Posted by Riccardo (195.103.80.225) on July 19, 2000 at 02:44:14:
In Reply to: Radio Show posted by Bob P on July 18, 2000 at 16:15:27:
I have written to Mary Darcy, because I was upset from what that Dr Katz (cat in German, penis in Italian....)
I hope to be understood......
Here the text of the mail:
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Ms Mary Darcy,
I'm writing from Italy. I'm a member of OUCH (Organization for Understanding Cluster Headaches).
I read the note you have sent to Mr Bob Pahlow, about that Dr. Warren Katz. He answered that the pain is a very subjective and personal thing. Yes it is. And we can agree on the fact that migraines can last for weeks, and cluster not.
But I (perhaps only in Italy....may be) I never have heard a Doctor that say that the migraine pain is less (objectively) than cluster pain. The simple fact that the trigeminal nerve is involved in clusters could sink Dr. Katz theory! I could only agree on the duration, but I think that a cold is LONGER than a heart stroke, but is not worse!
The average daily pain of a CH may be 3 hours, but the pain is OBJECTIVELY worse. I have had migraines and CH, Be sure that I pay a free day (4 hours pain) from CH with a week of migraines.
The big problem about Dr Katz is:if he cannot define the level of the pain (the answer he gave to you) how the heck he have been said before that migraines are worse than cluster? Two different mental processes? Rethinking? a Save Our Souls thing? or, more simply, he didn't activate the brain before he had been speak?
These things create big problem in managing CH in public (work, relatives, friends).
We fight to publicize the REAL pain. The pain of cluster is one of the worse pain a man can suffer (Dr Goadsby MD in England) and we are surely not proud of this! But the boss understanding toward our pain can be killed by some Dr Katz phrases, and I do not want this. I write you from Italy, because I do not want you think I'm scared from that interview at my work....here in Italy my boss and my friends surely never hear that.
I write you to help the men and women in pain in USA, they have not to be hurted from some approximate phrases.
Thanks for the time, and sorry for my poor english
regards
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