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Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> Is this cluster? http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1357641009 Message started by Sophy on Jan 8th, 2013 at 5:30am |
Title: Is this cluster? Post by Sophy on Jan 8th, 2013 at 5:30am
Hello everyone :)!
It's my first post on this forum (please, forgive the english mistakes, i'm not a native speaker). So first of all a little introduction: I'm an 18 years old female, from France, who's been recently diagnosed with cluster headaches. I know doctors are doctors and they are way more qualified than I am at diagnosing diseases, but I'm starting to have my doubts about how accurate the diagnosis actually is. I have been reading quite a lot about clusters, and I realized that I didn't get all of the symptoms, and even if I did, it was very mild and not as visible as most people would describe it. For example, my eye does get redder during an attack, and starts tearing a bit, and my nose gets a bit runny, but it's very mild. It isn't bright red and my eyelid doesn't drop. I don't sweat a lot either. I almost look normal during an attack. Does anyone also have this? Cluster pain, without excessive tearing or droppy eyelid? I do get the excruciating pain though, several times a day (well used to), and I am rather agitated during my attacks. But my main worry has to do with the fact that I am ALWAYS in pain. The attacks come and go, but the "shadows" always remain. I always feel some kind of pressure on my eye, and on my cheek, and sometimes even on my ear and teeth. My neurologist prescribed me some Verapamil (Isoptine? Not sure how you call it in the US ;)) and some Imitrex shots for my attacks. The Imitrex shots does abort the attacks and the Isoptine greatly reduced the attacks frequency and strength (is that normal? That I now get some "baby clusters"? They feel like a cluster but waaaaaaaaaaaaay more bearable). But the medication haven't helped with the shadow one bit. So I am wondering, was I misdiagnosed? Could it be clusters AND something else? Does anyone else show this weird combination of symptoms, that do not exactly fit in the cluster definition? Well, thanks a lot to anyone who takes the time to read this post (kind of long... Sorry!) and tries to help me :) Bye, have a very good day! PS: I am seeing my neurologist again in a week, so I guess I'll know for sure then ;) But I was just kinda worried about it all, so I decided I'd check first with experienced people :) |
Title: We have members of this board who suffer from TMJ Post by Guiseppi on Jan 8th, 2013 at 9:38am
What Bob said! I'm almost 53, my clusters started in my late teens, I wasn't diagnosed until my early 20's. In my teens they were never all that severe, and really didn't start a discernable pattern until my 20's.
Could you be suffering from 2 different headache types? Absolutely. We have people on this site who have CH and other headache types like migrain. That's why it's so important to work closely with a headache specialist neuro. Continue to educate yourself with the materials Bob gave you. If you're not already keeping a headache diary I'd suggest you start it. The more details the better, this is a valuable tool in diagnosing, especially with the potential of multiple headache types. Hang in there, the early stages can be the toughest while you work through the diagnostic journey. We'll be here to help any way we can. joe |
Title: Re: Is this cluster? Post by Sophy on Jan 8th, 2013 at 11:02am
Thanks a lot to both of you for answering and your precious info :)
I read the article, and it sure helped reassuring me :). I had no idea some people didn't even have the dysautonomic symptoms, and still were diagnosed with "cluster headaches": I guess I fall into this category, with very subtle physical symptoms! Anyway, I guess we'll see with the neuro, and the headache diary sure sounds like a good idea (I have migrains too, but they in no way resemble the cluster headaches ;) ). |
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