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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> Anyone tried Head On?
        
(Message started by: charlenewooldridge on Dec 8^th, 2006, 10:36am)

Title: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by charlenewooldridge on Dec 8^th, 2006, 10:36am

Hi, I am in the middle of a cluster series that is hitting me several times a day and waking me up at night from my sleep. I am the mother of 3 and a grandmother that needs to be able to function, not be in bed-I went to the store this morning and bought Head On for migraines in the hopes that this might help me. Has anyone tried this product with any results?Thanks,Charlene

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by BB on Dec 8^th, 2006, 10:55am

Hi Charlene,

Sorry to hear you are in cycle.

How long have you had cluster headaches? Have you tried other meds in the past?

The best thing to do in a high cycle is to get on oxygen, do a prednisone taper and start on a preventive. Have you used abortive meds such as Imitrex?

Usually over the counter meds dont do much for clusters and overusing them may cause side effects including rebunds.

Tell us a bit more about your headaches and we will try to help you out with some information.

Painfree wishes to you.

Annette

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by floridian on Dec 8^th, 2006, 11:31am

The primary ingredient is menthol. Might help some people a bit - it could turn things down somewhat, just like ice or other cold. Not likely to be a major relief in my opinion.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by BigCoffinHunter on Dec 8^th, 2006, 11:35am

Basically all the meds that work, function by the same mechanism....constricting blood vessels or preventing them from swelling up (as much).

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by charlenewooldridge on Dec 8^th, 2006, 11:36am

Hello, and thanks for replying to my post. I had a really really bad wreck 25 years ago that included severe head trauma and that is when my headaches started. The attacks are on the side of my head that was injured in the accident, which leads me to believe that is what started all this.
I have used imitrex in the past, with no good results.
I have used hydrocone to dull the pain, only to find it was causing rebounds after a while. I have no insurance, that is why I don't have access to any other treatments like prednisone(spelling) or other preventative drugs.
However, I did find a place online years ago that showed diagrams of how you could use pressure points on the side of your head to stop or dull the pain and I practiced that with some good results at times. Other times, it makes it hurt worse. Yesterday I had an attack after laying down for a late morning rest. It woke me from my sleep and was really severe. It is getting close to the same time right now and I am anticipating an attack soon. I will use the Head On if I have an episode and will post results on the message board. I am sure you are right about over the counter meds, but you know how it is when you are desperate for relief.......
Charlene

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by BigCoffinHunter on Dec 8^th, 2006, 12:00pm

I'm fairly sure prednisone and dexamethasone are generics, and fairly cheap. They can give you a break, but will only give you relief while you are on them, which is only a matter of weeks at best.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by vietvet2tours on Dec 8^th, 2006, 12:28pm

Oxygen Oxygen Oxygen Oxygen Oxygen Oxygen

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by Tata on Dec 8^th, 2006, 12:39pm

on 12/08/06 at 11:36:22, charlenewooldridge wrote:

Yesterday I had an attack after laying down for a late morning rest. It woke me from my sleep and was really severe.
Charlene

Hi Charlene,
I do NOT lay down during my cluster cycles--I don't know why, but lying down seems to make things worse. I usually sleep in my recliner or sleep sitting backwards on the couch, propped up with pillows. I've never tried Head-On, but I have to admit I was tempted. I've had the best luck with oxygen as an abortive and I'm not on any preventatives. Hope you're not getting hit too badly. Read up on the oxygen info--it's worth a try. Take care.......

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by brewcrew on Dec 8^th, 2006, 1:33pm

Since you have no insurance, you might want to look into welder's oxygen with a proper regulator and a non-rebreather mask. The initial investment may set you back a couple hundred bucks, but you can get refills pretty cheap.

Try this: sometime when you're getting hit (as early on as possible), go to a local fire and rescue station and ask to breathe pure oxygen through a non-rebreather mask at 10-15 liters per minute. This will help you determine if it will work for you. Also, set it up with the fire and rescue station ahead of time so they know to expect you.

You might be surprised at how willing they are to help.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by JeffB on Dec 8^th, 2006, 6:43pm

on 12/08/06 at 13:33:03, brewcrew wrote:

You are nothing short of brilliant, dude. I would have never thought of that.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by Batch on Dec 9^th, 2006, 12:43pm

Charlene,

Looks like you've gotten a lot of good advice... The recommendations for 100% O2 as an abortive are the best when the beast has you in its grasp... Going to the local fire station is a great idea... I tried it once while on travel and found the EMTs to be most understanding and very helpful. You might want to try beverages with caffeine.

Using pressure points on the side of the head works for me as well for minor CH attacks... Try to feel for the pulse of the temporal artery in front of the ear and the other branch of this artery above the cheekbone at the lower end of the eyebrow. Pressing gently on them to reduce the flow appears to be most effective for me. When the attacks are more severe, I wrap an ice cube in a paper towel and press it gently in the same areas and on top of the head on the affected side. The cold may be painful at first so keep trying different locations until you feel the pain subside. Before I started using 100% O2, I can recall many nights when I woke up with a soggy paper towel stuck to the top of my head…

You might want to ask your doctor about Neurontin (gabapentin). The neuro's at NIH in Bethesda, MD have had better than average success in using Neurontin as a CH preventative... Here's the url...

http://www.neurontin.com/

The web page will not say anything about cluster headaches but ask your doctor anyway... If your doctor needs more information, let me know and I’ll send you the contact information for the Neurology Department at NIH. If your doctor agrees, be sure to ask for the generic, gabapentin. As a generic, it’s one-third the cost of the same drug under the brand name Neurontin. If ordering from Canada is an option, a 100 mg capsule is only $0.17, or a hundred times less than a 50 mg. Imitrex tablet.

Hope you're getting some relief

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by Redd715 on Dec 9^th, 2006, 3:24pm

Neurontin did nothing for me, but we are all different.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by slhaas on Dec 9^th, 2006, 3:50pm

on 12/08/06 at 12:39:23, Tata wrote:

I too find that laying down makes them worse, and I try not to lay down during an attack or for the immediate period after one. I haven't tried avoiding it all together, though, and I think I should give that a shot.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by slhaas on Dec 9^th, 2006, 3:54pm

I am going to post the question that I haven't seen anyone else ask yet. Is it possible these aren't cluster headaches? Parts of her description make it seem like they are, and parts make it seem like they are not. The fact that they seem to stem from head trauma caused by an accident makes me think it isn't a CH at all. Imitrex not helping at all makes me wonder too, but everyone is different and that may mean nothing. The accident could just be a coincidence as well, so I'm not suggesting that they aren't CHs, but that some testing, even if just at home, needs to be done to determine with more accuracy if these are indeed CHs or not... and then better suggestions can be made as to how the problem should be treated.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by Tata on Dec 9^th, 2006, 5:51pm

on 12/09/06 at 15:50:17, slhaas wrote:

The reason that I don't lay down at all during a cycle is mainly because I don't sleep as deeply sitting up as I do lying down. The sooner I wake up when getting hit, the sooner I can hit the O2. I really hope she tries the O2 and has good results--that will answer whether she actually does have CH and give her relief at the same time.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by Redd715 on Dec 9^th, 2006, 5:54pm

Although there is no direct corrilation, the Doc's who spoke at the Milwaukee convention even stated that "as a population" Clusterheads have a higher ratio of serious head trauma than is seen in the general population.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by E-Double on Dec 9^th, 2006, 9:56pm

It works awesome on my lower back

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by Bob P on Dec 10^th, 2006, 11:48am

Doc Greg, some years back, also surveyed our little cluster house here and commented on the high incidence of head trauma.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by BigCoffinHunter on Dec 10^th, 2006, 6:15pm

I've been knocked around plenty, but never had "head trauma" that I am aware of. Nothing has ever put me in the hospital or anything like that.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by madaline on Dec 10^th, 2006, 6:32pm

Hi, Just thought you might want to try what has been working for me for many months. ( I have been a chronic clusterhead for over 10 years now and have been thru most of the med and O2. the O2 did not work for me. Indocine worked for many years as an abortive, and then suddenly stopped working. Presently I am on Verapamil for the past about 2 years. It really helped the daytime attacks but not the night ones. I have Zomig spray and prednisone for severe prolonged attacks.) As soon as the night attack occurs and when I am awakened by it (or feel a daytime one coming on) I reach for just one Excedrin (asperin or non asperin type) for the caffeine, take it, and then make one or two strong cups of caffeinated tea and down those. The caffeine is a great abortive for me, so far. (or you can use caffeinated soda) Try it and good luck to you. Let us know how it works. Madaline. :) :)

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by chewy on Dec 11^th, 2006, 7:57am

Quote:

Anyone tried Head On

Dont waste your money. Another marketing scam.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by jmorgan52 on Dec 11^th, 2006, 9:16am

I assume this is some ointment that you rub on the head? Is it hot?

I have had a little success very early on in my cycles before the really big ones strike with using Tiger Balm - the red one (very hot) rubbed on the temple (I usually get weeks of mild daily HA's before the Kip 10's kick in)

I am sure Vicks or similar would do the same.

After the big one it does squat for the CH

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by KevinN on Dec 11^th, 2006, 11:04am

Melissa here - wife of sufferer

things like head on, vaporub, aromatic beads (found at the Ulta stores), and other smell remedies sometimes help in the shadow stages. I've noticed that sometimes they are just comforting to him to have - something to do. Doesn't really help though in the middle of a bad hit.

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by jmorgan52 on Dec 12^th, 2006, 4:03am

This talk about head trauma triggered my memory to an event that took place at school when I was about 13 years old.

We were doing cricket batting practise in groups when some idiot let go of a bat in full swing when I was bent over and it hit me on the top of my head and split it open. I was KO'd for a few minutes and had 15 stitches. No concussion or drastic HA's after the event, just a sore head for a few days.

I have never before linked this to my CH or migraines but who knows.....

John

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by Tata on Dec 12^th, 2006, 1:04pm

Re the head trauma issue: When I was 4, I was hit on the head with a brick, KO'd and got a bunch of stitches. When I was 15, I was in a neighbors garage smoking-- uhhh.....some funny smelling cigarettes, got a horrible head-rush, passed out and fell flat on my face. One sprained jaw, 3 root canals and 20 stitches in my chin convinced me it was a bad idea to smoke those kinds of cigarettes in garages on hot summer days. And I was also hit by lightning once but I don't know if that counts as head trauma--I did lose conciousness, so it might. And I wonder why my brain hurts.....

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by vietvet2tours on Dec 12^th, 2006, 1:30pm

on 12/12/06 at 04:03:26, jmorgan52 wrote:

Bet it's hard on the cricket

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by JohnM on Dec 13^th, 2006, 3:59am

on 12/12/06 at 13:30:36, vietvet2tours wrote:

Bet it's hard on the cricket

??????

sorry - forgot you yanks play baseball so wouldn't understand the "real game" of cricket. ::)

Title: Re: Anyone tried Head On?
Post by wichita_pounder on Dec 20^th, 2006, 10:23am

My husband Rudy has had these for 20 years he (we) got lucky and were PF for 7. He had been told that an accident he had at about 19 might have caused enough damage to his back that the ch is a resulting problem they only occur in the winter. They guessed maybe arthritis, who knows.

When he was 19 he and some friends were drinking and probably smoking some funny stuff at a sand pit with a rope swing, he passed out and fell into the water and hit a submerged log the guys pulled him out and took him to the hospital. The ch's started about a year later. Many years later he had an x ray and he was told he must have fractured two of his ribs that connect to his spine and they healed twisted. That place in his back is always sore when he is in the middle of a cycle.

Last Christmas he fell down some stairs and came down on that side again and the ch's are back, and so is the Imitrex, but thanks to everyone's advise he is getting some results with 02 and we are waiting for our clustermasx. If you don't have insurance try Canada for meds or Mrs. Deej has some good information on how to get meds direct from the pharmeucetical company's. Once you find something that works.

He can't sleep in bed either they come on to strong so he is sleeping in a recliner.

Gretchen