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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> Shadows
        
(Message started by: sandie99 on Jul 27^th, 2007, 11:00am)

Title: Shadows
Post by sandie99 on Jul 27^th, 2007, 11:00am

Hi guys,

I've been having very persistant shadows during the past few days and none of my usual tricks work on them, so what would you suggest? How do you get rid of shadows?

PF days to us all,
Sanna

Title: Re: Shadows
Post by nani on Jul 27^th, 2007, 11:08am

Yuck... persistent shadowing is the pits.
I usually find that 2 Excedrin Migraine helps. Aspirin, tylenol and caffeine... my magic shadow reliever.
Feel better soon, sweetie. hugs, nani

Title: Re: Shadows
Post by E-Double on Jul 27^th, 2007, 11:26am

if you are in a room without any light there is no possibility for a shaodw to occur ;)

seriously hun, If I am shadowing hard I do the rub, ice and caffiene.

Since your bull isn't working I do not know?

Hugs,

mE

Title: Re: Shadows
Post by DennisM1045 on Jul 27^th, 2007, 11:26am

I'm sorry to hear it Sanna. I've never found anything that made persistent shadows go away other than time. Occasionally copious amount of caffiene will work - pick your favorite delivery method, RB, Rock Star, Excedrine Migraine, ... Eventually the beast gets board and walks away. I wish I had more to offer. I'm with you in spirit though.

-Dennis-

Title: Re: Shadows
Post by southwalessunshine on Jul 30^th, 2007, 9:57am

I get 5 days of shadows before my 2 days worth of the beast, every 3 weeks usually. However my cycle has decided to change on me and I haven't been pain free for 3 weeks now. I have persisitent shadows all day and sometimes they go and sometimes they turn into the beast. I pour Red Bull and coffee down my neck but it doesn't seem to be wirking right now so the only thing left to me is my sumatriptan pills. However I'm scared I'll get addicted as I'm getting these things every day now. I'm still waiting on being accepted for O2 on prescription so I'm waiting to try that out on the shadows.

Title: Re: Shadows
Post by George_J on Jul 30^th, 2007, 10:20am

Hi Sanna,

I hate shadowing. I think it's the "well....what it's going to be?" feeling. Full-blown or not?

Caffeine and taurine--but you're already doing that. Try popping a couple of aspirin and 4 mg clorpheneramine maleate (an over-the-counter antihistamine) with a Red Bull. I suppose benedryl would work as well.

The above doesn't work for me if it's going to develop into a full-blown CH, but it will often kill a shadow in about 10 minutes. I don't know why. It's not a "big gun" weapon to use on the Beast, though.

FWIW.

Hang in there, kiddo. :)

Best wishes,

George

Title: Re: Shadows
Post by sandie99 on Jul 30^th, 2007, 11:11am

Thank you for replies. :)

Today I killed my shadows nicely with energy drink-caffeine tabs combo.

I figured out - thanks to my best supporter - what the problem was: the energy drink I had before was old. Apparently my head is picky... ::) Anyway, I had bought a multipack about week and a half a go and it didn't even occur to me that they could be old.

And the funny part is that the ONLY WAY one can see the date from those drinks it to open the multipack - which you cannot do when you're at the supermarket. ::) I there was absolutely no way I could have known that those drinks are past date.

PF days to us all,
Sanna

Title: Re: Shadows
Post by birdman on Jul 30^th, 2007, 11:50am

I am glad to hear you have solved the problem. Let's hope it stays solved. Caffeine is such a necessary evil.

Title: Re: Shadows
Post by MR_FLOOR on Jul 30^th, 2007, 7:49pm

on 07/27/07 at 11:08:43, nani wrote:

I usually find that 2 Excedrin Migraine helps.

Ditto Exedrin always works on my shadows.Good luck Sanna.

Dave

Title: Re: Shadows
Post by sandie99 on Jul 31^st, 2007, 2:53am

on 07/30/07 at 11:50:28, birdman wrote:

Caffeine is such a necessary evil.

I agree with that!

So far, so good. I'm aware that the devil loves to change the rules and meds and treatments (been there, experienced it), but for the time being: problem solved. :)

PF time for us all,
Sanna

Title: Re: Shadows
Post by tommyD on Jul 31^st, 2007, 6:15am

Some folks find that ginger is good for relieveing shadows. Try making a strong ginger tea from fresh ginger or try one of those strong ginger beers like Reed's Ginger Brew. Tasty, too.

Title: Re: Shadows
Post by swimchica623 on Jul 31^st, 2007, 7:30am

Since my insurance covers my o2 100%, sometimes I'll just use o2 for shadows. It stops it faster than it takes for a hit, usually after jsut 2 or 3 minutes. That or caffiene, but seems like you've gotten the caffiene tip a lot!! It's weird using o2 when you aren't in a ton of pain, but it's also good because someimtes I don't know if a shadow will turn into a hit or not, and this way I am on it at the beginning of a hit if it does turn into one, so it gets aborted faster.
Lisa

Title: Re: Shadows
Post by sandie99 on Jul 31^st, 2007, 1:59pm

TommyD, thanks for the ginger reminder! :)
I had complitely forgotten that ginger ale with ice helps, too. ;;D

Sanna

Title: Re: Shadows
Post by michael on Jul 31^st, 2007, 2:11pm

I dont like ginger ale :-/

Will ginger biscuits work?

Mike

Title: Re: Shadows
Post by Brewcrew on Jul 31^st, 2007, 2:15pm

on 07/31/07 at 14:11:03, michael wrote:

I dont like ginger ale :-/

Will ginger biscuits work?

Mike

Is that what we would call ginger snaps in the States?

Title: Re: Shadows
Post by southwalessunshine on Aug 5^th, 2007, 1:42pm

Ginger ale or ginger beer is a soft drink, much like orange soda etc but ginger flavoured.
This is the first time I've heard it works. is it the same or different to how red bull works?

Title: Re: Shadows
Post by barry_sword on Aug 5^th, 2007, 2:03pm

I usually live with them but lately Angie say's "why don't you take some o2, we have lots and it is covered by our ins." so I did try it on the heavy shadows and it took them away.

Another plus of o2. [smiley=thumb.gif]

Barry

Title: Re: Shadows
Post by Ray on Aug 5^th, 2007, 2:47pm

Hello Everyone:

I'm going to chime in here. I use Ibuprophen when I have persistant shadows. In my case, when I am having a lot of headaches (6+ per day) the shadows feel like a massive bruise in my pain area. I'm guessing that there's some inflammation from the frequency of the pain, dilatation of the blood vessels, etc. Ibuprophen works to reduce the inflammation and works to lessen the shadows for me.

Beware, and always have something in your stomach when you take this NSAID, as it can be rough on it.

That's just my 2 cents,

Ray

Title: Re: Shadows
Post by sistersue on Aug 16^th, 2007, 3:19pm

I'm new here and my question is what, exactly, is a shadow? Can it be burning in the sinus on the CH side with nothing else hurting? How many times a day can you use Lidocaine spray without side effects? Thanks for opinions.

Title: Re: Shadows
Post by Ray on Aug 16^th, 2007, 9:38pm

Hello SisterSue:

Shadows are the unpleasant sensation that we get when a CH is coming on. They can come without the full blown CH following in a few minutes. The original poster, Sanna, is talking about that sensation hanging around for parts of, or all day.

I don't know about others, but the shadows are unsettling and can cause anxiety because it always feels like a CH is/may be coming on imminently.

Wishing you PF days and nights,

Ray