I wanted to comment on the Imitrex injections- I am severely allergic. During my decade of trying to be diagnosed- to have a doctor believe I wasnt a drug addict or crazy or faking- one of them prescribed me the Imitrex injection.
It caused me to vomit, then feel like an elephant had sat on my chest- it was so hard to breathe, I really thought I was going to die. I also became so hot, I sat outside right in a snow bank without a coat on, trying to cool off. The inability to breathe was so scary, I asked my husband to watch me while I slept, in case I stopped breathing completely.
Before I was diagnosed with clusters, one doctor prescribed me some opioid-based nasal spray that they give to amputees for phantom pain. That didn't work either. I had one doctor look at another, and say, "Prescribe her a placebo." I broke down right then and there, I suppose he didnt expect me to know what a placebo was.
The doctor who diagnosed my cluster headaches ( if you want to read what they are, here is a perfect description:
http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/tc/cluster-headaches-topic-overview ) was my savior. I was so grateful, just to finally have a name, a diagnosis, and someone who believed me that I cried and cried.
It was hardest to explain because they are the most excruciating agony ever- but go away and I can be fine sometimes fifteen minutes after they hit, sometimes four hours later. I get them in cycles, and havent had any since my stroke *knock on wood*, but they cycle from a cluster every hour or so for days to several times a night, every day, to nothing for six months, etc. They start out infrequently and peak at almost constant.
I was put on something once that slows brain activity, lol..nothing like a blonde without a thought in her head..lol..
I was so angry because I knew what I wanted to say, but I couldnt find the words to say it. (not normal, "can't remember the word", but trying to recall the word, "ice", or "traffic", etc.) Worst of all, it didn't stop the pain.
When I am in a cycle, almost everything is a trigger- barometric pressure, alcohol, food, air, sleep, etc. The only thing I can do is ride it out or hope the four pain pills I popped right at the onset, will kick in and I can endure.
A cycle of descending prednisone dosages is what the doctors prescribe me. Gain ten pounds- lose the cycle. Given a choice, I will always choose the ten pounds. Then after the steroids, the neuro has me take elavil- but I never stay on that, because I need to be able to think. My patients depend on my brain. (so does my family).
Good luck to everyone and anyone who suffers from head pain- and if you don't have a doctor who can help you, keep looking, dont stop. Eventually, you will find one.
