Posted by Dave W (24.95.97.40) on July 26, 1999 at 01:34:42:
Group,
When I was posting my "caution" to A Dame's note about using nitrous, I remembered another medicine we can't get that worked for me once. I was in my opthalmologist's chair having my eyes examined when a CH (level 9+) struck. I told him what was happening, and he tilted my head back and put two drops in each of my eyes and told me to let him know when the headache went away. In about 15 seconds it was toast. Totally pain free.
I told him, of course, that if he didn't give me the bottle of eye drops to take home, I would break his fingers. He explained that it was 4% cocaine solution, and he couldn't give it away -- but he had grown accustomed to using them over the years, since he had found that his retinal exams (with the really bright light) often trigger migraines or cluster headaches. He said cocaine is the most powerful vasoconstrictor he has, and since most of the abortive medicines for migraines and clusters do the same thing, he has always had good luck with his patients by dropping some in their eyes.
Note: I'm not advising anyone to go out and get coked up. It's better to keep the CH's as your number one problem than to have them bumped down the list by addiction, jail, and heart problems. Just passing on an anecdote and an explanation from a really old doctor (I swear he's been practicing since God's dog was just a puppy).
Anyhow, I'm pain free for about 8 days now as I try my last tapering dose of prednisone that the docs will let me have this summer. Doing verapamil too, hope it will keep the demon away when the prednisone's gone.
Please, again, don't go out and get nose candy because of my post. I'll feel really bad if you do!!!
Love and Pain Free Days to All,
Dave