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Supporter's Corner >> Supporter's Corner >> My Journey
(Message started by: shawn62279 on Apr 30th, 2007, 1:25pm)

Title: My Journey
Post by shawn62279 on Apr 30th, 2007, 1:25pm
Hi All!

I just want to say thank you for all of the information that this site offers.  It has been a god send.  I have been reading these boards for years and would like to contribute.  My husband has CH.  He has been suffering from it since about a year after we got together.

We had just moved in together and had been together for about a year.  He started to get these really bad headaches.  Eventually it went to vomitting and I started taking him to the emergency room because neither of us knew what was wrong.  Most times the pain would start to end before getting to see a doctor, so by his request I would take him home.  When we did actually get to see a doctor they said he had migraines and to take some asprin(some of you know how awful that is to hear).  They got worse and then they got better.  He had a few cycles although I didn' know it yet.  I tried to research migraines as much as I could back then without the internet, and it just didn't sound like what he had, but how could the doctor be wrong?  All that I found out about it, I just didn't understand why he seemed in so much more pain than he should be.  I felt absolutely helpless.

One day I got lucky.  I just happened to be reading a Readers Digest.  In the health section they had a very small two paragraph blurb about cluster headaches.  It sounded exactly like what he had!  He went to the doctor and he confirmed it.  He was able to get medication, preventative and abortive.  Unfortunately he lost his health insurance a few weeks later.  His cycles came back and over a few years was awful.  There were times he was getting 5 or more a day.  It is during this time I learned how to really help.  Before I had tried to help him, asked it I could get him anything, try to hold him.  But it did not helped and just seemed to make things worse.  I have learned to hang back.  If he needs anything he will ask.  I have learned those things I was trying to do to help him I was just trying to make myself feel better.  It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.  To not do anything.  

A few years after that he was having other medical problems and we found out he had gallstones.  They were really bad.  Lets just say the doctor didn't know how he had gotten to his office by hisself.  The gallbladder was completely filled with stones, no exageration.  He had surgery.  Since the surgery he has had one full blown cycle about a month after the surgery.  Since then he has had a few very small cycles but that is it.  It has only been about  2 years since the surgery.  I know they could come back at anytime, but for now I count my blessings.  

Thank you all on this board who share all of their expreiences!

Shawn  

Title: Re: My Journey
Post by BB on Apr 30th, 2007, 6:39pm

Hello Shawn

Thank you very much for being such a wonderful supporter. Your husband is lucky to have you.

I am also a supporter for my husband and I know exactly what you mean about it being much harder to have to hang back and watch while your instinct is to jump in doing something.

Its a learning curve for all of us.

I am glad to hear that things got better for him after gallstone surgery. I hope his cycles stay very very mild and very very few in between with great long painfree time. I pray for you and him that he would suddenly stop getting these cycles. It can happen, at least for several years.

Take care.

Hugs


Annette

Title: Re: My Journey
Post by Jackie on Apr 30th, 2007, 8:14pm
You've done a good job by educating yourself.  Your are and always will be your husbands greatest advocate.

Welcome, Shawn....remember, we are always here to help or just listen if you need.

Good luck,
Jackie



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