Posted by Nick Taylor (194.205.4.1) on January 22, 2002 at 13:39:54:
Hello, my first time on the site and my first post on the message board. The introduction to the site encourages users to put up messages so here goes, even though I'm sure my story you've heard before. First attack came about three months ago, out of nowhere. I thought I was getting migraines. But it was so bad. The pain. I thought, am I making too much of this. But the pain was so bad I couldn't speak. I had an attack every night for two weeks. By the end of that I was a total wreck, had been to the emergency room three times, plus my local doctor. Everyone did the same thing - check me for meningitus and send me home with some paracetamol.
I was lucky enough to find a specialist who saw me within a few days. He knew immediately I was suffering from cluster headaches. The relief that someone understood the pain I had been going through was enormous. Since then I have not had another attack. I dread one, and will read everything on this site in anticipation.
Without wishing to sound sadistic, reading about the sort of pain you fellow sufferers go through is reassuring to me. I go through that pain and it's very hard to describe it to others. I know you understand.