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        New Message Board Archives >> 2006-2007 Getting to Know Ya Posts >> Hello I am new!
        
(Message started by: famosamos on Aug 30^th, 2006, 2:46pm)

Title: Hello I am new!
Post by famosamos on Aug 30^th, 2006, 2:46pm

Hello,

I am just figuring out what I have been suffering from for years. I am a female 33y/o and started having headaches at 20 that would come and go for days and last for months at a time. The first remission was about five years. Now they come and go about every 3 years and last anywhere from 6 to 8 months. The people in my life at those times think I am crazy with all of these headaches.

My most recent episod started in April and is at its peak right now. My fiance' is the first person to notice I become a cyclopse right before my heads startings killing me. Now he can tell me about a minute before one hits just by looking at me. I have not been officially diagnosed and am curious to find out what you all recomend I do to start working on an actual dx. Every time I see a physician they just knock me out with meds. Cant function like that. I am in national sales and I fly and travel very frequently. My latest episode I believe may have been triggered by a very heavy flight schedule that started in March.

I am a very active person and this episodes make me angry because I cant function normally. My lips go numb when they hit and I have heart palpitations as well as sinus drainage and warm feeling instantly all over. I can have as many as four headaches in one day.

I noticed some of you have tried red bull. I have found that 3 excedrin broken in half and a red bull or Dr. Pepper can give me some quick relief when I need to be in front of people for work and dont have any choice.

I look forward to hearing from you! Glad to finally find a group that may not think I am crazy! At least not a nut for having so many headaches!

Title: Re: Hello I am new!
Post by Bob_Johnson on Aug 30^th, 2006, 3:05pm

The buttons on the left will take you to a self-diagnosis "test" which may help. Primarily, you need to find a physician with experience in treating complex headache conditions. Too many docs have little useful training/experience (as a multitude of our folks will attest!) Some ideas for finding a good person:

1. Search the OUCH site (button on left) for a list of recommended M.D.s.

2. Yellow Pages phone book: look for "Headache Clinics" in the M.D. section and look under "neurologist" where some docs will list speciality areas of practice.

3. Call your hospital/medical center. They often have an office to assist in finding a physician. You may have to ask for the social worker/patient advocate.

4. http://www.achenet.org/physicians/ On-line screen to find a physician.

5. http://www.headaches.org/consumer/index.html Call 1-800-643-5552; they will send a list of M.D.s for your state.I suggest using this source for several reasons: first, we have read several messages from people who, even seeing neurologists, are unhappy with the quality of care and ATTITUDES they have encountered; second, the clinical director of the Jefferson (Philadelphia) Headache Clinic said, in late 1999, that upwards of 40%+ of U.S. doctors have poor training in treating headache and/or hold attitudes about headache ("hysterical female disorder") which block them from sympathetic and effective work with the patient; third, it's necessary to find a doctor who has experience, skill, and a set of attitudes which give hope of success. This is the best method I know of to find such a physician.
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If you wish to do more basic reading:

MANAGEMENT OF HEADACHE AND HEADACHE MEDICATIONS, 2nd ed. Lawrence D. Robbins, M.D.; pub. by Springer. $59 at Amazon.Com. It covers all types of headache and is primarily focused on medications. While the two chapters on CH total 42-pages, the actual relevant material is longer because of multiple references to material in chapters on migraine, reflecting the overlap in drugs used to treat. I'd suggest reading the chapters on migraine for three reasons: he makes references to CH & medications which are not in the index; there are "clinical pearls" about how to approach the treatment of headache; and, you gain better perspective on the nature of headache, in general, and the complexities of treatment (which need to be considered when we create expectations about what is possible). Finally, women will appreciate & benefit from his running information on hormones/menstrual cycles as they affect headache. Chapter on headache following head trauma, also. Obviously, I'm impressed with Robbins' work (even if the book needs the touch of a good editor!) (Somewhat longer review/content statement at 3/22/00, "Good book....")

HEADACHE HELP, Revised edition, 2000; Lawrence Robbins, M.D., Houghton Mifflin, $15. Written for a nonprofessional audience, it contains almost all the material in the preceding volume but it's much easier reading. Highly recommended.

Title: Re: Hello I am new!
Post by thebbz on Aug 30^th, 2006, 9:48pm

famous amos..cool name.
Welcome
Its the caffeine. The redbull and others has taurine, some believe this has some effect as well. Try power slamming a couple of mountian dews. Coffee strong and quickly. When in cycle the coffee is on standby. Be careful you dont start a cycle of more and more caffeine. It can trigger the beast as well. Its all about timing and using different aborts at different times to allow for your shedule. 02 is the bestest.
jb

Title: Re: Hello I am new!
Post by Callico_Kid on Sep 1^st, 2006, 4:33am

Welcome aboard.

Bob has already given you about the best advice you will get for getting started. Most of all I would say to read as much as you can. there is a lot of information here. More in fact than most Drs. have, but then we are a little closer to it, and many docs will never see a clusterhead.

there is an excellent letter written by an English clusterhead that is excellent for explaining to friends, family, coworkers, etc what it is you are gong through. I am sorry I don't have the link available right now, but someone will give it to you I am sure. If not, post on the general post section and ask about Simon's letter.

Please don't feel bad about asking questions. there are a lot of people here who will be happy to help. the only real dumb question is the one you don't ask that makes you suffer needlessly.

Jerry

Title: Re: Hello I am new!
Post by famosamos on Sep 1^st, 2006, 7:18pm

Thank you all so much! I have lots of studying to do. Today has been one of the worst days so as I get up to try and get some things done, I am glad to see some suggestions. I had no idea this many people were suffering from the same type of headaches. I was beginning to think I had finally lost it completely :) I look forward to talking back and forth with all of you. Have a wonderful weekend.

Thank you again,
Famos Amos