Posted by Stacy (152.163.197.181) on December 16, 1999 at 11:34:22:
I've got a question I haven't seen on the board yet. Does anyone else suffer from Trigeminal Neuralgia (tic doloreux)? I have had CH since the age of 15. At age 24 I started having signs of TN. If I sneeze or shake my head, I get a severe stabbing pain in the left side of my head. Not surprisingly, this is the side affected by my CH. Oddly enough, while I am in cycle, I don't have the TN pains.
My TN episodes are not as severe as some I read about, I have 5-6 per day on a "bad" day, almost the same number as CH episodes on a bad day. The TN's are swift and I suffer no lasting effects from them. I'd give anything to trade in my CH's for the TN's all the time if I could!
BTW, for those sufferers who are helped by heat, I found that sometimes blow drying my hair will ease a CH. Whether it is the upside down position I put myself into while blow-drying, or the heat, I'm not sure, but it has been known to help with at least the more minor CH's.
Well, I have droned on enough. It is such a relief to have people to talk to who know what I go through during my cycles, that I have to control myself to keep from monopolizing this outlet.
Thank you for being here.