Posted by Bon (128.227.250.20) on July 15, 2000 at 21:05:23:
I just found this page and I MUST post this message in
the hopes of helping as many CH sufferers as I can. I
will skip the formalities until later in the message
and get on to the treatment.
What works for me is to do weightlifting (curls) with
a 25 pound dumbbell. First with one arm I do as many
repetitions as I can until the last one is a real
struggle. Then repeat the same process with the other
arm. Before I complete the curls with the second arm,
the headache simply "switches off."
Over the past 20+ years that I have been having these
brutal headaches, I would estimate that I have had
many hundreds, possibly over a thousand episodes.
The weightlifting method has worked for all but 3 or
4 cases! When I am in a cluster cycle, I take my
dumbbell with me wherever I go (Yes, I do get some
strange stares).
When a cluster cycle first starts, I will lift about
30 times with each arm. By the end of the typical 2
month cycle I will be lifting as many as 150 times
with each arm. (I am a 42 year old male, 6'0", 210
lb.) You may wish to adjust your lifting accordingly,
but be sure to lift until your arm is exhausted.
It is my very sincere hope that this lifting method
works for everyone who has experienced this
nightmarish pain.
I had been headache free for over three years,
possibly my longest period ever. Unfortunately, last
week I suffered a heart attack. After installing a
"stent" in my heart to restore blood flow, the doctor
prescribed Imdur which is a vasodilator. Today, I
suffered my worst CH ever (at least a 9 on the Kip
range), brought on by the Imdur. Needless to say,
with my recent heart attack I couldn't do my weight
lifting. I did contact my doctor and convinced him
that I can not take Imdur any longer.
Regards,
Bon