Posted by Lynne (159.142.82.230) on May 25, 2001 at 15:53:50:
Hi everyone: I just found this website today and am glad there's finally a group out there for us. I'm a 42 year old female and have suffered from clusters since I was 20 years old. I just got back in a cycle Wednesday nite and it was pure h---. I hadn't been in a cycle for over 2 years. To add insult to injury, I had no Imitrex (the prescription had expired), and my oxygen tank was empty. I suffered for over an hour and it brought back memories of 10 and 20 years ago when this was a nightly occurrence and that was before they knew about oxygen and way before Imitrex. Yesterday brought back many many memories, the hung over feeling, finally getting my wits about me at 3 pm. I quickly got my oxygen replaced yesterday, got into see my dr. to get some prednisone to try to break the cycle. Last nite I didn't have a headache, but I just know it'll be there again, as they always are. We start to plan for our cycles and everyday things become either very precious or way out of proportion. No alcohol during a cycle, cut back on smoking (to about 5 a day), watch the diet, increase fluid intake, no naps (even though we didn't sleep the nite before), you all know the routine. Anyway, the bright side is I have taken verapamil for probably 10 years and it has worked for me. I still get cycles, but not near the frequency I once did. I know I'm in this for 3 months, and I know it'll be tough, but the 02 works great and Imitrex is a life saver. People don't understand what we go through, and we would never wish that pain and suffering on anyone. Females aren't suppose to get clusters, they say. I'm here to say it ain't true. I've only been to the ER once all these years and was given lidocaine. What do the rest of you get when you go to the ER? I just always figured it wasn't worth it, cause the headache would go away in an hour and be back the next nite. Save the ER rooms for heart attacks, suicides and terminal people. Best to you all and maybe someday we can know all the answers, eh? Lynne