Posted by Tracy (195.147.150.226) on April 17, 2000 at 06:33:44:
In Reply to: Dr. Goadsby? posted by karen on April 16, 2000 at 19:20:39:
Nice man. Phoned me at 10:30 in the evening. Apologised went through the entire range of symptoms, agreed with Dr Matharu about CPH and offered to help.
Hes an Aussie. I expected an Albert Einstein kind of figure (dont ask me why), but he came across as about my age, professional but he did have a sense of humour!! I'll always remember the line about me going to headache heaven NOT the real thing!! (LOL)
Said he'd call my doctor (GP), and try to get him to refer me to him and his team. Was surprised at what had happened to me, but not shocked. Apprently its quite common. What can I tell you? That's the GP system for you.
Anyway, there was so much said I'd be here for a week if wrote it all down and you'd all fall asleep with boredom!! But you know what came across from him, and Dr Matharu (his registar), they CARED!! REALLY cared.
They want so much to help me, and all of us. He did tell me one story that might interest you, by saying what kind of man he is, we were talking about how my pregnancy affected my CPH. I told him not much except I couldn't take ANYthing for the pain. THAT drove me NUTS. He said he coudl sympathise as one patient found out she was pregnant just after they managed to get her referred to them. So they monitored her all through her pregnancy, but beyond that there was nothing he could do. He said he found it frustrating and distressing beyond words to see her in so much pain and know there was nothing they could do until she delivered. As soon as she'd had her baby they whisked her onto medication and he said she's now doing quite well, and in fact her attacks are very rare and under control.
He said he feels there is no reason for people to be left in pain, especially pain like this, when there's things that can be done to help alleviate it. I got the impression that he hopes to eradicate these ailments one day, that appears to be his main game plan. He did say that he wished doctors saw helping us as a success for a sick patient, rather than people griping about a simple head pain. He felt there was nothing simple about this, and that all pain is an illness and therefore we should be treated the same way, and with the same respect, as other sick people.
I don't have much faith in the medical profession ( for a lot of reasons due to stuff that's happened to me and mine), but what I got, they gave me. Before them, I had NONE.
I'm not mushy here, just stating a fact. With people like Dr Goadsby and Dr Matharu (and their team) working tirelessly to eradicate CH and CPH, I do believe that one day - whilst there may not be a cure - dealing with the pain we suffer will be like dealing with a scraped knee.
Hope I haven't bored you too much. I can tell you more of what he said if your interested. You can mail me if you want rather than take up board space. But I hope I've got across the main point.
Tracy