Posted by Susan D (208.199.4.65) on August 10, 1999 at 10:24:28:
Sorry, this is going to be long. You'll also have to excuse my language. I'll try to curb it as best I can but sometimes I just can't help it.
I went to the neurologist yesterday (finally) so I could get some relief from the demon. I filled out the paperwork in the waiting room and under the part for why I was there I wrote cluster headaches. Well, as soon as I get to the room, the VERY first thing the doc says to me is that I DO NOT have cluster headaches because it is rare for a woman of my age to have them (I'm 30 and have had them for 18 years). I tried to explain to him what I knew and that I have every symptom there is and he wouldn't even listen. He refused to accept that it was even a possibility. So immediately, I got defensive. I then told him that I had 6 to 7 of them a day on bad days. He actually said he didn't believe me! He then proceeds to tell me that it's because I'm a woman and I internalize my stress that I'm in so much pain. It is just muscle pain.
At this point, I started to argue. I KNOW this is not just muscle pain. I asked him what in the world could have had a 12-year old (when they started) so stressed out that she would have pain causing her to bang her head on walls, tables, headboards, etc.? He said and get this, "All headaches hurt." I wanted to scream at him, "No, you stupid MF, not all headaches hurt like this." I did say that but in a much nicer way. He said to me "Everyone think their headaches are the worst ones possible but 99.9% of them are wrong." ARGH!!!!! JERK, PRICK, ASSHOLE!
Anyway, to continue.....he still insisted that it was stress and proceeded to prescribe me a muscle relaxer with a tranquilizer which by that point, I could have taken the whole bottle and still wanted to kill this idiot! He also gave me two shots right in my temple (OUCH!) that are supposed to make the muscle relax so my headaches go away. I shouldn't have let him but I figured I would try anything since he wouldn't give me Imitrex or oxygen.
So, now came the question and answer session:
Me: Why do they come in clusters if they are not cluster headaches?
Him: They just do depending on your stress level.
Me: I get one every night about an hour and a half to two hours after going to sleep which is a sign of a cluster.
Him: You must be grinding your teeth!
Me: Why does my nose on the affected side get stuffy and my eye water?
Him: It's just because of the pain, your body is reacting to it!
Me: Another sign of clusters is getting extremely hot which I do.
Him: It's just the anxiety from the pain.
This went on for about 15 minutes until I was so frustrated I could have spit. I finally left and decided I was going to see another doctor because I no longer have any doubt in my mind that this quack got his license at a K-Mart Blue Light special!
Thanks for listening and if anyone knows of any doctor worth a grain of salt in the Richmond, Virginia area, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me know!