Posted by Joe D. (152.163.207.178) on July 20, 1999 at 04:09:37:
In Reply to: describing a cluster posted by Bud Kemp on July 19, 1999 at 12:44:51:
This is the one thing that disturbs me about having include outsiders in on this nasty affliction. Because they hit you in public and at work, you have to explain why you are doing what clusters make you do. I have been offended beyond belief when people try to associate some kind of normal "headache" that they have experienced with what we go through. I generally tell people that they probably will never experience a cluster headache because they are so rare. They are not something that you have once or twice and never see again. If you can function at ANYTHING during an attack, it is not a cluster. Perhaps I take it completely wrong, but in listening to these people, I can't help but feeling like they are saying that I am a pussy because they can cope with a bad headache and I can't.
Without describing all of the little freakshow things that we do while suffering an attack and just trying to focus on the pain itself, I tell them to imagine it like this: Take one ice-cream headache, CRANK IT UP TO "10", make it last for 60 to 90 minutes and throw in some throbbing for good measure. Since everyone has had an ice-cream headache or brain-freeze, they can somewhat relate. Between you and I, that still doesn't do it any justice.
Joe