Hi, My husband suffers from the most debilitating headachs. It all started back in 83 when a 8 inch cinder block (concreate block) fell from 8 ft and smacked him in the head. The Headachs started. Just little ones at first but in the last 2 years.... I hid the guns.  He had so many mri's...ct scans that he started to glow in the dark.  The results.... Everything is normal.. The Drugs have now triggered Diabeaties. The beast as you all call it  has fangs and has driven him to the edge. The drugs the c-pap machine and the intensity of the thing is killing him. really..... His mental compasity has gone from a photographic to ..well i am lucky if he gets up in the morning and knows his name. Not one Dr. can help him.   His headachs last from 1 day to 8 weeks. Not just the oh my head hurts his are fists in the walls and screaming ones.  Nurologiest and mental health and internial medican Dr's all say the same thing "I don't know" and "Its all in your head" *NO PUN INTENDED*  What can i do to help him other than run when the beast starts kicking his butt.

WOW! Welcome to the board. First off thanks for being a supporter. You guys suffer your own hell trying to stick with us through these damned things.

Has he been diagnosed with Cluster Headaches? Does he have a doctor who has any working knowledge of CH? Very few doctors know much about CH because it's rare and they never see it. If it truly is CH, his first line of defense should be oxygen. Breathing pure 02 will completely stop a headache for me in about 6-8 minutes. Read the oxygen link on the left side of the board, it has to be used correctly to be effective.

There are several effective preventative medications out there. Medications which can reduce the number and the intensity of his attacks. I use lithium, verapamil and topomax are also popular prevents. All require a prescription and close monitoring by a doctor.

For now, get out to your local market and pick up a few
energy drinks." Monster, Rock Star, any which contain the combination of caffeine and taurine. Many can abort or at least substantially reduce the intensity of an attack by chugging one at the first sign of an attack.

Thanks for doing the footwork for him. If it is cluster headaches, this will be his new second home!

Joe

Quite a few clusterheads have suffered head trauma in some form or another.

Has he tried the quiz to check if the symptoms match?

There is a huge amount of knowledge on here. I hope what you find here will help towards him getting some freedom from pain. O2 helps a lot of people.

Good idea to get rid of the guns altogether.

The advice I have been given in helping my wife support me is to talk through what will help. Be nearby. Hold his hand afterwards. Talk about it. If it is clusters then coming here will help you find some control, the pitfalls of medication and some sound advice on aborts and support.

Best wishes to you both,

Ellick.

Hi and welcome.

Sounds like you need to find a neuro that is educated in Cluster Headaches.

As previously stated,  have him take the "cluster quiz" (link is on the left side of your screen)

Both of you need to read all you can from this site and arm yourself with as much info as possible to help you talk to the Dr.

We all know how much this condition sucks, but never forget, It can't kill you.

Best of luck to the both of you.

                                             JPC

Since the headaches are the result, it appears, of a major head injury, it would be entirely inappropriate for us to offer any treatment advice.

Here, we are affected by cluster headache--as a primary headache--that is, a headache not associated with, or caused by, another disease or disorder. What is appropriate for CH may quite inappropriate for your husband.

I can only suggest that you find a good headache specialist who would work with the docs who have been treating your husband's major injuries.
------

LOCATING HEADACHE SPECIALIST

1. Search the OUCH site (button on left) for a list of recommended M.D.s.

2. Yellow Pages phone book: look for "Headache Clinics" in the M.D. section and look under "neurologist" where some docs will list speciality areas of practice.

3.  Call your hospital/medical center. They often have an office to assist in finding a physician. You may have to ask for the social worker/patient advocate.

4. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE  On-line screen to find a physician.

5. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE Look for "Physician Finder" search box.  Call 1-800-643-5552; they will send a list of M.D.s for your state.I suggest using this source for several reasons: first, we have read several messages from people who, even seeing neurologists, are unhappy with the quality of care and ATTITUDES they have encountered; second, the clinical director of the Jefferson (Philadelphia) Headache Clinic said, in late 1999, that upwards of 40%+ of U.S. doctors have poor training in treating headache and/or hold attitudes about headache ("hysterical female disorder") which block them from sympathetic and effective work with the patient; third, it's necessary to find a doctor who has experience, skill, and a set of attitudes which give hope of success. This is the best method I know of to find such a physician.