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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004-2005 Getting to Know Ya Posts >> Hello, New here
        
(Message started by: Longing4Arizona on Sep 14^th, 2005, 2:04pm)

Title: Hello, New here
Post by Longing4Arizona on Sep 14^th, 2005, 2:04pm

Hi Im Michelle and i was just told today that this pain in the left side of my head is a cluster headache. I have been suffering with this type of headache for about a year and half. They at first thought it was hormonal headaches, but treated them as migraines. This one has been going on for about 3 days. I was prescribed prednesone for 2 weeks i think, but he gave me nothing for the accute pain im feeling right now. Just told me to drink a soda. Tylenol and ibuprofin dont even touch it. Im not even so sure if what i suffer from is the cluster headache. I have some of the symptoms but not all.

Anyways as i said my name is Michelle and im a nurse going on in my nursing career, working and going to college does not help these headaches. Im the mom to 5 children ranging in age from 21 to 4.

Title: Re: Hello, New here
Post by pattik on Sep 14^th, 2005, 2:09pm

Hi Michelle, and welcome to the board. Please read as much as possible from the links on this site. And it may be useful to also take the cluster quiz. The members here have much to offer you in advice and experience, so feel free to ask questions. Sorry that you needed to find this site, but welcome. Patti

Title: Re: Hello, New here
Post by E-Double on Sep 14^th, 2005, 4:36pm

Hi Michelle,

Take the quiz and see what it says.

Pain sucks period!!

When you stated that you have had one going on 3 days. Do you mean 1 long headache?
Do you mean headaches on and off that have been occuring consistently for 3 days?

Title: Re: Hello, New here
Post by rextangle on Sep 14^th, 2005, 4:42pm

Welcome Michelle,

Sorry you have to be here, but you'll find lots of great info, advice from other sufferers and plenty of comedy.
CH are often not diagnosed properly as many doctors do not know much about them.

Read about oxygen and other available treatments and therapies available.

Floridian, one of our member has compiled lots of info.
You can see it at:

http://www.med-owl.com/clusterheadaches/tiki-index.php

Good luck and PF days and nights to you,

Rex

Title: Re: Hello, New here
Post by Longing4Arizona on Sep 14^th, 2005, 8:42pm

Thanks for the welcome!

I did take the test and answered yes to some of the symptoms, but not all. I go back to the dr. in two weeks, so just have to wait and see what he says.

Title: Re: Hello, New here
Post by thebbz on Sep 14^th, 2005, 8:49pm

Hey M, we hope the best and let us know what the doc says.
BB

Title: Re: Hello, New here
Post by lionsound on Sep 14^th, 2005, 8:53pm

Hi Michelle,
Do you see a neurologist for your headaches? sometimes even a neuro can claim to be a headache expert and not really know a whole lot. Seems to me you deserve a new and better doctor.

We are not docs, but might be able to help you a little bit if you can give us more info.

Where exactly is the pain located and how often in the past three days does it occur? It is constant?

be well and Pain Free!
-lionsound

Title: Re: Hello, New here
Post by Bob_Johnson on Sep 15^th, 2005, 7:13am

Here is a link to read and print and take to your doctor. It describes preventive, transitional, abortive and surgical treatments for CH. (2002)

http://www.brightok.net/~mnjday/chtherapy.pdf

Title: Re: Hello, New here
Post by Longing4Arizona on Sep 16^th, 2005, 4:46pm

This headache started sunday afternoon. I was watching football and feel asleep at half time. When i woke up the pain was in the back right of my head. Over the next several hours it went to the front and then to the left where it stayed. I took a percocet and went to bed, but the pain woke me up sometime around 4am. I had the pain all day at work on Monday. It stayed on the left side. Monday evening my son had a football game. From yelling and screaming it was throbbing by the time i left. I took a maxalt, prescribed by another doctor who thought these headaches were migraines. It of course didnt help because that med needs to be taking when the pain first starts. I just thought maybe dilating the vessels would help alittle. I took another percocet that night before i went to bed. On tuesday afternoon the pain was still there on the left side and i took another maxalt. I was also taking tylenol off and on up to now. Tuesday evening my left eye started to feel funny. Almost like it was bulging out of the socket. It was also watering alittle. Wednesday when i got up my eye was bulging and my eye lid was swollen. I called in work and called the doctor. My regular doctor wasnt in that day, so i saw someone new. I told him all this and he left the room after doing a neuro exam and came in with some big medical book. Decided that i was having a cluster headache, put me on prednesone and told me to drink a soda and get some kind of migraine over the counter med. He suggested Tylenol migraine. I ended up getting excederin migraine. I took two wednesday evening, but then looked and it said only to take 2 within 24 hrs. I didnt take anymore until Thursday afternoon.

Right now i still have pain in my head. It still feels like there is something pushing my eyeball out, but not as bad as before. I asked the girls i work with if my eye looked funny and they all said it "looked" normal. The pain now is like a dull pain that goes from the right to the left. At the moment its on the right. Its not really debilitating, but i know its there. Im going to take another excederin and just hope for the best.

I dont understand why he couldnt have given me darvocet or something to help take the edge off. I did almost call today and see if something could be called in. I also, so if someone knows, would love to know how taking prednesone is going to help a headache. I have taken 60 mg for the last 3 days and really dont feel much different.

Thanks for all the help everyone. Im just so flustrated with having pain for almost a week i could scream and guess what i have a football game to go to tonight.

Title: Re: Hello, New here
Post by fireball on Sep 16^th, 2005, 6:10pm

Hi don't know why the steroids work -- I'm sure if you click on the links that were provided above by other members, it would explain the medical aspects -- but high dose steroids do often work to break the cycle of the cluster. It's important to taper down as prescribed, so even if you don't feel different, you shouldn't just stop taking them.
I know that clusters can be 2-sided but are more often one sided headaches.
Did you request at CT scan or MRI? You should. I know that when my husband 1st started to get the headaches, it was very important to us, and his PCP and neurologist to rule out every possibility.
As mentioned in another reply, we're not doctors, but a lot of the wonderful people here know much more than the average doctor does.
Being your own advocate is the best thing that you can do for you.
Best of luck, and don't wait on getting the attention that you deserve!!!!