among those who understand.

Hugs and PF Wishes,

Kris

Title: Re: Marty M: An Introduction
Post by lionsound on Aug 24^th, 2005, 8:33pm

Hi Marty,

Vent away! That's why we are here :)

I don't think anyone has mentioned Melatoinin yet. it's an OTC sleep aid that you take at night to help keep night-time hits from waking you. It comes in 3mg tablets and you can figure out what works best for you..usually 6-9mg a half an hour to an hour before bed is sufficient. I'm not a doc so check with yours because sometimes there can be med interactions, and depression can be a side effect.

And yes, smell trigger me too..once this summer we went out for ice cream and this really perfumed lady walked right in front of me and wham! I was running for the AC vent of the car.

Be well and PF!
-lionsound