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        New Message Board Archives >> Jan-Mar 2003 >> Do they hurt that bad?
        
(Message started by: jeffa on Mar 24^th, 2003, 10:39pm)

Title: Do they hurt that bad?
Post by jeffa on Mar 24^th, 2003, 10:39pm

Hello, just wanted to vent a little. I had a KIP 9 today at work. I got asked the question do they really hurt that bad. And when I answer with yes, I get the look. Some times I wish I could give them a 5 minute trial run of one. Jeff.

Title: Re: Do they hurt that bad?
Post by Jarvis on Mar 24^th, 2003, 10:51pm

jeffa - For most people just a 2 second shot would be enough for them to remember the pain for the rest of their days. Beyond that it would be cruel and inhumane. :) Vent away. Allways tough to be hit around others. We all know.

Title: Re: Do they hurt that bad?
Post by jeffa on Mar 24^th, 2003, 10:55pm

Thanks Jarvis, it is nice to have people "who know".

Title: Re: Do they hurt that bad?
Post by JDH on Mar 24^th, 2003, 11:03pm

jeffa,
I gave up on those kind of questions long ago. There's no way anyone could understand that kind of pain unless they've been there.
pfdan's

Jim

Title: Re: Do they hurt that bad?
Post by Frank on Mar 24^th, 2003, 11:25pm

I've thought of different ways to answer the question but most people wouldn't understand anyway...
Ever had a tooth drilled... without Novocaine? How about two at a time? For an hour? Every day?
Ever have a drill run up your nose? Variable speed... forward and reverse? Twice a day... everyday?
Ever been hit in the face with a baseball bat? How about every five seconds... for a half hour? Everyday?
Nope, those who don't know the pain... don't understand it.

Title: Re: Do they hurt that bad?
Post by achinghead on Mar 24^th, 2003, 11:28pm

A perfect example of why we need exposure!! I can relate with ya.. I have a boss that seems to think "its just a headache".. yeah well.. Id like to take this "just a headache" and shove it up his %$*!@. How insensitive some people can be!.. give them 5 seconds of the beast and see them fall to their knees.. maybe then they'll appreciate what we are forced to go through for weeks and months at a time.

Title: Re: Do they hurt that bad?
Post by cbolony on Mar 25^th, 2003, 4:29am

jeffa here is a post from ted what a CH feels like when some one ask you if it hurts hand them this paper and walk the fuck away

But the other reason "cluster headaches" is a misnomer is because of what a true c-head feels. After you read this try and close your eyes and imagine it. You won't be able to but try. A red hot seering pole being slashed across your cheekbone and returned to destroy your flesh. It remains there for 1-4 hours. It gets pressed against your nostril to equal the pain but the addition of a 300 lb man adds to it by repeatedly kicking your cheekbone and nose.This is your final warning that some real pain is yet to come. Suddenly you feel his steel-toed boots bash your eye in. Molten lead is dripped into your eye as a shrply-fanged viper eats away at the same eye, releasing a strong acid-based venom. His twin eats away at your eye from the inside, also releasing the venom.
This happens several times per day. Every day. Every week. Every month. Every year.

Title: Re: Do they hurt that bad?
Post by michaelc on Mar 25^th, 2003, 6:00am

I was on the way to a gig last week (i play sax) and i got a Kip-9 on the way there. I had to pull over and sit in the car in a parking lot for 1 1/2 hrs.

While i was there, missing the show, in DEEP PAIN, with my head buried in my hands and my tearing eye shielded, an unlucky bum came up and tapped on my window ..... "hey, 'scuse me, man, can i ask you a questuion?"
I ignored him .....
In my hypersensitive condition I heard his arm reaching out to tap the window again, before he touched it
All in one motion i grabbed the handle, Jerked down the window and gave him what must have been a terribly frightening look.
A Deep Inhuman Voice came from within me and said in a Commanding tone:
"GO THE FUCK AWAY: RIGHT NOW!
IM HAVING A VERY SEVERE HEADACHE"
I barked "GO:NOW" and rolled the window back up
and went back to what i do to manage Kip-9 - which is mostly covering my eyes, rubbing my scalp and neck, moaning, rocking and sometimes walking in circles.

if you knew me, you would think this incident was funny ... because i'm about the most laid-back, quiet and non-confrontational person you'd ever meet. But when my ECH is hitting, ya better just Leave Me Alone! >:( ;)

Title: Re: Do they hurt that bad?
Post by brain_cramps on Mar 25^th, 2003, 7:53am

on 03/24/03 at 23:25:34, Frank wrote:

Ever had a tooth drilled... without Novocaine?

YEP! >:(

on 03/24/03 at 23:25:34, Frank wrote:

Ever have a drill run up your nose?

NOPE, but I bet that's gotta hurt! :o

on 03/24/03 at 23:25:34, Frank wrote:

Ever been hit in the face with a baseball bat?

How about a hockey stick? ;D (still got all my teeth, see?)

The day after shattering my heel into 20 pieces (3 broken toes, 85% of ligaments in ankle and INSTEP, stretched achilles), a friend was driving me to ER and he almost turned GREEN after looking at my foot. When he asked why I didn't seem to be in much pain, I replied "Its just a ~~walk~~ hop in the park compared to a REAL headache."

Hang in there, hopefully relief is on the way!!!

Grant

Title: Re: Do they hurt that bad?
Post by MKenney on Mar 25^th, 2003, 1:58pm

When people ask me if it "hurts that bad," I usually ask them if they have ever banged their temple on a sharp projection such as kitchen cabinet door. The usual answer is, "Yes." I then suggest that they imagine the pain they experienced from that thump going on for a solid 45 to 60 minutes. And, that they imagine going back and doing it again three or four more times during the day just because it felt so good the first time. I usually get an inkling of understanding and rarely any additional questions.

As a by the way, similar to Grant's mangled foot, I had my hip replaced several years ago. The orthopedic oncologist who did the surgery could not understand why I never complained of more than a 5 or 6 level pain. Nor was I using as much dope from the Magic Moriphene Machine as most patients. When I explained about clusters and asked if I could bring the MMM home for my next cycle, he just looked baffled. The max pain (about an eight) during recovery was when a black belt rehab therapist (who had me on a leash at the time) decided that that I should practice side-stepping down the hall.

Mike

Title: Re: Do they hurt that bad?
Post by fubar on Mar 27^th, 2003, 2:41pm

Sometimes, a sudden headache will cause me to completely lose my balance for a moment. Usually, this is no biggie and there are no consequences. However, about 4 weeks ago I was in Paris, taking a shower in a hotel, getting ready to get to the airport for the wonderful 11 hour flight home, and BAM, it hit right there in there shower.

Now, this hotel didn't have what I would call a safe bathroom. Space is at a premium in Paris, so there was this nice marbel counter the actually extended to the end of the tub, very close. Well, when I had my headache, I lost my balance and fell HARD. Real hard. In fact, I broke a rib and there was concern that I might have fractured the sternum. It was beautiful and ugly at the same time. A truly magnificant looking injury, if I don't say so myself.

So I went to the airport, got on the plane, sat there with a broken (and severely swollen) rib, not to mention a very nice baseball sized mouse on my shin which also hit the tub hard.

When I finally went to the doctor, he offered me pain meds 4 times. 4 times i said no, that the CH pain made this broken rib pain look silly in comparison. You know what, when I got to the pharmacy he had prescribed a bunch of vicodin anyway. He just couldn't accept that the pain was inconsequential. Maybe it was the full glory of the bruising that made him think that way.

I have crushed (into powder) my knee, I have also had a 360 degree rotration of the leg from the knee down (now, let me tell you that hurt like a MF and took years of physical therapy to recover). I've had surgery 6 times. Nothing compares with CH. Nothing.

-Fu