Posted by KATRINA (63.237.141.5) on March 28, 2001 at 06:03:21:
My husband has had CH, chronic for about 13 "diagnosed" years. He has gone the distance with the medications and O2,seems the most effective for him has been lithium and topamax combo. Upon his first of the year bad bout the neuro gave him Ambian & Amerge to take at bedtime with the thought that if you are sleeping you won't feel pain.
Good thought, but the concept does not work for sure if you do not try it. I understand completly what you folks mean when you say that your pain can not be bad if you are not willing to make concesions to try things that might help you.
Anyway, I am wondering if there is any common feelings of extreme anxiety (beyond the norm) when life events, like going to dentist, and just normal life necessities occur with you. It just seems that my husband has turned into a "hermit" of sorts. He has not worked in 6 years, has not been in pain during all this time, however is fearful of it recurring and quite embarassed to be around people if it does occur. He has not driven any measurable distance since the onset of Clusters. These are not problems that he does not do these things, we are able to survive and thank God for the health insurance we have.
It seems that he has resigned himself to his life being just how it is. He came from a family with alchol problems, and this is the one thing in life he does not give up. This is something I do not understand after all this time either.
I do not want to come to you folks and whine as if I do not understand what you go through, but it does sadden me that so many of you folks have strong attitudes about not letting the demon take your life from you and I so wish that my husband could feel just a little of the fight.
Anyway the whole purpose of even trying (for second time) to make this post is because he is having his teeth removed very soon, and it is only because for the past 13 years he has not been able to sit in dentist chair to have things done when they were needed. He is very hesitant about it but does realize it is time or they will all rot out. He is so fearful that clusters will come during procedures, and he agonizes over every step that takes place. It is necessary for him to drink 6 days out of 7 rather than the usual 3-4 out of 7. Like many, the only time alcohol affects the number of headaches is when he is in cycle, and the cycle has been over since the middle of January (thanks to going back on lithium) and since then there have been a couple 10K but nothing regular. He continues to drink, says it is to sleep. He has not slept more than 2-3 hours a day in many years and this in itself would make me a miserable person. He gets angry because I can sleep, but I am always there for him when things are bad and he needs me.
Anyway, I am rambling on, and actually I just want to know if any of you folks have the similar problems with anxiety about doing anything that you know you have to, and how you cope.
Thanks for any input, and I hope that someday very soon something real promising happens to help eliviate all of your pain that you folks endure.