Posted by Richard E. DeFord (205.242.231.78) on June 28, 1999 at 19:29:26:
Hey guys,
I am new to this page, having found it this morning after my first onset in over a year. Am pretty depressed, I thought I had this thing licked. I went last year to the head of neurology at the University of Florida - His answer......you have cluster headaches(duh, I knew that, I've had them for more than 10 years) AND you will probably always have them. We don't know what causes them.
Well, needless to say, I didn't like that answer. Then 3 weeks later I had the worst bout ever, with 4 clusters and hour a part, and the last one lasting 2 full hours before I called the ambulance. I had tried all the usual, oxygen and imitrex - both of which usually worked in tandem, but didn't on that last headache. The doctor in the ER tried the same things, but to no avail. Then he had the idea of doing a lidocaine drip into the nasal passages. I felt like I was drowning, so he stopped. Then he took a needle, and gently pushed it up my nose into the passages where it wouldn't drip down as much into my throat. After 3 hours, the headache abated, I believe because of the injection.
That was the last one I had until last night. I went more than a year without one, and then I had 3 last night. Man, I thought I had this thing whipped. Now I have to explain to my fiancee what she is likely to have to put up with for the next 50 years.
Thanks for listening......noone understands these things.
Richard E. DeFord