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Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Getting to Know Ya >> clusterhead for 7 years http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1288070171 Message started by bob from nd on Oct 26th, 2010 at 1:16am |
Title: clusterhead for 7 years Post by bob from nd on Oct 26th, 2010 at 1:16am
hey there, my name is robert im from north dakota. im 26 and have been experiencing this headaches for about 7 years now. i just got them again, and i just got over one. i usually get them about every half year or so, they come on for a couple days and thats about all the longer they last. when i do get them i usually go the the walk in clinic and get a shot for pain which helps with imediate pain, and a small scrip for tramadol. the tramadol helped for a while, now its starting to not do a thing. i work in a body shop with a bunch of guys that basically dont believe this whole "cluster" thing, and i get made fun of for it. ive tried printing off info from the website for them to read but they just dont get it. i tried oxycodene that my mom had one time and it seemed to help, but everytime i go to the doctor they think im just trying to score drugs so they just give me tramadol, which isnt very strong. theyre even starting to give me sobriety tests basically, like standing up and closing my eyes, touching my nose then the doctors fingers, stuff like that. my mom, dad, sister, and fiance are the only ones that have really seen me haveing an attack, so i can see how other people have a hard time understanding it.
well thats about enough for now, i can feel it coming on again. |
Title: Re: clusterhead for 7 years Post by chbob04 on Oct 26th, 2010 at 1:42am bob from nd wrote on Oct 26th, 2010 at 1:16am:
Hang in there, Bob. I also know how hard it is to believe the pain this can cause. You certainly came to the right place. You will learn that you need a good neurologist. Forget the folks at work who don't understand, this is just human nature. Read here, and you will be surprised how much support is available. Best wishes from a fellow sufferer. Bob |
Title: Re: clusterhead for 7 years Post by Guiseppi on Oct 26th, 2010 at 10:09am
Welcome to the board, Bob has given you your first round of homework! ;) You'll learn that knowledge is your best weapon against the beast, narcotic painkillers are your LEAST effective and MOST dangerous tools! The problem with our pain is narcotics barely take the edge off, and truth be known, other then injectable narcotics, the pain is usually retreating before the meds are even absorbed into your system.
I'll skip the lecture on the dangers of addiction and rebound headaches, but both are very real and dangerous problems! You seem to be experiencing relatively short cycles. That's a GOOD thing. Once you find a good neuro......and that first step is critical because CH is a lifetime issue......talk to them about using a short burst of prednisone to bust the cycle or just get you thru the cycle. Prednisone at doses as low as 30 mg a day will block the beast completely. Pred is just not a med you stay on very long because it's really hard on your body. Read the oxygen info tab on the left. 32 year sufferer here and nothing can touch the speed and effectiveness, combined with the price, ease of use and lack of side effects. I abort in about 6-8 minutes using oxygen. Have you tried energy drinks yet? Rock Star, Red Bull, any containing the combo of caffeine and taurine. Chug one down at the first sign of a hit, many can abort or at least really reduce the intensity of an attack using them. Glad you found us, hoping we can relieve some pain for ya! Joe |
Title: Re: clusterhead for 7 years Post by Lauren17 on Oct 26th, 2010 at 10:15am
Hang in there! There are many things that you can get without a prescription- in fact the prescription my husband uses is LESS effective than welding O2 treatment and melatonin. EVERYONE is different, and it can't be stressed enough to get to a knowledgeable doctor, but there are so many things you can try that you don't have to wait for a prescription.
Our family and friends for the most part don't understand this condition ("Headaches, yeah, I get those too!") but everyone here does- it's an amazing feeling isn't it? I'm a supporter, my husband is the clusterhead, and I say send us your fiance! Let us help her help you! We're here for her too, because we all know that you'll need to lean on her through this and she can lean on us! And I will say this, because it was the info that almost dropped me to my knees it was so shocking to realize: after YEARS of thinking there was nothing else available to try to help my husband's headaches we came here and realized there are not enough years in a lifetime to try every treatment option available to us. To have that door of possibility and hope thrown open for us was one of the greatest feelings. |
Title: Re: clusterhead for 7 years Post by bob from nd on Oct 26th, 2010 at 2:00pm
thank you so much for all the feedback, i really do appreciate it. i am starting to notice that painkillers is not the way to go and oxygen is something i need to look into. when i started having these a long time ago we had no clue what they were, i saw many doctors that all thought they were sinus related headaches. but they were way wrong. my mom actually found this website, i took the quizes, jugding from that i was %100 a clusterhead. i guess i never thought about going to see a nuerologist, but from what everyones saying it sounds like thats what i need to do. is this something i need to see a doctor about while im having an attack? or can they just diagnose it while its dormant? my fiance read some replies on here as well and is going to get on here also to help me out.
well thanks for the info, i am actually gonna go buy some red bulls nows, i am still having attacks, and probly will have attacks for the next day or so. so i love red bulls anyway, might as well give them a try. |
Title: Re: clusterhead for 7 years Post by Guiseppi on Oct 26th, 2010 at 4:19pm
Some insurance plans require a referral to a neuro, others do not. Check with them first and then get in to see a neuro. He can diagnose you on or off cycle. It's pretty much a process of eliminating everything else.
For now, start a headache diary, when they start how fast they build, how high they build, how long they stay at peak, how fast they recede. Identify any triggers, foods, drinks, sleep cycles, etc., list what meds have and have not helped you. The more detailed it is the better chance you have of an accurate diagnosis. Good luck! Joe |
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