Posted by karen (152.163.195.213) on March 05, 2000 at 09:02:27:
In Reply to: First Cluster posted by Christine on March 05, 2000 at 07:40:18:
At first I didnt want to tell anyone about the blinding pain that woke me from sleep, how could I tell my parents/family I had a brain tumor? I was convinced thats what it was, it happened a few times within a week, at night, andI becgan to wonder-why wasn't the pain constant if I had a tumor, why was it coming almost on a schedule and why couldnt I breathe out of my right nostril at the same time? well, eventually found my way to an ENT that told me I probably ground my teeth at night, then to an internist who said my nose was probably stuffy from allergy, then one Christmas Eve i ended up at the walk in emergency clinic . They told me i had a sinus infection.....the list goes on until I took the situation in my own hands and went to the library and begun searching out my own uniquie symptomns. I came up with it having to be clusters, brought this information back to my regular doctor, who said men over 50 who drink and smoke get them, youre a young girl, I think you have migraines. went on every migraine drug to no avail. During a particulary hideous attack, I had my father drive me right to the dr.s office, when the doctor saw the severity of the attack and my blood pressure was through the roof, he said you have cluster headaches. wow
you were like a different person, I couldnt even come near you to shine light in your eyes........
It took the medical community to see me suffer like an animal before i was diagnosed. sad story, but true