Hi,

I'm only in the 8th week of my 1st cycle and seem to have been diagnosed extremely quickly. I was just wondering if the GP should have caried out any test to rule out anything else causing these headaches. I have all the syptoms of cluster headaches but the only test the GP has done is checking my BP. Other than the pain and all the other things that come with it (watering eye etc) I am perfectly well. When asking the GP why they didn't feel like they needed to test me for anything their reply was that between the attacks I was fine and if there was anything to worry about there would be other signs. Is this right?? :-/

There is no specific test for CH. The particular pattern of clinical signs (your experience) is used to make the Dx.

The exception is a brain scan to check for lesions, etc. but finding anything of interest is so uncommon that it's likely not useful. This is a clinical decision which I'd trust your doc to make.

I'm with your Doc on this, too.

I've spent thousands of dollars for tests just to protect the Dr, "Just in case", and most of them repetitive, to no value.

Jerry

8th week is long, clusters have long thought to be related to allergy season, season switching,,, etc etc.

Is it actually getting worse or are you getting better at all in terms of pain?

This last week it has been easier to get rid of the pain only once a day lasting only about 30mins a time (using pain meds and red bull). Also only getting an attack every other day rather than every day.

Crossing my fingers it's on its way out!

Joe

Daniel Cook wrote on Sep 6^th, 2010 at 12:58pm:

8th week is long

Mine are always 8 weeks long.  Hopefully it will soon end.  :)

Mine are usually at least 8 weeks long. My first cycle lasted over 3 1/2 months; the following cycles settled down to 8-10 weeks though.

I am jealous of my sister...hers have always been 6 weeks long and that sounds so much better than 8.  :)

8 weeks doesn't seem that abnormally long to me (my past few episodes have been more like 13 or so weeks).

There are forum members who advocate getting an MRI to rule out other life threatening stuff, but nobody ever thought I should get one, so I haven't. Well in my case, after 30+ years of CH, that would be silly at this point.  :D

Oh well day 5 and the beast returns!!

Had a attack this morning but managed to get rid of it too bad.

What did surprise me was how quickly I forgot the intensity of the pain after been pain free for 4 days it was horrible :'(. Hoping its still on its way out and just wearing off.

Gina2 wrote on Sep 8^th, 2010 at 4:48am:

What did surprise me was how quickly I forgot the intensity of the pain after been pain free for 4 days it was horrible :'(.

Sometimes an underrated understanding of helpful replies is proven established empathetic trust when people truly wish to help in what way they might, and many have been helped.  Cordial attempts to flush out posers is a skill with good intentions.  More blunt responses to deliberate tomfoolery are similar with a mood of tolerance questioning its worthiness to extend.

Welcome, and trust our moderators are paying attention.  ;)

Had a attack this morning but managed to get rid of it too bad.

Was suppossed to read "had an attack this morning but managed to get rid of it within 30min"

Thats what I get trying totype while still inpain can't even put my setences together....

Kevin_M wrote on Sep 8^th, 2010 at 5:43am:

Gina2 wrote on Sep 8th, 2010 at 4:48am: What did surprise me was how quickly I forgot the intensity of the pain after been pain free for 4 days it was horrible :'(. Sometimes an underrated understanding of helpful replies is proven established empathetic trust when people truly wish to help in what way they might, and many have been helped.  Cordial attempts to flush out posers is a skill with good intentions.  More blunt responses to deliberate tomfoolery are similar with a mood of tolerance questioning its worthiness to extend. Welcome, and trust our moderators are paying attention.  ;)

Hi Gina2 and Welcome!

Not to highjack your topic or anything but ...
Kevin you really need to write a book!  ;)

Gina2 wrote on Sep 8^th, 2010 at 6:35am:

trying totype while still inpain can't even put my setences together....

I find it tough posting as polished when not in pain.     ;)

Kevin_M wrote on Sep 8^th, 2010 at 6:59am:

Gina2 wrote on Sep 8th, 2010 at 6:35am: trying totype while still inpain can't even put my setences together.... I find it tough posting as polished when not in pain.     ;)

I've heard of many different things that writers do to get them to write but I could never imagine the pain from a CH being one of them!

Gina,

You might want to ask you doc for an Rx for oxygen therapy.  It's a lot easier on you than pain meds, less costly, and it's better than 80% effective if you can get the Rx written for a flow rate of 15 to 25 liters/minute.

The following link will give you the "How To" obtain a properly written Rx for oxygen therapy with a non-rebreathing mask:

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

If your doc looks at you like you have two heads, hand him the printouts at the end of the above link.

Take care,

V/R, Batch

Quote:

Sometimes an underrated understanding of helpful replies is proven established empathetic trust when people truly wish to help in what way they might, and many have been helped.  Cordial attempts to flush out posers is a skill with good intentions.  More blunt responses to deliberate tomfoolery are similar with a mood of tolerance questioning its worthiness to extend. Welcome, and trust our moderators are paying attention.

We're paying attention Kevin, but I don't see anything wrong here.  "Splain it to me Lucy"    :o

Then you're paying attention.    ;)

Have I said anything to offend anyone Linda??

Don't really understand why Ive been told the moderators are watching. :-/

Gina2 wrote on Sep 10^th, 2010 at 3:04am:

Don't really understand why Ive been told the moderators are watching. :-/

Quote:

What did surprise me was how quickly I forgot the intensity of the pain after been pain free for 4 days it was horrible :'(.

Bridging certain thoughts may be construed differently from a world of my own inclined with natural loose wording, sometimes seeming a departure from the mainstream of topics

Your quote directly above instilled understanding and a knowing genuine experience of CH, perhaps a part of inspiration for this site.  What has not appealed here is making light of these experiences emulated by posers, which has happened.  Your quote's expression was not at all perceived or insinuated in such a way. 

Moderators have helped curtail the extent of dislike toward the ungenuine.  Linda's inquiring of understanding demonstrated the omnipresent trust you're assured of by good people that persons as yourself remain a priority.  Surprisingly, infrequent visitors actually going too far have been wisely and gladly minimized or even cut-off from attention.

She even gave consideration to review my Transylvanian Swahili.   :)

Just to let you know a site-prevailing purpose is a priority maintained for you.    :)

Gina2 wrote on Sep 10^th, 2010 at 3:04am:

Have I said anything to offend anyone Linda?? Don't really understand why Ive been told the moderators are watching. :-/

No, you haven't done anything wrong!  Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain! 

Good luck to you!!

Joni

The only real clinical test a GP or neuro might want to put you through is an MRI of your noggin. This would rule out any conditions that are more evil.

A doc will ask you many, many questions trying to get at a diagnosis for which there is no real test. It's more a process of ruling out what it isn't, if that makes any sense.

One surefire way to be diagnosed is to have an attack in the presence of your physician. Then the frosting on the cake would be to abort it in a matter of minutes by breathing pure oxygen at flow rates high enough to support hyperventilation.

Very few of us have been "fortunate" enough for that to happen.

Do any docs still do the nitro glycerin test?

I was wondering the same thing Thomas...never had it done but had read it would induce an immediate attack in a CH'er...

Joe

Guiseppi wrote on Sep 13^th, 2010 at 10:37am:

I was wondering the same thing Thomas...never had it done but had read it would induce an immediate attack in a CH'er... Joe

Yeah, that is actually the only test FOR CH.  The others just rule out other things. 

Well, problem with nitroglycerin (particularly sublingual or cutaneous paste/gel) is that, really, the majority of people get headaches when they take it.  It's basically just expected that you'll get a headache.

I'm guessing the difference would be the type and/or quality of headache but that would be somewhat subjective and hard to quantify from a medical perspective.

Agostino Leyre wrote on Sep 13^th, 2010 at 10:38am:

Yeah, that is actually the only test FOR CH.  The others just rule out other things.

I don't know - Viagra was a pretty solid test for me (another vasodilator). Oy vey! Put that one in the trash for the rest of my life.

Brew wrote on Sep 13^th, 2010 at 1:54pm:

.......I don't know - Viagra was a pretty solid test for me (another vasodilator).

So you feel that we should try hard to avoid it? Are you standing up firmly against it?

I haven't tried this class of drugs yet, so I wanted get my facts straight.

Marc

Marc you are not a well man! ;D

Interesting question though..as a 50 year old man...this is a class of drugs that will be of interest to me....Brew's experience gives me cause for pause.... :(

Joe

Marc wrote on Sep 13^th, 2010 at 2:44pm:

So you feel that we should try hard to avoid it? Are you standing up firmly against it? I haven't tried this class of drugs yet, so I wanted get my facts straight. Marc

Just for that, I would highly recommend you get your hands on some - keep a stiff upper lip and stand erect when you swallow it. :o

All joking aside (Mr. Smartypants), I explored this route as an effort to counteract the side effects of verapamil a few years ago. Stunningly bad idea.

Marc wrote on Sep 13^th, 2010 at 5:29pm:

But did it last more than 4 hours?

I'm bettin there isn't a line at the E.R,

                     Potter

Potter wrote on Sep 13^th, 2010 at 6:14pm:

Marc wrote on Sep 13th, 2010 at 5:29pm: But did it last more than 4 hours? I'm bettin there isn't a line at the E.R,                      Potter

;D ;D ;D

Joe

Brew wrote on Sep 13^th, 2010 at 3:40pm:

Marc wrote on Sep 13th, 2010 at 2:44pm: So you feel that we should try hard to avoid it? Are you standing up firmly against it? I haven't tried this class of drugs yet, so I wanted get my facts straight. Marc Just for that, I would highly recommend you get your hands on some - keep a stiff upper lip and stand erect when you swallow it. :o All joking aside (Mr. Smartypants), I explored this route as an effort to counteract the side effects of verapamil a few years ago. Stunningly bad idea.

Well I definitely feel I'm among friends now.  Nothing is off limits here  ;D ;D ;D ;D

Also kinda answered some delicate questions (does it, not the medicine I'm talkin about, you know, trigger one?...a headache I mean) I was too embarrassed to ask.    :-[   ;)

Well the good news is...we haven't found much in the way of "off limit" topics here...it's about the only place we can ask a lot of them! ;)

Since the topic is open...has anyone asked their doc's about the problems with the viagra type drugs combined with our imitrex etc.?

Joe

his wife wrote on Sep 13^th, 2010 at 8:33pm:

Also kinda answered some delicate questions (does it, not the medicine I'm talkin about, you know, trigger one?...a headache I mean) I was too embarrassed to ask.    :-[   ;)

Every single time I tried it.

The good news it, no more need now that verapamil is a thing of the past for me.

Ok, all embarassment aside, I'll quit beating around the bush, no pun intended.  I'll spell it out (literally) does S-E-X trigger an A-T-T-A-C-K?

There I asked it and capitalized it so I'm shoutin it from the rooftops!!  (Thank God I'm anonymous)  ;D

For some...yes. :'( Like it doesn't take enough away from your life! I'm fortunate in that it has never been a trigger for me. One more thing you'll just have to keep track of and decide for yourselves if it is a trigger or not.


JOe

Sorry - I thought you meant the Viagra. No, sex itself doesn't trigger attacks for me (at least it didn't back in 1998 when last I tried).

(I'm kidding, honey.)

Agostino Leyre wrote on Sep 13^th, 2010 at 9:06am:

Do any docs still do the nitro glycerin test?

Wouldn't that be cruel?

Joni wrote on Sep 14^th, 2010 at 1:34am:

Agostino Leyre wrote on Sep 13th, 2010 at 9:06am: Do any docs still do the nitro glycerin test? Wouldn't that be cruel?

In a way, yes as if the person has CHs then they'll get a CH, which we know all too well is rather painful.

However if the person doing the test has effective CH abortives, like oxygen and / or imitrex, which are used to cut the CH short then it will result in a rapid diagnosis, with the CH attack cut short, minimising the pain.

I'd rather have gone through this than a load of tests which took time and considerable expense whilst I was having multiple CHs with no effective medication as at the time I'd not got a diagnosis.

So I'd not consider it cruel given that I'd see a net reduction in pain.

Right on Mike.  Ask the people who have had sinus surgeries, tooth extractions, braces, adjustments, and various other un-necessary medical procedures, if they would forego those by just suffering one CH attack in a Dr's office with O2 at the ready.