Posted by Susan D (63.21.139.249) on October 13, 2001 at 09:47:36:
You are all probably going to think I'm nuts. I know I certainly thought my daughter's nurse was when she suggested this but I'm starting to be a believer. For the last four days, I have been having constant shadows somewhere along the lines of a 3-4 on the Kip Scale. Every few hours or so, they would escalate to a Cluster around a 7 and then drop back down but they just wouldn't go away completely. If stress is a trigger, I'm guessing that's why considering my daughter (15 months) had yet another surgery yesterday. Anyway, after surgery, we were at home and I was complaining about the shadows. Her nurse suggested that she try some kind of accupressure on me. I just looked at her (she's a little out there) and said, "You can try but it won't work." She took her thumb and at the base of my skull pressed in an upward motion while applying counter pressure to my forehead. It hurt but I was laughing about how everyone who doesn't have clusters thinks they have the miracle cure. She did this twice and the shadows were gone! I thanked her and said if only it were that easy when I had a full-blown cluster. Well last night, I woke up with a very bad one. I did all the normal things, cold washcloth on the back of my neck, etc. Then I though of what she did and decided to try it myself. Why not right? Well damn if it didn't make me feel better and I mean a lot better. Enough that I could lay down and go right back to sleep. I don't know what to make of this. Thinking back over how I have had these suckers for 20 years, and it went away so easy. It can't be true right? It was just a coincidence right? It had to be. Next time I have one which should be soon since I'm in a bad cycle, I'll try it again. If this works, I don't know what to think. Has anyone else had any success with accupressure or am I deluding myself?
Susan