Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


    
      
        Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        New Message Board Archives >> 2006-2007 Getting to Know Ya Posts >> Please explain shadowing
        
(Message started by: jdboles on Mar 12^th, 2006, 4:00pm)

Title: Please explain shadowing
Post by jdboles on Mar 12^th, 2006, 4:00pm

Hi. I just found the site and recently discovered the term cluster headache. I've been cronic for 7 months and after putting a lable on my condition I feel like I just discovered the wheel! And I'm not alone (or crazy)!!!
People are talking about shadowing, I think I know but please confirm; When I'm not in pain I feel like a dark cloud is hovering over my head ready to attack, almost teasing, and sometimes feel like I'm thinking through a numb fog.

Thanks.
Josh

Title: Re: Please explain shadowing
Post by thebbz on Mar 12^th, 2006, 6:56pm

Hello Josh,
Your welcome,
Lots of stuff you left out. Chronic for seven months is painful but not chronic. Have you been in an episode for more than 11 1/2 months? Have you been diagnosed.
How long have you had your pain? What meds are you on? ect.....Glad you found us.
What you describe could be considered a shadow. But you must tell us more to be of any help
Check back and hope you feel better.
jb

Title: Re: Please explain shadowing
Post by Kris_in_SJ on Mar 12^th, 2006, 8:16pm

In a way of a specific answer to your question ... shadows are a low grade type of pain that can ramp up or down without becoming a full-blown attack. When I'm at the peak of a cycle, I have constant shadow pain in my temple which nothing helps (except strong coffee if it starts to increase).

It's a physical reminder that the next attack is just around the bend. Personally, I would never describe it as fuzzy thinking or a fog - I think both those things naturally accompany a cluster cycle. Shadows are true physical discomfort that varies in extreme.

Please tell us more about yourself. Have you been diagnosed as a clusterhead? What meds are you taking, etc? The fact is that some of your "foggy brain" might be coming from certain meds. Once we know more about you, it is easier to advise - though none of us are doctors.

PF Wishes,

Kris

Title: Re: Please explain shadowing
Post by jdboles on Mar 29^th, 2006, 12:51pm

I'm back. Was in the middle of moving and did not have my computer.
To respond to your questions; I've been having these for about 8 months now. Out of the blue, no history of headache. I'm 28. I've just been put on Verapamil 160mg 3X day. I was on amitriptyline with no results. Before that the doc thought it was just tension and put me on 4mg of ativan a day.(that was fun)
Your description of shadowing fits better. I always have a headache, but compared to an attack it is managable. It's like an engine idling waiting for someone to hit the gas. The last time I had no pain was March 17th at 2:21pm for nearly 30mins. It just went away... I could not believe it, I had to call people and tell them. Then it just came back.
My neurologist also gave me Zolmitriptan Nasal spray.
thanks for your responses.
Josh

Title: Re: Please explain shadowing
Post by Jonny on Mar 29^th, 2006, 6:08pm

on 03/29/06 at 12:51:53, jdboles wrote:

. It's like an engine idling waiting for someone to hit the gas.

Yep, thats a perfect description of a shadow!

Title: Re: Please explain shadowing
Post by Jasmyn on Apr 4^th, 2006, 2:17am

Welcome Josh.

Your description is on the mark.

Here it is described under the Cluster Headache Specific section in "Helpful Hints":

Shadow; some of the symptoms but without a measurable amount of pain(pressure).

A bloody irritation if you ask me but Red Bull/coffee can sometimes help to get rid of those.

Title: Re: Please explain shadowing
Post by BMoneeTheMoneeMan on Apr 4^th, 2006, 5:48am

Hi Josh,
Some good descriptions of shadowing here.
Like Jasmyn said, its more of a pain in the ass than painful.
Clusters are pretty distinct pain, not the severity, i mean the feeling of the pain itself is very distinct. When you get that distinct feeling and it can linger for hours at a low level of pain without moving to a full blown nose dripping, banging your head on the bathroom counter type of pain, thats what i call a shadow.
And i have noticed that caffeine helps too :)
PF wishes
BMonee

Title: Re: Please explain shadowing
Post by Richr8 on Apr 4^th, 2006, 6:34pm

I have had succes with persistent chronic shadows (those that last more than 5 or so hours) using Excedrine Migraine. It doesn't do squat for CH, but used occasionally on shadows it does the trick.

pf wishes,

Rich

Title: Re: Please explain shadowing
Post by jdboles on Apr 8^th, 2006, 7:41am

Red Bull Eh? I'll have to give it a try. Any symptoms when coming off the caffine?

~Josh

Title: Re: Please explain shadowing
Post by burnt-toast on Apr 8^th, 2006, 9:52am

Twinges of discomfort in all the old familiar places without the final smack in the head.

I've had days where they come and go throughout the day and days where they basically stay nearly the entire day.

They're an annoyance that unfortunately put you in defense mode expecting a full blown attack that never gets going.

Regarding Chronic for 7 months - Technically you're not chronic, but I've always felt that the technical use of "Chronic" for CH sufferers is questionable (1 year - no remission of 30 days or more)

When someone endures 7 straight months of this nightmare without remission or is jumping in and out of cycles every other month or so - that fairly chronic in my opinion. But who am I to challenge a long standing technicality.

Tom

Title: Re: Please explain shadowing
Post by MakeItStop on Apr 8^th, 2006, 11:22am

on 04/04/06 at 18:34:57, Richr8 wrote:

I have had succes with persistent chronic shadows (those that last more than 5 or so hours) using Excedrine Migraine. It doesn't do squat for CH, but used occasionally on shadows it does the trick.

I used to do the same for my Shadows, but noticed that the regular Excedrin has the same levels of Asprin, Tylenol and Caffiene as the Migrainne stuff, but it's a couple bucks cheaper. I even considered putting them in a PEZ dispenser since I popped them like candy when I was near peak. Sometimes I am amazed I have a liver or stomach lining left. My neuro recently tried me on Migrin A, my insurance won't cover it but it's only $20 for 40 of them. It gets rid of the pain but the haze is still there.

Title: Re: Please explain shadowing
Post by Bigsouth1999 on Apr 14^th, 2006, 12:11pm

I've had a little success with excedrin tension. It seems to chase them away for a little while but I was told that it could cause rebound. So we might want to be careful with the excedrin in general.

Man it would suck to know I'm causing myself more pain than what I'm already in. :o

Title: Re: Please explain shadowing
Post by DisneyRN on Apr 15^th, 2006, 5:09pm

My "shadowing" is a slight pain behind the right eye, most of the time. I think I've tried almost all the meds there are to be offered for CH. And was pronounced a "Cafergot addict", because I took the med 5-6 times a day. This was before being diagnosed with CH. My Primary Care Doc thought I just had migraines. I can't say anything bad about him though, he suffered with migraines, and was very sympathic.

I am showing now (the computor screen is triggering it. and, I've found that change of seasons, or holidays it acts up.

I feel better drinking ice water. and found that Mountian Dew help me when I was working to maintian my day. I was drinking it at 7-8am, 11am, 3-4pm, and 9pm...four to 5 a day. I had trouble reducing the Mt. Dew consumption, when I went on disability. Caffiene withdrawl, I suppose.

My father had CH's, and became addicted to Dristan. It has caffeine, also. He then suffered from "bounce-back headaches".

Title: Re: Please explain shadowing
Post by Dragnlance on Apr 18^th, 2006, 10:01am

Hi Josh, welcome home.

You asked about coming off caffine. My advise, drink One strong coffee, or energy drink like RedBull. Don't do more, because that can cause different kinds of headaches when you come down.

Shadows are a pain in the backside more than the head. They are irritataing, because you the know the monster in your head is just bored and idly gnawing on the less sensitive part of the skull, and may decide it is time to start rending some meat soon.

Hope you are pain free soon

Dragn

Title: Re: Please explain shadowing
Post by Dave_S on Apr 26^th, 2006, 12:39pm

I to have questions about shadowing I have suffered both stress related migraines with cluster like symptoms starting in 1996 leading to full blown CH in 1997. They would come unexpectedly like clockwork 3 hours CH 4 hours off repeat night and day for 8 to 12 weeks then suddenly stop cold 9 to 12 months later comfortable in my denial it would never happen again then bam here we go again. The list of medications tried would fill a few pages. In about 2004 they came but did not leave after several hospitalizations I late 1995 the hospital put a team of neurologists and a wonderful GP on my case which after they tried every thing they could referred me to get botox injections while they did not stop nagging constant headaches they did significantly reduce the CH now I am just due for another round of botox injections and for the last two weeks I have been having all the symptoms of a CH without the pain up to 15 times a day and as of 2 days ago I have had what I would consider full blown rock you to the bone cluster headaches but they last less than 5 minutes I thought it was the oxygen being a thousand times more effective than in the past but I had one without any oxygen available and still it was about 5 minutes in length then I found you guys and I briefly read about phantom CH my sanity takes a great lift up but on further reading I find a lot of this occurring at the beginning of a new cycle I lost 85 LBS this last series and am not sure I could even survive another prolonged attack such as I have just been through so really would some one please chime in and tell me it always happens with them at the end of an attack with them please pretty please or better yet tell me I am going back to the old days of a few months of hell with many months of life instead of this real screwed up cycle I have just survived
Dave S