Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> Something different to try.
        
(Message started by: dreamweaver96 on Apr 30th, 2007, 9:38pm)
Title: Something different to try.
Post by dreamweaver96 on Apr 30th, 2007, 9:38pm
I have suffered through some of the worst headaches for 4 1/2 years and never could find anything that would help, sometimes they would get so bad I would go to my doctor and he would give me a shot just to knock me out for a few hours of rest. After the 4 1/2 years they went away for no reason I considered myself lucky, now after a 2 year break from them they have come back. Today the pain was so bad I didn't know how I would make it through the night then my wife said for me to try lidocain patches that my mother-n-law left at my house. I put one on my forehead just above the eye that had the pain and it made the headache feel just like a regular miagrain headache which is about a 90% improvement. I shaved my head so that I could put a patch on the top of my head too now I have full vision out of both of my eyes again. The headaches that I had for the 4 1/2 years never went away some days were worse than others but I can't remember any days that I didn't hurt. I'm not saying that these are for sure a fix but when you hurt bad enough you will try anything.
I hope this might help someone out there.
Title: Re: Something different to try.
Post by pieface_49 on Apr 30th, 2007, 10:53pm
Dreamweaver,

I wish I had a migraine during my episodes.  If you are here, your must be questioning what you have?  Lidocaine has been shown to be an abortive for CH.

Quote:
Intranasal lidocaine has been shown to decrease pain after five minutes, with nine of nine treated patients free of pain after 35 minutes.

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20050215/717.html

And, on the left under "Medical Info", lidocaine is discussed.  Lidocaine, a derivative of cocoa leaves, which cocaine is based, only has temporary effect.  This is the first time I have ever heard of a lidocaine patch.  So, I am inquisitive:
http://www.medicinenet.com/lidocaine_patch-topical/article.htm

If I was in the midst of bad CH episode, screw sticking it anywhere, suck on that MF'er :P <------ I realize how STUPID this was to say. It was meant to be funny and how bad thoughts can be during an episode. I am sorry I wrote it.

Donnie
Title: Re: Something different to try.
Post by ClusterChuck on May 1st, 2007, 3:49am

on 04/30/07 at 22:53:10, pieface_49 wrote:
If I was in the midst of bad CH episode, screw sticking it anywhere, suck on that MF'er


More stupidity from Donnie ....





on 04/30/07 at 21:38:38, dreamweaver96 wrote:
I have suffered through some of the worst headaches for 4 1/2 years and never could find anything that would help, sometimes they would get so bad I would go to my doctor and he would give me a shot just to knock me out for a few hours of rest. After the 4 1/2 years they went away for no reason I considered myself lucky, now after a 2 year break from them they have come back. Today the pain was so bad I didn't know how I would make it through the night then my wife said for me to try lidocain patches that my mother-n-law left at my house. I put one on my forehead just above the eye that had the pain and it made the headache feel just like a regular miagrain headache which is about a 90% improvement. I shaved my head so that I could put a patch on the top of my head too now I have full vision out of both of my eyes again. The headaches that I had for the 4 1/2 years never went away some days were worse than others but I can't remember any days that I didn't hurt. I'm not saying that these are for sure a fix but when you hurt bad enough you will try anything.
I hope this might help someone out there.

Some have used the lidocaine patches with success, but they are not to be used lightly.  They can be very dangerous.

Some of your comments make me wonder if it is actually clusters you suffer from.  I know ANY severe headache pain is terrible, but you need to know exactly what you have, in order to get proper treatment.

Have you been diagnosed with clusters by a knowledgeable doctor?  I have heard from a fairly intelligent headache specialist, neurologist, that he is seeing more and more cases of misdiagnosed cluster sufferers.  He said that doctors are starting to hear about clusters, and are jumping on the diagnosis, when they can't hang any other handle on a person's pain.  For years clusterheads were not diagnosed properly as clusterheads, now I am hearing too many patient are getting that handle.  When will they ever get it right?

Good luck with your treatment, and ignore what that idiot pieface says.  He has no clue of what he is talking about.

Chuck
Title: Re: Something different to try.
Post by George_J on May 1st, 2007, 9:17am

on 04/30/07 at 22:53:10, pieface_49 wrote:
If I was in the midst of bad CH episode, screw sticking it anywhere, suck on that MF'er :P

Donnie


The hell are you talking about?  

How would you feel if a new person--someone who's coming here for help--actually did this and was harmed?  

What's your motivation to say something like this?  

I've not said anything to you before about slinging around half-baked suggestions, but this one is over the top.  
Title: Re: Something different to try.
Post by dreamweaver96 on May 1st, 2007, 9:40am
I don't think anyone would read that commemt and think that hey I should try that, but if donnie wants to suck on one of them he should video tape it so we can show what not to do.

By the way It may not be the safest thing to do but I did put the patch on my head last night and the pain was very bareable and today the pain is only about a 3 on the pain scale, and that is great since the pain was so bad last night I was praying for it to end any way possible. I can live with a 3.

Please dont listen to someones thoughtless comments.
Title: Re: Something different to try.
Post by BB on May 1st, 2007, 10:24pm

Hi Dreamweaver,

Sorry to hear you have these bad headaches and glad to hear you have found something that helps.

However, what you described doesnt sound like clusterheadaches at all. It sounds more like migraine or trigeminal neuralgia or even chronic daily headache.

By the way, what do you mean that now you have full vision in both eyes? What happened to your vision?

There are many conditions that are similar in symptoms to CH but they are of different entities altogether. You need to see a good headache neurologist to get the proper diagnosis first before trying to treat yourself.

Lidocaine patches contain the local anesthetic lidocaine. When applied to skin, its absorbed through the skin causing numbing of the nerve endings on the skin. However the effect is only superficial. At best it would only numb an area about 2 cms thick, ie it wont help with pain deep inside the head.

CH pain is very deep. It affects the opthalmic, temporal, maxillary and mandible branches of the trigeminal nerve. Numbing the skin would not reduce the deep pain felt during a CH attack. Thats why I dont think you have CH.

Topical lidocaine is safe to use on and off on the skin for a short time. Prolonged use can cause damage to the skin and irritation to the nerve endings so should be avoided.

Please go to see your doctor and ask for a referral to a neurologist who is experienced in treating headache.

Best of luck and painfree wishes to you.


Annette
Title: Re: Something different to try.
Post by pieface_49 on May 2nd, 2007, 7:04pm
I was being sarcastic. Sorry, was meant as a joke.

Donnie
Title: Re: Something different to try.
Post by dreamweaver96 on May 3rd, 2007, 8:58am
I'm checking out of here, I hope everyones headaches get better. Good luck.
Title: Re: Something different to try.
Post by JeffB on May 3rd, 2007, 8:42pm
Hope your hair grows back! ;)



This post was a wierd one, no?

jmo!


Clusterheadaches.com Message Board » Powered by YaBB 1 Gold - SP 1.3.1!
YaBB © 2000-2003. All Rights Reserved.