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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004-2005 Getting to Know Ya Posts >> I have never heard of cluster headaches
        
(Message started by: anarch on Sep 14^th, 2005, 11:08am)

Title: I have never heard of cluster headaches
Post by anarch on Sep 14^th, 2005, 11:08am

Until today. I have been diagnosed in the past with TMJ dysfunction, I know I've had migraines (what I'm going through now, and I think in the past too but didn't know it, is different), and I just very recently had a tooth extracted (didn't help, dammit)...anyway, I'm beginning to think I may indeed have the same beast that you people know. It's sort of good to know I'm not the only one up in the middle of the night, banging my head against the floor and wishing I would just go ahead and die. I think I feel a little better just from knowing I'm not nuts, and not the only one in the world going through this....

So, hi all!

Title: Re: I have never heard of cluster headaches
Post by LeLimey on Sep 14^th, 2005, 11:14am

Hi Anarch I'm glad you found us!
Have you been diagnosed by a doctor/neuro or is it a self diagnosis based on research?
Have you any meds or anything to help cope with the pain?
How long do your attacks last and how often do you seem to get them?
I know I'm a nosey old bag but the more we know about how you are hit and what you do the better we can help you!
Looking forward to hearing more from you
Helen

Title: Re: I have never heard of cluster headaches
Post by E-Double on Sep 14^th, 2005, 11:22am

Not all treatments work for everyone and being that you have no meds @ this point nor have you been officially diagnosed, there are a few things that might be able to give you some relief non-medicinally.

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

Have you taken the "quiz" located to the left of the website?

All in all , pain sucks but this place will offer you tons of support if you need to be here. Kinda saved my life and apparently thousands of others ;)

Pain free wishes to you and gather as much info as you can.

Eric

Title: Re: I have never heard of cluster headaches
Post by anarch on Sep 14^th, 2005, 11:44am

on 09/14/05 at 11:14:08, LeLimey wrote:

Have you been diagnosed by a doctor/neuro or is it a self diagnosis based on research?
Have you any meds or anything to help cope with the pain?
How long do your attacks last and how often do you seem to get them?

Hi, and thanks for the response!

Let's see, in response:

- It is self-diagnosis, based on differential comparison of symptoms, and also based on the puzzled look that my dentist gave me when I was describing all this. I have a feeling some of what my doctor blamed on TMJ in the past may have been the same thing. The doctor told me to go see my dentist, but the dentist doesn't seem able to treat the headaches per se...I had a bad tooth which I thought may have been causing the pain, but that's gone and the headaches still happen, so...[smiley=huh.gif]

I intend to go back to the doctor, or perhaps look for a good neurologist, asap.

- Meds: not really, no. I am on the prescription strength Motrin, and have been taking probably 3 or 4 grams of the stuff each day for the past couple weeks, and it doesn't really help all that much. In the past, percocets combined with flexoril have given brief respite, but that doesn't really let you function too well. Standing in the shower and putting the left side of my face under the stream gives some, albeit temporary, relief.

- Frequency and duration: I just had a bad one this morning (hit me on the way to work :( ) which lasted about 2 and a half hours. That seems to be sort of the standard duration for me, and it's been twice or three times a day (well, usually night) for the last week or so, once a day around sunset for the preceding couple weeks before that, although there were a couple "red-hot drill to the head in the middle of the night" times in August, too.

I haven't ever tracked the frequency of bad periods during the year, but will start now. Like I say, I've never heard of this ailment before...but so much of what I read here is SO familiar....

Title: Re: I have never heard of cluster headaches
Post by ghost62 on Sep 14^th, 2005, 12:14pm

What ever you do dont ever let the beast win.
We are here for ya ok.

Title: Re: I have never heard of cluster headaches
Post by seasonalboomer on Sep 14^th, 2005, 12:16pm

Hey Anarch,

welcome. sorry you've had to find us.

you get yourself to a doctor who can get you a correct diagnosis. Take the info you can print off this site with you to the doctor. a neuro would be better as they should have some exposure, but a good GP can be talked through the process and get you some weapons to fight the beast. they can get you some imitrex and oxygen and you can spend far less time writhing around on the floor making your own headbangers ball.

many of us have, through the help found here, been able to build our weapons of choice in the fight and are able to manage our CH so the impact on our lives, our psyches, and our outlook on life is greatly improved.

good luck and pain free days and nights to you,
scott

Title: Re: I have never heard of cluster headaches
Post by anarch on Sep 14^th, 2005, 2:36pm

Hey, thanks to everybody for the sympathy and advice...and thanks so much to the creators of this site for all the resources!

Pain free days (and nights!) to all!! :)