Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


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

        New Message Board Archives >> Jan-Mar 2003 >> New Member
        
(Message started by: lornep on Mar 12^th, 2003, 1:40pm)

Title: New Member
Post by lornep on Mar 12^th, 2003, 1:40pm

Hello,

I guess like everyone else here I suffer from Cluster headaches. I thought my headaches were bad but after reading the stories on the main page my heart was breaking for those sufferers. My headaches are bad but I don't pound my head or pull out my hair but if I knew that the pain did not eventually stop, I would take my life.

My headaches started a few weeks ago. Prior to that it had been about 5 years since my last bout. I have only had three bouts before about 2-3 years apart. I expect this bout to last about two months, that seems to be the previous lengths I've had.

My headaches start in the night when I've very tired and last for about 2-4 hours. I've tried going to bed early so I'm not so tired when I go to bed. This is generally not an option as I have three girls and a wife and all the work that goes along with having a family.

I'll try anything that I think might help. Last night I stood in the garage for half an hour hoping it would clear my nose. I believe my headaches are sinus related and that I have my bouts when I get some particular type of sinus infection. The pain is always behind and above my right eye. I'm trying Advil Cold and Sinus and Advil Migraine pills. It's hard to tell if they are effective or if my headache just ends when it ends. I usually get out of bed and go down to the living room and sit on the floor. There's nothing anyone else can do for the pain and they might as well rest because they can. Plus what good of a company would I be anyways. It's hard to be motivated to try stuff because your very tired and pretty much in agony. I've tried walking on my tread mill before but it wasn't particularly effective.

One thing about last night that was interesting. I went up to sit in the bathroom and try running the hot water in the shower. I was sitting there on a cushion on the floor and I was banging my forehead with my finger tips where the pain was. I still had my ear plugs in. (I've been sleeping with earplugs since I was a teenager and now I can't sleep with out them.) I was listening to the sound of my fingers hitting my forehead and with ear plugs in it kind of intensifies the sound. I then hit the other side of my head where there was no pain and it made a different kind of thud. I do the grocery shopping so I know how to tell the a ripe melon by thumping on it. I kept going back and forth on my skull listening to the different noise it was making. The side with the pain was making the ripe sound and the side with out pain was not ripe. I make me think that the side with the pain was mushier that the other side as if perhaps there was something in that sinus that was not in the other. I don't know if it has any medical implications or not but I would be interested is knowing if others have the experience.

Another experience that I had and perhaps others have had this happen. I came down with a cold a couple of days ago and my headaches disappeared completely. I was still congested but in a different sort of way. I thought that I had lucked out and that catching a cold might be a cure. I guess whatever the cold had changed has change back because I had another headache last night.

I am glad that I found this site. It feels good just to talk about this stuff knowing that everyone else knows exactly how you feel.

Lorne Pare

Title: Re: New Member
Post by 9erfan on Mar 12^th, 2003, 5:00pm

Hi Lorne,

Welcome to the site. What meds are you taking?

Have you been diagnosed with clusters by a neuro?
If you do have clusters, don't be fooled into thinking you have a sinus infection. We've all been down that road many times. There are similar symptoms and Dr's are always telling us that we have sinus infections.

I haven't noticed anything like what you were talking about with the "ripe" melon head. :) But I have noticed that on my right side (cluster side) right at my temple it feels like there is no cartlidge there (it's a little bit concaved). Yet on the left side it is solid bone at the temple. Also, while I am having a headache if I plug my nose and blow (like when you're on an airplane) my cluster ear pops EVERY time. BUt never on the left side...weird...

Make sure to take the cluster quiz and read as much of the info in here as possible. You will be very well educated.

Again, welcome.

Virginia

Title: Re: New Member
Post by cathy on Mar 12^th, 2003, 5:49pm

....just wanted to say welcome Lorne...sorry you may have CH but if you have then you couldn't have hit upon a better place....

Cathy :)

Title: Re: New Member
Post by 2late on Mar 12^th, 2003, 6:49pm

welcome aboard Lorne! this site is the best for CH sufferers, like Virginia said let us know, & by the way i have a wife & 4 kids, have a good quality of life & still find time to ride my scooter ;D good luck! ............Jack

Title: Re: New Member
Post by cootie on Mar 12^th, 2003, 11:47pm

Hi Lorne...jus wanted ta say howdy to ya.......Pam-Coots-howdy-hi-girl

Title: Re: New Member
Post by Edna on Mar 12^th, 2003, 11:58pm

welcome, sorry you have to be here, but if you gotta suffer like us, at least we have a common place with one another.

wishing you the best, that your pf days are soon ahead

EDNA

Title: Re: New Member
Post by lornep on Mar 13^th, 2003, 12:50pm

Thanks to everyone for the warm welcomes.

Virginia,

I currently don't have any meds. I have made a doctor's appointment though. It is for Monday. The previous times I've seen my doctor I'm not exactly sure what I took but it wasn't effective. Now that have this site as a resource I can ask better questions and know what meds have been used by everyone. That O2 interest me. I don't particularly like taking medication (I have a friend that was born with no thumbs because his mother was on some medication that they did not know caused birth defects.) Oxygen is something familiar.

I was diagnosed by my doctor as having CH. I'm not sure if I saw a neurologist or not. I remember going for this test where they put electrodes on my head and took readings while light was flashed in my face. My wife has a name of a good neurologist that my mother in-law sees. I am going to ask for a referral when I see my doctor Monday.

I wonder if the shape of our (CH sufferers) skulls is a contributing factor. You mentioned the differences in your temples and I also have a deviated septum. Maybe the wiring in our heads are somehow more prone to stresses.

Last night I tried sleeping in the lazy boy chair in a sitting position. I did not get a headache. I could feel it looming near but it did not get a hold of me. I still hurts like a mild head ache but as long as it behaves itself I'm fine with it. I will try it again to night. It is not the best sleeping conditions but it is way better than staying up awake in agony.

How about yourself? Are you currently having CH? Do you get them at any particular time? What do you do about them? I'd be interested in knowing.

Cathy,

Thanks for the nice welcome.

Jack,

Thanks. I like your scooter.

Pam,

Thanks. Nice cougar.

Edna,

Thanks. It's nice to have company.

Title: Re: New Member
Post by suzy617 on Mar 13^th, 2003, 7:09pm

Hi Lorne, nice to meet ya!

http://www.gifs.net/animate/lmkbubblfsh.gif

suzy