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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004-2005 Getting to Know Ya Posts >> Excedrin Junkie - Newbie from Texas
        
(Message started by: ExcedrinLady on Sep 19th, 2005, 2:34pm)
Title: Excedrin Junkie - Newbie from Texas
Post by ExcedrinLady on Sep 19th, 2005, 2:34pm
Hi everyone.  First time poster, long time sufferer.  

It's been over 15 years since I had my first cluster headache.  I have them at least 2-3 times a month.  More when I'm under stress.  Still trying to figure out my triggers.

Lookin forward to meeting everyone and just knowing I'm not alone in this makes a huge difference.
Title: Re: Excedrin Junkie - Newbie from Texas
Post by seasonalboomer on Sep 19th, 2005, 2:47pm

on 09/19/05 at 14:34:41, ExcedrinLady wrote:
Hi everyone.  First time poster, long time sufferer.  

It's been over 15 years since I had my first cluster headache.  I have them at least 2-3 times a month.  More when I'm under stress.  Still trying to figure out my triggers.

Lookin forward to meeting everyone and just knowing I'm not alone in this makes a huge difference.


Hey Excedrin Lady,

Hope that you're using something other than Excedrin, which rarely offers much relief for most cluster sufferers.

Help me understand you cluster headaches... you say you get 2-3 per month. Does this happen year round? And if so, do you get the 2-3 per month, in a short time frame? Based on the descriptions on the website and the Cluster Quiz, would say you're an episodic cluster sufferer, or chronic?

The reason I ask is that you brief description isn't a very a common headache pattern. Believe me, if would be great that through finding out more about your headache pattern you could work with your doctor better to find suitable alternatives to Excedrin in the form or preventatives or abortives. Or even better, you might find you could have some other things going on that mimic cluster symptoms.

Tell us more. There's a lot pretty smart folk that might be able to give you some ideas for your headaches.

Scott
Title: Re: Excedrin Junkie - Newbie from Texas
Post by ExcedrinLady on Sep 19th, 2005, 3:12pm
Hey there Scott:

Well....I've been diagnosed as having clusters headaches.  They mainly begin behind my right eye, never switching sides.  The pain radiates down in my right nasal passage and booms on the right side top of my head.  Sometimes going down the back of my head in my neck.  Not too often though.  

They wake me up at night about once a month, a few times I contemplated a trip to the ER.  I can take 2 Excedrin's and it usually dulls the pain until it subsides.  My Doc hasn't put me on prescription meds yet because I have a thyroid condition and we're trying to level that out first.  (I have Hyperthyroidism)

So...........with that said, I hope I elaborated enough.
Title: Re: Excedrin Junkie - Newbie from Texas
Post by seasonalboomer on Sep 19th, 2005, 3:19pm
you're a lucky one if Excedrin helps. O2 might be a good alternative, for many of us it is our first line of defense and can knock a bad one out in minutes -- not just dull it -- and without the sometime rebound headache that can occur with continued Excedrin usage. And since it's just Oxygen.... it doesn't have the same chemical problems that your doc might be concerned with re: Hyperthyroid.

Anyone else deal with cluster meds and hyperthyroidism?

scott
Title: Re: Excedrin Junkie - Newbie from Texas
Post by ExcedrinLady on Sep 19th, 2005, 3:28pm
Scott - I've noticed alot on here that people say that they can knock out their CH within minutes.  I was very impressed with that considering mine usually lasts for hours!

I just wonder if I should press the CH meds on my Doc on the next visit.  If I get a CH I can usually plan on staying on the couch all day long.

Let me ask you this....with a CH, does it hurt to walk or hurt to get up from a sitting position?  If I'm sitting and I get up, I feel like someone stuck a hot poker on the side of my head.  Does that coincide with CH?
Title: Re: Excedrin Junkie - Newbie from Texas
Post by LeLimey on Sep 19th, 2005, 3:33pm
Hi Leigh Ann,
Id like to suggest you do the cluster quiz over to your left (3rd button down) and also this quiz
http://www.headachecare.com/selfeval.htm

The reason for this is cluster headaches can be a catch all for some neuro's and there are other rarer conditions which respond to completely different meds really well but often get missed.
The most important thing is to be sure of an accurate diagnosis and although your symptoms sound very much like clusters the pattern doesn't.
There are others here who have thyroid problems as well as CH so hopefully they can tell you what meds they are taking for you to discuss them with your neuro.
I just don't want you to be suffering more than you have to because of an inaccurate diagnosis as although some of the other conditions are rarer they are much more responsive to different meds
Hope this helps!
Let us know how you are doing okay?
Helen
Title: Re: Excedrin Junkie - Newbie from Texas
Post by seasonalboomer on Sep 19th, 2005, 3:38pm
Leigh Ann,

Most of us can't bear to lie down. You'll find many of us pacing, rocking back and forth, or all kinds of bizarre behaviors because being still is not possible.

Yes, many of us have found some medications and O2 which can help us a great percentage of the time, quite quickly. Imitrex is a favorite for many of us -- and often is effective (in its injectable form) in minutes. And it is great -- like a miracle when you can go on with your life and pick up where you thought you were about to get hit by a train.

Are you saying that yours last for hours, like more than 3? This, while not something that doesn't happen, is rarer. You can see from the Clsuter quiz, that many of us, when not successful with our abortives, generally experience a shorter timeframe, then the pain lifts and we're relieved. Again, I'm only referring to more common cluster traits. But an average is made up of a wide range of experiences.


Scott
Title: Re: Excedrin Junkie - Newbie from Texas
Post by seasonalboomer on Sep 19th, 2005, 3:42pm

on 09/19/05 at 15:33:43, LeLimey wrote:
Hi Leigh Ann,
Id like to suggest you do the cluster quiz over to your left (3rd button down) and also this quiz
http://www.headachecare.com/selfeval.htm

The reason for this is cluster headaches can be a catch all for some neuro's and there are other rarer conditions which respond to completely different meds really well but often get missed.
The most important thing is to be sure of an accurate diagnosis and although your symptoms sound very much like clusters the pattern doesn't.
There are others here who have thyroid problems as well as CH so hopefully they can tell you what meds they are taking for you to discuss them with your neuro.
I just don't want you to be suffering more than you have to because of an inaccurate diagnosis as although some of the other conditions are rarer they are much more responsive to different meds
Hope this helps!
Let us know how you are doing okay?
Helen


good advice
Title: Re: Excedrin Junkie - Newbie from Texas
Post by E-Double on Sep 19th, 2005, 5:43pm
Hi Leigh Ann,

I'm sorry you're in pain!!!

Do take the quiz for there are several headache typoes that may present similar to CH but differ in duration and intensity.

If you want to learn about any and all known headache types, read through this........

http://216.25.100.131/ihscommon/guidelines/pdfs/full_form_watermarked.pdf

It's the International Headache Society's Guidelines.

Many get more like 2-3 daily so it could be something else as well as the fact that you said 6 hours.

Good luck!!

Eric
Title: Re: Excedrin Junkie - Newbie from Texas
Post by Barry_T_Coles on Sep 19th, 2005, 7:33pm
Hi Leigh Ann

Welcome, sad you have to be here but you are in good company these people know more about this than anyone.

I'm only new to the demon having only being diognosed late last year and after about six years of getting hit.

The link E Double has given is very good and may explain what I am going through now and perhaps yours, i've printed off what I think is relevent to me and will be taking it with me along with every thing else when I get to see a Nuro in mid November.

Read read and read again it may take some time to balance up with the ammount of info available but it's worth it, i've spent the last 9 months gleaning as much as I can from here and the links posted and am now in controll.

Oxygen: you bet I have the full caboolde in the spare room adjusted and ready to go.

Kind Regards
Barry
Title: Re: Excedrin Junkie - Newbie from Texas
Post by don on Sep 25th, 2005, 7:24am
I think you need a second opinion from a cluster educated neuro. Your headaches do not sound like CH for the following reasons:

Excedrin for a CH is like placing a band aid on an amputation.

CH attacks are more frequent than 2-3 times a month

They generally do not last for hours. More typically from 20 minutes to an hour.

CH sufferers do sit or lie down during the attack and fear being attacked if they do.
Title: Re: Excedrin Junkie - Newbie from Texas
Post by Patrick_A on Sep 25th, 2005, 10:09pm

on 09/25/05 at 07:24:02, don wrote:
I think you need a second opinion from a cluster educated neuro. Your headaches do not sound like CH for the following reasons:

Excedrin for a CH is like placing a band aid on an amputation.

CH attacks are more frequent than 2-3 times a month

They generally do not last for hours. More typically from 20 minutes to an hour.

CH sufferers do sit or lie down during the attack and fear being attacked if they do.


LMAO!! Boy, that had to take a whole lot of patience for you not to call Leigh's Neuro a MORON, so I'll do it for you. Hey Leigh Ann, Your Doctor is evidently a MORON.

2-3 times a month? How about 5-8 times daily?
Hours long sounds like Meegraines.
and The last one, 2 frigging excedrin gives relief??? BwafuggingHa, I once took 12 Tylenol 3's with Codeine and all it did was almost kill me with a KIP10 exploding behind my eye!

Sorry, but you need a 2nd opinion FAST!

Patrick


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