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        New Message Board Archives >> Jul-Sep 2003 >> The Spike in my head
        
(Message started by: Eraserhead on Sep 26^th, 2003, 10:14am)

Title: The Spike in my head
Post by Eraserhead on Sep 26^th, 2003, 10:14am

I just found out yesterday that I'm a new member of the clusterhead family. For a week I'd been having "headaches"... not the normal everyday pansy ache that 2 advil will take care of. I thought it was a migrane... but since I'd never had a migrane my whole life, I was a bit unsure. The Cluster headache was foreign to me. Yesterday while at lunch, it hit. I tried to describe it to my wife like someone snuck up behind me and drilled me in the side of the head with an iron skillet. I dropped to my knees holding my head. At that instant, I thought I had a tumor. I was scared to death but couldn't do anything but shake and cry out in blinding pain. After 30 minutes I was able to stand with shaking difficulty and immediately called the doctor who took me right away. They took blood, did xrays and after a period of time came to the Cluster diagnosis. It's only been a week and the pressure lingers on the right side of my head where it hits... just waiting to erupt and reign hell on me for a few hours. I wish the pain would knock me out cold so I wouldn't have to feel the attack. Anyway... i'm glad there is a place like this where others know where I'm coming from.

Title: Re: The Spike in my head
Post by drnoe on Sep 26^th, 2003, 10:20am

Oh man that sucks!
The first always does.
But you are lucky to have found this place so quick. People who understand.YESYESYES.
I give you the CH salute (Hand over eye)
Dan

Title: Re: The Spike in my head
Post by CC on Sep 26^th, 2003, 10:23am

Howdy eraser! So you got dealt the same shitty hand the rest of us got. Sorry to hear it bud! I fya stick around here the place grows on ya pretty quick, Everything you will ever need to know is on this site so if you have a doc that knows nothing about them like mine does i suggest you do some printing from this site especially the meds section and let him/her go over it!

Hope the ole noggin eases up on ya, have faith THERE is light at the end of the tunnel!

Title: Re: The Spike in my head
Post by Cerberus on Sep 26^th, 2003, 10:31am

Eraserhead.....

Welcom aboard, but, really sorry you got the raw end of the deal. CH is no stranger her and to boot truth is stranger than fiction (especially here).
Did the Doc give ya any meds to help battle? Many here find relief with Oxygen, Imitrex, and Verapamil. It seems that I or one of the others here always recommend those first, however, most seem to find it works for them.
many buttons on the left to educate yourself, family and others with so read up when you get a PF moment or two and get prepared to do battle. Personally.... the "beast" as so many here have affectionately named the pain this causes could frequently draw a flag for un-sportsman like conduct......now if we could just get him ejected from the game......(hey, I can dream can't I?)
Post here, and feel free to vent , or whatever there is much comfort here in many who share your pain. If there is anything you may need feel free to ask, an even if you have "stupid" questions there are answers.

Pf time to you soon ,
Ramon

Title: Re: The Spike in my head
Post by taraann on Sep 26^th, 2003, 10:52am

Welcome Eraserhead (nice nic by the way lol),
So sorry you are experiencing this lovely affliction.
Hang in there. You've found the right place for awesome Info and support. Go through and click all the buttons on the right (esp. the yellow ouch button) and read read read.

Anyone else notice alot more PPl are getting diagnosed right away? Thats promising!

Title: Re: The Spike in my head
Post by Eraserhead on Sep 26^th, 2003, 11:19am

Well they put me on Prednisone. I guess that's usually the first thing they give you from what I've been reading. When this "cluster period" is around, are there certain things that trigger an attack or is it just random? Are there things to avoid or do I just hope every minute that it stays dormant and not cripple me? Is it normal to feel the pressure on the side of your head even though you aren't in a full blown attack? It's like it's just sitting there waiting for me to drop my guard before popping its ugly little head up and sniping me. Thanks you guys, I'm really glad I found this site.
Lol.. oh and the name... well I'm an artist... it just seemed to fit in a twisted kind of way.

Title: Re: The Spike in my head
Post by cathy on Sep 26^th, 2003, 11:29am

Eraserhead...sorry you are having to row the boat, but hang in there!! hope the Predinisone helps...have you read up on O2????

The main thing I think for most to avoid is Alcohol....for Wes it's also Orange Juice and MSG...so no curries or chinese for him.... :-/ Try not to take afternoon naps that can sometimes trigger them too...read as much of the info here, seems you are one of the luckier ones in that you have a doctor who knows about clusters...thats a great start for you..

Sending you PF vibes from across the pond...

Cathy :)

Title: Re: The Spike in my head
Post by BarbaraD on Sep 26^th, 2003, 11:45am

Welcome to Clusterville, and sorry you're here, but this is the place to be.

I doubt that you can say anything that we haven't already been through, so vent away......

Don't we all wish the beast would "knock us out cold!" That would be a blessing, but he doesn't do that - he likes to see us suffer.

Yes, the pressure is about as normal as we get. I get a "cramp" in my ear (how's that for normal - well, it is for me).

O2 helps a lot of us - sometimes. Imitrex is the drug of choice around here. Cafagot works for some to stop the pain. They're vaso-constictors. Pain meds usually don't work worth a darn, so if the doc says you need demrol - you probably don't. Check the buttons on the left and educate yourself on the drugs that "actually" have helped others.

Sorry you're suffering - we all know what you're going through and feel for you. Pull up a chair and READ READ READ. WE're here for you.

Hugs BD

Title: Re: The Spike in my head
Post by miCHel on Sep 26^th, 2003, 12:10pm

Greetings Eraserhead,

So sorry you have to be here. It is true that Prednisone is a good idea to give yourself a fighting chance at the begining of a cycle. It has even stopped a cycle completely - once - for me.

One of the many great piece of advice I got here was to start Verapamil at the same time as the Pred. It takes like 5 days for the Verapamil to start working and you cannot stay on Pred forever. Tought it was something you might want to check out.

Whatever you do, I wish you the best. If you have any questions, you are certainly at the right place...

miCHel

Title: Re: The Spike in my head
Post by Woobie on Sep 26^th, 2003, 12:41pm

Hi - it's woobie
just wanted to welcome you here.. and say HI

tina :-*

Title: Re: The Spike in my head
Post by Callico_Kid on Sep 26^th, 2003, 1:36pm

Welcome aboad :'( I agree wiyh Tara Ann that it's good to see people are being diagnosed much sooner than in the past.

YOu asked about the pressure on the side of the head. THat is what most of us call shadows. The feeling tht it is just around the corner waiting for you to stop paying attention so he can pounce. A lot like the bully when youj were in school.

Read the info in the buttons to the left, esp. the O2. Take the survey, and then go to OUCH, join, and take the surveys there. Some folks are compiling information from us tht then will be used for research on these HA's.

Feel free to ask questions. There are a lot of caring people here who will answer and support you.

You have joined a family here. none of us wanted to be a part of it, but we didn't ask to be born either! ;D We fuss and squabble a bit, but we are always there to help when you really want and need it.

jc