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        New Message Board Archives >> 2006-2007 Getting to Know Ya Posts >> My Story
        
(Message started by: GeorgiaPeach on Aug 27^th, 2006, 8:07pm)

Title: My Story
Post by GeorgiaPeach on Aug 27^th, 2006, 8:07pm

Howdy Y'all. My name is Heather and I have been a suffer of CHs for 15 years. After numerous misdiagnosises (ranging from needing glasses to sinus infections to even one doctor telling me the muscles around my temple irradically contract causing pain) I was finally properly diagnosed in 1998. My symptoms are pain on the right temple, eye tearing, 1-3 headaches per day for 3-6 weeks (typically). I am in the midst of a cluster now, the longest I have known at 7 weeks with no end in sight. I get them within 2 hours of falling asleep, within 1 hour of waking up and generally sometime during the day. I had a breakdown on Friday morning just after a particularly bad one because I feel so alone in my struggle. That's when I decided to try this. I had been trolling this site for a while, but after my breakdown, I realized that I need the support of those who know what I have been through and am going through. I thank you all in advance for your support, I am sure I will need to call on you for wisdom and advice.

Title: Re: My Story
Post by marlinsfan on Aug 27^th, 2006, 8:22pm

Welcome home, Heather. Read as much as you can, there's lots of good info here.

How do you battle the beast? I use Melatonin to keep the night-hits away (9 mg 30 minutes before bedtime) and abort with Oxygen if I'm at home, or strong coffee or imitrex if I'm not near the O2.

Hope you catch a break soon.

Title: Re: My Story
Post by GeorgiaPeach on Aug 27^th, 2006, 8:31pm

Thanks! I had imitrex, but I am back being a student now without the income to support the prescription. Besides, it made me very sick to my stomach. Coffee works for me, often a very hot shower will pacify the beast (only for less painful attacks), but often try trying to stay still, in a dark place, with a hotpack on my head and patience.

Title: Re: My Story
Post by marlinsfan on Aug 27^th, 2006, 8:48pm

Check out the Oxygen info on the left of the screen. It's very effective, cheap and safe.

Title: Re: My Story
Post by lionsound on Aug 27^th, 2006, 9:22pm

Welcome, Heather! :)

read, read , read around here and feel free to ask questions.

really glad you're here.....support is the best medicine!

be well and Pain free,
lionsound

Title: Re: My Story
Post by Jobette on Sep 1^st, 2006, 1:21am

Sometimes the best medicine can be just knowing that you are not alone :D

Title: Re: My Story
Post by big_guy on Sep 1^st, 2006, 5:22am

Also try ice on your head. sometimes it seems to hurt more right at first but I find that if I catch the hit early enough the ice will stop the hit from progressing. I have one of those soft blue ice pacs about 6 x 6 inches frozen in a shape to fit my head. Its the first thing I go for when the pain starts.

Best wishes for pain relief

Big Guy

Title: Re: My Story
Post by GeorgiaPeach on Sep 1^st, 2006, 7:33am

Thanks for the replies Y'all

The best medicine IS knowing that I am not alone. I got so sick of people, in response to my plight, saying 'oh I know how you feel, I got this really bad headache like 5 years ago that I will never forget". I just wanted to scream at them ITS NOT THE SAME THING!!!

Now I have somewhere to go and vent and scream and yell and people totally understand. This is the longest cycle I have had and it is very demoralizing.

Ice on the head used to be my treatment of choice. I often alternate between hot and cold depending on what the beast craves. I thank you all for your advice and support. At week 8, it is REALLY needed!

Title: Re: My Story
Post by burnt-toast on Sep 1^st, 2006, 8:18am

The psychological and physiological effects of this disorder can bring the strongest individuals down.

The exquisite pain can't truely be described to non-sufferers and it leaves little physical trace of it's existance. To most non-sufferers its just a headache so what's all the fuss.

Folks here know what you go through so its a good place to find support when you need it most. Welcome.

Best wishes,

Tom

Title: Re: My Story
Post by seasonalboomer on Sep 1^st, 2006, 9:21am

Hey there Peach,

Welcome to our community.

Are you aware of any triggers that seem to promote more activity for you? For instance alcohol is a pretty common trigger for many of us (including me). Sometimes certain scents, etc...

I'll reiterate the Oxygen option. It may seem like a hassle to get but any time or money spent is the best investment of dollars and time you can consider. Since you get hit at night and within an hour of waking you might find that 2/3 of your problems are addressed with O2. Wouldn't that be nice?

The imitrex you took, was it the pill form? If so you might try the injectable. It's fast and doesn't hit your stomach. Your doc might be able to supply some samples which could knock a couple more hits off the table for you in what will HOPEFULLY be the waning days of your longer than normal cycle.

Anyways, welcome and ask questions at will. There's a lot of knowledge on the boards.

Scott

Title: Re: My Story
Post by pattik on Sep 1^st, 2006, 10:29am

Hi Heather, I can't add much to the good advice already given, but stick around here. There are so many good treatment suggestions on this site. Different things work for different people. Feel free to ask for advice any time.

Patti

Title: Re: My Story
Post by GeorgiaPeach on Sep 1^st, 2006, 11:55am

Howdy

Thanks for the continued support. From what I have been able to deduce stress and temp/pressure changes set me off. I really thought moving to Georgia from Canada would help me (temp. changes obviously more severe in the North) but the pressure down here with the humidity changes is about to kill me! Alcohol does not set me off *give a nod to God*

The imitrex was in pill form and I have been prescirbed Lortab as well in pill form but it too made me sick. The cost of the narcotics is too much for my student budget to take at the moment.

But like I said, as a veteran suffer, I am so stranger to these attacks, but I am truly thankful that finally people understand. I know now why they are nicknamed 'suicide headaches'

Title: Re: My Story
Post by seasonalboomer on Sep 1^st, 2006, 12:03pm

it might be worth trying the imitrex injectable or inhalable. Maybe your doc can toss you a sample or two? My GP was able to give me a couple samples, as have many others. (and, by the way, Imitrex and others are not narcotics, they are Triptans and Sumitriptans, not related to narcotic pain relievers)

Oh for a nice, cool crisp Canadian day!!!! When you're in the middle of summer cycle and the air is thick as soup and the temp is 98 in Georgia. The south ain't no place to be in cycle. Magnolia's in bloom, honeysuckle, countless other flowering shrubs and trees can all be triggers for me when in cycle.

hang with us and we'll see you around clusterland.

Scott

Title: Re: My Story
Post by GeorgiaPeach on Sep 1^st, 2006, 12:56pm

Hey Scott

Thanks for the reply! I didn't know that imitrex was not in the narcotics family...learning every day. but it still does a number on my system. Next time I am at the dr.s office, I will ask for a sample or two, thanks for the tip!

Here's to a cluster free world (yeah right)

Title: Re: My Story
Post by jodirtydoz on Sep 2^nd, 2006, 6:51pm

imitrex i got was in nasal form quick blast up nastril before attack hitts hard only prob with that mine hit to fast no time by time i do it too late hasn't realy worked for me but ya maybeable to get it in that form!!

Title: Re: My Story
Post by wam on Sep 10^th, 2006, 12:28am

Hi Heather....your not alone.Were all hear for each other.Im in the middle of a cycle right now.Its been two years since my last attack and they are back with a vengence.When you see your clock and its around 2 am you can pretty much bet that Im suffering at that very moment.Take care!!

-William.

Title: Re: My Story
Post by GeorgiaPeach on Sep 11^th, 2006, 8:04pm

Thanks for all the replies and support, it feels good to know that others feel my pain and can understand. After 15 years of "It's just a headache, what's the big deal" I can finally say "its not JUST a headache" and people understand!

Title: Re: My Story
Post by BB on Sep 12^th, 2006, 6:38am

Hi Georgia

Nice to meet you here. Hope you will feel better real soon.

I dislike the name cluster headaches , its so misleading, its definitely not an ache for goodness sake, I prefer to call it cluster attacks or for the ignorant people the term neurovascular cephalagia usually shuts them up! They mostly likely have no idea what it is anyway but it sounds important enough to earn some respect.

Sending you good vibes and painfree wishes.

Annette

Title: Re: My Story
Post by alchemy on Sep 12^th, 2006, 7:27am

Hey Heather welcome aboard. sorry you've been suffering. as usual the gang has given some great advice. the best advice i was given when i came here was read read read. knowledge is power. I know your a student and money is tight but if you can get to your doc ask for some samples. call his office they may arrange it for you to just pick it up and not charge you for a visit. hang in there and hang here. the light is always on
jim