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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> It's not CH!
        
(Message started by: billyjoe on Nov 21^st, 2007, 8:53am)

Title: It's not CH!
Post by billyjoe on Nov 21^st, 2007, 8:53am

As you may of noticed, I’ve been asking a lot of strange questions lately. Well, this message may explain a lot of it.

After meeting with my neuro yesterday, he doesn’t think I am currently suffering from Cluster Headaches, but something else. I do have mostly unilateral, ocular headaches, but for the last few months, they have never developed into a full blown CH. What I thought was a bad case of constant KIP 3-4 shadows, apparently is a different type of headache.

I do suffer from episodic Clusters for the last 15-20 years, but apparently this last bout was over in July/August, but I didn’t know it because I also have this other headache. I think this is the timeframe, as this is the time my nighttime hits stopped. This also coincides with my first few RC seed treatments.

Anyways, I guess the good news is I’m not going chronic. The bad news is I have another headache type to deal with. I am scheduled to have MRI’s on my head and neck and a Cat scan on my chest, just cause I have a history of smoking. My neuro tells me there are other headaches that have the symptoms I described but that conclusion can only be determined by ruling out other “structural” causes. By structural, he means sinus, injury, tumor or cancer! We ruled out sinus in the office.

I have to admit hearing him talk about tumors and cancer was difficult. I know that it is common practice for CH’ers to get am MRI to rule out other causes, but I never did and now the other possibilities are right there in front of me for me to consider.

For the short term, anyways, he put me on Gabapentin. Anyone hear of this? I don’t think it’s used for clusters. I think it’s supposed to deaden the nerves that are firing off constantly.

I’ll let ya’ll know what I find out, but it will be a few weeks as I am heading out of the country again for 2 weeks after Thanksgiving.

I want to thank everyone your help and support as it has helped me a great deal! This is a wonderful site!!!

God Bless and I hope you all find pain relief.
Bill

Title: Re: It's not CH!
Post by nani on Nov 21^st, 2007, 10:26am

I hope you get this sorted out soon, Bill. There are many headaches in the CH family of TAC headaches. Hopefully it's nothing more serious.
Gabapentin is Neurontin, an anti-seizure med which also treats neuropathic pain. It is occasionally used for CH, with mixed results.
Keep us posted.

Title: Re: It's not CH!
Post by Guiseppi on Nov 21^st, 2007, 10:26am

Well congrats...I think!!!! ;;D Glad to hear your making progress, that's the trouble with the brain, it's one complex piece of equipment. Hope you get relief soon.

Guiseppi

Title: Re: It's not CH!
Post by thebbz on Nov 21^st, 2007, 4:27pm

One less thing. Good luck with the head.
thebb

Title: Re: It's not CH!
Post by Annette on Nov 21^st, 2007, 9:30pm

Daniel was on Neurontin as preventive for his CH and it did help him a lot. It can also be used for all kind of neuropathic pain.

Good luck with it all.

Title: Re: It's not CH!
Post by BarbaraD on Nov 22^nd, 2007, 7:12am

Bill,

A lot of us suffer from "several" different types of headaches. I have three and it's fun and games deciding which one is hitting and what to take. ;;D

Of course the CH is the worst, but when a migraine hits it makes me sick as a dog and I have to lay down (hoping that a CH doesn't hit on top of it).

They all hurt, but you learn to live with them -- it's all in your head after all ;;D. Have to laugh - too sad to do much else.

Hope the neurotin gives you some releif.

Hugs BD