Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


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

        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2003 >> What blows it off?
        
(Message started by: phaserbank on Nov 25^th, 2003, 8:10pm)

Title: What blows it off?
Post by phaserbank on Nov 25^th, 2003, 8:10pm

For me? look! I been dealing with this since I was kid. I'm 45. It wasn't until my adult years that I finally figured out what it was.

I've come to realize that the only way to defeat this is to put me out. Give me a shot of anything that will make me horizontal, break the cycle, and I'm ok.

Most Doc's wanna' do all the tests, screen all the problems, and find nothing. I then get sent home with the industrial bottle of codien/vicoden, and I'm sent on my way.

In the past few years, what works as a distraction for me is this:

When i awake after that hour or so of slumber:

Get in the shower, turn on the shower massage, ( on sand blast!), and pulsate that side of your head. With the hottest water you can stand.

Hey!, It doesn't make go away as much as you get ditsracted for that 15 er' 20 minits.

Welcome to my world, lol!

Title: Re: What blows it off?
Post by 5-string on Nov 26^th, 2003, 1:13am

Hello Phaserbank,
Welcome to the board, sorry your head hurts.
I would suggest finding a neurologist and let him/her "do all the tests". I would not recommend Narcotics for cluster headaches.
Please take as much time as you can to read and learn about this here as well as getting to a neurologist who knows about cluster headaches.
have you tried oxygen? imetrex? verapamil?etc.. has your doctor mentioned these to you?
this is a vascular condition. At least from what I've experienced as well as learned here Vicodin/codien...does'nt address the problem. I've taken both in the past (as well as other narcotic based pills)
They relaxed me and made me happy and high. But they did not address my clusters.
Please read,read,read and ask questions here. Nobody knows what it's like to live with and to fight these damn things more than the people here do.
Good luck and hang around,
..Mark..

Title: Re: What blows it off?
Post by TxBasslady on Nov 26^th, 2003, 1:34am

Welcome to the board.....

Mark is right. You need to find the meds to abort or prevent CH. With a combination of some meds, at least the ha's are manageable.

The history of narcotics and CH is not good.

Hope you stay around and let us know how you are doing.

PF vibes

Jean

Title: Re: What blows it off?
Post by Paigelle on Nov 26^th, 2003, 8:13am

I have been percocet, but not for the CH itself, just for the after pain when I get so sore I can't turn my head. I have only taken one! [smiley=laugh.gif]

Anyway, narcotics and clusters don't mix. They actually seem to like each other and just keep coming back.

Title: Re: What blows it off?
Post by Cluster_head on Nov 26^th, 2003, 8:29am

Phaser:

I've done the same as you in the past. Graduated from Vicoden several years ago. Lately its been Butorphanol, Morphine Sulphate and Percocet. Although these meds have the ability to put you horizontal, I've found that they really just make my ha's worse.

Its O2 and clusterbusters for me from now on. They work like...well, MAGIC ;;D

Good luck slaying the beast!

Title: Re: What blows it off?
Post by NewHeadPLZ on Nov 26^th, 2003, 3:30pm

First off, sounds like you need to find a doctor that knows a little about clusterheadaches, cause the one your seeing don't!

O2 and Imitrex Statdose are probably the two most popular abortives. I only use O2 right now, cause I can't afford the shots!

When I gets so bad that I can't take it anymore, high doses of prednisone (60-80mg to start) will knock them right out.

Title: Re: What blows it off?
Post by BlueMeanie on Nov 26^th, 2003, 10:59pm

I agree with the others. Getting high isn't the answer. Getting rid of the cluster is ! You have to be firm and sound as desparate as you can when seeing a doctor that doesn't know you. If you want sure quick relief, you need O2 and Imitrex injections. Other stuff works sometime, but takes too long when a KIP 8-10 is on the way. Good Luck to ya !

Title: Re: What blows it off?
Post by phaserbank on Nov 30^th, 2003, 11:46am

on 11/26/03 at 01:13:45, 5-string wrote:

Hello Phaserbank,

Actually... I've been to a bunch of doctors, had all the tests, done Imetrex, 02, etc...

What I found works the best is: a shot in the butt of Demeral, put me out, and it breaks the cycle. But getting to the the ER at 1 in the morning can be quite the adventure. [smiley=laugh.gif]

I've just found that using the shower massage on full blast with scalding hot water does seem to make it pass a little more easily.

It's been 3 years since the last cycle, so I guess I was about due anyways.

Thanx for your input folks and... Don't let yer' head explode!

Cya soon...

-Craig
Welcome to the board, sorry your head hurts.
I would suggest finding a neurologist and let him/her "do all the tests". I would not recommend Narcotics for cluster headaches.
Please take as much time as you can to read and learn about this here as well as getting to a neurologist who knows about cluster headaches.
have you tried oxygen? imetrex? verapamil?etc.. has your doctor mentioned these to you?
this is a vascular condition. At least from what I've experienced as well as learned here Vicodin/codien...does'nt address the problem. I've taken both in the past (as well as other narcotic based pills)
They relaxed me and made me happy and high. But they did not address my clusters.
Please read,read,read and ask questions here. Nobody knows what it's like to live with and to fight these damn things more than the people here do.
Good luck and hang around,
..Mark..

Title: Re: What blows it off?
Post by Piglett1969 on Dec 2^nd, 2003, 10:06pm

Yikes! I broke my wrist while roller skating last year and was prescribed Lortabs for pain. Not too long after that, the clusters came back. My neuro at the time told me that narcotics can actually TRIGGER clusters. I wasn't taking them much anyway, but at that point I totally went off of them, not wanting to make the cluster situation any worse. Definitely see a neuro and get any necessary tests done, and then get on the right meds. The narcotics might actually be making them worse instead of better. :)

Title: Re: What blows it off?
Post by mmaya613 on Dec 7^th, 2003, 8:33pm

I think your right on with the hot shower massage, but Say no to narcotics for the ch's. The same way you wouldn't take shots of vodka to abort. Get some prednisone, man. That s__t works. Verapamil, depakote, lithium. Also, if you have insurance you can go to the neuro and leave with a bunch of free Imitrex samples that he/she ois going to give you. Instead of taking a narc, which could make it worse, give your self a trex injector and the pain is gone in seconds. I promise. But go to a neuro who knows clusters. Even a lot of PCP's (primary care physicians) know clusters and treatments. And they have imitrex samples, too.

PFDAN

Mario ;)