Posted by B. Montgom on September 24, 1998 at 02:20:15:
Hi, I'm new to this site and not a CH sufferer but a friend of one. Please bear eith me if I seem to ask stupid questions or make uninformed remarks...I'd really appreciate being able to help my friend!
It looks to me like a lot of attention has been paid to the pain cycle and various ways to break the cycle. How sucessful is Lidocaine spray for those who have tried it? And what about regulation of serotonin with any of the more common SSRI's like Prozak, Paxil, Wellbutrin? Seems like with the serotonin involvement, regulation of levels would be a good thing. (In addition to possibly relieving possible bouts of depression, which seem a likely possibility for many/most CH sufferers.)
2. It looks like CH people have the same set of processes which equal the CH symptom and that these complex processes respond to different things with different people. BUT. What about environmental and/or mechanical triggers? What about antihistamine blockers for H2-type histamines? If an environmental trigger exists which can be blocked or removed , would this break a symptom cycle? Do doctors routinely give patients allergy tests? Do they prescribe H2 antihistamines or are the desensitizing routines for all environmental triggers?
What about this:
°allergy testing coupled with lifestyle screening (for mechanical triggers like cold & exercise)
°working to eliminate triggers, including desensitization and/or H2 antihistamines
°SSRI for serotonin control/antidepressant as well
°lidocaine inhalant to break symptom/pain cycle & episode?
I know many doctors have had sucess with steriod drugs and vascular regulators, but much of that stuff looks like it has serious side effects. Lithhium seems like it might be effective in regard to the serotonin but the possible side effects make it look risky.
As a sidelight, I am a stroke survivor, so I know what it means to have your brain chemistry scrambled and what it takes to partially rewire some of one's neural processes.
Any comments? Thanks in advance. Anything that might be helpful would be greatly appreciated. I am much concerned for my friend.