Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


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

        Supporter's Corner >> Supporter's Corner >> Newbie In New Mexico
        
(Message started by: mystique on Mar 17^th, 2005, 9:11pm)

Title: Newbie In New Mexico
Post by mystique on Mar 17^th, 2005, 9:11pm

:'(I am not new to the demon, just this board. My husband was diagnosed with cluster headaches when he was in junior high and he is now 40. He has been in a cycle for about 8 weeks now after having been pf for the last 3-4 years. We forget if it has been 3 or 4 years, but have decided to start keeping a ch diary because we are so forgetful. He has never had them this bad this long before. They have been bad in the past but this time it is soooo bad. He has not slept in weeks, he can't lay down without getting a headache, so he sleeps sitting up on the couch and now his feet are swelling. We have never heard of oxygen to get rid of the demon until I found this site, and we don't have access to it yet. BUT, he has an appt with the doc on Monday the 21st and I am going with him and am asking him for it, but I bet he dosen't give it to us. We also found out about Imitrex on this site and he has been using it the last few days along with Kudzu. He did REALLY good at first, went over 30hrs pf, but then he got another headache and hasn't been able to get rid of it at all in over 24hrs, goes from k10 to k5 all day long. This sucks hard!!!!! Sorry this is a long post, I am just exhausted staying up with him the last few nights and am feeling like I am at the end of my rope. He is a stay at home dad and I work out of the home, so the poor guy hasn't been able to do anything but focus on his head. Thank god the kids are in school during the day!! Our daughter is old enough to watch out for our son, but it takes a toll on them too. They are used to dad being around helping with homework, fixing snacks and just hanging...he can't do that right now and its hard for them to understand why. I am so grateful he dosen't work, he could not even hold a job. He looks like a deadman walking, barely able to do mundane tasks...my poor, poor husband. Thanks for listening, pain free wishes to all!!!

Title: Re: Newbie In New Mexico
Post by nani on Mar 17^th, 2005, 9:57pm

Hi Mystique...check your messages. Top of screen on the right. ~nani :)

Title: Re: Newbie In New Mexico
Post by Margi on Mar 18^th, 2005, 11:28am

Hi Mystique, I'm so sorry to hear that you and your husband are going through this. Only another supporter truly understand what YOU go through.

One word of caution, though - please be very careful combining the imitrex with the kudzu. Not enough is known yet about the interaction between the two and it could be potentially dangerous. At this point, we just don't know.

Please make sure you mention the 24 hour headache to the doctor, ok? That's not cluster if it's lasting that long, even if it is ebbing and flowing like that. It could be a side effect of the kudzu - just so you know. Kudzu is having some amazing results but we just don't know enough about it to really know how it affects everyone, ok? Please also talk to your doctor about getting him some oxygen instead of the imitrex as an abortive. MUCH safer if you're going to continue with the experimental kudzu.

Hang in there.

Title: Re: Newbie In New Mexico
Post by miapet on Mar 18^th, 2005, 11:48am

o2 o2 o2 . .. there has also been some discussion (and research) on the imitrex causing or contributing to rebound headaches .. .so if it isn't helping I woukd question continuing it's use at this time.
Make sure you take care of yourself too . . .you're doing a great job researching . . .and when you go to the doc on the 21st you will be the best advocate your husband could ask for .. . .
*positive light and energy*
miapet

Title: Re: Newbie In New Mexico
Post by mystique on Mar 18^th, 2005, 11:54am

Thanks about the warning, I don't know anything about Imitrex or the Kudzu, so I will let hubby know. Also was wondering about alcohol. My husband is also an alcoholic and the other day when he got the 24hr ha he had a drink and the ha started. He took the Imitrex & Kudzu, had a great day then started drinking, thats when the ha started. I said the alcohol brought it on but he says I am just using that as an excuse to get him to quit drinking. He drinks about 10-12 mixed drinks a night, and let me tell you, they are STRONG, half alcohol half coke. I finally got him to quit reg coke and switch to caffene free, but that is all. Although, last night he didn't drink at all and today he feels 110% better. He slept thru the night and the swelling in his feet are WAY better. Actually looks like he has ankels and feet not just big fat sausage legs..lol. I think the alcohol is a huge trigger, so I am not sure if the 24hr ha was because of the imitrex, kudzu mix or a combo of them plus the alcohol. I feel like he is killing himself and all I can do is stand by and helplessly watch.

Title: Re: Newbie In New Mexico
Post by miapet on Mar 18^th, 2005, 12:11pm

alcohol is a HUGE trigger for LOTS of people (it was for D) when they are in cycle . .. when they aren't in cycle they seem to be able to drink .. .for D, being chronic, he quit for 20 years .. .for some people, beer (or whatever) is the test to see if their cycle is truly gone . . . .

*HUGS* email or pm anytime you want . . .we feel ya!

*positive light and energy*
miapet

Title: Re: Newbie In New Mexico
Post by nani on Mar 18^th, 2005, 12:12pm

Many clusterheads report that alcohol is a trigger for them. Has he visited this site? If he does, have him look at threads about triggers on the Cluster Headache specific boards. The brand of kudzu that I take is formulated for alcohol recovery, perhaps that can help him stop for now. And do be careful about Imitrex and kudzu toghether. We're not sure of the possible interactions yet. For now, at least, we think kudzu will keep the Imitrex from working. Oxygen will be his best choice for an abortive if he decided to go the kudzu route.

Title: Re: Newbie In New Mexico
Post by seasonalboomer on Mar 18^th, 2005, 1:15pm

The alcohol trigger is a hard one to accept. But it is a trigger for a considerable percentage of ch'ers. I fought that trigger for years until I finally had to say, during a cycle, "beer=headache -- you idiot" and accept that if I drank during a cycle and got a headache I couldn't very well blame "the beast" as much as I deserved the blame myself. It's tough to retrieve that early lesson of touching the stove element but it's the same one, dusted off after years of denial.

Title: Re: Newbie In New Mexico
Post by Margi on Mar 18^th, 2005, 2:01pm

Um, Mystique - kudzu is the natural alternative to antabuse - the drug given for alcoholics to stay away from alcohol. No wonder he felt like crap after a binge. Do your reading on kudzu and I think you both need to make a decision which is more important for him to continue - the booze or the kudzu. I sincerely think it's unwise to use both concurrently.

And yes, alcohol trigger is probably the biggest commonality you'll find here, especially for the episodic sufferers. I guess it's easy for us non-alcholocis to just shake our heads and wonder why they even bother drinking while in cycle, isn't it? It's sure not my place to judge, but it sounds like your hubby seriously needs an education into his addiction. My husband can't go near beer when he's in cycle, and he doesn't - but it did take him years to learn that. My heart goes out to you, Mystique, please do feel free to write to me directly too if you need a shoulder. Miapet's giving you some great advice here and also the offer of her shoulder. As I said before, only a supporter truly knows what you go through here. Mia and I are both supporters of long term clusterheads, we may never have felt THEIR pain but we both surely are intimate with our own. Mia is a fabulous supporter and her hubby is enjoying a blessed remission right now because of the shroom therapy and we all pray that that continues for him. My hubby is in cycle at the moment, but is able to control it for the most part with lithium pulsing. So both of us really do understand what you're going through. This section was created for supporters to talk to each other - and occasionaly some sufferers do drop in, but it's rare. So please feel free to vent if you need to, ok? Sometimes we supporters don't feel comfy talking in front of sufferers - so if you'd rather talk off the board, that's totally fine too.

BIG hugs, darlin - we've walked in your shoes.
Margi

Title: Re: Newbie In New Mexico
Post by Conrad on May 8^th, 2005, 3:19am

Oxygen from a tank... 8-10 Liters a minute, face mask. Get it, it rocks!!! :o My prayers are with you, I'm in a cycle right now!

Conrad

Title: Re: Newbie In New Mexico
Post by Zephrah on May 18^th, 2005, 4:57pm

Sounds like hes a serious drinker and isnt going to take your advice seriously because he will be in denial about it. he will probably have to get the drinking under control before the HA's will end. the 24hr break may have convinced you, but he is an addict and won't listen to reason. Sounds like he needs a Dr ASAP and maybe needs to be checked in for some treatment. they make some inflatable bootie-pumps that help increase blood flow after surgeries. If he's going to be stubborn about it, there isn't much you can do for him. The bigger problem is the addiction. Take care of those kids!