Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


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

        Supporter's Corner >> Supporter's Corner >> SINGLE MOM NEEDS HELP, GUIDANCE, SUPPORTS, EVERYTH
        
(Message started by: tessistired on Nov 12^th, 2007, 2:40pm)

Title: SINGLE MOM NEEDS HELP, GUIDANCE, SUPPORTS, EVERYTH
Post by tessistired on Nov 12^th, 2007, 2:40pm

Hi all! I am Tess and a clusterhead for 6yrs chronic. I am going to try to explain what I am feeling and going thru today the best I can so please bare with me ok. I have 2 young children, my son is 10 and my daughter is 6 and they are wonderful kids. Very loving and passionate and caring and of course have the displeasure of seeing their mom battle with ch daily. I wake them up in the middle of the night with my sobbing usually twice a night. Some nights better than others and its just once or if we are really lucky I can be real quiet and not wake them up at all. Point is my lack of sleep rubs off on them and we need to get up early in the am so they can get to school. Since the school yr started there have been mornings they have been tardi because we have overslept...we each have our own alarm clocks too!! They go to bed between 8 and 9pm so I dont think thats too late. My kids try so hard to comfort me and take care of me especially during a hit. They like to brush my hair and kiss my head and say "I'm sorry you have a real Bad headache" . My kids were a half hour late to school this am because we all overslept and I got a phone call from the principal about them being late so much. I tried to explain to him why and about my headaches and what they were and he didnt seem to get it and responded to me as if I was just using them as an excuse. Or maybe I was just reading him wrong Im not sure. He is working with me to try to resolve my kids being late by them possibly taking the bus so we will see. But Is there a certain website I can go to print out info to give the principal and their teachers so they understand because my explaining isnt doing the job...they seem to not believe me...like I am exaggerating. I have just been so depressed and trying my best to take care of my kids as a single mom with no physical family support. Dad is out of the picture and my parents are in NY and all the rest of my kids family is in another state. So I am just plain ol doing the best I can without going crazy. So if any other single parent or any parent for that matter has any suggestions, help, advice, prayers, for me...I would soooooo appreciate it!!

Thank you and God Bless you all!!

Tess

Title: Re: SINGLE MOM NEEDS HELP, GUIDANCE, SUPPORTS, EVE
Post by Maffumatt on Nov 12^th, 2007, 6:45pm

http://www.ouch-us.org/chgeneral/colleagueletter.htm

Title: Re: SINGLE MOM NEEDS HELP, GUIDANCE, SUPPORTS, EVE
Post by E-Double on Nov 12^th, 2007, 9:02pm

That is a wonderful suggestion.

Have you tried high doses of melatonin 9-12 mg to help though the night?

It has been a miracle for many.

Check with your doctor but it may be something worth attempting so that you all can sleep and be PF

Title: Re: SINGLE MOM NEEDS HELP, GUIDANCE, SUPPORTS, EVE
Post by Garys_Girl on Nov 13^th, 2007, 8:01pm

Tess,

I am so sorry you and the kids are going through this. I would also provide him this site - the intro for new visitors is pretty explanatory (in addition to the O.U.C.H. letter which link was provided earlier).

The melatonin is a good suggestion. I don't know what meds you're taking - but they're obviously not working. Have you tried the Kudzu as well?

When hubby was first diagnosed with CH (turns out he's chronic too), we found this place, and put him on a magnesium/calcium supplement, he started taking the Kudzu, and we added a taurine supplement and melatonin (15mg a night). This really helped tune down the hits - both the frequency and intensity. For many, it helps them actually sleep through the night.

For hubby, the melatonin helped him get to sleep. We ended up adding valerian to help him stay asleep. No one's discussed it here, but it apparently acts on different receptors.

Also, quite a few clusterheads use benadryl to help with the sleep problem, and apparently it works for many. Didn't work for hubby - but it's worth a try if you haven't yet.

Most importantly, I'm glad you found this site. Just having a community of people to help support you through this horrible affliction may help.

Hang in there! There is SO MUCH to learn here - I hope you find a combo that works for you.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Laurie