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        New Message Board Archives >> 2003 Posts >> WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH ME?
        
(Message started by: jayhawk on Jan 12^th, 2003, 12:34am)

Title: WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH ME?
Post by jayhawk on Jan 12^th, 2003, 12:34am

:'( Can anyone shed light on what might be going on inside my fricking, painful head? Have been on Verapamil for 5 weeks, up until a week ago thot I was gradually getting control of CH's (i'm chronic). Started at 240mg at night, was slowly upping dosage. When I added 90 mg. in morning, that helped reduce frequency, severity of shadows by about 50% (and hadn't had a BAD CH in 2 weeks)...then upped to 120 in morning...couple days later - BAM! 2 bad ones 2 days in a row! Now I've upped to 180 in morning. But the other very frustrating thing is, for past week, my left temple, cheek and scalp are flaming hot 8-12 hours a day (this is normally a "precursor" and accompaniment of a CH for me...not a symptom that lasts most of day); plus left side of my neck is CONSTANTLY stiff/knotted...when i extend it, it pops (again, this is normally a signal of a CH, immediately before getting one...but now it's like this almost ALL the time). Any ideas, suggestions? Should I cut back on the Verapamil? Continue to increase it? Adding to frustration: I finally got my O2 AND the right mask (what an unbelievable hassle)...and it hasn't really helped...now i'm afraid to keep trying it.

Title: Re: WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH ME?
Post by sailpappy on Jan 12^th, 2003, 1:04am

;D ;D Hello,
First I want to make the point that Verapamil is a blood level medication and that you should only be upping the dosage under your doctors instructions, not that you are, but you didn't mention it.
I'd do a little research on the side affects of verapamil from one of the pharmicological web sites, many drugs in this class can be affected by different outside influences like Smoking, different drug combo's and such.
Secondly I wanted to say I too have sounds like poping sounds from my sinus area, My son cracks his neck all the time, like other people crack their knuckles, this drives me up a wall but he swears it relaxes his neck?
The hot cheek,temple and scalp I have never heard of with Clusters, I have with TJM. Have you ever been checked by your dentist for TJM? The headaches are very similar to clusters, usually the time of the length of a TJM attack is the give away, they last a lot longet than clusters.
Anyway, what I'm trying to tell you is check with your Neurologist and make sure your Blood Pressure is within normal limits and ask a few questions about the symptoms you have mentioned to see what he or she thinks.
A stiff neck can be a symptom of many problems the least of which is sleeping in a position that is conducive to causing the neck pain, also while I'm asking questions, do you grit your teeth?
A new research paper I recently read linked people the grit or grind their teeth while sleeping to headaches? Just a thought! Pappy

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Title: Re: WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH ME?
Post by j.halber on Jan 12^th, 2003, 6:49am

Thimk it might be a good idea to check out the type of headache, as sailpappy suggested Cronic myself and never experienced the warmyh part but do feel it in the neck.For me doesn't work to crack or stretch just to apply pressure with the fingertips,not too hard and slow the heartrate down.Not sure if it's true or not but have been told by two neurologists that if 02 doesn't work then it is another type of headache.When I use 02 it goes away within 10 minutes but comes back,meaner,about two hours later, helps me to take a half of an imitrex tab with 02.Hope you find the answers you seek.

Title: Re: WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH ME?
Post by jayhawk on Jan 12^th, 2003, 10:28am

Thanks for the responses. Yes, i'm upping the Verapamil under my doc's direction...she said to do it slowly, in small amounts, until headaches were under control, or side effects intervened.
And yes, I had considered TMJ before...couple months or so ago I was also having very stiff/cracking left jaw (but I was also on high dose of Topamax at time...when went off Topamax, that problem practically disappeared), so I saw a dentist. Told him everything (course, he didn't really know much about clusters), he took X-rays, etc. Pretty much ruled out TMJ. And I don't grind my teeth at night. I also avoid sleeping on my left side since the cluster's got so bad a few months ago. It's just frustrating because the headache pain, when i get it, is the same i've had for 18 years, but this constant hot skin/neck thing is something new.

Title: Re: WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH ME?
Post by Jarvis on Jan 12^th, 2003, 10:42am

j.halber- you said. "Not sure if it's true or not but have been told by two neurologists that if 02 doesn't work then it is another type of headache". .................... Not true!.... Sounds like those 2 neuros need to find a different line of work. O2 does not work for a lot of CH sufferers, myself included. ......mj

Title: Re: WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH ME?
Post by j.halber on Jan 13^th, 2003, 4:39am

Thanks for the info Jarvis.Like I said I wasn't sure but do agree MANY Dr.s should find new work!