Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


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

        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> Oxygen Question
        
(Message started by: sistersue on Aug 7^th, 2007, 2:55am)

Title: Oxygen Question
Post by sistersue on Aug 7^th, 2007, 2:55am

Does anyone have any idea why my friend's doctor won't give him oxygen? He said,"If you get a headache and come in the clinic we'll give you oxygen." My friend has Zomig, lanicaine spray and is now starting Verapamil but do you know what the reason could be for refusing him oxygen at home? Thanks for any answers. I'm glad I found this board.

Title: Re: Oxygen Question
Post by barry_sword on Aug 7^th, 2007, 7:57am

Hi Sue, nice to meet you. I remember asking my GP about his thought's about me getting o2 and he said he would not script me o2 because it is very dangerous and people are blowing themselves up everywhere using it. ::) Ok, I said and did not say another thing about it to him.

I made an appointment with my Neuro and printed off the o2 info. from the left and showed him and voila, script in hand, no hesitation.

Maybe your friend should see another Doc, preferably with a specialist like a Neuro. I hope he gets what he needs to help himself with this.

Barry

Title: Re: Oxygen Question
Post by Gator on Aug 7^th, 2007, 8:13am

Because your friend's doctor is a moron who doesn't know much about ch or how to treat it.

Title: Re: Oxygen Question
Post by Guiseppi on Aug 7^th, 2007, 10:22am

While I try to be more politically correct then gator, and say something like, his lack of technical expertise in the use of oxygen in the abort of cluster headaches has resulted in a tendency to err too heavily on the side of caution in his unwillingness to prescribe it..........

Meaning, he's a moron and your friend desperatley needs to get another doctor!!!!!!!

Guiseppi

Title: Re: Oxygen Question
Post by Gator on Aug 8^th, 2007, 8:37am

Yeah, I actually typed out a long drawn out answer, but after reading over it, I just couldn't hit post. I find myself less and less able to tolerate ignorance from the people who we depend on to take care of us. If a doctor is attempting to treat a disease/disorder with which he or she is unfamiliar, they should do a little research instead of just throwing drugs at the patient or worse, withholding valuable treatment as in this case. What it all boils down to is that the doctor in this and way too many other cases is an idiot whose lack of knowledge causes unnecessary pain to clusterheads.

Maybe I'm becoming a grumpy old man, but I have no patience with, and am no patient of, a doctor who does not listen to me.

Title: Re: Oxygen Question
Post by Guiseppi on Aug 8^th, 2007, 11:55am

I have no patience with, and am no patient of, a doctor who does not listen to me.

Now that sir, is far more eloquently put then I ever could have, well said!

Guiseppi

Title: Re: Oxygen Question
Post by Linda_Howell on Aug 8^th, 2007, 12:00pm

What they said... and then Sue, refer your friend to this link or print it out and give it to him to take to ANOTHER doctor.

http://www.maplefallswebdesign.com/misc/oxygen/oxygen.htm

Linda

Title: Re: Oxygen Question
Post by Kirk on Aug 8^th, 2007, 2:58pm

Perhaps he's not really a doctor. But played one at sometime. Tell your friend to go find a real doctor.
Ofcourse I could be wrong and his doctor is a MORON! In which case he should still get another doctor. YMMV

[smiley=smokin.gif]

Title: Re: Oxygen Question
Post by BMoneeTheMoneeMan on Aug 8^th, 2007, 3:11pm

I dont know why they hesitate to prescribe it. I would be willing to bet that more fatalities happen due to the prescribed use of triptans than the prescribed use of O2.

The only thing i can think of is money. There is more money involved with prescribing medications rather than prescribing O2. The O2 expense for a year is less than a few doses of zomig or imitrex.

Why else would doctors be so hesitant?

Title: Re: Oxygen Question
Post by Brewcrew on Aug 8^th, 2007, 3:40pm

on 08/08/07 at 15:11:34, BMoneeTheMoneeMan wrote:

Why else would doctors be so hesitant?

Because he's a buttmunch.

Hey, it's a valid reason. The world is full of buttmunches.

Title: Re: Oxygen Question
Post by Guiseppi on Aug 8^th, 2007, 4:06pm

Once again I stand in awe at the depth and breadth of your wisdom Brewcrew..........I am stunned! [smiley=laugh.gif]

Guiseppi (who is NOT a buttmuncher)

Title: Re: Oxygen Question
Post by tommyD on Aug 8^th, 2007, 5:13pm

The money thing is a good answer.

The other possible reasion is that most things doctors prescribe won't burn the house down.

Now O2 is quite safe when used with caution. But NO SMOKING! And remember that the stuff can settle in your clothes, so be careful when smoking afterwards. Even if you leave the room, a dribbled ash with a hot spark can set your shirt (or worse your pants) on fire.

But like BMonee says, drugs have no doubt killed many more people than O2-fed fires.

-tommyD

Title: Re: Oxygen Question
Post by sistersue on Aug 8^th, 2007, 8:43pm

I don't think this doctor is a buttmunch, but the clinic he works in IS. It's their rules. Anyway, now, after almost 3 months of misery, they think he may have leukemia. Has anyone ever heard of leukemia causing what they "think" is CH?

Title: Re: Oxygen Question
Post by Jonny on Aug 8^th, 2007, 9:25pm

on 08/08/07 at 08:37:44, Gator wrote:

Maybe I'm becoming a grumpy old man, but I have no patience with, and am no patient of, a doctor who does not listen to me.

Bull-shit, you sound like you have had enough and you wont take it anymore!

[smiley=headbanger.gif]

I like that!

Title: Re: Oxygen Question
Post by DennisM1045 on Aug 9^th, 2007, 7:38am

It sounds like your friend needs an accurate diagnosis. It strikes me that there is a huge difference between Leukemia and CH. [smiley=huh.gif] Find another Dr. While CH sucks, I really hope it isn't Leukemia. You won't die from CH. If Leukemia is ruled out, find a good Neurologist.

I met similar resistence from my GP when asking for O2. It wasn't till I found a Neuro that had experience treating CH that I was perscribed O2.

GP's don't seem to be allowed to perscribe O2 except in very specific diagnosis without jumping through a lot of red tape - which they don't want to do :-/ Whether this is because of insurance or group practice regulations I'm not clear. Perhaps there is a Dr here that can clarify things.

A qualified Neurologist on the other hand will give your friend what they need once a proper diagnosis has been reached.

Good luck...

-Dennis-

Title: Re: Oxygen Question
Post by sistersue on Aug 10^th, 2007, 3:03am

Boy, this is really off the subject of oxygen, but I read somewhere that leukemia cells can "bunch-up" in the brain stem and cause horrible headaches.

Title: Re: Oxygen Question
Post by southwalessunshine on Aug 16^th, 2007, 11:14am

I never even heard of 02 for Ch until I joined this board, and that includes seeing a neuro. I printed off a load of stuff from here and Ouch and went to see a new doctor. luckily he was intereste din my case but also he couldn't ignore my request really, and 4 weeks later, i got the 02 today! Docs don't like to give 03 out for anything other than respiratory cases because it involves more paperwork and explaining why they're prescribing it, and because they prob don't know much about Ch. it's the old "it's a headache!Lie down and take an aspirin!" scenario! tel your friend to gen up and take print outs to the doc and push for it, I did and thank god I did.

Title: Re: Oxygen Question
Post by sistersue on Aug 16^th, 2007, 2:56pm

I just want to thank everyone here who answered my question. Your answers gave me one more piece for my CH puzzle. By the way, here's another one: has anyone tried magnesium or melatonin? Did it help?

Title: Re: Oxygen Question
Post by Guiseppi on Aug 16^th, 2007, 3:57pm

I've been doing a magnesium/calcium supplement for almost 5 years and am convinced it has had a positive effect, lessening the intensity of my attacks.

Guiseppi