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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> First Timer
        
(Message started by: puffy43 on Apr 4^th, 2006, 2:02pm)

Title: First Timer
Post by puffy43 on Apr 4^th, 2006, 2:02pm

My name is Curtis and I recieved my first visits from CH today. One of my main questions that I haven't been able to solve is my headache effected both sides of my frontal lobe at the same time. It also was in the back by my brain stem, and shot down my neck. The CT scan was negative and all of the bloodwork looked good. He basically told me about CH, and I am sure that is what it was. In reading posts and other facts, I did not find anything about boths sides simultaneously. Any replies would be helpful and appreciated. Thank You.

Title: Re: First Timer
Post by Bob_Johnson on Apr 4^th, 2006, 2:22pm

It's not unusual for the early cluster period to involve changes in type, location, frequency, etc. of pain/sensation. I had an experience, not unlike your's, which took about 4-years to become stable.

At this point, having a good diagnosis and starting to learn about cluster is very important. Hope you have a doc who has experience in treating headache: Far too many docs lack skill and experience.

Start with: Here is a link to read and print and take to your doctor. It describes preventive, transitional, abortive and surgical treatments for CH. (2002)

http://www.brightok.net/~mnjday/chtherapy.pdf
----
MANAGEMENT OF HEADACHE AND HEADACHE MEDICATIONS, 2nd ed. Lawrence D. Robbins, M.D.; pub. by Springer. $59 at Amazon.Com. It covers all types of headache and is primarily focused on medications. While the two chapters on CH total 42-pages, the actual relevant material is longer because of multiple references to material in chapters on migraine, reflecting the overlap in drugs used to treat. I'd suggest reading the chapters on migraine for three reasons: he makes references to CH & medications which are not in the index; there are "clinical pearls" about how to approach the treatment of headache; and, you gain better perspective on the nature of headache, in general, and the complexities of treatment (which need to be considered when we create expectations about what is possible). Finally, women will appreciate & benefit from his running information on hormones/menstrual cycles as they affect headache. Chapter on headache following head trauma, also. Obviously, I'm impressed with Robbins' work (even if the book needs the touch of a good editor!) (Somewhat longer review/content statement at 3/22/00, "Good book....")

HEADACHE HELP, Revised edition, 2000; Lawrence Robbins, M.D., Houghton Mifflin, $15. Written for a nonprofessional audience, it contains almost all the material in the preceding volume but it's much easier reading. Highly recommended.

Title: Re: First Timer
Post by Gator on Apr 4^th, 2006, 2:26pm

on 04/04/06 at 14:02:32, puffy43 wrote:

How did you have your first-ever attack and get into the hospital and have a CT scan and bloodwork and get all the results today all by 1:00 pm? Not saying it couldn't happen, but damn that's fast.

Were you diagnosed? By whom? How did they come up with CH after only one attack that does not fit the IHS guidelines for CH?

Title: Re: First Timer
Post by puffy43 on Apr 4^th, 2006, 2:28pm

Thank you for the info, and I definately appreciate your promptness.

Title: Re: First Timer
Post by puffy43 on Apr 4^th, 2006, 2:32pm

I was driving to work about 6:45 this morning and it just hit me. I felt fine before and it simply knocked me on my ass. I have played football games on a broken leg in college and this was not even in the same category. I went to the emergency room and went from there. I did not recieve a MRI, and was wondering about that. They were positive that is was a CH and I could be in for a long haul. They deemed that a MRI would be a waste at that point. Any futher advice would be great.

Title: Re: First Timer
Post by puffy43 on Apr 4^th, 2006, 2:35pm

How doesn't it fit the IHS guildlines? Is it because of the bilateral pain?

Title: Re: First Timer
Post by Gator on Apr 4^th, 2006, 3:14pm

Sounds like a hell of an experience to have just out of the blue. Scares the crap out of you when it hits like that. My first real cluster attack hit me out of the blue. Felt like someone heated up a railroad spike to glowing and drove it into my right eye with a sledge hammer.

An MRI is certainly not a waste of time. It is the test most recommended to rule out anything physically wrong in the noggin.

Yes, the bilateral pain is what brings the diagnosis into question. The International Headache Society Guidelines describes CH as a strictly unilateral pain. Here is a link to the IHS Guidelines. CH starts on page 44:

http://216.25.100.131/ihscommon/guidelines/pdfs/ihc_II_main_no_print.pdf

Title: Re: First Timer
Post by puffy43 on Apr 4^th, 2006, 3:25pm

Gator,
I really appreciate the help. It was definately an experience. I was wondering abou the IHS, thank you for the site. I read the strict unilateral pain. I was just wondering since it is rare and varies so much that the bilateral may not be ruled out completely. I don't know, but i just wondered. About the MRI i didn't mean to put no emphasis, they just wanted to wait to see if the headaches persist. I was a bit vague. Again I really do appreciate the help, this site and board will prove to be very useful.

Title: Re: First Timer
Post by Gator on Apr 4^th, 2006, 4:25pm

Please don't misunderstand me or my motives. I am not a doctor and I am not saying you do or don't have anything. My overall concern is that you get the proper diagnosis and treatment. There are diseases/disorders that can mimick CH. Don't be too quick to get comfortable with a particular diagnosis until there is enough evidence that you do indeed have that disorder. To do so might cause you more harm than good. Clusters won't kill you, but treating yourself for them when you don't have them might.

Read and learn all you can about CH and other disorders with similar symptoms. Keep a record of any future headaches and track time, date, pain level, duration, weather, activity at the time of the headache, anything eaten recently and what, if anything you took or did to treat the headache and the effectiveness.

I wish you nothing but pain free time and hope you never experience another headache like that.