Posted by Joe Cavazos (139.169.231.135) on July 19, 1999 at 12:42:34:
Greetings all. Its been a while since I last posted.
I just replied to someone who wanted a description of
what a CH is like. I thought i would post my responce
since it was the best descrition I have come up with
to this date...................................
........
Hi there. Im not a doctor, so of course what I say here is only my opinion, you should
get several doctor's opinions. It took 25 years of Neurologists and General Practitioners before
one practitioner 2 years ago (whom I will always be greatful to) realized that what I had was
CH. From what you have described, it does not sound like a CH. CH's do not last past about
three hours (this is worst case, my understanding is that usually they are less than that)
....Mine last between 0.5 and 1.5 hours, ALWAYS on might right side, accelerate QUICKLY
from a slight dull sensation behind and above my right ear...then 5 to 20 minutes later to
the most excruciating pain I have ever felt. I cannot function and my WHOLE existence is that
of unbearable pain. Then, it drains from me the same way it started...when it is all
over (about 45 to 60 minutes usually) my right back side of my head is sore for an hour or so.
I do feel a stabbing pain behind my right eye during the first part of my CH, but compared
to the HELL behind my head, the eye stab is not a big deal. These things are also
DEFINITELY CYCLIC....During my CH cycle, I get the CH about the same time of day. This last
cycle was for about 6 weeks late February and early May. I would get one CH between 7:45
and 8:15 am.......then another one at about 1:30 pm.....everyday....for 6 weeks.
Alcohol DEFINITELY triggered a CH at other times.
About 2 years ago, a practitioner said I had CH, prescribed Amitrytiline (25mg) once a day
at bed time....after about a week for it to kick in (Doc said it would)....IT WORKED!!!!
In fact, I missed 2 days dosses and the CH came back, so I resumed the treatment
and did not have a CH again......OR SO I THOUGHT!. 1.5 years later (this past February)
They came back realy bad....The doctor said mabey I need a higher dose, she uped
the dose to 50mg every night....2 weeks later the headaches left again. Of course
I dont know if it was the dose increase that kicked in, or if I was simply
ending my cycle after 6 weeks. Thats the weird thing about CH, I have heard of others
who have 1.5 to 2 years between cycles....only time will tell....Personally I think I will
probably have these damn things for the rest of my life. So, if the description
I mentioned sounds like yours, mabey you do have CH. You might have both migraines
and CH. The speech problem worries me, get it checked out again just in case.
My guess is that headaches that last for more than 2 or 3 hours are NOT CH.
Remember that I went about 25 years of different doctors before I found one who was
smart enough to know what I had.....
GET SEVERAL OPINIONS!!!!!
-JOE
p.s.
Heres a simple test....When you have a headache, can you lay down to make
it feel a little better? Can you try to sleep through it? I can't...the pain
is so excruciating that I cannot just sit or lay there....that only makes me feel
the pain....I have to apply STRONG pressure on my head..(I have a permanent
indention in the back of my skull from years of pressing on the same spot)
....sometimes hitting my head behind my ear is neccessary
....ALL I KNOW IS PAIN. NOTHING ELSE.