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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> new - need advise
        
(Message started by: srichards on Jan 31^st, 2006, 9:04pm)

Title: new - need advise
Post by srichards on Jan 31^st, 2006, 9:04pm

I have these headaches that all of a sudden came when I was driving about a month ago. I was driving home and all of a sudden got a really sharp throbbing pain in my right temple. It lasted less than 2 minutes. then my head went numbe. About 1 1/2 hours later I got really dizzy. Later the headach came back but was different. We went to the ER. The did a CAT scan and lumbar puncture. They came out ok. Then they gave iv meds and I felt better. Felt better all the next day - Thursday. Friday headace was back. They thought I had a spinal headache. gave me an IV with no meds headache didn't go away. Did a bloodpatch, and IV meds. Headahce went away. ever since then I get headaches every day sometimes they only last 20-30 minutes and sometimes hours. On a scale of one ten the pain can be any where from a 3 to a 10. They chage every time and sometimes even during. For instance Sometimes one of my temples will throbe, maybe later it is my forehead, or the back of my head or even an entire side. They ge worse when I am tired, and the worse the hedache is the more blurry my vision gets. They did an MRI and found a white spot (hyperintensity) on my left temporal lobe. Other than IV meds nothing takes them away. We have tried over the counter advil, and tylenol. We have also tried prescription - naprosyn, flexoril, floricet, and vicodin - none of the meds worked. The headaches make me very nervous. At night I am afraid to go to sleep not know if I will wake up with a worse headanch or if I will even wake up. Sometimes it even makes it worse to put my head on the pillow. I can get any where from 3 - 6 of these headaches during the day. I go to see a neurologist on Friday - finally. But honestly I told My husband I wish they would just put me in the hospital give me IV meds and be agressive with the headache to make it go away and stay away. The pain itself isn't so bad that I can't handle it (as I have been a migrain sifferer since I was 12 - with light, and sound sentitvity and vomiting) but the constant headache are driving me insane, and they are starting to scare me when I have no answer as to why.

Title: Re: new - need advise
Post by BobG on Jan 31^st, 2006, 9:11pm

In my opinion, I'm not a doctor, your headaches do not sound like cluster headaches. I have no idea what they may be. Please stay tuned here. We have some very knowledgeable people here and I'm sure someone will see your message and reply.
If I were you I'd get my doctor to refer me to a headache specialist or a neurologist as soon as possible.
Please let us know. We all may learn something.

Title: Re: new - need advise
Post by Mr. Happy on Jan 31^st, 2006, 11:16pm

on 01/31/06 at 21:04:22, srichards wrote:

I wish they would just put me in the hospital give me IV meds and be agressive with the headache to make it go away and stay away.

Well, if it's clusters, then it'll go away, but it won't stay away, hospital IV meds or not. Like Bob sed, your's doesn't check off like classic CH, but this is your first time around, and that's always the hardest when defining patterns. If they do go away, and come back 1 or 2 yrs later for a few months, then you have a good marker for CH. There's no blood test for this shit, but if it's clusters, it'll be back sooner or later.

Real crap shoot, this.
RJ

Title: Re: new - need advise
Post by BarbaraD on Feb 1^st, 2006, 7:49am

Take the cluster quiz on the left...

What KIND of IV meds are they giving you. Pain meds don't usually touch a CH. OTC meds don't usually help either. You really didn't list out how you react to the headaches. Do you lay down or do you pace when they hit?

Let us know more.....

Hugs BD

Title: Re: new - need advise
Post by docblondie on Feb 1^st, 2006, 10:09pm

They dont sound like clusters to me either. It is good that you are going to a neurologist- also get a second opinion if you're not happy with your treatment- there a plenty of neurologists that are not familiar with clusters! My first diagnosis was a small white spot on my MRI which I was told was a small tumor- the headaches were related to that- it was not until 9 months later that someone finally diagnosed the clusters- thank goodness they didnt operate- the white spot turned out to be scar tissue from birth and completely harmless and unrelated to the headaches. This may- or may not be the case with you --get many opinions. read the article posted under medical info- this will help you understand clusters and they do a great job of describing (under features) what clusters feel like. They are very hard to diagnose at first- but do be sure to rule out everything else too- headaches can be a sign of serious conditions that you do not want to ignore.
What IV meds are they treating you with? Clusters are generally much more painful than migraines - so it sounds like this could be something different.
Best of luck and keep us posted-
~Chris