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        New Message Board Archives >> 2006-2007 Getting to Know Ya Posts >> Hello I'd like to introduce myself.
        
(Message started by: artonio7 on Dec 21^st, 2006, 11:31am)

Title: Hello I'd like to introduce myself.
Post by artonio7 on Dec 21^st, 2006, 11:31am

Hello everyone. My name is Anthony and I'm filled with gratitude for all of you; you're empathy, compassion and effort. Thank You!

I am a 50 year old male living in New Castle, Pa. USA. For the last 3 years I have been living with Cluster Headaches, at their onset they were episodic and have become chronic. At the onset it was recommended that I undergo surgery for sinusitis, I refused surgery. 2 1/2 years later I was prescribed Imitrex. In August of this year I found this site and I share the appreciation that so many of you have testified to in knowing we are not alone.

In 1996, after a severe depression, I was Diagnosed as being Bi Polar I Depressive, although I have had it's symptoms for as long as I can remember. Dealing with manic and depressive swings make life a roller-coaster ride to both heaven and hell.

I have hypertension and high cholesterol and have recently been told that I may have a form of arrhythmia (sp.) which may require a pace maker (my heart rate isn't speeding up properly. I don't mean to go on and on about all of my afflictions without making a point and perhaps asking for info.

It appears that everything I've mentioned about my conditions excluding High cholesterol seems linked to my Hypothalamus. Am I off the mark? Are there any current studies which link all of these symptoms to a genetic defect or some other anomaly of the Hypothalamus?

Or are my questions best left for another Topic?

Ps. Sorry that I posted this in the wrong forum the first time. [smiley=huh.gif] [smiley=huh.gif]

Title: Re: Hello I'd like to introduce myself.
Post by Guiseppi on Dec 21^st, 2006, 12:27pm

The one thing everyone seems to agree with about this condition is it stems from the Hypothalumus!

Based on your co-existing condition I'm curious if they ever put you on lithium. I've used lithium as a preventative for many years now with great success. I'm a 46 year old male, weigh about 190 and use about 1200 mg a day of lithium when on cycle. I use oxygen and cafergot for the break thrus and for the rare "ass kickers" that break thru I use imitrex injectables.

Welcome to the board, please don't be shy about posting theories and asking questions. If nothing else it gives us all something to talk about.

Guiseppi

Title: Re: Hello I'd like to introduce myself.
Post by artonio7 on Dec 22^nd, 2006, 2:50am

on 12/21/06 at 12:27:31, Guiseppi wrote:

The one thing everyone seems to agree with about this condition is it stems from the Hypothalumus!

Based on your co-existing condition I'm curious if they ever put you on lithium.

Hi Guiseppi! Thanks for the response and warm welcome.

Prior to being diagnosed with BP Disorder I was resistant and opposed to taking medication of any sort, even aspirin. After the crash of '94 thru '96 I reluctantly took the advice of a Doctor and started taking whatever he prescribed with a wait and see attitude. In the cases of some meds I quickly learned I had no tolerance for the adverse effects and other meds just didn't seem to work. The list of meds is a long one, eventually I gave up on them all as I didn't enjoy the flat effect they produced in me or the uncertainty of the consequence to the rest of my body. The last med prescribed after a two year hiatus (and return of severe depression) makes me emotionally numb. It's like being the walking dead. I'm an artist and I need to feel something.

I was never prescribed Lithium. Imitrex seems to help but because of the risk of heart attack I use it infrequently and try to tough it out. The Clusters are with me now almost every day since September of '95 (correction September of 2005 not '95) sometimes 5-8 a day. A great day is 3 level sevens on the scale, a fantastic day is nothing over a level 4. No day involving level tens is a good day. Night-time is the right time for the torture. I don't get much sleep. I've given up trying to measure my life in terms of days but the length of time between cluster headaches. My next pursuit will be Oxygen therapy.

Their doesn't seem to be a family history of CH that I'm aware of. At the onset of the Clusters (I didn't know what they were) I was afraid deep down it was somehow caused by damage done by any one of the medications I was prescribed in dealing with my BP. Now that I've been having chest pains I'm afraid that the Imitrex has somehow damaged my heart. Of course this may not be the case but......

Oh well life certainly is interesting.

Title: Re: Hello I'd like to introduce myself.
Post by Guiseppi on Dec 22^nd, 2006, 11:07am

Ouch dude, you have a tough road but sound mentally tough enough to take it. I strongly encourage the oxygen route. Started at a 15 lpm flow, at the first twinge of a headache, [/b]with a non re-breather mask[b] or what people on the board call a cluster mask.....see the oxygen link on the left.....it will abort most of my headaches within 4-8 minutes. I hope it helps you at least as much as it's helping you. Read the oxygen link, print it out and take it to your doctor. be prepared to be one of those pain in the butt people that won't take no on this as some docs resist it for some reason. Good luck and again, welcome home!

Guiseppi

Title: Re: Hello I'd like to introduce myself.
Post by Linda_Howell on Dec 22^nd, 2006, 11:42am

Artonio,

With all the other stuff you have going on I'd like to just jump in here and "second" the advice on getting oxygen. It's cheap (compared to some of the meds we take) it's safe with no side-effects and it aborts a headache fast and for 70% of us it works and is a life-saver. Most of us look ast that ugly green tank with a mixture of love and respect. lol

Linda

Title: Re: Hello I'd like to introduce myself.
Post by Richr8 on Dec 22^nd, 2006, 1:55pm

on 12/22/06 at 11:42:38, Linda_Howell wrote:

Artonio, With all the other stuff you have going on I'd like to just jump in here and "second" the advice on getting oxygen.

A little story. Yesterday at 7:30 AM I was at the Mall when I got hit really hard and basically had to cut off my shopping trip. I barely crawled to my car where I sat for the next 25 minutes in agony intil the pain subsided, then drove home because I was too exhausted to continue shopping right then. Today at 7:30 AM Iwas at home and was stariting got get hit again, jumped on my O2 and was pf in less than 5 minutes. In fact his happens all night, and sometimes all day, long and if I can get on my O2 in time, I am pf withing 10 minutes.

Moral: Please get O2 to see if will work for you as well. You are probably enduring more pain than necessary.

Title: Re: Hello I'd like to introduce myself.
Post by burnt-toast on Dec 26^th, 2006, 7:08am

Given the nautre of most CH drugs and everything else that must be considered before treating your CH, stick it out with the professionals. If you're not getting relief with your current doc(s). maybe it's time to seek out some new ones.

The connection between CH and an enlarged Hypothalamus that is overactive during attacks is documented. How to address the problem is still an open question, however isolating a potential physiological/physical cause does provide hope that a cure for this disorder is possible.

For now we're all stuck with this nightmare and the treatments currently available.

Best Wishes,

Tom

Title: Re: Hello I'd like to introduce myself.
Post by RichardN on Dec 27^th, 2006, 2:46am

Hi Artonio and Welcome

Get your 02 script as soon as possible . . . copy the 02 info available here and take with you to your doc . . . will save alot of time. 02 IS a viable abortive for clusters, but most are not aware.

I am somewhat concerned that you stated that you had hypertension and high cholesterol . . . and your doc prescribed Imitrex. When I came here (2/02), I took info from this site and DEMANDED a script for 02 and Verapamil and Imitrex (had what still ranks as my all-time worst attack the day before. He relented on the 02 and Verapamil, but wanted more tests before prescribing the Imitrex . . . stress test, followed by heart cath . . . which showed some arterie blockage . . . not enough for a stint, but enough to make Imitrex dangerous (or fatal) for me . . . so 02 is my only abortive.

Does this doc's script make anybody else nervous?

Don't discount the "water X 3" therapy (link to left) . . . it takes a LOT of water.

Keep reading . . . keep asking.

Be Safe, PFDANs

Richard

Title: Re: Hello I'd like to introduce myself.
Post by Sandy_C on Dec 28^th, 2006, 2:22pm

on 12/22/06 at 02:50:17, artonio7 wrote:

Imitrex seems to help but because of the risk of heart attack I use it infrequently and try to tough it out. The

Antonio, welcome, sorry you have to be here, but this is the best place to go to learn about CH.

I, too, was prescribed Imitrex, and it worked well for me, until during my last cycle (I'm episodic), when I started having very tiny, almost unnoticeable, heart palpitations. My Doc and I discussed this, along with my family history of early heart attacks (father at age 42) and strokes (mother at age 50) so Imitrex is no longer something I'm willing to take, even infrequently.

Please be very careful.

Sandy