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        New Message Board Archives >> Jul-Sep 2003 >> Looking for Suggestions
        
(Message started by: Vickie_Smith on Jul 11^th, 2003, 8:05am)

Title: Looking for Suggestions
Post by Vickie_Smith on Jul 11^th, 2003, 8:05am

I am looking for some suggestions. I have high blood pressure (no logical explantion for that either) and alot of the meds that they prescibe run your blood pressure sky high. If I take them I'm suppose to take my blood pressure first - like I'm really up for that during an attack. I have suffered from cluster headaches for about 15 years, at least once a year for 2-3 months. My doc said he could not prescibe oxygen for me unless it was proven that it works, due to the high cost for the insurance company, and a trip to the local emergency room is usless. The wait there is unbearable. I recently started getting the shadows of these horrible things, I'm almost in a panic that they are going to rear their ugly heads again.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for this wonderful site. It has truely been a blessing for me.

Vickie

Title: Re: Looking for Suggestions
Post by Ted on Jul 11^th, 2003, 9:20am

Here's proof that it works. Click on the link and print out the abstracts to show to your doctor and insurance company, if necessary.

http://www.clusterheadaches.com/wwwboard/messages/81233.html

Title: Re: Looking for Suggestions
Post by Bob P on Jul 11^th, 2003, 9:49am

And here too:

http://www.clusterheadaches.org/library/medications/O2.htm

Title: Re: Looking for Suggestions
Post by BillyJ. on Jul 11^th, 2003, 11:06am

Oxygen does not work for everyone,but then nothing
works for everyone!O2 works for almost everyone,
I thank God it works for me.
O2 is not that expensive,a tank and regulator cost far
less the an emergancy room visit.
Having high blood presuremakes verapamil an even
better option as a preventitive.At 960mlg/day, my
BP runs about120/75,so I get a dual beneffit from the
verapamil.
Suggestions 1-try verapamil if you haven't already
2-get a welders tank and convert a reg
3-get a differant Doc.
Wishing PFDANs to all,
Billy

Title: Re: Looking for Suggestions
Post by cbolony on Jul 11^th, 2003, 12:17pm

Quote:

My doc said he could not prescibe oxygen for me unless it was proven that it works

Tell your doctor to look in a medical book is he kidding me.And for you high BP try taking verapamil to try and prevent your CH or keep the kips very low and it will bring down you BP since it's a BP pill.A lot of us take verapamil i take 240 mgs 2x aday

Title: Re: Looking for Suggestions
Post by svelletta on Jul 11^th, 2003, 12:55pm

My husband also has high B/P. It is up to the Dr. to evaluate you for a combination of meds that will control you B/P AND address the CH. Oxygen may not work for everyone, but has been helpful to my husband. No disrespect, but sounds as if you Dr. could use some education in the area of CH. There is help out there, we went through a lot of the same thing......until Finally we found a Dr. that was very well versed in this area. I realize that there are constraints with insurance, HMO's, etc. but I hope you will not give up. Keep yelling until you are heard. Sorry for what you are going thru and wish you the best in finding some answers.

Title: Re: Looking for Suggestions
Post by Pushkin on Jul 11^th, 2003, 1:29pm

Suggest you take a very firm stand and demand that Oxygen be prescribed. Any physician not prescribing it is just crazy. The cost argument simply does not hold. If that fails there is the welder's Oxygen alternative. To be denied an opportunity to try Oxygen is shameful. No guarantee it will work, but you should be given the opportunity to try it!

Sorry to hear about your problems, and the medical profession's ignorance.