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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> Digestion of painkillers
        
(Message started by: theimage on Nov 18^th, 2006, 9:49am)

Title: Digestion of painkillers
Post by theimage on Nov 18^th, 2006, 9:49am

Someone has told me that migraine sufferers lose their digestion during an attack and therefore cannot digest painkillers unless taken at the beginning of an attack. Should I take my painkillers asap. Does this also apply to cluster headaches? Are cluster headaches a type of migraine or a totally different illness.

Title: Re: Digestion of painkillers
Post by theimage on Nov 18^th, 2006, 9:50am

To make things clear, I suffer from cluster headaches but wonder if the rules for migraine apply?

Title: Re: Digestion of painkillers
Post by chewy on Nov 18^th, 2006, 9:56am

Quote:

Are cluster headaches a type of migraine or a totally different illness.

Differant conditions with differant symptoms and treatments.

Pain killers (narcs) will trigger a CH for most of us..

Title: Re: Digestion of painkillers
Post by theimage on Nov 18^th, 2006, 10:05am

I think that's what's been happening.

However, I did have some success with Anadin Extra which surprised me as it's an over the counter drug. I assume that the aspirin does something to the blood or possibly the caffeine that's in it.

Yesterday though, instead of taking 3 at once at the beginning of the attack, I took one and then one more 30 mins later when I realised it'd be a bad one and then another 30 mins later and boy did I suffer which is why I was wondering if the digestion stops when having a CH.

I ended up taking Tramadol and that's made me particularly ill and did little or nothing for the CH.

Title: Re: Digestion of painkillers
Post by BarbaraD on Nov 18^th, 2006, 1:10pm

the caffeine is probably what's aborting the attacks. Try Red Bull or some stong coffee at the onset. This works for a lot of us.

Too much OTC stuff will trigger a CH.

Title: Re: Digestion of painkillers
Post by sailpappy on Nov 19^th, 2006, 1:32pm

::) Pain pills, or Pain Killers are matabolized through the Liver or the Kidney's and not Digested through the stomach, so I don't see the link, even if it were true? I don't know migraine?? but I don't think headaches disrupt digestion in any manner? Pappy

Title: Re: Digestion of painkillers
Post by AussieBrian on Nov 19^th, 2006, 10:42pm

If it's any help to you, Image, I got a lot of relief during bad shadows and minor hits with just good old paracetamol washed down with hot strong coffee. The trick was always to hit it fast and early.

Title: Re: Digestion of painkillers
Post by chopmyheadoff on Nov 20^th, 2006, 6:31am

iv had tramadol too, and dihydrocodeine . both do nothing for ch but make you feel spaced out.

however as you say, anadin extra will abort an attack if i catch it early enough.

must be the caffiene

chop chop

Title: Re: Digestion of painkillers
Post by UN-solved on Nov 20^th, 2006, 10:04am

on 11/18/06 at 09:49:31, theimage wrote:

Are cluster headaches a type of migraine or a totally different illness.

You got alot of reading to do. I suggest if you really do have clusters, you begin your research asap.

Look around here and at the OUCH website to start.
Read this: http://www.ouch-us.org/chgeneral/Cluster%20Headache%20Syndrome.pdf

UNsolved

Title: Re: Digestion of painkillers
Post by The Image on Nov 20^th, 2006, 4:31pm

That was a bit patronizing un-solved. Yes, I have CH and it's been diagnosed twice over the past 15 years by specialists and an EEG. I've also frequented this forum over the past few years as well but forget my username (my last one was limey). However, I'm not as clued up as some and admittedly forget a lot of what I've previously learned during a year of PF due to a forlorn hope that that's the last of it (denial). True CH symptoms are pretty specific such as the hooded eye, the ice picks, the shadows always same plce same side and so on but it's the intensity of the attack that's 100% conclusive and on one episode 9 years ago I attemted suicide to be rid of the pain and was therefore hospitalised for my own good until the episode was over. I come on this forum for comfort as the episodes still scare me even after all these years, so please don't patronise me like that. CH is bad enough without someone trying to make it into some private club!

Title: Re: Digestion of painkillers
Post by chewy on Nov 20^th, 2006, 4:39pm

Great attitude you have there Image. Sure to make you some friends.

Ice picks are not a CH symptom by the way.

Quote:

True CH symptoms are pretty specific

Quote:

Are cluster headaches a type of migraine or a totally different illness.

??????????????

Title: Re: Digestion of painkillers
Post by The Image on Nov 20^th, 2006, 4:40pm

Hi Chop. Yes, I'm never touching Tramadol again as it left me dizzy for 24 hours as well as nauseated and jittery.

Not sure why Anadin works on the shadows although it has aspirin which apparently speeds up the heart so maybe that is similar to caffeine (which Anadine also has).

Mind you shadows are easier to deal with than a full blown CH which nothing seems to touch but sometimes when I've got rid of a shadow I wonder if I may have rid myself of something that was goint to progress into a full blown CH.

Hi Aussiebrian. Yes, Anadin has paracetamol as well as aspirin so likewise I've had success in hitting it early.

Title: Re: Digestion of painkillers
Post by The Image on Nov 20^th, 2006, 4:46pm

Hi Chewy. I get a stabbing pain behind my left eye which makes it weep like hell and kind of buzzes which I thought was known as ice pick. Apologies if I've got it wrong.

Title: Re: Digestion of painkillers
Post by chewy on Nov 20^th, 2006, 5:13pm

Ice Picks

http://headaches.about.com/od/otherheadpain/a/ice_picks.htm

Title: Re: Digestion of painkillers
Post by The Image on Nov 20^th, 2006, 5:29pm

bbz kindly pointed me to
http://www.miqel.com/clusterheadaches/clusterheadaches.html

which said of CH

10 to 20 percent of patients report superimposed moments of stabbing, ice pick-like pains in the periorbital region that last for a few seconds and may occur once or several times in rapid succession; this stabbing pain usually heralds the end of an attack.

Sorry for referring to ice pick if it was wrong but that's what the website above called it.

Title: Re: Digestion of painkillers
Post by taraann on Nov 20^th, 2006, 6:43pm

on 11/18/06 at 13:10:05, BarbaraD wrote:

the caffeine is probably what's aborting the attacks. Try Red Bull or some stong coffee at the onset. This works for a lot of us.

Too much OTC stuff will trigger a CH.

Anything can cause rebounds........caffeine, OTC, narcs, all included....thats the chance ya gotta take