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        New Message Board Archives >> 2006-2007 Getting to Know Ya Posts >> Pain in Spain
        
(Message started by: spanisheye on Dec 27^th, 2007, 12:38pm)

Title: Pain in Spain
Post by spanisheye on Dec 27^th, 2007, 12:38pm

Hi

Just been reading through this brilliant and helpful site for the past couple of hours.

I first suffered from CH about 9 years ago. After a couple of weeks my brother, who is a doctor, immediately diagnosed it as CH and told me that there wasn't a lot I could do about it!!

When I've had attacks in the past they have ended up reaching about 9 on the Kip scale after a couple of months, before totally going away for a year's relief.

This week the headaches have returned in anger after a 4 year break from them. The odd thing is that over the past 4 years we've had two kids, set up a business, moved abroad, run out of money and generally had the MOST stressful years of my life.

But, over the past year the business took off, everything has been going really well and I can honestly say that today my life is stress free. Then, when I least expected it, the "demons" returned this week.

I wasn't going to let them take over my life again and not wanting to smash my head against a wall any more decided that I had to nip it in the bud.

As soon as I get a little twinge in my left temple I quickly take a zomig tablet, 1g paracetamol and 600mg Ibuprofen.

This usually works really well. I would say it stops the headaches in about 8 out of 10 cases.

Anyway, I'm going to look into the exygen, coffee and cold pack ideas I've read about here, just in case my current treatment fails me at some point.

Finally, a big thank you to all those involved in making this site so useful to so many. It truly is a goldmine of information for CH sufferers.

Title: Re: Pain in Spain
Post by Linda_Howell on Dec 27^th, 2007, 1:41pm

The Zomig works fairly well as a lot of us have had some relief with it, but Ibuprofen and
Paracetamol known as acetaminophen in the United States is like trying to capsize an ocean liner with a pea-shooter. And that will tear up the lining of your stomach too.

I have no idea of the convenience of getting Oxygen in Spain but it's quite easy to get it here and it works very well w/o the nasty side-effects of some of the other medications we use. It's also quite cheap in comparison and it WORKS for 75% of us in aborting a "hit"

Please try to get on the 02 as soon as you can. It will make a difference in how well you get through this cycle. If your brother is a Doctor he should be able to write you a script for it with no problems.

Welcome aboard the pain train here, and keep reading and asking questions. The OUCH website has a lot more information so check that link out too.

Linda

Title: Re: Pain in Spain
Post by Guiseppi on Dec 27^th, 2007, 2:13pm

Welcome SpanishEye!!!! Linda's advice is spot on. I'd just like to add a suggestion for a preventative medication. You are episodic like me, that meaning they leave for a while, up to a few years, then they come back again!

When my headaches start up again I go on lithium, about 1200 mg a day. I take it while I am "on cycle," that is getting headaches. It reduces by up to 90% the frequency of my attacks, that greatly reduces the amount of "abortive" medication i end up having to take.

The more common prevents are lithium, verapamil and topomax. Some use a combo of lithium and verapamil. Definitely worth discussing with your doc. Like Linda said, those pain meds will eventually do a number on your insides!

Welcome to the board, so sorry you had to find us! :-/

Guiseppi

Title: Re: Pain in Spain
Post by spanisheye on Dec 28^th, 2007, 8:08am

Thanks for the welcome and the advice.

I have made an appointment with a doctor to see if I can get hold of some O2 here.

You guys were right, all those tablets are playing havoc with my insides! Need some alternative treatment now.

Title: Re: Pain in Spain
Post by Guiseppi on Dec 28^th, 2007, 10:18am

By all means let us know how the 02 works out! Do read the link on the left as used incorrectly it's useless. The most important points are a "NON REBREATHER MASK" and a high flow rate regulator, at least 15 LPM. Good luck and let us know what happens!

Guiseppi

Title: Re: Pain in Spain
Post by Linda_Howell on Dec 28^th, 2007, 12:39pm

Scroll down to treatments for a list of abortives and preventatives that you may want to read up on, become very familiar with and then discuss with your Doctor.

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