Posted by Swtswede (216.12.193.44) on October 02, 2001 at 23:17:18:
In Reply to: Hold on a second posted by Margi on October 02, 2001 at 16:35:27:
You are absolutely right, I know there are alot of wacko's out there and I'm sure ya'll have seen your share. I'm just a little sensitive to being grouped in with them. I had to go to court to prove my sanity or loose my children, and that can be difficult to do when you have insane type headaches. I guess I get a little overly proud of myself for making it through all this, of which I am still deeply entrenched. However, I'd like to say that I am even more proud of all of you "strong strangers", who have had the strength to endure your many years of pain. I can say I know the pain, but I am only now learning the absolute desolation of knowing this will never end. A lesson most of you have conquered years ago. Bravo....you are my mentors, I know I will learn alot from you. As to CH diagnoses, yes, by a wonderful neuroligist (he was my 3rd) in another state. The other doc's either said "I honestly don't know" or kept insisting migrains. I have tried just about every migrain med they could think of, propanol being the last. One even gave me meds for trigeminal neralgia (sorry about any spelling errors)before he looked at my MRI and said "nope not that". I am currently on Verapamil 180 mg 2x per day, but have to monitor blood pressure day and night, as I have slightly low pressure normally. So far have seen no change in pressure, and did get a 3 month respite from HA's. I can tell you it hit me hard to have them back, I had really convinced myself it was a fluke thing and I wouldn't have to go through it again. I have been able to get relief during an attack with ergomar(enhalant) and wigrain(capsule under tongue)if I take it before I get to an 8Kip. However, they don't work every time and alot of times I fail to take them intime, simply because they come too fast. The wigrain takes a minimum of 20 minutes to take effect, the ergo. is faster but Im limited in supply so only use sparingly. I have recently started a few "techniques" that do not take away the pain, but help me focus elsewhere...at least to an extent :-). I smile here because one of the things I do I have to have someone help me with and my mother hates it, because she say's tears just flow down my face the whole time and she feels like, "what a stupid and inadequate thing to do for such horrendous pain", however it helps me from taking any drastic measures, so I'm thankful for her. During this cluster I have been pretty regular in the time of the attacks, but not the duration. If things go the same way they have been (I've got my fingers crossed they won't)I only have one more hour of freedom before the agony takes me for a ride, so I better get going and enjoy my time off for good behavior :-)
Wishing all a PF night
PS...Charlie, if you made it this far. I apologize for going off on you. No hard feelings?