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        New Message Board Archives >> 2006-2007 Getting to Know Ya Posts >> I am starting a cycle 
        
(Message started by: jeffro on Feb 8^th, 2007, 8:35pm)

Title: I am starting a cycle
Post by jeffro on Feb 8^th, 2007, 8:35pm

hey guys, I am new to this board ....I am about to put a bullet in my ear. My existance right now is defined by pain levels.....and no one understands .....no one. Everyone thinks it is just a headache ....I would not wish this agony upon anyone .....I just wish I could let them feel what I feel for five minutes and then they would know.

I have just started a cycle. I am in sheer terror right now. I have not had a CH in over a year. My last cycle lasted six weeks .....I am now on day five and I don't think I can do this again

My life has fallen apart. I can not sleep. I have not slept at all in four days......as soon as I shut my eyes, ten minutes later, well....you know...

please, someone help ......anything....anything at all .

I swear to all that is holy, .....If anyone uses this post to "sell" me somthing. I will make it my lifes mission to hunt you down and destroy you.

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by AussieBrian on Feb 8^th, 2007, 8:40pm

Welcome home, Jeffro, and we know only too well what you're going through.

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by thebbz on Feb 8^th, 2007, 8:43pm

Hello and welcome.
Like Brian said..we know.
Check your pm's in the upper right hand of the screen.
What do you have for abortives?
jb

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by nani on Feb 8^th, 2007, 8:49pm

on 02/08/07 at 20:35:08, jeffro wrote:

.....and no one understands .....no one.

We understand. Take a deep breath, hon...and welcome home. Please look around the site, there are many helpful suggestions. Feel free to ask questions, and get in contact with us by PM. If you PM me your number... I'll call you...right now. :)
pain free wishes, nani

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by Guiseppi on Feb 8^th, 2007, 9:25pm

Get thee to some oxygen......and soon! I used to hide in fear of the beast too. Now with my E-Tank, my imitrex, my lithium and cafergot by my side.....(with the occasional prednisone taper)....I look the beast in the eye and say BRING IT!!!!!!

(Damn I hope that didn't sound like a sales pitch or that dude'll hunt me down for sure!!!!!!!) ;;D

Welcome to the board and trust us....we really do understand.

Guiseppi

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by chewy on Feb 8^th, 2007, 9:57pm

Quote:

I swear to all that is holy, .....If anyone uses this post to "sell" me somthing. I will make it my lifes mission to hunt you down and destroy you.

I love it! Fear not jeffro. Snakeoil salesman dont get far around here.

Whats meds are you using?

(BTW. I do just happen to have a blow up doll for sale. She dont love me anymore. Caught her cheatin with the vacuum cleaner)

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by Wilbur on Feb 8^th, 2007, 10:41pm

on 02/08/07 at 20:35:08, jeffro wrote:

and no one understands .....no one.

You can stop that shit right now. We are here, and we understand. You can have your life back (not all of it, but most of it).

Have you seen a neurologist who specializes in headaches? There are meds (verapamil, lithium, imitrex, other triptans, methysergide), treatments (oxygen, kudzu, red bull, etc.), and alternative treatments (mushrooms, LSD, LSA, RC seeds) that can help you get your life back.

Take control. Find a good neurologist in your area and get in to see him or her as soon as you can.

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by jeffro on Feb 8^th, 2007, 10:42pm

thanks guys....

you have no idea what it means to talk to someone who knows.....well, actually you probably do.....

bbz ......Guiseppi......I can't thank you enough

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by thebbz on Feb 8^th, 2007, 10:48pm

;) keep us posted. Dont forget to breathe

jb

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by jeffro on Feb 8^th, 2007, 11:12pm

on 02/08/07 at 21:57:32, chewy wrote:

(BTW. I do just happen to have a blow up doll for sale. She dont love me anymore. Caught her cheatin with the vacuum cleaner)

....well, as long as I'm awake all night anyway I guess I need sumthin' to do.....and what could be more fun than that

I'm just not sure my girlfriend would go for it ......she might . She is a little adventurous ::)

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by Wilbur on Feb 8^th, 2007, 11:21pm

on 02/08/07 at 23:12:37, jeffro wrote:

DON'T DO IT! IT'S USED, MAN! USED BY CHEWY!

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by jeffro on Feb 8^th, 2007, 11:24pm

on 02/08/07 at 23:21:34, Wilbur wrote:

DON'T DO IT! IT'S USED, MAN! USED BY CHEWY!

that's OK ......most of my girlfriends are used too

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by BB on Feb 9^th, 2007, 12:30am

on 02/08/07 at 23:24:43, jeffro wrote:

most of my girlfriends are used too

Be careful what you say about the ladies Jeffro, or you may get worse pain than CH to deal with ;)

Welcome to the Board and yes, people here understand, we feel the same thing you do. Read the Board for informations though as there are many things better than a bullet to help with CH.

Painfree wishes to you.

BB

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by LeLimey on Feb 9^th, 2007, 5:07am

Jeffro honey I can slap harder than a kip 10 hon, be warned [smiley=laugh.gif]

What meds have you tried in the past? Have you tried triptans to abort hits?

Right now I'm going to make some DIY suggestions that alot of us have found very useful. I do not have shares in anything and if you want to hunt anyone down and kill 'em make it Chewy - we'll all love you looooong time ;)

In a hit the blood vessels inside your brain (on the affected side) swell to up to 20X their normal size which is why its so flippin' excruciating. What we need to abort these hits are vaso constrictors which reduce the size of the blood vessels ASAP.

Triptans are the prescription drug with Imitrex INJECTIONS being the fastest working. Do not be fobbed off with pills, they do not work fast enough (up to two hours to kick in. The most effective triptans are Imitrex injections and Zomig nasal sprays as although these take slightly longer to kick in, have a half life of up to 12 hours so are better IMHO (Iitrex half life = 2 hours)

Anyway, home remedies until you can get to your doctor or neuro and get a prescription.

Caffeine - bloody brilliant. Strong coffee drunk quickly (you want it in you asap) or Red Bull (generic equivalents equally as good and equally as shitty tasting ::) ) Not only do these contain high levels of caffeine which for us is good but they contain taurine which increases the effect of caffeine. I have to say my el cheapo "red bull" is the thing I love to hate most, love the effect, dread the taste!

Ice or heat, one will work for you, the other will make it worse. If, as with me you find cold helps then peas will suddenly become your most favourite veg (just not to eat!) Nothing beats a bag of frozen peas against your face and, daft as it sounds, one on the back of your neck can help too. It annoys some people though.

One of the treatments given for CH is an injection called a Greater Occipital Nerve Block. These have varying degrees of success which I would attribute directly to the person administering the injection. Anyway, the injection is given into the Occipital Nerve in the back of your neck (which then runs up over your head) and its my belief as to that nerves being the reason that ice on the neck works for me.

I hope you've got some help from all this, the light is always on here, for both you AND your girlfriend so let her know that too.

There is also a veritable minefield of information, compassion and knowledge available to you from the Family Services Team at OUCH US. Contact them, they will help all they can http://www.ouch-us.org/familysvs/familysvs1.shtml

We want an update on how you are doing asap or else!

Take care
Helen

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by alchemy on Feb 9^th, 2007, 7:01am

Jeff, do what Helen says. She's very dangerous and rides a mean broom. Be warned !!!!!!!!

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by kimmiedawn81 on Feb 9^th, 2007, 9:15am

Hi Jeff, welcome to the site. You have very much found a place to call home. Everyone knows what you're going through. You can deal with this....it sucks, but it can be dealt with. I hope you find relief soon! If you need anything, just PM me. Take care!

-Kim

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by artonio7 on Feb 9^th, 2007, 9:19am

Welcome home Jeff. I'm glad that you found this place. Sorry for your current misery... but remember... you made it through the last cycle... You're stronger than you know... You'll make it through this one.

Listen to the good folks here.

You're in my prayers,
Tony

P.S. If you need to talk pm me with your number any time and I'll call you.

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by Mattrf on Feb 9^th, 2007, 12:52pm

Hi Jeff, I really feel for you being in such pain and misory, we have all been there and felt alone until we found this great site that DJ has created for us. This site has been a life savor for many including myself, I will never forget how I felt the first time I came here and discovered I was not crazy or alone, it was just an incredable feeling one you may be experiencing right now.
Jeff you are no longer alone and no you are not crazy, Chewy is crazy but you are fine.
Be sure to read as much as you can and please get a good nerologist and take him the information from here to help edgucate him to better treat you, that is what most do since the doctors just don’t seem to know enough about CH to treat it properly. Hang in there my friend we are here for you and will always understand.

Matt

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by georgej on Feb 9^th, 2007, 7:27pm

I concur with everything that's been said here. Nothing really to add, since you're in good hands already.

Let us know if anyone tries to sell you anything--but this is probably the last place on earth where that will happen. Snake-oil salesmen tend to get short shrift here. Ever seen the old Frankenstein movies where the mob goes hunting the monster with torches and pitchforks.....? ;;D

Best wishes, and welcome,

George

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by swimchica623 on Feb 9^th, 2007, 8:58pm

Not anything much more to add except see how many people understand on the lovely wonderful internet land?? Finding people who understand really makes it better! PM me or send me something on AOL IM or whatever you want, we're all here for you!
Lisa

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by jeffro on Feb 10^th, 2007, 9:38am

Thanks everyone,

I really appreciate it. I meant to post and thank all of you yesterday. But I was actually able to sleep yesterday and pretty much did ...all day. So I do feel a little better now. I did get a few attacks last night that woke me up but they were not as severe as they have been. The shadow is still there so I guess I'll just have to see what happens next.

I've read all of your PM's and I will be looking into some medical attention next week.

thanks again,
Jeff

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by jeffro on Feb 10^th, 2007, 9:50am

Oh, and I really didn't mean any thing disparaging to all the lovely ladies ........ It was my poor attempt at humor after four days of sleep deprivation .....

.......love the ladies... ;)

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by Virginian on Feb 22^nd, 2007, 6:12pm

Jeffro,

My latest attack cycle-- 42 days- ended 2 weeks ago. I empathize with you, as do the other posters.

Coffee is good... Red Bull. equally so. They might at least shorten the hits some.

I used Depakote ER as a preventative-- lots of people do not like it -- but it helped me twice. Lots of possible side effects though. I also have a nasal Imitrex dose of 20 mg

Hot and cold -- alternating them helped me too. I used Melatonin as a sleep aid to try to get through the hits that awaken with terror. Had to take a number to have any effect though. Step out into the cold night if you are in that sort of climate.

Try to stay occupied when you can't sleep because of the fear of another rude awakening. Do your bills, write a letter -- stay busy. Maybe it will at least help pass the time and keep your mind off things a bit and you might have something to show at the end other than pain memories.

You are not alone.

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by fastfreddy2002 on Mar 19^th, 2007, 6:50pm

hang in there we all understand. just geting over a 3 week cycle. thanks to this site and my wife I found o2 oxygen which really seems to work for me. I hope you find something.

all the best

Title: Re: I am starting a cycle
Post by Dunnie_work on Mar 20^th, 2007, 7:54pm

Jeffro I hear you loud and clear. I too am starting a new cycle. I was very, very fortunate to have been on a five year cycle. I am two years and four months early this time. I am in the US working and it was hard to get a script for the Imitrex. The pain from this is in describable. I danced yesterday so much I thought my heart was going to stop...........and I wished almost that it would. I am back on this board from Italy where I talked with some good people. There are a lot of us all over the world that share this big affliction and heavy cross. The meds is never enough and very damn expensive here. I am in the boat with you let's try and hold on the best we can until this thing leaves......it has to stop sometime!!!!!!