Posted by Mike Hess (207.225.146.108) on November 24, 1999 at 01:22:15:
I've been having CL for about 9 years. I would get them every fall, and they would last
for about 3-4 months. On the Kip scale I've never been
past an 8, thank god.
This most recent cluster started Sep 20 (the day my 3rd daughter was born). Anyway
I had seen a neurologist last year as my previous cluster was ending, who prescribed
endless steroids. I had tried the prednizone 5 day course (didn't work, made me edgy), flonase (gave me a constant headached),
so I wasn't too excited about this stuff.
So, I went to an actupuncturist/herbalist. He treated me once, and the following week was a bad one. at least one a day, several really bad ones at night several 7s and 8s. Cold air and water seems to work for me, but not this time.
The following week I had another treatment, and he gave me some "Chrysanthemum power tea". Tasted a bit like bullion. I started to take that
once a day. That week the headaches were mild, the following week they were gone. I stayed on the tea and the needles for 4 more weeks, no recurrences.
Now I know it's possible they stopped on their own, and it had nothing to do with the tea (I think tea vs the needles was a factor). But every cluster I've had has gone from
fall into January, and this one lasted only 1 month. So I was impressed. Of course I have mild headaches compared to many of you.
I plan to stay off the tea and away from accupuncture for now, hopefully if I do have a recurrence next fall they will go away as quickly. But, I thought I would at least share this experience with some of you that have tried so many things with limited success.
-mike