Posted by drummer on May 10, 1999 at 07:45:25:
In Reply to: My best friend posted by Buddy Holloman on May 10, 1999 at 03:40:00:
Mr. Holloman,
It’s fine with me that you post here. Now. Elaine.
She has an appointment with a doctor on Wednesday, right? Is it a Neurologist? Have you talked to him/her? Does the Neurologist have a “clue” about Cluster Headaches? Personally, I think if he/she had a “clue” he/she would have seen Elaine today.
I hope you are going with Elaine to the doctor’s office on Wednesday. Mr. Holloman, you did a wonderfully, great thing by demanding Oxygen from the doctor. You must now demand medicines that may help prevent cluster attacks. Lithium, Verapamil, Depakote, Neurontin, Prednisone. You must also demand medicines that may help to abort an attack. Ercaf (Ergotomine), Maxalt, Imitrex. Make sure Elaine has Oxygen at home. The doctor should be able to get her 3 or 4 tanks of Oxygen. They are called "E-Tanks". They stand about waist high and come in a portable wheeled cart. The gauge should go up to 10 liters per minute. She will be able to use one tank for 4 or 5 Cluster headaches lasting 15-45 minutes. When Elaine puts her final tank into the wheeled cart; you must get the empties filled again.
The tanks of Oxygen should be supplied with a full mask. It will cover her nose and mouth. Please remind Elaine not to panic. I know that is a lot to ask when she is having an attack. As you have read in my letters; I told her to go to a room and be alone. I told her to breathe deeply and concentrate on nothing but the pain and her breathing. Remind her to look at the clock at the start of an attack. She knows that the attacks will always, always end. (Mr. Demon hates time). The attacks will always subside.
Once Elaine finds a preventative medicine that works for her, she will be able to knock these attacks down to 10-30 minutes. Oxygen and an abortive medicine are extremely important for her to have during a cluster.
I wish you both a humongous amount of good luck!