Posted by Jerry on October 28, 1998 at 05:00:17:
In Reply to: Re: READ THIS!! Fellow sufferers, we're on to something! posted by Bob on October 28, 1998 at 00:16:12:
Hi Bob!
Your input is fascinating, and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it and learn from it! Thank you for taking so much time to elaborate in intriguing detail.
Your question about "why on one side?" will keep me busy thinking for a while. However, in some cluster sufferers the pain does move to the other side occasionally, but even in those cases, tend to have a "preferred" side. The possibility of sidedness to be linked to injury, is acknowleged in the literature, in fact, it appears to be exactly that. The injury could have been to the skull area, or to any of the "facial" nerves. In my case, the pain is left, and I have sustained injuries twice to the left side of my skull, many many moons before the clusters started, but still.
Regarding your fear that although water works for you as well, you are scared that if you stop the water, it might come back. Well, this is worth talking about, as the hypothesis is forming that cluster sufferers have another thing in common, i.e. the possibility that they on average consume less water daily than non-sufferers (note: it is only speculative at this stage) AND/OR cluster people have eating and drinking patterns which impact upon the "water regulator" of the body more so than the general population (if they do not drink less water, they might consume more salt (anti-diuretic), or more alcohol (diuretic) or different smoking habits (anti-diuretic). This is why I am urging everyone on this message bard to notify us what their average water intake is prior to starting on water therapy, and what their salt habits, are, etc., in order for me to verify this hopothesis.
Back to the water: Initially, until you have a definite and significant pain free period, drink water on the half hour. Then over a period of about 10 days, drink water on the hour, and then,as a life style, ensure that you drink an average of 6 glasses of water in a 24 hour period. 6 Glasses of water are recommended buy dieticians as the amount of water anybody should consume daily. Not only is it good for digestive purposes, but also for brain functioning, concentration, skin condition, etc.
Interesting that the one thing repeatedly being stressed in scientific literature as well as para-scientific papers, health studies, etc. that we live in an age where the real value of water is being rediscovered for homo sapiens. It makes sense if we remember that 80% of our bodies consist of water. Keep us posted, and pain free times for you, my friend. Do not stop nurturing the distinct possibility that clusters CAN GO AWAY FOREVER!
Jerry