Clusterheadaches.com Message Board (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> how to know when cycle going to end...............
(Message started by: debOUCH on Mar 11th, 2008, 8:45am)

Title: how to know when cycle going to end...............
Post by debOUCH on Mar 11th, 2008, 8:45am
is there like some sign u get???????????  haha.....first one, 42 days........brain scan 2day.................pred taper, 6th day, was holding them off but had 4 yesterday, 3 from 3am to 7am............................is this a cruel joke or what????????????????????????????????????????????????????tired of doing the dance........................ [smiley=wtf.gif].............

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by George_J on Mar 11th, 2008, 9:11am
No, no particular sign.  It's pretty individual--some of us ramp up quickly, stay in high cycle for a period of time, and then taper off slowly.  The attacks get farther and farther apart, milder and milder, and then fade away altogether.

Others report that they will get one or more really savage attacks, after which the cycle ends abruptly.  

The thing to remember, as an episodic, is that however it ends, it WILL end.  Until that happens, the best--the only way to get through is to deal with them one day at a time, and one hit at a time.  

Enjoy your painfree time.  Get hit, live anyway.  

All the best,

George


Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by Kaib on Mar 11th, 2008, 9:26am
Deb, I've gone drug free this time.  Still waiting for the beast to leave, but:

After a bad mid-cycle ten days, I have had the luck of a quiet ramp down to very mild hits maybe twice a day (eve when I lie down and about 4 AM)...the past two days just shadows at the same time.  Hopefully this will be an easy out.

Last time was nasty out, but immediate.  I agree, no way of telling.  Three more days will be exactly two months.

p.s. put me in the say no to drugs camp.

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by Guiseppi on Mar 11th, 2008, 10:00am
I'm one that ramps up slowly and then ramps back down again, they get further and further apart and milder then one day i realize I haven't been hit in a week or two.

George is right, it'll end when it's good and ready, dwelling on it just drains you. Enjoy your pain free time and know it will end!



Guiseppi

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by debOUCH on Mar 11th, 2008, 10:36am
mine apparantly have no rhyme or reason..................trying to enjoy PF time..................& trying to ignore those around me that just do not understand.......................gonna just stick to venting on here i think!!!!  thanx all!!!
deb

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by thomas on Mar 11th, 2008, 11:19am
Usually when mine are so bad that I need a shot of DHE on a daily basis just to survive, means I've got about a week to a week and a half left.

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by thomas on Mar 11th, 2008, 11:23am

on 03/11/08 at 09:26:53, Kaib wrote:
Deb, I've gone drug free this time.  

p.s. put me in the say no to drugs camp.

Sometimes that can really help, it takes guts and a good supporter or none at all to pull it off.  But there can certainly be benefits to going the drug/triptan free route.

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by GonnabeatemJudi on Mar 11th, 2008, 12:40pm
Please see your doc and give RELPAX a try!  Good luck and you are being prayed for right now.   Judi

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by DragonSlayer on Mar 11th, 2008, 2:43pm
Mine usually ramp up rather quickly.  Shadow to let you know the beast is coming for about a week then BAM-HELLO I'm back - around 4-6 weeks of pretty tough k8+ hits 3-6 times a day.  
Each cycle seems to pick it's own schedule and after the first week of heavy hits I am able to settle into it's rythm (figure out my battle plan).  After the heavy hits settle down it will slowly ramp down replacing heavy hits with shadows that reduce in intensity over time.  
This cycle the last Imitrex I used was Jan 30 and I'm still having random K2-4 shadows with a regular visit about 1-3am.  Energy drink and/or coffee will handle these very well.  
I never leave home (24/7-365) without my "survival kit", a small film can of instant coffee and 2-50mg Imitrex tablets.  During cycle I also keep an energy drink handy.
I guess I know it's over when I look back over a week or two and realize I haven't had a shadow for awhile.
If I obsess over the CH it seems it never goes away fast enough or I seem to get hit harder because of the anxiety.  

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by Kaib on Mar 11th, 2008, 4:38pm
Yep...I've babbled here for the past two weeks about a beer test.

Ain't happening yet, but maybe soon enough.

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by Annette on Mar 11th, 2008, 5:35pm

The finale seems to be different for different people, some fizzle out, some goes with a bang ( a really bad hit ) ...

Cycle lengths seem to vary too, anything from a couple of weeks to nearly the whole year. If you go 365 days without at least 30 days break then you are chronic. Chronics tend to have "cycles" too, as in some milder periods then some harder periods.

In summary, its virtually impossible to guess the beast.

Try to not focus on the last hit or the next hit. The last hit is gone and the next hit isnt here right now. If right now there is no hit then life is grand, enjoy it.

We have learnt that the right attitude will help more than any meds in the world.

Painfree wishes to you and lots of strong vibes.


Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by thebbz on Mar 11th, 2008, 9:46pm
Kick some demon A$$. Never let him get you down.
thebb

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by debOUCH on Mar 12th, 2008, 1:33am
uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugggggggggggggggggggg all i wanna do is get some damn uninterrupted sleep!!!!!!!!!! [smiley=bigtiny.gif]  they best have those scan results tomorrow ...........................GO AWAY.....................

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by barry_sword on Mar 12th, 2008, 7:11am
Hi Deb. Hang in there. My cycles if my history repeats itself last for about two years then I get a year away from them. This time the hits were much worse with them nailing me at different times of the day. I normally get hit anytime after 5:00pm into the night, but I have got them during the daytime which is weird for me.  

I was wrong twice during this cycle thinking it was over. I would taper off my Verapamil and get nailed. my hits ramped up more than the norm and then they backed off. I started to do A VERY SLOW TAPER this time and am totally med free and PF so far, it has been a few months. This cycle was a little shorter that others lasting about 15 months.

I don't know if this was any help but I still keep my best friend the big green bottle of o2 full and ready plus a full script of Verapamil on standby. When the beast comes knocking on my door I am armed and ready this time to do battle with him.

PF wishes to you.

 Barry

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by debOUCH on Mar 12th, 2008, 1:00pm
wat is up with the constant eye/face pain..................3 biggies last night, finally asleep by 4:30..................still waitin for ct results, pred apparantly not working...........gna loose my mind :'(

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by Guiseppi on Mar 12th, 2008, 1:12pm
They suck :'(......no getting past that, but you WILL  beat it, hang in there, everyone is pulling for you. [smiley=hug.gif]

Guiseppi

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by debOUCH on Mar 14th, 2008, 7:49am
HELLO WORLD!! actually slept 5 hrs with no visits from the beast!! my best girlfriend came over for a visit, and brought me an Easter basket, with loads of goodies and a stuffed rabbit! Named that rabbit F----, to rhyme with Clusta, and took him to bed with me!!! LMAO.....................yes a 50 yr old woman takin a stuffed animal to bed!!!!  [smiley=laugh.gif] maybe he wont be back, tho still calling 4 a neuro appt this morning!!! hope u all have a PF day!
deb

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by debOUCH on Mar 14th, 2008, 7:54am
a question? my 3rd nite of takin melatonin, 10mg....................could that have possibly kept the beast @ bay? not really sure about what melatonin may be able to do????
deb

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by thomas on Mar 14th, 2008, 8:43am

on 03/14/08 at 07:54:18, debOUCH wrote:
a question? my 3rd nite of takin melatonin, 10mg....................could that have possibly kept the beast @ bay? not really sure about what melatonin may be able to do????
deb

Yes, that is more than likely what enabled you to sleep.

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by George_J on Mar 14th, 2008, 9:39am

on 03/14/08 at 07:54:18, debOUCH wrote:
a question? my 3rd nite of takin melatonin, 10mg....................could that have possibly kept the beast @ bay? not really sure about what melatonin may be able to do????
deb


Could very well be.  When the stuff works, that's what it does.

Best wishes,

George

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by sandie99 on Mar 14th, 2008, 12:05pm
Deb,

I wish I knew... During my ch years, there has not been any consistent sign at the end of the cycle. Simply one day the beast just didn't show up, then another PF day and then another... :)

The beast likes to change things anyway; just when I thought that I'll get hit in the fall (about October to December), the beast went into remission and returned in April, skipped the fall cycle, came back in February and stayed for a long time. Now I'm just waiting what it'll think of next.

I wish lots of PF days and nights your way! :)

Sanna

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by debOUCH on Mar 15th, 2008, 7:11am
well guess the beast figured i had some sleep thursday  night, and thus, made me do the dance again 2x last night!!! guess that melatonin works when it wants to also!!!! couldnt even dance outside cause it was pouring! maybe i should have, it may have drowned the beast!!!

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by BarbaraD on Mar 17th, 2008, 4:39pm
Deb,

How much melatonin are you taking. I take 15-20mg when I'm getting hammered real good (like right now).

Hang in there - it could be worse. I've been chronic since 97, so count your blessings - you've got something to look forward to.

And there's nothing wrong with taking a bunny rabbit to bed. I have Mickey Mouse stuffed stuff all over my bed and I'm a LOT older than you...  :D

Hugs BD

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by superhawk2300 on Mar 18th, 2008, 9:04am
Sorry you are sufferening. I have experienced both the slow end to  a cycle and the sudden "BANG and it is done" end to a cycle as well.

seems to me the more meds I am on the longer but easier the cycle is, adn vise-versa. Kind of a shitty trade off but what can one do? right now I am realatively painfree - (no hits for mroe than a week now - WOOOT!) but I've had days whre the shadows were never ending and pretty intense for shadows.

I forgot my verapamil when I went to my grannys funeral last week and after missing a day I can tell I am not out of my cycle yet, but otherwise I also have no idea when I will be out of the woods.

I am thinking PF thoughts for you............It will end and soon it wil only be a memory of things that might have been. :)

Title: Re: how to know when cycle going to end...........
Post by debOUCH on Mar 18th, 2008, 4:56pm
so like, there is really n way to know i guess!!! i am day 3 no visit from the beast........the last night, Friday was horrendous!! so maybe that was the BIG BANG!!!......let's hope he damn tired!!!!!! LMAO



Clusterheadaches.com Message Board » Powered by YaBB 1 Gold - SP 1.3.1!
YaBB © 2000-2003. All Rights Reserved.