Posted by Bill McCuistion (198.64.206.92) on September 30, 1999 at 12:09:52:
In Reply to: Bout-cycle Breaker Strategy posted by Bill McCuistion on September 29, 1999 at 02:04:29:
I always feel a little odd posting a reply to my own topic, especially when the reply is the only one. This is for my benefit; I hope it helps others.
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Progress/Status
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This bout began about 6 weeks ago. The cressendo was this past week and weekend when attacks became 2, 3 and 4 times a day. Depression from the pain started to set-in. I became afraid. Desperate.
I have now had two successive pain-free nights, my last attack being 4:30 PM Tuesday. This is a break
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My Approach
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These are the things I did to break the (headache, pain, depression, stress, headache) cycle. The idea is to go at this with full-force, no holds barred. I had reached bottom, a hopeless condition.
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Spiritual Plan
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1. Came to the end of my rope. I ran out of options. I gave the pain a name. Made it real. Got it out of the closet and threw it on the street in the broad daylight for everyone to see.
2. Looked outside of myself for answers: Yahoo, God, family. I looked for patterns. The only pattern that I could find is that there is no pattern: These attacks are truly random. They come from no where for no reason. They have nothing more to do with me than an earthquake victim has to do with the earthquake itself. The just found me as a host-site. There were no reasons for this. They are chicken-shit, preferring to come out at night and attack victims in their sleep.
3. Made a decision to do what ever it was going to take to break the cycle. (Not so far as to get rid of the disease, just break the cycle.)
4. Made an assessment of my situation.
5. Discussed it with myself, Yahoo, and God.
6. Became ready for treatment. (e.g. got my head together, what was left of it.)
7. Submitted myself to the treatment team. e.g. Took Action.
8. Tried to remember the pain and all the suffering it has caused.
9. Worked with others.
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Treatment Plan
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This plan was agreed upon by my physician, psychiatrist, chiropractor, family, business associates and friends.
1. Skull-pain. Chiropractic Neck Adjustment. (1x/week for 4 weeks, then 1x / month)
2. Neck-pain. Massage Therapy (1 hr / week x 2 weeks, then 1x/month)
3. Anti-depressant. (going-in dose 75mg 2x/day 9 months), increase to 150mg wellbutrin 4x/day for two weeks, then reduce to going-in dose.
4. Anti-depressant. Sex (with wife)5x/week.
5. Stress. Temporary workload reduction/realignment.
6. No alcohol, drugs, (other than Imitrex and wellbutrin. No change in smoking (2-3 packs/day)or caffine. No other drastic changes. (But, was willing to do whatever it took.)
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Root Cause Analysis
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As near as I can tell, and who can prove otherwise, the root cause of these attacks is beyond human comprehension. God, by what ever name you choose, has to intervene. That, and I have to take definite action. Whatever devil it is that has chosen to live, rent free I may add, in my head now has a big new room-mate. I surrender. That's not the same as giving up. Indeed, this surrender is to win.
I can't explain this in terms that make sense. It's a god-thing at this point. I don't intend to debate this approach. I expect some controversy.