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        New Message Board Archives >> 2006-2007 Getting to Know Ya Posts >> hello friends
        
(Message started by: lotsoffish on Apr 4^th, 2006, 8:25pm)

Title: hello friends
Post by lotsoffish on Apr 4^th, 2006, 8:25pm

I really would rather not be meeting all you folks but here I am. I am a 44 year old guy in N. Tonawanda NY, the last time I suffered from these damn headaches I didn't even own a computer. (1999) I actually thought (or hoped) I finally grew out of them. Well 6 weeks a go I woke up with a headache. Within 10 minutes I knew exactly what kind of headache it was. Oh well back to the snake pit I guess. My cluster headaches usually last about 3 months with about a 9 month remission so I am hoping in about a little over a month these damn things will be gone again. I have been getting about 2-3 a day with most hitting about 1AM and 6;30 am with a small attack usually hitting at work during the mid afternoon. I am exhausted and ornery at this point of the game but it was very nice to find this board. I have never talked to anyone that actually gets these damn headaches. Well that's about all I have to say other than the only thing I really do when I am getting hit with a boomer is rock while sitting, moan, swear and rub ice on the left side of my head until relief arrives. I read your kip scale here and I shorta have my own kip scale. Anything less than a BOOMER is OK. A boomer is when I can't believe I am not going to go blind in my left eye while having heart failure and a stroke at the same time. Nice meeting you folks and good luck to all. May god relieve you of this horrible sickness. :-/

Title: Re: hello friends
Post by Garys_Girl on Apr 4^th, 2006, 9:03pm

Hope you find the site as helpful as I have been. We didn't even know what Gary had. Lots of docs had lots of opinions. Finally found this place. And, unfortunately, "Boomers" describe it very well.

Title: Re: hello friends
Post by TxBasslady on Apr 4^th, 2006, 9:49pm

Hi and welcome to the board.

For sure the only thing predictable about CH is it's unpredictability to reappear.

You didn't mention if you take any meds for CH. There's lots of good info here. Lots of years of experience with different meds by those of us who suffer. There's also several non prescription therapies used by many.

Hope things get better for you...

PF vibes,

Jean

Title: Re: hello friends
Post by Gator on Apr 4^th, 2006, 10:17pm

Welcome to the asylum. This is one club we'd all rather not belong to, but this website makes it bearable between the information and the camaraderie.

There are lots of treatments, both prescription and alternative that can help reduce the frequency and severity or even break a cycle. Read the posts in the Medication and Cluster Headache Specific Boards as well as the info in the links to the left.

Here's wishing you a boomer free night and an early end to your cycle.

Title: Re: hello friends
Post by Kevin_M on Apr 4^th, 2006, 11:12pm

Step aboard, hang around, lots about clusters here and support all around. Give a name and feel free to ask and talk.

Welcome.

Title: Re: hello friends
Post by Linda_Howell on Apr 5^th, 2006, 12:28am

Charlie?

Looks like he lives near you. Almost.

Might want to call this guy and give him your "technique"

Linda

Title: Re: hello friends
Post by lotsoffish on Apr 5^th, 2006, 4:44am

Well thanks for the warm welcome. It is quite amazing reading all the new information that has become available with in the last 6 years. I assume this site and the information super highway has had much to do with this. Through the years I had these headaches I went through the same kind of BS with my doctor that I bet most folks have encountered. Sinus, stress,"unknown causes" and of course migraine were all at one time THE problem. I can't really blame my doctor for this since I was always also trying to figure out what the real problem was and I also could not put a finger on it. Looking back on things it is easy to see why folks think over the counter medication works for these headaches. I would always have extra strength Tylenol with me in case a headache started. It worked great! About 45 minutes to an hour after taking it my headache would disappear! :) Great stuff hu? Seriously I think I will try to hook up an oxygen type apparatus and give that a try today. I own a company that uses o2 for packing live fish for transport so I have plenty of the stuff available. I am not a big doctor person and the last time I saw my doctor I had some kind of rash and the only reason I even went and had it looked at was because I was going on a 14 day cruise and my wife kept bugging me to get the rash looked at so I didn't look like some kind of freak when I laid out in the sun on the ship. Of coarse the doctor didn't really know what the rash was and it went away a couple days before the vacation anyway but my wife stopped bugging me about it so I guess the 3 waisted hours at the doctors office was worth it. :p One other thing of interest, although I just discovered this site, through the years I have had these headaches it is interesting to note I have drank LOTS of water while having attacks along with using ice, taking hot showers and even purposely hyperventilating. I guess as you get more desperate for relief you kind of discover the tricks to getting temporary relief on your own. I printed out some information and I think I will make an appointment to see the doctor even though by the time I actually get in to his office I will probably be in remission again. My name is Pete by the way, and again thanks for the nice welcome.

Title: Re: hello friends
Post by LeLimey on Apr 5^th, 2006, 5:09am

Hi Pete, its nice to meet you :)
I hope you can get O2 sorted today, you need to use it at a flow rate of 15 LPM and you NEED a non rebreather mask.. not a rebreather a NON rebreather.. there is a big difference trust me! I use O2 daily and I can abort a hit in 5-7 minutes using a clustermasx (www.clustermasx.com) and I can't recommend these enough. See how you get on with a standard non rebreather and if it helps, upgrade! The best investment you'll ever make in more pain free time for yourself!
If you prefer non prescriptive ways of dealing with your CH you may be interested in checking out these sites, both are written by other sufferers (or a group of sufferers) http://www.med-owl.com/clusterheadaches/tiki-index.php and www.clusterbusters.com
Your wife is welcome here too by the way, supporters need somewhere to vent and understand and BE UNDERSTOOD too!
Take care, ask all you want, we're happy to help
Helen