Posted by Couver (216.232.9.143) on August 29, 2001 at 16:57:41:
I found this site last evening and couldn't believe my luck. I was up all night with 7-9kips; so, I read a lot of msgs and responded to a few. Then, I received a nice welcoming msg from Yoke. I have a really nice feeling about you all.
I started having ch's more than 10 years ago. At first, there was nothing that helped; then, Imitrex came along. That was great - except for costing almost $40 an injection ($40 Canadian or about $1 US).
I had several heart attacks and open heart surgery (a familial problem, I'm only 46 now), so I couldn't take the Imitrex anymore, nor the ergots. I've gone through all the medical regimes without improvement.
Even using things like butorphanol (Stadol), fentanyl and morphine doesn't do more than take the edge off.
Except for a rare few days, I haven't been pain-free since they began. I don't like to "burden" family and friends with my physical problems (though it's hard to hide it when I'm pacing around the rooms banging my head on door frames or curled up in a ball with a bag of frozen lima beans on my head!). So, when I found this site where others vented their pain, frustration and suicidal thoughts about ch's, I knew I found a place I could be comfortable. It's reassuring to know that I'm not "making all this up", that it's not "all in my head", that it's not always possible to "just pull" myself "together." Though I would wish that none of you have to deal with the GD Beast, I'm glad(?) to know that I'm not the only one who becomes nauseous from the pain, has problems with vision, etc. (My Neuro says that these aren't part of ch's - if they're not, I have no idea where else they're coming from.)
I appreciate the support I've *already* received and hope I can be there for the rest of you when you need something to bang your head against :-)
Wishing us all PFDs!