Hey Ray - and other fellow sufferers!

[RodKirby]

After an 18 month gap, just popped out the end of 20 days of Cluster Headaches - this time, 3 per day - 3pm, 6pm and 11pm

Now my Doc tells me I have bronchitis - take maybe 2 weeks to clear
At least they didn't coincide - got to find something to be grateful for.

I must have really upset one of the Gods

[Bruce Cohen]

Hey Rod,
You must be somehow related to my older daughter, she gets migraines like 3 or more times a week.
She's been to just about every migraine group (read that as expensive) in NYC, and no joy. She's 27 and sometimes the pain is so bad, she can't even leave the house.
Maybe someone in Oz knows what to do. I have a niece that lives in Sydney and she can stay there if there's a good Doc. there, even if he lives in Alice.

Bruce

[RodKirby]

Hey Rod,
You must be somehow related to my older daughter, she gets migraines like 3 or more times a week.
She's been to just about every migraine group (read that as expensive) in NYC, and no joy. She's 27 and sometimes the pain is so bad, she can't even leave the house.
Maybe someone in Oz knows what to do. I have a niece that lives in Sydney and she can stay there if there's a good Doc. there, even if he lives in Alice.

Bruce

Sorry, Bruce - no joy. Except; "Cluster" headaches, although grouped with "Migraines" are VERY different. She has my sympathy.

My research says my "Clusters" are typical:
- sometimes months/years apart
- no known trigger or treatment
- abrupt onset of the cluster
- abrupt cessation - over the years mine last 3-4 weeks
- in the past(10 years), mine have been one-a-day, this time three-a-day
- usually consistant time(s) of day
- agonizing local pain (for me: left temple)
- each episode lasts about an hour (would not pay to have a firearm handy!)
- no lingering pain
- no "regular migraine" symptoms
- When happening, I slide around on my office chair moaning and LOML heads out of the house, when she can. She doesn't have the pain, but she suffers thru inability to help.
- I was prescribed "Imigran" tablets, and if I take one immediately one is starting, appears to somewhat lessen the intensity/duration - I suspect it's all in my mind. No effect at all, if taken "in anticipation".

I suspect Ray(in the UK) will add his experience/s...

[JSUPreston]

Rod, as a fellow sufferer (sp?), I feel your pain. I inherited migraines from my mother's side of the family, and my wife inherited them from her mother's side as well. Both of our kids get them as well. My older son gets clusters on a frequent basis, but we haven't figured out the trigger. Wife and I typically get migraines more often than anyone should, but we sometimes will have a cluster as well. Prescriptions seem to help my wife, but when I tried them 13 years ago, they didn't really help me.

Worst I've ever felt was a few years ago when I was finishing my degree online. I woke up with a migraine, and after eating breakfast and taking some meds, started my schoolwork (Saturday morning). Just before lunch, it felt like a cluster hit me on top of the migraine. SWMBO thought I was about to have a stroke or an aneurysm (sp?) and wanted to take me to the ER for a morphine shot. I talked her out of it, because I had to have my school assignment turned in by midnight.

I went to my younger son's room (darkest one in the house at the time), and suffered on his bed for an hour or two before I could finally get up and halfway function. I did finally finish my schoolwork and turned it in late, but with the explanation I gave the prof., I didn't get dinged for it.

Here's hoping that you're out of your cycle for a while. Like you said, if someone suffers from these things, firearms in the house are not a good idea. There's no way to describe the pain to someone who doesn't suffer.

[x00018]

Rod,

I suffered for many years with cluster headaches until I found a doctor that actually knew what to do about them. He gives me lithium and it stops them within a few days.
I had gone through so many doctors and so many tests before I finally found this one and I really can't believe that the same poison that powers your laptop stopped the headaches.

Good Luck
Dave

[RodKirby]

Rod, as a fellow sufferer (sp?), I feel your pain. I inherited migraines from my mother's side of the family, and my wife inherited them from her mother's side as well. Both of our kids get them as well. My older son gets clusters on a frequent basis, but we haven't figured out the trigger. Wife and I typically get migraines more often than anyone should, but we sometimes will have a cluster as well. Prescriptions seem to help my wife, but when I tried them 13 years ago, they didn't really help me.

Worst I've ever felt was a few years ago when I was finishing my degree online. I woke up with a migraine, and after eating breakfast and taking some meds, started my schoolwork (Saturday morning). Just before lunch, it felt like a cluster hit me on top of the migraine. SWMBO thought I was about to have a stroke or an aneurysm (sp?) and wanted to take me to the ER for a morphine shot. I talked her out of it, because I had to have my school assignment turned in by midnight.

I went to my younger son's room (darkest one in the house at the time), and suffered on his bed for an hour or two before I could finally get up and halfway function. I did finally finish my schoolwork and turned it in late, but with the explanation I gave the prof., I didn't get dinged for it.

Here's hoping that you're out of your cycle for a while. Like you said, if someone suffers from these things, firearms in the house are not a good idea. There's no way to describe the pain to someone who doesn't suffer.

I simply cannot imagine a cluster+migraine Or, functioning in ANY capacity while it's happening.

You have my sympathy and admiration - glad you are still with us - hope your c's and m's are FAR apart.

Regards - Rod

[dbhost]

Not sure about the cluster headache thing, but ever since that stupid wreck in 2000, I have had back trouble and recurring / somewhat frequent migranes... I can sympathise... Nothing like wanting to crawl under the house to hide from the light and noise, especially when your house is slab on grade!

[radhak]

I get migraines infrequently, and still I used to be very upset about them (as nobody else in my extended family - including in-laws - have them ).

Then I met somebody whose husband was suffering from cluster headaches at the very time we had dropped by their home. He had a room in his basement just for this, and refused to come out to meet us (or anybody), and I believe I could hear his moans (truly, it was more like soft sobbing). She tried to talk normally to us, but was on the verge of breaking down herself when she described his condition (and hers as side-effect). He's unable to hold a steady job because of this, and that's caused another level of problems in their lives.

I am afraid I could not brave it much and left asap. On the drive back LOML looked at me gratefully and said, "I'm glad you have (only) migranes"

I cannot imagine y'all leading a 'normal' life thru Clusters. Hats off to you.

[RodKirby]

Rod,

I suffered for many years with cluster headaches until I found a doctor that actually knew what to do about them. He gives me lithium and it stops them within a few days.
I had gone through so many doctors and so many tests before I finally found this one and I really can't believe that the same poison that powers your laptop stopped the headaches.

Good Luck
Dave

Many thanks, Dave - I'll check it out with my Doc...