Posted by Preston (209.240.200.22) on July 27, 1999 at 08:00:06:
A few words and I'm off for the day. For the first time I feel like a newcomer to cluster headaches, after reading about Ric's 20 years, Hal's 43, Linda's 25 - I only have 8.
A lot of us have asked about coping, adjusting to the headaches - this site is great find and should help all of us. Until now I only had my own vocabulary to describe the CHs, edge, HA, HA hangover, etc., - and of course our pre - Kip number scale. I stopped keeping a diary/log of HAs, it was so boring and repetitive. But we do cope and adjust and this site has been a wonderfull forum of ideas.
A lot of discouraging references to medical assisstance - I could add several dozen examples of my own. I'm looking forward to our sharing positive medical recommendations as we educate our doctors (alone I didn't think I could achieve that in this lifetime but with so many of us knocking on their doors...!) I do agree with Linda that positive thinking is one of our more powerfull tools for coping, and it beats the alterntives. Caren mentions alternative treatments (accupuncture) and I am very interested in hearing about other peoples experiences/ explorations in treatment. Doctor pushing for surgery - anyone here try it?
Marina asked about sufferers from Ireland. I'm also interested about hearing from/about other peoples/cultures experiences with CHs - Any other treatments/remedies tried (Another posting here mentioned a cure from Italy which I would take with a grain of salt to make it more palatable if yet another posting didnt warn us away from salt.
A lot of questions to causes - while some didn't relate theirs to stress I long thought mine associated with stress and frustration. Any others?
Sorry - new to this and a few words could go on all day. It's refresing getting to ask people about these things.
Take care