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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> Crunchy neck time again!
        
(Message started by: Marta on Mar 11^th, 2007, 12:55pm)

Title: Crunchy neck time again!
Post by Marta on Mar 11^th, 2007, 12:55pm

Well, it seems to be nearly time for the bi-annual visit. When the left-hand side at the back of my neck starts becoming painful I know it can't be long befoe the next ch returns. I have the trex waiting in the fridge and I'll be stuck to this site or the next couple of months.

I'll be reading your posts.

p.s. should I take some trex before the ch hits or should I wait till it actually hits home?

Title: Re: Crunchy neck time again!
Post by BB on Mar 11^th, 2007, 1:02pm

Hi Marta,

Sorry to hear your cycle maybe starting again, but take heart, people have been known to skip an entire cycle before. Its good to think positive. :)

However, stock up on your meds whenever you can so that you are well prepared. If the cycle does start for sure, then it works better if you use the injection at the first sign of a CH hit, often a tingling feeling on the cluster side.

Do you have oxygen? It would be better to try to abort a hit early with oxygen and/or energy drink such as red Bull first, as it is much safer and cheaper and less side effects too.

Hoping that your cycle wont ever start. Painfree wishes to you always.

Annette

Title: Re: Crunchy neck time again!
Post by Redd on Mar 11^th, 2007, 1:05pm

Pills and injections are for abortives. Not likely a good preventive. Don't know which you have on hand.

If you're sure a cycle is immenant, get to your Neuro and get started on a good preventive, perhaps Verapamil...so you can possibly head the beast off at the pass?

Title: Re: Crunchy neck time again!
Post by LeLimey on Mar 11^th, 2007, 1:32pm

How long does each cycle last for you Marta? Depending on its length it may not be worth your while trying some preventatives, the more you tell us about how your cycle works the more we can help :)
Are your hits mainly day or night time for instance and do they come at regular (or some regular) times? We can give more useful advice once we know a bit ore about how it affects you!
Helen

Title: Re: Crunchy neck time again!
Post by Chillrmn1 on Mar 12^th, 2007, 5:55am

on 03/11/07 at 13:05:30, Redd wrote:

Pills and injections are for abortives. Not likely a good preventive. Don't know which you have on hand.

Agree with Redd. Stay off the trex until you need it to abort.

Have you tried O2 for aborting attacks? If not, you should try it.........much easier on the body.

Title: Re: Crunchy neck time again!
Post by chrisw on Mar 12^th, 2007, 10:54am

I know everyone might think that im crazy, but I have had a lot of success getting sleep with a mixture of predisone, and a 100mg tablet of imitrex before bed. I have tried one without the other, but they come right back .

I have been taking 20mg prednison, verapimil, and an oral dose of imitrex about an hour before i want to go to bed. that way I figure if I get hit I just need to ride it out for an hour before I might need an imitrex injection.

I first didi this combo while on a trip, and I would take the pill before we would go out at night, and I would even be able to have a couple of drinks, and not get slammed. (No wine though). I figured that I saved money for a long time for the trip and I didnt want it ruined because of ch.

After we got back, I stopped with the imitrex pill for a few nights and they kept coming every hour , even an imitrex injection would only give me 2 hours of relief. the o2 would only give me about one hour. The only problem is that I hve been getting hit at about 8-9 pm every night, but Ive got to say that it is easier to deal with after some sleep.

So if anyone has any imitrex pills laying around because they dont think they are any good for ch, give thema try. Maybe you can get some rest.

Wishing everyone PFD and nights.

Chrisw

Title: Re: Crunchy neck time again!
Post by Marta on Mar 12^th, 2007, 12:10pm

Thank you everyone for all your excellent ideas. Each one is giving me more angles to work from!

They haven't kicked off yet but I recognise the signs. 22 years into them and they haven't got any easier. Midnight and about 6am were the times I usually got visited by them. Shot is ready and waiting in the fridge. I tried verapimil before but then I found out that it isn't good if you have m.s.. Getting to sleep is a pig as well as the moment I get to sleep it starts. Argh. Oh well, I'm sure they'll find a miracle cure for c.h. soon.

Marta

Title: Re: Crunchy neck time again!
Post by LeLimey on Mar 12^th, 2007, 12:47pm

Marta the reason I asked about night time hits is there is a supplement alot of people here have found really effective at dousing night time hits, Melatonin. Have a look for posts on the subject, people take between 6-9mg on average for CH. Take it about an hour before bed for best effect.

Its not available in the UK (thats thanks to flippin' Brussels and their weird ideas but you can order it over the internet from www.vitacost.com amongst other places. I can vouch for this retailer as I've used them myself. It isn't illegal to buy or have or anything so don't worry. The Institute of Neurology has been recommending it for quite a while now but unfortunately they have to tell people to order it online too! (It is cheap though so thats a bonus!)

I hope this helps a bit, I would recommend you maybe look it up and speak to your doctor about it in light of your MS though

Hope you get some pain free time soon!
Helen