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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2002 >> I need help with meds
        
(Message started by: erniejdc on Jul 5^th, 2002, 6:34am)

Title: I need help with meds
Post by erniejdc on Jul 5^th, 2002, 6:34am

Hello Everyone,
I am one of your newest members. This is my story. At age 21 while in the U.S. Army I had my first CH. I had never felt such pain in my life. I was balled up in the fetal position in the floor of a military bus with my fingers interlaced over the back of my head. The guys joked saying that no one was dropping a nuke. When they realised that I wasn't joking they drove me to Walter Reed Hospital. I was given immediate relief (I don't know what they gave me). They tried different meds but none were working for me. Then they gave me midrin. Within 10 minutes of taking 2 pills the pain was gone. I have been living in Canada for the past 2 years and trying to find something that will stop the pain without having to take so many pills. Midrin is banned here in Canada. I have tried Imitrex and it doesn't work for me. I have had this headache now for 10 days straight. I am taking 18 pills a day ( 4 tylenol 1's and 2 ibuprofens ) about every 5 hours. It doesn't get rid of the headache completely, but at a level where I can still work. Does anyone have any suggestions on any other meds to try. I know that what I am taking now is destroying my liver, but I don't know what else to do. My doctor has set up an appointment with a neurologist, but the waiting time is about 6 months. I can't wait that long. Thanks for your time and your replies.

Sincerely,
Jerry
P.S. The website in my profile takes time to load. It is designed for high-speed internet. I hope you get a good laugh from it.

Title: Re: I need help with meds
Post by kristi on Jul 5^th, 2002, 7:31am

Welcome Jerry! And sorry that you are having such a hard time!

This has helped many, many people here with cluster headaches:

http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=meds;action=display;num=1013709016

Good luck finding something that works for you - hope you are painfree soon!

K

Title: Re: I need help with meds
Post by Tom on Jul 5^th, 2002, 7:44am

Do you have CH ?????????????????????

Thomas

Title: Re: I need help with meds
Post by erniejdc on Jul 5^th, 2002, 8:34am

Yes I do

Title: Re: I need help with meds
Post by Linda T on Jul 5^th, 2002, 8:28pm

Dear erniejdc: Welcome. Sorry you've had to search this site out but you'll find alot of info and support here if you stick around.

O2 seems to work well for alot of people on this site, although I've never tried it and can't give you a first hand account. It seems to work well and is, obviously, med free. Try researching around this board and I'm sure you'll find tons of info on it.

Also, I've found that a really hot shower will stop most (but not all) of my ch right in its tracks. You have to be quick about it though. At the first sign it's coming run, do not walk, to the shower and get it as hot as you can take it. Others prefer ice and ice packs and cold showers. Still others drink lots of hot coffee for the caffeine. Again, read around this site and experiment to see what works for you.

Good luck. Linda T

Title: Re: I need help with meds
Post by rick on Jul 6^th, 2002, 3:14am

Ernie,

Tom is not trying to offend in anyway, but I must admit I thought the same thing when I read your post.

You said that you have had a headache for ten straight days. Has there been any interuption to the pain, or has it been non-stop? Typically, the pain killers which you spoke of are ineffective for most individuals who suffer from CH, while Imitrex will abort attacks. Are you episodic or chronic? If you are episodic, how many cycles have you had?

I hope we can help you no matter what your condition.

-Rick

Title: Re: I need help with meds
Post by erniejdc on Jul 6^th, 2002, 7:57am

:) Hi Linda,
Thanks for the advice. My wife and I work at a hospital and picked up a tank of oxygen last night. I haven't had the need to use it yet because I am still feeling the effects of the codeine. This is my first time using straight codeine and I don't like it. I was unable to work and someone else had to be called in to work my position. I did read some from the treatment forums and was amazed to read so many different things to try. I hope the oxygen works.

Sincerely,
Jerry

Title: Re: I need help with meds
Post by erniejdc on Jul 6^th, 2002, 8:18am

Hi Rick,
There was no offence taken. I guess I should have communicated it more descriptively. My apologies. It was 10 straight days without a 24 hour break in the cycle. The headaches did not last 24 hours a day for 10 days. I do not know if I am an episodic or a chronic. I just know that for the past 3 months haven't been very good for me. I am lucky if I get 2 days in a row without an episode. I used to get them really bad when the seasons changed from Winter to Spring and from Summer to Fall. Those would last about 2 to 3 weeks and I would be fine for a few months. I don't know if being up here in Canada with the seasons changing differently or altitude level has any effect.

Sincerely,
Jerry

Title: Re: I need help with meds
Post by rick on Jul 7^th, 2002, 12:04am

Jerry,

Sorry to hear that bro.

Here's the best advice I can offer, because this is what has worked for me:

http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=meds;action=display;num=1013709016

http://www.erowid.org/plants/mushrooms/mushrooms_medical1.shtml

I strongly encourage you to investigate this site as well, and to utilize it's library. There's a wealth of information:

http://www.clusterheadaches.org/

Good luck! Please continue to hang out and use this board, we need every head we can get against this thing.

-R

Title: Re: I need help with meds
Post by jimbo on Jul 7^th, 2002, 1:15pm

Ernie,

Sorry for your pain! The Imitrex that you tried, was it the pills,spray or injections? Inj's work very well for me. Usually gives relief in 5-10 minutes. The pills did nothing and haven't tried the spray but I guess the spray works for some people to. I have never known Midrin to relieve CH's but that could be because I do not know enough about it, but I know it did absolutely nothing for me. I'm thinking that when you took the midrin and within 10 minutes your pain was gone, it might have been the end of your headache and merely a coincidence. Hopefully this shit will end soon or you. 8)

Seeya,

Jimbo HAPFD

Title: Re: I need help with meds
Post by jimbo on Jul 7^th, 2002, 1:16pm

Title: Re: I need help with meds
Post by BobB on Jul 7^th, 2002, 4:13pm

Try to get on Verapamil to make the headaches go away. Lithium and Verapamil also work good together.

O2 works best for me (and keeps me drug free).

Best of luck

Bob

Title: Re: I need help with meds
Post by rick on Jul 7^th, 2002, 5:01pm

Jerry,

I was thinking about your statement that you are no longer sure whether you are episodic or chronic.

Although you are only taking over the counter pain killers, 18 pills a day is extremely excessive. Many have reported on this site that the more they use meds, the longer their cycle seemed to last. You may still in fact be episodic, but you might be extending the length your current cycle by taking so many meds.

Also, many here feel that excessive use of medications causes the attacks to become more frequent and painful. This seemed to be the case for me, although I was taking a number of prescription medications as opposed to over the counter pain killers when I experienced this during my last cycle.

I used Midrin during my first cycle 6 years ago, and it did nothing for me. During my second cycle 2 1/2 years ago, I tried popping Tylenol like M&Ms, and that provided only minimal relief.

I'm concerned for you because you can't get your liver back, please rethink what you are doing.

Although it might sound radical, mushroom therapy has given many individuals weeks to months of relief with each dose. Others (like myself) have required multiple doses, but still achieved the same result. And it is natural. Right now, this is the best course of action for me, as it has been the only thing I've had real success with so far.

Hopefully, you will find some short term relief from the oxygen. Also, although you stated that Imitrex was ineffective for you, there are other prescription medications in the "triptan" family that are available to provide short term relief, such as Amerge, Zomig, and Maxalt. Verapamil also has a fair success rate for some, as stated above.

If your doc can't get you in to see a neuro for 6 months, that is a complete load of shit, and I am damn sick and tired of hearing this from sufferers. No animosity toward you, sorry, and please excuse me for venting, but these doctors need to get a clue about this disease.

I would start off by politely but firmly telling your doc that you CAN NOT AND WILL NOT wait six months to see a neuro, and that he needs to find someone you can see A.S.A.P.. He needs to understand that this pain is unbearable and that this disease is nicknamed "suicide headaches" for a reason.

Although this letter is geared toward friends and employers, it may be worth passing onto your doctor in this case:

http://www.ouch-uk.org/ch/note_colleagues.cfm

Again, I am sorry to vent, but I am sick and tired of seeing physicians leaving sufferers hanging. You are in brutal pain every day, and six months is a ridiculous amount of time for someone to be patient when they're in that kind of pain. Particularly when everyday life becomes a challenge to get through. It's 6 months of your life, and if your doc can't find another neuro to see you much sooner, then I would take the situation into your own hands and find one yourself.

Here's the list of recommended doctors from the OUCH website:

http://www.clusterheadaches.org/doctors.htm

Just find a neuro that can see you for right now, and educate yourself as much as you can before you see them so that you will know what treatment options you would like to pursue when you get to them. Bring them information, and a list of questions you would like to ask.

If your current doc has a must-see wonder neuro that they think will do you so much good that it's worth a six month wait, then tell them that you need to to see SOMEONE else in the meantime.

Good luck man, I'm sorry you are going through this, and I hope you find some relief soon.

-R