:'(Hello everyone, My name is Dale. I am new here so if I make a mistake please let me know. Unfortunately technology left me at pong. This is a sad day for me. I started a new cycle of cluster Headaches about 3 days ago. The real sad part is that I am 60yrs old and my last encounter with these things was nine years ago. I thought they had left me for good buuut noooo. I found this site and read some of the things you guys do to make the demon go away for awhile and have tried them. They seem the work for awhile but they are like the Borg(yes I am a star trek fan) they seem to assimilate the procedure into their collective and the next time that will not work. The only thing I have not tried is a bullet but I am not ready for that as I am in the middle of building a workshop/mancave. I am sadden at the fact that this site is here because it means there are are more souls like me suffering the same fate and at the same time I am grateful for this site because I know I am not alone. I apologize beforehand if I offend anyone with my rants but if I do you just offend me right back.

Hello Dale and welcome.

I don't know why you're apologizing.  You said nothing offensive at all.   :)

If it has been nine years, can you remember if you had oxygen as an abortive back then?  There's a link to the left of here in yellow, please read it and ask your Dr. for a prescription for it.  Make sure he writes it for a regulator that goes to 25 lpm.  It is our most trusted abortive.  If I can get to it at the first twinge ..I can abort in about 10 to 12 mins.   

"live long and prosper"  Dale    ;)

G'day Dale, and welcome home.

Ouch......appearing after a 9 year remission...that bites. :'( Oxygen....and how we use it, is still the biggest thing since sliced bread. If you haven't tried it, or even if you have previously used oxygen....please read the oxygen info tab on the left. It's made a real posistive difference in a lot of people's lives.

JOe

I am retired military and was close to a milatary hospital when an attack occured(I refuse to call these things a headache). I went to the E.R. and scared the hell out of everyone there. This first thing they did was shot me full of demerol and then put me on oxygen. That did not slow me up. Finally the attack was over as quick as it came and because of the Demerol I was left with a real warm fuzzy feeling. I had had these before and tried to explain what was happening but they could not believe a headache could cause that much pain so I was stuck into the hospital for 5 days where they just kept feeding me Demerol even though they could see it did not work. Cant say I minded the feeling when the attack was over but was not the answer. They finally sent me home with Imitrex injections with a good luck. About 3or 4 days later the attacks left me and resumed my normal operations. This leads to a question. When the attacks go into remission does anyone notice a large bruise on thier forehead.

Quote:

When the attacks go into remission does anyone notice a large bruise on thier forehead.

Not me.

What is remission?   ;D





Also, the only time I have a bruise on my forehead is when I've been banging my head into the drywall.

Dale,

Sorry you're here, but glad you found us.

In the past nine years, there have been a LOT of improvements in our treatments.

O2 is what MOST (nothing works for all of us) of us use as a first defense. On HIGH flow rates (15-25 liters per minute with a non-rebreater mask or better yet one you can order from the CH.com store - better fit. Or the demand valve with a higher flow rate). Then there are the preventatives - lithium, verapamil and topamax (others, but these are the most popular ones here). Imitrex or cafergot work for MOST if the O2 doesn't.

Red Bull (or an energy drink with at least 1000mg of taurine in it) sometimes works to abort an attack if you get it when you first feel it coming on.

Demerol is useless (as you've seen). Most of us see red when we hear of a doc giving that as an abort. A cup of coffee will work better.

We're NOT doctors, but you'll find more information on this site than in most medical schools and probably more knowledge about CH. We're the ones who SUFFER and we've got years of research (since '97 when this site was put online). We can only say what works for US and remember what works for one may not work for someone else... finding what works for YOU may take some trail and error till you find your magic bullet.

But we're here and on "call" for ya..

Welcome to Clusterville and a family who UNDERSTANDS....

Hugs BD :-*

Thank you Barbara. I will be getting some RedBull tomorrow. A friend of mine who does not know about ch ask if I thought some happy smoke might work. Since I have not seen any post on this I assume it does not. Has anybody tried this. I dont smoke but willing to try anything that does not kill me.

It's good to meet you Dale but I'm sorry it has to be in response to this horror.

Lots of good info here and yours was a good post. Good luck and let us know how things are going.

Charlie

Pot will have the opposite effect you seek. THC is a vasodilator, and we all need a vasoconstrictor - like caffeine.

Hey Dale,

Welcome aboard.  I'm retired military as well.

Assuming you've a diagnosis for cluster headache, you're going to need a prescription for oxygen therapy.  It's covered under TriCare as an abortive for cluster headaches and the following link will give you the "How To" gouge:

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

If you can get to a military doc, have him check with a flight surgeon if he's unsure about your request and don't settle for an Rx written for anything less than an oxygen flow rate of 15 liters/minute with a non-rebreathing mask. 

Physicians trained in aerospace medicine understand aviation physiology so aren't spooked by higher oxygen flow rates...  If at all possible push for one written for 25 liters/minute. 

If the doc still looks at you like you have two heads when you ask for the higher oxygen flow rates, give him or her the info in the above link.

Take care, hang in there, and check your PM.  I've left you some additional info.

V/R, Batch

Hey Dale Sorry tohear that. Noone at 60 should have to deal with these. Im 35 and it is too much for me. Hang in there man any CH that doesn't kill you just makes you tougher. Dan

Welcome Dale... I can't give you any more info than have already been given... O2

Peace & Blessings
LadyLuv

Dale wrote on Aug 29^th, 2010 at 6:56pm:

Thank you Barbara. I will be getting some RedBull tomorrow. A friend of mine who does not know about ch ask if I thought some happy smoke might work. Since I have not seen any post on this I assume it does not. Has anybody tried this. I dont smoke but willing to try anything that does not kill me.

It is about the worst thing ever for me, I will never try that again.  It just made the pain worse, and I was to "out of it" to know what to do.  Misery.

Yeah I tried that once or twice - not a great idea  ::)

Warm welcome, Dale!

I'm so sorry that ch found you again - but the good news is that you already know that it's possible to have a long remission. That can happen again - and soon, I hope. :)

And I'm glad that you found your way here. This is the best site for clusterheads, you can always find support, tips and advices right here. :)

Welcome & lots pain free (PF) time!

Sanna