Posted by A Dame (152.163.213.82) on August 19, 1999 at 10:06:44:
In Reply to: graff-radford posted by hub on August 19, 1999 at 08:18:09:
At my neuro appointment yesterday, I told him I firmly believed that I was a combination Migraine & Cluster Sufferer....My neuro agreed with me. FIRST TIME EVER, THANK GOD HE ACTUALLY BELIEVED ME. I felt like getting up on the examination table and doing a jig and shouting. I told him how on my last ER Visit the ER Doc said, "You either have migraines or clusters, you can't have both...."Just wanted to take his BLSD (Blue Light Special Doctor) license and stick it where the sun don't shine...
Dr. Bruce Kaplan (in Chattanooga) took my statements or history from me concerning my headaches and really believed what I was saying.....Not like many that would just pass you off or blow you off, that you didn't know what you were talking about. I did not leave there with that feeling. I described the 12-day series and told him that I believed that my nerve endings were so inflamed that they never got to fully rest and relax before another attack hit me and there we went again...He agreed. He said at that point, it becomes necessary to go to the hard drugs (Demerol, etc.). This guy is only in his 40s and just recently experienced a heart attack - never met him prior although had waited several months to get an appointment..my appointment was on a Monday, he had a heart attack on the Friday before (my luck), had to see his associate and did not like him or we didn't click, didn't seem to be hearing me at all... I Could have just given up totally of ever finding anyone that would listen to my symptoms & my knowledge about my headaches (not everyone else's, just mine) and truly believe me and accept my recommendations concerning treatment. Like the steroids....me not wanting to go that route unless it was a last resort...The Rx to take to any ER if I had to make a midnight run....Try this med, if it didn't work we would try something else, or up the dosage...the Maxalt isn't working, let's DC that one, just those little things meant sooo much to me during that visit. I asked if he had other patients he was treating for Clusters except just me and my neice and he is..That's good news to me.
One other point I would like to make here. Whoever posted yesterday about going to the doctor's office prepared with documentation, questions, etc. that to remember our doctors are working for us, we are paying them good money,,, not to let them hurry us up during an appointment and make us feel like we are taking up their valuable time......Our time is just as valuable and we are spending a lot of time and money just to be able to function in this world with CH...If we are not satisfied with their work, fire them and find someone else. We wouldn't settle for a shotty plumbing or roofing job, why would we settle for shotty medical attention? We are paying these doctors and paying them well at that...My office visit alone yesterday was $225.00.
I won't apologize for the length of my post...just needed to vent a little..Hope this helps someone else when they go for a visit with the docs. I thank God I truly bellieve that I have found a Neurologist that I can put my trust in and one that understands Cluster Headaches. That is willing to take my thoughts & ideas that he is willing to consider my observations in his overall plan to treat me and my DISEASE (CLUSTER HEADACHES).
I did like Dr. Diamond's statement clusters being the "Suicidial Headache" and also Dr. Graff-Radford's statement that Cluster Headaches are a Disease...
My Prayer for Peaceful Days & Painfree Nights!
A Dame