Posted by Jim Ambrose on May 02, 1999 at 08:48:57:
In Reply to: wondering posted by ronnie van dyk on May 02, 1999 at 01:37:31:
Can your husband sit or lie down during a headache? That's what I tell people who are wondering if they suffer Cluster. To me the pain is unmanageable and being still is impossible. The affected side eye tears, the siliva on the affected side of the mouth thickens and flows heavyly (sometimes causing vomiting) affected side of the nasal cavitiy, same thing. I find that my mental processes are affected, but I think that is from the pain, because I do violent things(that hurt myself) but seem perfectly sane while I am doing them. After it is over I say what the hell did I do that for.
His face changing color is a sign of cluster too. My friends can always tell when I am starting to have a headache.
A lot of people here refer to it as the "beast", quite fitting. I call them screamers and headbangers when talking to a non sufferer, to try and convey what it is.
An internist in Naples was the very first Doctor to try Oxygen on me. For me it is magic. I have always liked internists after that.
Different things work for different people. Oxygen is readily available (welding supply store) and worth a try. I just crack the valve and breath right out of the canister.
Wishing your husband pain free days, hang in there.