I'm a survivor!

You are also a survivor and a warrior.

You are a warrior or you wouldn't be reading this missive from a survivor.

Warrior!

The battle plan is what works for you. We have recon, skirmishes, battle reports and, above all, strategy.

I'm a survivor of pain that caused me to pound my head on a carpeted cement floor, because that distraction was a break from the "I want to kill myself," pain of the clusters. Good thing it was carpeted or I would have shed buckets of blood. I only shed carpet rash quantities of scabs. I've stroked the trigger of a shotgun and vaguely remembered the folks that depended on me.


Warrior!

Strategy!

I've wandered around and about the web since before AlGore invented it. (grin)

I found a very supportive bunch of folks when I posted an "I'm at the end of my rope,"  note on a usenet group.

"I'm at the end of my rope."

No You Are Not! You are not alone!

It's a long rope. We are the knots that help you get a grip on the dang thing.

"You are not alone." (hiya Karen, Ronnie, Sage, Jane, Bob, Bear)

theneanderthal, as named by riverun.

Pat

Saddle up! This aint no 8 second ride.

Well I certainly agree with your sentiment, but I am curious. What has been your cluster headache odyssey? Telling your story would not only build credence here, it often helps others who are experiencing similar things. Blessings. lance

Hi and welcome

It sounds like you've got a good understanding of the "pain vs suffering" aspect that is often tough for people with CH to understand.

Tell us more about your CH, what works, what doesn't and people may be able to give you some suggestions to try that might help you.

Thanx for the welcome.

I'm a 58yo white male with a history of migraine since childhood, a 10 plus year tale of chronic CH, a periodic, episodic CH lasting 8yrs, an apparently random relapse or two out of nowhere for a month or two. Then a relapse of 6 months or so as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.I think. I have been in remission for three years or so but the shadows still threaten, along with an occasional icepick lasting for but a moment. I still get an occasional migraine,
oddly on the opposite side



I'm out of work, permanently, due to disabilities, probably unrelated to CH, and find myself with some time to maybe offer some support to clusterheads.

I was around to provide some of the first links this site offered to fellow travelers.



I picked those links up at ASHM. That would be, alt.support.headaches.migraine. Back then, round about 1994 or so, the usenet, listerve, was a really big deal. It was all we had.

I posted an, "I'm at the end of my rope" missive and was promptly admonished! I was also welcomed and hugged.

Thanx to Bob and Karen I became aware just how long the rope could be and that I was not alone. That options were
available.



I was branded "not just a neanderthal but theneanderthal" by an obviously suffering member.



Just think, theneanderthal, the neanderthal! I got a promotion from some dumb guy to *the!*

The narcotic meds were readily available and offered but temporary relief. The narcotic meds in fact induced CH to keep on coming. SRI's helped, cafergot and cafergot PB helped, Imetrex nasal helped when it became available. I sucked on the oxygen side of the rig I used for brazing refridgeration piping. And I coped as best I could.

So I will check in every now and then, and toss a lifeline when
I feel I can help.

Pat in Florida.