Posted by Mark Wentworth (24.218.155.250) on August 10, 2001 at 21:02:31:
In Reply to: Something good to report posted by Simon on August 10, 2001 at 19:44:51:
Hi everyone,
I'm glad to have found an area with people that don't need explainations of what and how these suckers change lives. I am now starting my 24th "cluster" of CH's in 25 years. Started getting them in my late teens. My episodes last from two to four months, with an average of two per day. Rarely at work, 99% of the time at night. One early evening, and one in the wee hours. I have read other peoples methods of dealing, and I find it absolutely amazing how common some of the methods are. Rocking, hands gripped behind the neck while having the head in a vise-like grip. Pacing like a zombie with the more "mildly painful" ones. How often I have wanted...not out of pitty or harm...to allow the people who ask what Clusters are (then they talk about a headache they had last week) to have them experience just one, just so they understand. Understand how a "headache" does not alter your daily life, your constant awareness that planning any night time social activity is risky at best, and sure to end early.
I have tried just about all of the normal preventive drugs with no success. Verapamil did let me skip a year, but they came back after that. My current treatment is Lithobid (Simon, this is where you come in). I just started it last fall at the end of my last cluster. I have just started a new Cluster (July 27th...althought I knew they were coming back, but denial set in). I am right back into 2...sometimes 3 per day. My doc did say I had low levels of whatever they check you for (sodium?) so I am thinking of asking to up the dose on Monday.
I am currently taking 300mg(x2) in the AM and the same in the PM for a total of 1200mg.
Anyway...that's it for now. I'm getting that feeling. Time to find the Imitrex spray and prepare for what I would not wish on my worst enemy.
Thanks for listening!