Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register
Clusterheadaches.com
 
Search box updated Dec 3, 2011... Search ch.com with Google!
  HomeHelpSearchLoginRegisterEvent CalendarBirthday List  
 





Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print
Posted here a long time ago... (Read 990 times)
Neil Crawford
CH.com Newbie
*
Offline


I Love CH.com!


Posts: 1
Alameda, CA
Gender: male
Posted here a long time ago...
Oct 14th, 2016 at 5:27pm
 
...so long that it appears my user name is lost to the history books.  No biggie, I don't recall having much to say in the past beyond "I want this to stop" and "I need this to stop" and "please stop".

Sigh.

Mine started back in roughly 1995-6.  I have a damn vivid memory of my very first attack (won't go into details right now 'cause it'll just take too long).

Since then they've struck every handful of years.  Shortest break was maybe 6-8 months, longest was 4 years (which is, unfortunately, broken now).

My cycles don't tend to have a tremendous amount of regularity.  There are some constants (food/beverage triggers, hitting in the middle of the night, pain exactly behind left eyebrow, droopy eyelid, congestion, yada) but the duration, timing and frequency aren't all that regular.

The pain sure is though.

Anyway...totally rambling now...

This cycle has been "odd".  Very slow start (have had a couple 0 headache days since the first one on 9/30) and I typically get them both day and night (only night this time). 

Also it's the first time I've had them since I've been married.  I didn't know my wife the last time I had 'em so she's new to all this.  She's trying and I love her for it.  It's hard though.

Anyway...yeah.  I hate this.  I'm so flipping tired.  I want to just crawl into bed and sleep but am so scared to do so.  Got the O2 sitting nearby.  I'm mentally prepared (well, as mentally prepared as I can be).  Staying strong and telling myself that this WILL pass...that pain is only temporary...that I've gone through this plenty of times before...

I just really really @#$%ing miss sleep Sad

So welcome back pain.  I remember you.  I will never forget you.  I know you...I've known you a long time.  I can deal with you.  I'll win.
Back to top
  
 
IP Logged
 
Bob Johnson
CH.com Alumnus
***
Offline


"Only the educated are
free." -Epictetus


Posts: 5965
Kennett Square, PA (USA)
Gender: male
Re: Posted here a long time ago...
Reply #1 - Oct 15th, 2016 at 10:41am
 
Since your cycles are irregular and brief you may like to try this one. I found it so qicklly and consistently effective that it replaced any other treatment.

Might ask you doc for a sampe for 1 or 2 uses will be sufficient to find out if it's effective for you. Another plus: really inexpesive and I found it 100% effective in 20-minutes.
=======
Headache 2001 Sep;41(8):813-6 

Olanzapine as an Abortive Agent for Cluster Headache.


Rozen TD.
Department of Neurology, Jefferson Headache Center/Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate olanzapine as a cluster headache abortive agent in an open-label trial. BACKGROUND: Cluster headache is the most painful headache syndrome known. There are very few recognized abortive therapies for cluster headache and fewer for patients who have contraindications to vasoconstrictive drugs. METHODS: Olanzapine was given as an abortive agent to five patients with cluster headache in an open-label trial. THE INITIAL OLANZAPINE DOSE WAS 5 MG, AND THE DOSE WAS INCREASED TO 10 MG IF THERE WAS NO PAIN RELIEF. THE DOSAGE WAS DECREASED TO 2.5 MG IF THE 5-MG DOSE WAS EFFECTIVE BUT CAUSED ADVERSE EFFECTS. To be included in the study, each patient had to treat at least two attacks with either an effective dose or the highest tolerated dose. RESULTS: Five patients completed the investigation (four men, one woman; four with chronic cluster, one with episodic cluster). Olanzapine reduced cluster pain by at least 80% in four of five patients, and TWO PATIENTS BECAME HEADACHE-FREE AFTER TAKING THE DRUG. Olanzapine typically alleviated pain within 20 minutes after oral dosing and treatment response was consistent across multiple treated attacks. The only adverse event was sleepiness. CONCLUSIONS: Olanzapine appears to be a good abortive agent for cluster headache. IT ALLEVIATES PAIN QUICKLY AND HAS A CONSISTENT RESPONSE ACROSS MULTIPLE TREATED ATTACKS. IT APPEARS TO WORK IN BOTH EPISODIC AND CHRONIC CLUSTER HEADACHE.

PMID 11576207 PubMed
------
P.S. I experienced 100% relief, contrary to the limitation noted in the report.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Olanzapine has a brand name of "Zyprexa" and is a antipsychotic. Don't be put off by this primary usage. Several of the drugs used to treat CH are cross over applications, that is, drugs approved by the FDA for one purpose which are found to be effective with unrelated conditions--BJ.
=====
Back to top
  

Bob Johnson
 
IP Logged
 
DennisM1045
CH.com Alumnus
***
Offline


One wave at a time!


Posts: 3437
Haverhill, Massachusetts, USA
Gender: male
Re: Posted here a long time ago...
Reply #2 - Oct 17th, 2016 at 6:35am
 
Welcome back Neil!

Sounds like your well armed and experienced. Our first cycle started at roughly the same time. I've just come off a 3 year break which is the longest ever.

Supporters have such a tough, scary, unwanted job. It's hard to watch someone you love battle something they cannot see or really understand. My wife and I have been married for 36 years. So she knew me before CH and throughout my 12 year search for something to help. It was some time before she wrapped her head around what was happening and what she could do to help. She's the rock I cling to in the storm but there is only so much she can do. The rest is up to me.

Keep fighting the good fight and kick his ass good.

-Dennis-
Back to top
  

Where there is life, there is hope.
Where there is Oxygen, you must use proper caution.
So be safe, don't smoke while using O2. Kill the pain and not yourself.
dennism1045 dennism1045 524417261 DennisM1045 DennisM1045  
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print

DISCLAIMER: All information contained on this web site is for informational purposes only.  It is in no way intended to be used as a replacement for professional medical treatment.   clusterheadaches.com makes no claims as to the scientific/clinical validity of the information on this site OR to that of the information linked to from this site.  All information taken from the internet should be discussed with a medical professional!