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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> does anyone bother killing shadows ?
        
(Message started by: chopmyheadoff on Aug 18^th, 2006, 3:36am)

Title: does anyone bother killing shadows ?
Post by chopmyheadoff on Aug 18^th, 2006, 3:36am

Hi, just finding my feet with my treatment.
been on verapamil for a month or so now and seems to be working well.
iv just had a couple of break throughs that iv killed with an imitrex shot. (im chronic)

BUT . . . yesterday i had a couple of shodows.
they dont hurt as such, but make me really withdrawn and depressed and kind of hurt without hurting . . if that makes sense.

anyway, i need to be lively and on the ball for work so i was wondering , does anybody ever bother killing a shadow with an imitrex jab ??
or just suffer in silence ??

i think that these shadows are far worse than a "normal" headache that the generap population get, and they moan and take paracetamol etc when they get one, so why should i suffer :-/ lol

cheers for any input
chop

ps i know some people will be desperate to say "oooo, god , noooo, dont medicate when not essential, side effects etc etc etc but - try and answer honestly !!
:P

love y'all

Title: Re: does anyone bother killing shadows ?
Post by LeLimey on Aug 18^th, 2006, 4:48am

I've medicated shadow's with OTC painkillers.. but never wasted an imi on them
I usually chug a red bull when I get like you described and I find that works, sometimes takes two to really kill it though.
Several people here do find OTC stuff can help with shadows even though they won't touch the sides of a hit
Hope it helps buggerlugs!
Helen

Title: Re: does anyone bother killing shadows ?
Post by chewy on Aug 18^th, 2006, 6:40am

20 mg of prednisone. Shadows gone.

Title: Re: does anyone bother killing shadows ?
Post by chopmyheadoff on Aug 18^th, 2006, 6:41am

on 08/18/06 at 06:40:23, chewy wrote:

20 mg of prednisone. Shadows gone.

now that IS useful . .
can you repeat if it comes back the same day ??

Title: Re: does anyone bother killing shadows ?
Post by serendipity on Aug 18^th, 2006, 6:45am

On the advice of most of the folks here, I've recently started killing mine with Red Bull. It works most of the time. Kudzu seemed to knock my shadows back quite a bit, too.

Just a question, though. How do you guys know which ones are just shadows and which ones are the first twinges of a CH? Sometimes I can tell, but a lot of times I honestly don't know the difference. During the first couple of weeks of a cycle I have shadows almost constantly, and I used to take stuff all the time during the first two weeks of a cycle just to keep them at bay. I know that's really bad, but living in mortal fear of getting one, I just couldn't help myself.

Title: Re: does anyone bother killing shadows ?
Post by chopmyheadoff on Aug 18^th, 2006, 6:53am

on 08/18/06 at 06:45:14, serendipity wrote:

Just a question, though. How do you guys know which ones are just shadows and which ones are the first twinges of a CH? .

when the pain goes above shadow level its a CH !!

i am sat here with a shadow now and i know its not going to develop. its still damn uncomfortable though and iv got imitrex sat in front of me.
do i take it ??

Title: Re: does anyone bother killing shadows ?
Post by burnt-toast on Aug 18^th, 2006, 7:32am

Coffee, an aspirin or two and frequent massage of the eye and temple helps but for the most part I ignore them. When they've been really bothersome I use those blue frozen picnic ice packs to settle things down. The small ownes fit nicely into the temple area and eye socket fairly well.

It's easy for me to distinguish shadows because full attacks kick it up in just a few minutes. In my case shadows are often day long long events that feel like a H/A in my right temple and scalp area combined with eye cramps? Best explanation I have.

Be careful with Prednesone - its not aspirin - as always discuss the use of prescription meds with your doc.

Best Wishes,

Tom

Title: Re: does anyone bother killing shadows ?
Post by pattik on Aug 18^th, 2006, 8:19am

Shadows have their own way of intruding on your day, and I go after anything over a level 2. First comes the caffeine, and if that doesn't kill it, out comes the sudafed (just 30mg for me) plus an ibuprophen. Sometimes I'll use a little ice pack for good measure. That usually does the trick if it's just a shadow. I haven't had a lot of luck with Redbull yet, but I haven't given up on it entirely. As to knowing which are random shadows vs. the start of a cycle, I really can't tell until I see some predictability and the pain level starts to rise. I always keep a journal to keep track of a possible new cycle.

Title: Re: does anyone bother killing shadows ?
Post by prcole18 on Aug 18^th, 2006, 8:30am

Hi mate, Redbull will sometimes kill my shadows but if it turns out to be a full CH then Redbull wont work for me & the Imigran Jab comes into action.

Depending where I am or what im doing if its a constant shadow & its really pissing me off then ill use an Imigran jab.

Title: Re: does anyone bother killing shadows ?
Post by BarbaraD on Aug 18^th, 2006, 8:33am

I vote for Red Bull at the first twinge of a shadow - usually works. Coffee and O2 are a line of defense also. After about a Kip 8, I go to the meds, but if I get to it quick enough I don't have to do the meds.

MOST of the time this works.....

Hugs BD

Title: Re: does anyone bother killing shadows ?
Post by chopmyheadoff on Aug 18^th, 2006, 8:43am

on 08/18/06 at 08:33:59, BarbaraD wrote:

your much braver than me - there is NO WAY i would let it get to a kip 8 without having a jab.

NO WAY

i think this is coz im chronic of 7 years and only just diagnosed - so im still new to the fact that i can actually
do something about my HA's

so if i had a kip 3 for instance, i would think why sit here and suffer when i can just imitrex it !!

thanks for your input guys, its interesting to see how this bastard impacts of different peoples lives 8)

Title: Re: does anyone bother killing shadows ?
Post by kcopelin on Aug 18^th, 2006, 10:43am

Shadowland can be really tough- I know within a few minutes if its going to morph into a CH-for shadows-energy drink, exercise, someimtes an extra strength OTC. BUT, I save my triptans and O2 for the hits-haven't had any luck with O2 killing shadows though have tried (at the insistance of my husband "Kathy-go suck some Oxygen for goodness sake you're making me nuts here")
Hope you find some relief.
PFDAN
kathy

Title: Re: does anyone bother killing shadows ?
Post by kcopelin on Aug 18^th, 2006, 10:45am

P.S. Chewy-ya got pred laying around for shadows? Hmmm....I try to avoid pred because I already have osteopenia due to it-but am not totally sure it would help-however, if Chewy says it helps him, then it must.
kathy

Title: Re: does anyone bother killing shadows ?
Post by georgej on Aug 18^th, 2006, 10:52am

This may not apply to you, since you're chronic, but--at the beginning and end of a cycle when I still have shadows floating around, 4 mg chlorpheneramine maleate and two aspirin can sometimes alleviate a minor shadow. Say a Kip 2. Useless for anything above that. And it doesn't work at all in mid-cycle. I think this is pretty much the same thing as the Sudafed and Ibuprofin. Haven't given red bull a fair trial yet.

Best,

George

Title: Re: does anyone bother killing shadows ?
Post by unsolved1 on Aug 18^th, 2006, 11:07am

20 mg of Prednistone would probably be okay, but if you get into taking it very much (more than once a day or for more than just 1 day), you need to tell a doc and get a schedule for tapering. Taking Pred and then stopping abruptly can cause serious problems !! Pred is NOT an aspirin !!

I sometimes kill my shadows if they persist for too long. If it's pretty bad (But still not a cluster attack) I take a Stadol injection. If it's a cluster attack, Stadol is useless (so is everything else) so I take an Imitrex inj !!

shadows can skrew up a day !!

UNsolved

Be careful w/ the Prednistone !!

Title: Re: does anyone bother killing shadows ?
Post by Kevin_M on Aug 18^th, 2006, 11:48am

A few years back when I had tapered completely off verapamil, I had a constant daily headache for about a month and a half but no hits. That was the only period of time that happened though.
A couple large coffees or intermittant aspirin or tylenol helped when I got tired of tolerating how constantly hectic and bothersome they were. Once out of frustration I got tired of screwing with it and used an Imitrex n/s and it did a good job.
Regular shadows either hit or subside inside an hour for me so I don't bother with them. When I realize it's not going to hit I just drink coffee to get it gone faster, although shadows that become non-hits don't happen too often for me anymore and on the level of verapamil I am, they seem a bit slower in ramping up, like it's tougher to fight through the protection.

Title: Re: does anyone bother killing shadows ?
Post by MJ on Aug 18^th, 2006, 12:07pm

Generally I dont get shadows, but when I do they seem to linger forever.

When the shadows get obnoxious, I take a couple OTC Aleve (naproxyn sodium) and these will generally set the shadows straight.
Though I try not to take too often. Tylenol and advil and other otc's just make the actual hits a little harder to deal with.

Never have I mistaken a shadow for a full on hit as my hits ramp up in less than a minute or 2 it seems.

A side note; while busting with RC seeds I had more shadows than I ever had in the 30 years prior.

Title: Re: does anyone bother killing shadows ?
Post by Katherinecm on Aug 18^th, 2006, 1:32pm

Nothing really seems to help them for me. The best thing is probably a combo of one of those powdered aspirin/tylenol/caffeine combos like goody's or bc powders swallowed with a red bull, but even then it only helps a little.

I try to ignore them if possible.

Title: Re: does anyone bother killing shadows ?
Post by BMoneeTheMoneeMan on Aug 18^th, 2006, 10:53pm

I wouldnt bother with imitrex or something.
Normally I just get some caffeine. Caffeine seems to work best for me, either coffee or cola. Today I got a Sobe Energy, which has taurine, and it seemed to help.

PF wishes
BMonee

Title: Re: does anyone bother killing shadows ?
Post by tommyD on Aug 20^th, 2006, 6:54am

Ginger can be good for the mild shadows. Make a strong ginger tea or try one of those strong ginger ales, like Reed's Extra Ginger Brew or Outrageous Ginger Brew. Tasty, too. As always, YMMV.

-tommyD