Posted by dt (148.74.251.191) on September 05, 2001 at 04:31:40:
Just a chance to tell my story and vent a little.
I was a University Professor and Head Track and Field Coach. I am/was a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, a lecturer and coaching education instructor for USA Track and Field and authored many articles for professional journals. I can elaborate and impress you more if you wish..lol.
My story (reader's digest version): I sustained a head injury while at work last fall. Two concussions actually. I ended up having some pretty severe items occur and spent 5 nights in the hospital including the ICU. My accident occurred on a Monday, and I still only have memory of things occurring since the Thursday following the accident. I have lost 32 years of memory. It has been strange to live in a custom home I do not remember building, have a wife and two children I do not remember having...etc... Pretty surreal. All is not bad. I have some enhanced abilities as well. I have improved math skills. Weird huh?
I am nearly fully recovered from the physical aspects of my injury other than the constant headache.
I am learning many things, and have vastly improved my vocabulary and other skills to the point where most do not know a difference (except those close to me). Many of my interests have changed as well. I have read a lot, an am improving in my ability to comprehend what I read. There are still some things that throw me for a loop, but I am able to overcome them.
So, on to the headaches. I had what I believe were clusters all through January. Nuero dude in charge of my case didn't seem to think much of it. Continued diagnosis as Post Concussion Syndrome. Mid February saw me cease to have them, and I thought I was getting better, and I was/did. The everyday headache was getting under control with occasional "flare-ups" being migraines. Still better tho.
My life was getting better, doing well despite the daily pain and the troubles I was starting to face with workers comp. Can you believe they made me go through three IME's before they believed my memory was truly gone and that I had headaches?
They sent me to two top neuropsychology/psychiatric dudes who are "known" to give the company what they are seeking. They are also "malingering" experts. Had to look that one up...lol.
So, they concluded that my situation was legit and cause by my injury.
I digress from my real intention here (besides burning off tension "post-dance").
Ok, so July sees me getting more frequent Migranes and a more intense daily pain. I complain and I complain. Then, around mid august the beast from January returns. I desperately call my neuro.
I get a call back and.....My neurologist says he is no longer willing to treat me anymore. This after learning that Maxalt, Zomig, Imitrex and Amerge are not working for me. His excuse is that he does not want to deal with worker's comp. He suggests two other neuros in his office who deal with worker's comp. Both are supposed "experts" in the area of headaches. After seeing my file, both decline to see me saying they "have too many HA patients."
OK..now what, I am desperate. I call my primary care dude who refers me to another neuro but not till the end of this month. He wants to see me as well. All of this is via messages and direct conversation with his nurse.
I see him today. I have an attack. I make my frail attempt to drive to his office afterward. I get stuch behind a school bus on a rural Highway. I get to his office 15 min late and was stressed about being late. I still end up waiting 10 min in the waiting room. I go back to one of his little rooms and wait another 30min! I hear him out in the hall talking about his son's football team. I am hopping mad. It is an hour after my appointment time. The nurse comes in and takes my BP and asks questions. My bp is very high...i wonder why? She askes what the pain level from 1-10 my HA's are. "10 I say...that is if 10 means you'd do anything to stop the pain."
So the doctor comes in and says "Having headaches?" "A 10, really?" "You know, a 10 is pretty severe are you sure you aren't exaggerating?"
He then proceeds to tell me that it is totally related to my high bp. I need to take these high bp meds and see the neuro later in the month. I asked him what about this possibly being a cluster, and that a collegue/friend of my wife's (my wife is a physical therapist) who works at a headache clinic in another state said it sounds like classic cluster. His response (mind you, he thinks my wife's profession is not legit) with a chuckle, "Is this person a physical therapist?"
Then he says clusters are over diagnosed and Dr so and so (the neuro who just dumped me) would have diagnosed it. He then says that clusters are pain just below or behind one eye. I said I have exactly that, plus, a droopy teary eye, runny nose only on that side, neck jaw and face numbness, etc.... He had not even asked for my symptoms.
He says "Well, we'll leave it for the neuro."
What a nice day...lol
Thanks for letting me vent.
DT