Cluster headache !!*#!!

[Elouise]

It is NOT fair!

 

I am supposed to have meetings this week for Sam and Annie at school. They have had to be cancelled.

Nathan needs me to chase his social worker and so on for the extra payments to give him his full 52/52 week college placement.

I have more work than I know where to begin with at work to do having lost the last two weeks *swears* and the headaches from HELL are back.

 

Lucky me. Migraine I CAN live with but these are absolute (insert expletitive of choice) they have stopped me tackling anything for the kids!

 

The only good thing is they hurt so much I hauled the Drs receptionist almost over the counter when she told me the Dr had no appointments untill tomorrow. I have a vague recollection of expressing my desired wish she could have the headache if she thought it was not a problem that could wait and at least for now I have a selection of drugs to play with to find something that works...but oh HECK...the timing as ever is awful

 

 

Excuse me whilst I moan and scream it is NOT fair I am female and I do not smoke and rarely drink!

 

The nasty bit was when I crawled into the kitchen and found Nathan in the absence of Jo had cooked for everyone for the past three days * * Bless him he tried so hard but I doubt I will ever get it clean again and some things are burnt beyond even Sams abilty to recognise what it was before it flamed.

 

Only another three to four weeks of this to go *I HOPE*

[Kathryn]

Elouise,

 

<'> <'> <'>

 

All this would be bad enough without a headache! I hope among your selection of drugs there is one which does the trick soon.

 

K x

[kirstie]

Elouise,

i symathise totally, i have only ever had migraines before in extremely stressful situations 9bereavments and the like) but when iwas pregnant (my baby is 4 months old) i had them constantly. During last summer i ventured (or waddled) out into town and the G8 summit was on at the time, well unfortunatley there was rioting in the streets and we were locked into a shopping centre as they didn't think i should leave being in my 'condition', well i eventually got home and didn't venture out for a week or so, when idid i thought, ha i'll go to Glasgow for the day. OMG it was horrendous. I had the worst migraine ever where i couldn't remember what i was saying, i went numb in my fingers and my vision was blurred. I honestly thought i was going to pass out. Luckily i was with my sister who said i was chalk white and couldn't finish my own sentences. In the bus station the men working there (lovely guys) were so worried they wanted to phone an ambulance (i think the big huge bump scared them more than anything ) ,i know i waffle don't i?? but what i am trying to say in the longest possible way is that i understand how painful they are and i hope you are feeling better hon <'> <'> <'>

[smiley]

Elouise <'>

 

I HATE headaches. It's the one thing that will ground me for a week. I get intercranial pressure (too much spinal fluid.......it's an immune system thing... ) and the headaches are bloomin' horrible.

 

Hope you can get some help and strong painkillers from your GP (I find asking very firmly 'Give me drugs!!' with a slightly.....'I am likely to kill you' look on my face usually works !!). Are you dx with migraines?? If you get them often i might be worth asking your GP if there's a migraine clinic - the one near me is helpful.

 

<'>

[Elouise]

I asked for 'spare head four' as the one I have appears to have a form of droid rot.

Epilim helps as does the new nasel zomig stuff *I could kiss the feet of whichever nice person came up with the idea of 5HT atagonists.....today its all nicely cushioned in pink fluff.

It still hurts but at a distance.

 

*sighs* thanks to this I need to see the student disability advisor as no one wants to see me crash out again screaming that something was ripping my brain out whilst clawing at my face.

Nathan says I can NEVER tell him off for acting weirdly in public again given some of the stunts I have pulled backed up by intense pain this week.

 

Thank GOD for the NHS and drugs on prescription!

 

Smileymab,

Good thinking.

I have been in and out of hospital migraine clinics for the past 20 years; when things play up badly I go chat with the neurologist who specialises in pain management/migraines/ cluster headaches. I am not going to get rid of the rotten things so I aim to manage them rather than have them manage me. (that is the theory anyway)

I have a formal diaognosis of severe classical migraine with aura that is phototriggered and have now had added in suspected cluster headache that has been hidden behind the severety of the problems caused by the migraines themselves. The two types of headache are very differant. I can live with migraine. I cannot live with cluster pain!

 

Kirstie; if you ever get a migraine that bad again get a doctor to check you over unless that is normal for your migraines. Your right when the aura spreads across your whole body not just your vision its horrible.

[Tez]

Elouise,

 

I get cluster headaches so I know what you're going through. My GP tells me that sometimes administering 100% oxygen helps but I haven't actually tried it so can't comment on its effectiveness.

 

Hope you start to feel better soon.

[Ian Jordan]

A trick which may help (particularly if headaches are or started in the temple / eye area)

 

 

Cover one eye for around 20 minutes - do not watch TV and listen to slow early music (mozart, bach etc). Left eye is usually best (4 out of 5 times) but if it does not work try right. Drink some water (not coffee / cola) and breath slowly and deeply

 

To explain why it can help is complex - but it costs nothing, and it may help (it does in around a third of cases).

 

Hope it does

Ian

 

Alternatively most frontal headaches can be stopped using an optimeyes lamp - usually within 2 minutes!

Edited January 22, 2006 by Ian Jordan

[lindy-lou]

elouise <'> i suffer migraines and they are bad enough but my dad has cluster heaaches too and there have been times i thought he was going to be hospitalised with them,he's been on loads of medication including morphine with no joy and now finds that ibuprofen and paracetamol have the best affect,i have read on the net while trying to find methods of relief for him that having regular oyxgen via a mask seems to make them less painful,my dad has been referred to a neurologist and has had a brain scan which showed nothing, thankfully.

[kirstie]

Thanks for the info Ian,

I found the little halogen lights in shops were an absolout killer and coffee. I thought we had bought the baby white sheets when we were at this shop one day and couldn't understand what my partner was going on about, they matched the crib set..... when my head and vision cleared they were coloured sheets!! lol (pale coloured so i didn't feel too stupid) I had to spend the whole time wearing sunglasses (i looked a right plank sometimes in the pouring rain but it helped to a degree)

Must've been hormonal as i'm alright now although i drink decaff now. That day in Glasgow was terrifying!

[Kathryn]

I used to suffer migraines a lot in my 20's and pregnancy made it worse. I would wake up with this raging pain and nausea nearly every day and could not even stomach water. Because I was pregnant I couldn't take any drugs for it. But since having my daughter 16 years ago I have hardly had migraines at all and when I have, they have never been as severe. I don't know why childbirth should have had such a dramatic effect for me, but it seems to have done.

 

I really sympathise Elouise, and by your description, yours are worse than mine ever were. I hope you get some relief soon. <'>

[jen]

I have had migraine for years. Mine last 3 days with vomiting and obviously unable to do anything. I have tried lots of different medicines from GP with little effect. I have had tablets injection, drugs you put on your tongue drugs you put up your nose (all over 27 years). I would suggest try buy over the counter drugs first. e.g. paractamol, voltarol, aspirin. Mixtures of these drugs. I have found Anadin Extra work best and I also take Migramax (ask you GP to prescribe it) its a powder you take with water every 2 hours if necessary and it stops you vomiting

 

Jen

[lindy-lou]

i use imigran nasal spray for migraine and it works a treat,if you take it when you just get the lights before your eyes the headache doesnt develop or if it does its a much weaker one.

[Elouise]

Sadly zomatriptain can join the list of triptains that just do not cut enough of the edge of the rotten things.

I will continue to go through every scrap of information I can find on new treatments that are 'just' comming out.

 

Jen I truly do WISH that anything available over the counter did work but they are useless as they cannot get near to taking enough off the edge of the pain to allow me to function. I am back to filling in full day migraine diarys so I can take something back to the neurologist (again)

I need a decent drug as the thought of my four running the house whilst I am quitely wishing for death upstairs scares me silly.

Guess who gets to clean up after their efforts once she surfaces.....

 

So far I have had Nathan burnt the handles of two saucepans and the reason the fire alarm kicked off was tracked to a lightly* (cremated) wooden spatula left in the grill I think I added to Sams vocabulary with the inventive broad anglo saxon expressions I came out with because for that I HAD to get up and investigate then go and throw up after wards.

Jo washed for me thats why all my white posh work blouses now have a grey tinge. Jo washed ALL her clothes (gothic uber black) with mine on a hot wash. Hers shrank mine look like they are 'fade to grey' I have not the heart to tell her off. For a 13 something weird kid trying to run the house for me whilst I am down I can only thank her for her efforts.

Rich (my husband their dad) gets to work long hours problem solving computer techie and electronic problems all day long but he does not sleep and I KNOW where Sams ADHD came from so Jo gets to do more than I would like on some days until Rich comes home.

Annie has even taken to dragging a stool over to the cooker . She made me creamated toast with cold baked beans from one of those rip open cans and tea with cold water milk. NO tea bag.

 

(For those of you reading all my children are fortunate not to have intellectual impairments. Two are gifted IQ wise (Sam and Jo) whilst Nathan and Annie could not find their ways out of wet paper bags with maps they can both manage some limited problem solving. I would not recommend leaving the average ASD child to cook without supervision. I am fortunate that Jo is willing to step in and supervise whilst I am sick and I let her go off and do her 'own' stuff aka blue butterflies and HIM once I surface)

 

In a funny way it is so nice to know I am not the only one who tries to juggle head pain and weird children on mass. Sometimes simply knowing your NOT the only one out there helps.

[Tez]

Elouise,

 

Although no-one really knows what causes cluster headaches, there is some evidence that their duration and frequency is prolonged by stress. Bearing this in mind, there is a line of thought that says if you prescribe an antidepressant such as prozac it helps to get rid of an ongoing cluster (can take a few weeks, but mine last for months without) and reduce their incidence thereafter. The evidence as to whether it works is not conclusive but anacedotally this does seem to help alot of people.

 

You really have my sympathy, I know that nothing touches a cluster headache and I know that it's impossible to function with one. The most draining thing is that you know that you have it for weeks with only a few hours respite a day. I hope someone can come up with something that helps you to get rid of it quickly, let me know what if they do, I'd love to know for my own information.

[Elouise]

I know oxygen is supposed to help but the thought of Sam plus enquiring mind and interest in anything that can make things go 'bang' could be worse.

I need to pin down and get a clear diaognosis. Is this truly cluster headache or one of its nasty little imitators. The pain is surely something so when it stops its like 'wow'. When its there life is vile.

 

 

I am keeping a full in depth log to throw at the next consulant I see! Maybe with a real indepth set of records someone can work out the best action plan for now rather than trying to work on thens.

Thanks to a VERY understanding Boss I am managing some time in the office and bringing bits home to do in between 'owwiees' *sarcasm* the house work went way back two weeks ago. I know it will wait for me to tackle it.