Posted by Jim H (205.188.198.26) on July 11, 1999 at 20:14:43:
In Reply to: Updat eand Question? posted by Kim Y. on July 11, 1999 at 19:15:12:
Kim,
Take a look at the materials posted at this site. Unless you've become a "chronic" CH sufferer right off the bat, your doctor might want to rule out migraine or some other process first. I'm no expert, but the "typical" pattern would suggest that in 90% of persons having CH, they usually go into remission after a few months. My own episodes last 4-6 weeks. Do you typically have them at night (or whenever it is you've become accustomed to sleeping)? Do they have an acute phase of anywhere from 10 minutes to a few hours? If you can answer "yes" to more of the diagnostic criteria for CH than for migraine or something else, you may have CH.
Don't give up on finding relief. The first doctor I went to many years ago diagnosed me as having trigeminal neuralgia and gave me no viable options short of deadening my facial nerve on a permanent basis. The second diagnosed me with migraines. Be as detailed as you can be with your symptoms, recording them if necessary so that you can describe them to your doctor exactly. Good luck!