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New Message Board Archives >> Jan-Mar 2003 >> 20/20 program
(Message started by: barbee on Jan 11th, 2003, 3:15pm)

Title: 20/20 program
Post by barbee on Jan 11th, 2003, 3:15pm
Last night's TV program (1/10/03) featured a segment on headaches.  The claim is that headaches are caused by medication, both OTC and prescription.  From then on it's "Rebound".  

The solution?  Taper off the meds, or go cold turkey.  They had testimonials from both methods, who  claimed they got rid of the headaches, with absolute misery in the process, but now are headache free.

Worth a try ??? ???

Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by jonny on Jan 11th, 2003, 3:21pm
Tried going cold turkey over a year ago and the beast put his foot so far up my ass it came out my mouth.

I will kill anyone that tries to take or denies me my meds......ANYONE!!!!!!

.........................jonny

Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by Donna on Jan 11th, 2003, 3:32pm
This can't be accurate.  When mine started, years and years ago, there were no preventatives or abortives.  Cold turkey was the only way and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.  

So, what made them start up each spring and fall for 28 years?  That biological clock doesn't need us to reset it...it goes off by itself.

Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by sailpappy on Jan 11th, 2003, 3:59pm
;D ;D Hello All,
    I don't know where they got their opinions, but as a very long term sufferer who has been both routes I can tell you from my personal experience, I do believe in rebound headaches, but these are usually limited to people that are taking strong pain meds(IMHO) I went completely drug free in 1989, even OTC meds like asprin, Ibuprophen,tylonol, Goodie's Ect.
    I have tried every headache treatment there is and nothing ever helped, when I did go drug free I had been taking Talwin for 6 years, 100 pills every 4 days from the first week.
    I quit because I saw a two year printout of my pharmacology record. $7,000.00 for talwin in 2 years
    But until this past year when I gave up on the tuff it out therory and my Neuro put me on a low dose of oxy contin I never missed a single day without having 5,7,10,12,15 attacks a day, 7 days a week. 365 days a year for 33 years.
    Oxy Contin, even with all it's bad press has for the first time ever, completely stopped my attacks! end of story.    Pappy

http://www.gifs.net/animate/sungulls.gif
http://www.gifs.net/animate/sailboat.gif

Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by catlind on Jan 11th, 2003, 4:12pm
Ditto what Jonny said.

I tried that route, Dr Haas, the supposed exalted head of neurology of Syracuse University sat across the desk from me (never once examining me or my records) said I had analgesic overuse headaches, or rebound headaches and took me off all meds cold turkey.  Including the prednisone I was on at the time.

YEah it got rid of the rebound headaches which I was having, but I have yet to experience any rebound headache that feels anything like a white hot icepick stuck in my right temple and poking out my right eye.

Needless to say, the CH came back and kicked my ass.

Cat

Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by Margi on Jan 11th, 2003, 4:18pm
Rebound headaches are one thing.  Cluster headaches are another.  

Clusterheads have a hypothalamajiggy (yes, I can spell hypothalmus) that works differently than non-clusterheads.  Going on or off meds isn't going to change that.

Why is this such a difficult concept to grasp?  

Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by ave on Jan 11th, 2003, 5:52pm
Margi is right.

What they WERE talking about is the meds-dependent headache, of which there are a great many suffereres.

A woman I know talked once too often about her headaches (which she called migraines - 'cause they were really bad headaches...)

So I asked her about them. She took paracetamol and aspirin and nuroprufen (?) every day!

(I read her bits of the chapter in my headache book and she has since stopped taking the otc meds.  She was ill for a month,  that's how bad it was. But she is over it now and the the headaches ate a lot less intense)


NOTHING to do with clusters. But a common misconception. So if you think you have rebound headaches, don't talk to uneducated mundanes about it. You'll be doing clusteer knowledge a disservice.

Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by Mark C on Jan 11th, 2003, 8:32pm

on 01/11/03 at 15:21:02, jonny wrote:
I will kill anyone that tries to take or denies me my meds......ANYONE!!!!!!

.........................jonny




on 01/11/03 at 16:18:52, Margi wrote:
Rebound headaches are one thing.  Cluster headaches are another.  

Clusterheads have a hypothalamajiggy (yes, I can spell hypothalmus) that works differently than non-clusterheads.  Going on or off meds isn't going to change that.

Why is this such a difficult concept to grasp?  


http://www.animationonline.com/gifs/aKuzBw.gif


Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by Ree on Jan 11th, 2003, 9:55pm
Ditto what Donna said... they didnt have imatrex when Dave first started suffering and he would forego the cycle with no drugs... it didnt stop the attacks from coming... Some have success with meds some don't... Some chronics haven't been on meds and it hasn't stopped the attacks... To each Doc their own opinion.  Now that you all can use a preventative... and an abortive, be it O2 or imatrex, zomig, maxalt etc... If it helps don't go with out ~~~ A rebound is still NOT a CH... and all the power to you Pappy... If you have your CH under control and are being closely monitored by a Doctor on Oxy... good for you... PFNAD  to you Ree

Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by Bob P on Jan 12th, 2003, 7:38am
Two words:

Read the fuckin' OUCH Research Library!

Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by catlind on Jan 12th, 2003, 8:12am
Bob,

That's 6 words  ;D

Cat

Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by 2late on Jan 12th, 2003, 10:06am
i went cold turkey for 15 mins. once.......NEVER AGAIN!                                                                                                                                                                                                    .........2late

Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by cootie on Jan 12th, 2003, 12:35pm
Which came first...the chicken or the egg comes ta mind on this one....have 'bout as much luck if ya tried this product below....this is an 'actual' product on the market ...good grief !!! I'm sure they have a human version....(I realize aroma theropy has it's benifits).....no plug in is gonna relieve my stress or my cats.......since were talkin bout rediculous ideas.....here's the actual product listeing:

Comfort Zone™ with Feliway®
Feline Behavior Modification Plug-in
Great for reducing holiday stress from visitors or travel !  We have Feliway  Spray too!
Comfort Zone Plug-In with Feliway, a formula that mimics the feline facial calms and reassures cats and kittens. Reduces or completely stops stress-related behavior including: urine marking, vertical scratching, loss of appetite, reduced desire to play or interact. Not a drug or tranquilizer. Odorless and non-toxic, does not affect humans. Veterinarian recommended.               Comfort Zone is also available for dogs.


Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by Mastifflvr28 on Jan 12th, 2003, 1:04pm
Cootie, we have that feliway crap at work!!
Nobody's bought it yet (expensive) so don't know if it works yet.
Mast

Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by bazman1 on Jan 12th, 2003, 1:22pm
a new survey out in britain about clusters explains that clusters/headaches are caused by the grey cells or something like that over producing and thus causing clusters (crap read but made great toilet roll

Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by cerebus on Jan 14th, 2003, 6:22pm
 I'm with Jonny and Sailpappy on this one. Take away my meds, your insurance better be paid up, and be ready to die.
 There is no doubt that OTC pain meds, at lest in my mind, can cause "rebound" headaches. I dare , however, to differentiate between CH and the average Ha. The "cold turkey" method may work for the avg. Ha but I seriously doubt that CH would respond favorably, and wonder why anyone with CH would even entertain the notion.

Cerebus

Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by Huff on Jan 15th, 2003, 12:38pm
It seems to me that CH's were not included in this little study.  I don't know about the rest of you but when I started getting CH twelve years ago and I wasn't taking any medications (OTC or prescribed).  Not only that but because I was only 19 and out on my own I didn't even see a doctor for about a year.  How is it that I got and continued to get CH's when I wasn't even taking any meds?!  Hmmmm...  The masses need to be educated on the difference between HA's and CH's


Huff

Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by brain_cramps on Jan 15th, 2003, 12:47pm
Just an 'aside' comment.

Because my bouts are short, by the time I get to see a doc or neuro, they are usually gone.  That said, I haven't taken anything for CH for more that 5 years.

On top of that, for the first 15yrs they would last 6-8 weeks.   In the last 5 years (with no meds), they usually last about 3 weeks.  go figure!!!

coincidence?  food for thought, at least

Grant

Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by Brassbear on Jan 15th, 2003, 12:50pm
First things first; How do they explain people who have headaches that haven't taken any medicine of any kind?

Second, that program has caused me problems at work. Now the nurser practioner that I work with has it that if I wasn't taking all of these other medications I wouldn't have CH. Bless her heart. I find it odd that SHE was the first one to suggest using O2 and thought I might be having clusters before I was diagnosed!

Michael

Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by talitha on Jan 15th, 2003, 12:56pm
that sort of coverage really didn't help us much-I know that alot of my friends and family and co-workers watched that 20/20 segment.  I am a little tired of defending these stupid ch, or thats what i feel like i'm doing when i have to say
"what i have is cluster headaches, they are not caused by otc or prescription med rebound, they are not affected by my menstral cycle or lack thereof, they are not migraine, and NO I DON"T WANT TO GO LIE DOWN IN A DARK QUIET ROOM! >:( (sorry about that yelling) :-[
I vote we rename this cluster syndrome or synaptic anomaly syndrome just drop that minimizing word "headache".
talitha

Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by brain_cramps on Jan 15th, 2003, 1:02pm

on 01/15/03 at 12:56:05, talitha wrote:
just drop that minimizing word "headache".


Now your talking.  We have to find a REALLY descriptive name with a CATCHY acronym.



Title: Re: 20/20 program
Post by Huff on Jan 15th, 2003, 1:56pm
How about Cluster Fuck.  Wait a minute... never mind, that would make all of us Cluster Fuckers!

Good Idea - Bad Idea ;)



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