Posted by margi on November 25, 1998 at 15:33:28:
In Reply to: Can we do more? posted by Holly on November 25, 1998 at 14:33:22:
Hi Holly,
I, too, am the wife of a sufferer for 20 years. The biggest relief we have found has been from this board. We have tried all the drugs - he has quickly built up immunities to all of them. Another particularly bad bout this fall but he seems to be coming out of the cycle now.
The best thing we have tried yet is drinking a glass of water every 1/2 - 1 hour while awake and then when he wakes in the night, another glass. I don't really understand why this works but within two days (and his cycle was peaking at the time) he was almost headache free. Next, we used Gravol (a motion sickness pill like Dramamine) that causes sleep as a side effect and therefore prevents the middle of the night attacks and usually the first one in the morning. It prevents the user from going into the REM phase of sleep which is usually when the h/a would hit, just after REM sleep, so I thought well let's just prevent that REM sleep and it's worked for us.
Additionally, I keep 3 gel-filled ice packs in my freezer at all times. He applies this to the back of his neck at the onset and it calms him down and he is able to deal better with the pain.
Inhaling pure oxygen has been able to avert an attack but we have not been able to find a doctor in Calgary, Canada who will prescribe it. Using a tank from a welding supply set that has a regulator on it.
Best of luck to you both and believe me, there is lots of support to be gained from this message board so just keep reading. I completely understand your frustration so if you ever want to e-mail me directly just to chat, I don't mind.
Pain free days ahead for your hubby.
Margi