Posted by Penny on May 13, 1999 at 09:08:21:
In Reply to: uh-oh....oppisition at home posted by Lydia Parlier on May 12, 1999 at 19:57:03:
With any chronic illness significant others seem to have a hard time accepting that it is real. Unfortunately, CHs are so rare and misunderstood that we meet up with problems everywhere-home, school, the workplace, etc.
Everything I have read here and in other places says that clusters, unlike some other kinds of headaches, are not specifically stress related. One book I got about natural healing talks about the fact that many techniques like biofeedback, which can help migraine or tension headaches sufferers immensely in many cases, has no effect on clusters...
Now as far as how we handle the depression, the shadow headaches, the exhaustion, medication side effects, etc., really has to depend on the support we get from those we live and work with. If we aren't getting some help around the house or some understanding at work, we are going to feel worse and the whole cycle just keeps getting worse.
I was wondering-if you have an injury, such as pulling a muscle, your doctor will write a note for you about missing work or what restrictions you have, etc. Do any doctors ever do that for people with clusters??? As has been said here many times by many people, Cluster headaches are a serious medical condition that most people do not understand.