Public Cluster Headache Diaries
If you are a sufferer, then you know what these members are going through.
Intensity Scale (adapted from the 'Kip scale')
0. No pain, life is beautiful
1. Very minor, shadows come and go. Life is still beautiful
2. More persitent shadows
3. Shadows are getting constant but can deal with it
4. Starting to get bad, want to be left alone
5. Still not a "pacer" but need space
6. Need to pace and move and drive your fist into your temple
7. Pretty bad, left feeling exhausted after it finally leaves.
8. Time to scream, yell, curse, head bang, rock, whatever works.
9. The "Why me?" syndrome starts to set in. Fear that it won't stop.
10. Major pain, screaming, head banging, Hospital trip. Depressed. Suicidal.
Blog / Diaries
Click a member's name to view their Cluster Diary.
Roger
| 14/07/2010 -- 10:00am - 11:10am |
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 2
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| again, really mild. I took nothing and did nothing for it except press my fingers into my temple to ease it. |
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| 14/07/2010 -- 10:00am - 10:20am |
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| 7
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| ok, I spoke too soon, but I got in the car again wrapped in a blanket, and let the aircon hit my head on max cold, high speed and took deep fast breaths of it until it made me light headed, and it got rid of it in 20 mins. This is good because I also have the steeringwheel there to bang my head on while I do it. This method also stops me from becoming completely exhausted from them and doesnt leave shadows for the rest of the day. |
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| 14/07/2010 -- 9:35am - 10:05am |
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| 9
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| This time I got into the car, set the air-con up to full and max cold put my head up to the vent and breathed it in, and let it blast the side of my head. I had to be wrapped up in a blanket due to the cold and the coldness hurt my fingers while they were massaging my temple, but the coldness didn't hurt my face, and I am pretty sure that by deep breathing the cold air, I ended it a lot sooner than it would have otherwise. I think that breathing faster than normal also helps as it sends extra oxygen to your brain, which causes your brain to constrict the dilated blood vessels in an attempt to limit the amount of oxygen it gets. So I was pretty happy that it only lasted 30 mins. When I get one and the sumatriptan doesnt work (I took 2 nasal sprays this morning and they didnt work) all I can really do is hope that the attack doesnt last long. |
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| 14/07/2010 -- 12:35am - 1:20am |
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| 9
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| it came back! 2 hours after the previous one started to the minute, and lasting the same amount of time, 45 mins. It's hell, it feels like I am dying. I can't get into a sitting position that helps, and I can't squeeze or press my head in a way that relieves the pain, although I keep trying. Sometimes I freeze thinking that whatever convoluted way I am applying pressure to my head at that point in time might actually be helping, but then it fights back with even more force, reducing me to a whimpering pile of agony again. BAM! BAM BAM! 3 successive shards of extra sharp pain above my eye for even thinking of trying to make it stop. I feel like I'm going to throw up. I can't sit still, Time is the only thing that will bring relief. It's now 1:30am and I'm scared to go back to sleep because it feels like it brings it on. A friend told me the other day that he really doesn't know how I handle it all. Me either. |
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| 14/07/2010 -- 9:15am - 9:25am |
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| 8
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| 2nd nasal spray worked. 1st went down the throat again. |
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| 14/07/2010 -- 08:30am - 08:35am |
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| 1
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| aborted with Sumatriptan |
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| 14/07/2010 -- 06:15pm - 06:20pm |
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| 1
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| aborted with Sumatriptan |
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| 14/07/2010 -- 09:15pm - 09:45pm |
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| 8
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| Sumatriptan taken too late |
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| 14/07/2010 -- 10:45pm - 11:10pm |
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| 7
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| 14/07/2010 -- 11:15am - 12:45pm |
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| 6
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| 14/07/2010 -- 04:20 - 04:40 |
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| 2
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| 14/07/2010 -- 6:00pm - 6:55pm |
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| 3
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| 14/07/2010 -- 11:00am - 11:30am |
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| 4
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