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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> serious kip question
        
(Message started by: The_CHosen_One on Sep 7^th, 2006, 10:40am)

Title: serious kip question
Post by The_CHosen_One on Sep 7^th, 2006, 10:40am

I was wondering if there is are any female sufferers who could answer this question...

As a female CH sufferer, does anyone know first hand, or thru female friends, where natural childbirth or a Spinal Tap sit on the kip scale in relation to intense CH attacks?

I myself have lost 2 GF now because they thought if they could handle natural childbirth then I should be able to handle a "simple headache"...oh how little do they know...I also have a good friend who says I become a completely different person during these attacks... Has anyone else heard this?

Sincerely in Chronic KIP 8+,
The_CHosen_One

Title: Re: serious kip question
Post by Chonas on Sep 7^th, 2006, 10:50am

"...I also have a good friend who says I become a completely different person during these attacks... Has anyone else heard this?"

Yes, I've been told that several times, specially when I'm getting close to the beginning of a new cycle. When I'm already full of headaches, during the cycle itself, I'm not longer a human being, I'm just a thing.

Title: Re: serious kip question
Post by dee1623 on Sep 7^th, 2006, 10:51am

When child birth is over you get something good out of it. There is nothing good about CH. I would gladly go into labour again if the CH would disappear for ever.

Title: Re: serious kip question
Post by pattik on Sep 7^th, 2006, 10:59am

on 09/07/06 at 10:51:25, dee1623 wrote:

When child birth is over you get something good out of it. There is nothing good about CH. I would gladly go into labour again if the CH would disappear for ever.

Yep!

Title: Re: serious kip question
Post by Karla on Sep 7^th, 2006, 1:37pm

Yes I change alot. The intense pain makes me sharp and angry and quick to make harsh comments to someone. I am not pleasant to be around. I ran one coworker up one side and down the other and left her and the boss sitting in the office wondering what was wrong with me. I latter appologized and explaned but I don't think I won any brownie points. I gave birth to twins an hour 1/2 apart and was in hard labor the whole time (12 hrs). I would go through that gladly any day compared to dealing with 8 ch a day every day. I guess I would put it on a scale of 6-8 for delivery. and ch a kip 10. But the thing is it is a one time thing and then the event is done with delivery of a child. With ch it just keeps on comming back and hapening over and over and over again. It is mentaly and physically exhausting and Brutal. At least with birth they usually give you drugs for the pain. They are reluctant to do that for most ch. Or if you do get drugs they dont help most people any way.

Title: Re: serious kip question
Post by Katherinecm on Sep 7^th, 2006, 1:44pm

Thank you Karla- that is a fantastic explanation!

Title: Re: serious kip question
Post by Sandy_C on Sep 7^th, 2006, 7:42pm

Two 100% natural childbirths. No nothing was given to me. The first one, 12 hrs hard labor, the second one 7 hours hard labor. I thought that was the worst pain known to ~~man~~ woman.

Until I got CH.

I would gladly trade my CH and be a mother giving birth to beautiful babies every day. At least there's a wonderful outcome from the pain. With CH, all you get is more pain.

Sandy

Title: Re: serious kip question
Post by BarbaraD on Sep 8^th, 2006, 5:41am

Did the natural childbirth. Yep it hurt, but once you hold the baby, you forget the pain (until you bring it up to the kid later ;;D )

Would gladly have triplets with no drugs if it would alieviate these headaches.

Hugs BD

Title: Re: serious kip question
Post by burnt-toast on Sep 9^th, 2006, 8:10am

I can't speak for the pain associated with childbirth but even if the pain was 100% equal... or worse in the case of childbirth...

The next time it comes up, ask your friends if they had to go through childbirth multiple times a day for weeks, months or even years, if they could handle it.

Tom

Title: Re: serious kip question
Post by kcopelin on Sep 9^th, 2006, 11:01am

So, when I was in hard labor with my first child, I told the nurse "this hurts." She replied that they prefer to call it discomfort. :o Having already survived 9 years of episodic, and for the most part, untreated CHs by that time, the 28 hours of labor, without any meds, really was more like discomfort-comparatively speaking. But as so many have pointed out, at the end of the labor ya get a really nice prize, whereas at the end of a cluster headache all you get is the opportunity to wait for the next one. But I gotta say this, we're a strong bunch-even the non-birthing guys, and God certainly has given me the strength I need to handle this. Like Mother Theresa said (and I paraphrase): I know God doesn't give us more than we can handle, just wish he didn't have such a high opinion of me.
kathy

Title: Re: serious kip question
Post by paulc on Sep 9^th, 2006, 11:39am

As a man, I cannot say what the pain of natural childbirth is like, though I have seen it written that a CH attack's pain is like having a baby without any anesthetic. I am chronic and when one of my many daily attacks occur, I tend to withdraw into myself, not say anything, close the office door and take my medicine. I also tend to close my left eye, where my pain is located and sometimes both eyes-for this I have been accused of falling asleep at work, though I will continue to participate in discussions, etc. I guess that I must suffer from "sleep talking". As has been said earlier, at least at the end of childbirh you get a wonderful present, sometimes all wrapped up! With chronic CH you might get a few minutes (or if you are lucky a half hour) or relatively bearable reduced pain before it starts all over again. By the way, I must express my admiration at the courage of women for having children-men could never handle it!

Title: Re: serious kip question
Post by kcakebread on Sep 10^th, 2006, 3:28pm

I'm a mother and a CH sufferer. I know it's frustrating to have people minimize your pain, but comparing my pain to your pain just doesn't get anyone anywhere, unless you're trying to explain to medical professional just why Excedrin doesn't cut it. If your friends are so insensitive as to dismiss your pain, I don't think a kip scale number is going to help much.

That said, when you say the word "headache," people assume they know what you're talking about. As I've mentioned in another post, referring to it as something else can tend to prevent these assumptions. Calling it a painful neurological disorder or using one of the technical names for the disease has been an effective tool for me recently, especially with my employer.

kfc