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Title: So glad to find this group! Post by dogmom623 on Jul 21st, 2007, 12:05pm I'm Linda, and I live in Michigan in the US. I'm 42, married to my best friend Tom, and we live with our three cocker spaniel kids and my eldest stepson (Tom has three sons from a prior marriage). I have never been a serious headache sufferer until about three weeks ago, when I started having some tearing in my left eye and pain that resembled a sinus infection. My doctor didn't see much evidence of a sinus problem but prescribed antibiotics and decongestants. After no improvement and a second trip to the doctor a week later (who just changed the antibiotic and decongestant), I went to an ENT specialist. He did an endoscopy of my nasal passages and ruled out a sinus infection, but ordered a CT scan of my brain and sinus just to make sure there aren't any polyps or other nasty things. Results won't be back for a week or so, but in the meantime the headaches were continuing, worsening, and becoming debilitating. My doctor decided that we could try MaxAlt-MLT in the event it was a migraine. That did nothing for it. In desperation, I called her back, and asked if there was anything else we could try until the CT results come back. She prescribed Imitrex tabs, and suggested that maybe these were cluster headaches, but she had no way to be sure yet. The Imitrex does take the edge off, but does not eliminate the headache. I also take 800 mg of Motrin every 4 hours or so, and that also helps dull the pain, but it's still there. The pain is centered in an area bounded by my left eye, top of the bridge of the nose running down the left half of my nose, over to the left upper jaw and the left cheekbone, back to the eye. All on the left side, in exactly the same place. Worst when I first wake up, in the mid-afternoon, and the late evening up until bedtime. I feel like I walk around squinting my left eye, wiping it as it runs, and putting pressure on my left cheek all the time, just to function. My eyes are sensitive to light, and when the pain is bad, the term "ice pick" comes to mind. For better or worse, I tend to research things to death, so I've been schooling myself on types of headaches and causes, treatments, prevention, etc. So far, clusters seem to be the most likely diagnosis based on what I've learned. I hope it's OK if I join in here even though I haven't been "formally" diagnosed. I'll look through the archives to get up to speed, and I'm looking forward to meeting others and learning from you! Linda :) |
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Title: Re: So glad to find this group! Post by Kris_in_SJ on Jul 21st, 2007, 8:25pm Hi Linda, Welcome from another Michigander. So sorry you're in pain. You may or may not have clusters - we aren't doctors here, just fellow sufferers with alot of knowledge about the subject. From personal experience, I can tell you that I'd also never had HA's until the age of 42. My first cycle was accompanied by a drooping, red and dripping eye with a constant low-medium grade pain in sinus, eye, temple and jaw. They thought I'd had a small stroke ... sinus infection ... herpes zoster ... nothing they gave me, including narcotics seemed to help. After 10 weeks - poof! - gone - until 4 years later. That's when I had my first "classic" cycle, was diagnosed and properly treated. First - read all you can here. Start with the medical and oxygen info to the left. Also, here's a link to additional medical treatment - an article that saved my life some years back: http://www.plainboard.com/ch/chtherapy.pdf Cluster headaches (if that's what you have) usually require a polydrug approach that includes preventatives like Verapamil, and abortives, like Imitrex injections or oxygen, and sometimes others. It's trial and error for what works for each individual. First, you need a proper diagnosis. By going through the tests, you're ruling out other, more deadly potential problems. Meantime, learn all you can, print out articles, work with your doctor and neuro. Keep a HA journal. And - watch out for the OTC meds. They rarely work and can cause other types of problems. I know how helpless you must feel right now. I remember feeling the same way. Keep us informed - we tend to worry. Hugs, Kris |
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Title: Re: So glad to find this group! Post by thebbz on Jul 21st, 2007, 8:47pm Welcome and there is all kinds of reading out there. Conquering Headache by Dr. Rappaport is a good book. get better jb |
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Title: Re: So glad to find this group! Post by DennisM1045 on Jul 22nd, 2007, 8:34am Hi Linda, Welcome to the family! I'm sorry you had to find us but I'm glad that you did. Whether you have CH or not, headache pain is headache pain. We are here to help you with what answers we have and support you with strong shoulders and compassionate ears. There is a lot to learn here. Your first and best defense is to find a good Neurologist who knows CH. I'm sure someone here can give you an idea of who is good in MI. You can also use these links. OUCH: http://www.ouch-us.org/chgeneral/doctors.htm The American Headache Society http://www.achenet.org/ I hope you find some relieve soon. -Dennis- |
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Title: Re: So glad to find this group! Post by GrandPotentate on Jul 22nd, 2007, 11:09pm Hey Linda, sorry you had to go looking for help. Work closely with your doc, and find a good neuro. If you're over by the thumb, there's even a rather extensive lab - http://www.mhni.com/ The docs will need to be careful that they eliminate other causes. Most of us have been through a bunch of that. It is comforting to have your brain examined and declared "nothing remarkable". It is not unusual to have sinuses probed, wisdom teeth pulled, TMJ checked out, etc....... Read up and discuss oxygen therapy with your doctors. It works tremendously well for many of us. Oral medications don't work as an abortive for clusters; they are too slow. Please keep in touch. These folks will help you out a lot and care about how you're doing. Jon |
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