unsure????

08 Feb, 2012 - 11:23 am

Hello to all,
fortunately I am not a sufferer of from what I can see a quite painfull, horrible illness, unfortunatly I think my husband does.
We have been in and out of the emergency room and GP offices for the better part of two months now. My husband has been unwell for about 6-8 months and has undergone all the tests in the world. He was diagnosed with CMV (cytomegalovirus) which affects the immune system and basically causes fatigue. This we could handle but since December 31 he has been experiencing severe headaches which start behind his right eye and cause pain down his neck and across his shoulders. Nothing he takes will help the headache and the pain just intensifies until he is holding his head in agony, loses his balance and begs me to kill him. Generally we end up in hospital with them giving him every drug they can think of to lesson the pain and nausea. After the pain subsides (usually after a few hours) he is weak and very sleepy. He will be ok for a couple of days and then he will get another one, and back to the hospital we go. The time before last night/this morning they did a lumbar puncture and said he was suffering from meningitis and kept him in hospital for over a week, he was doing ok but woke up at 2am with the same intense headache. The Dr in emergency suggested cluster headaches and sent him home with a script for sumatriptan. Does this sound slightly familiar to anyone, the information about cluster headaches seems to fit. We are just so desperate for answers. I wish I could take the pain for him it hurts me to see him suffer. I suffer from migraines so I can not even imagine the pain he feels.

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08 Feb, 2012 - 6:38 pm

Hi there,
I found some useful info on The Mayo Clinic site. ( www.mayoclinic.com ). Very sorry to hear about your husband. I have been suffering with these things for over 20 yearsand have only now found something that manages them. Good luck guys.
Rob

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08 Feb, 2012 - 8:30 pm

Hi and sorry to here of your husbands suffering.
Sumatiptam (imigran) is one of the main stays in treating cluster headaches and works very well for some and not for others
There are many different meds that can be used to try and get relief from CH.
The best idea is to get a decent doctor who is up with both correct diagnosis and treatment of CH.
There are some listings on the left under practitioners and would be worth contacting one of them if they are handy to your location.
You will find great support in here from people that understand the pain that your husband is going through and also from others that support those that suffer.
As for taking the pain for him I have to say that you really really don't want to do that ... I would not with this pain of CH on my worst enemy let alone someone I care about.
Good luck and never be afraid to ask questions in here as there is some incredibly knowlegable people in here and some great information.
Regards
Chris

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14 Feb, 2012 - 3:14 pm

Hello
I am sorry I don't have a name for you or your husband.
As you will see from our disclaimer we are not medicos here.
My best advice for you and your husband is to seek good medical attention and diagnosis as Chris above has said.
Certainly Imigran can relieve pain in headaches, but what you need is what is causing the pain--I would be seeking a referal to a neurologist and quickly.
This is the best advice that you can be given at this stage.
Read the information on the left with regard to oxygen. This could be of help if you get to the hospital quickly.
Keep in contact with us.
Heather

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