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kaboom

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Everything posted by kaboom

  1. At age 19, I began having what I used to describe as a "brain freeze" headache - like when you drink a slushie too fast (Dumb and Dumber movie). It only happened occasionally and only in the a.m.. It would wake me up from my sleep and go away after I got up and started moving around/coffee. Everything changed after the birth of my first daughter. The headaches began to hit me several times per day when she was three days old. I had an epidural and always associated their onset with that. I was not diagnosed (what, I'm not an over 40yr old male with ruddy skin and a heavy smoker/drinker?). I had them off and on for a while then had break.  After the birth of my second daughter they started again (epidural).  I had a great neurologist, but didn't get diagnosed until I brought him info I found on clusterheadaches.com since my cluster pain/symptoms were morphing with migraines and tension headaches. Ch's stayed episodic for about 3 more years then turned chronic. I've been chronic for a little over 8 years. Interestingly, I never had even one CH during pregnancy.Â
  2. I love it! You know, sometimes we have to look for reasons to smile. My girls have yet to master the skill of blowing people off when they tell stories of migraines "just like your Mom" and how they cure them with Excederine and a nap.  They are soooooo defensive! I swear one of these days they are going to scrap it out and floor someone over this! I'm trying to teach them patience, but it does make me smile knowing they are in my corner. My oldest daughter, sidekick, just joined this site last night. Seeing her put her feelings and thoughts into writing for the public to see was touching. As a parent w CH's, I sometimes feel like such a failure over the events I've missed or had to leave early from, asking them to help me pack my head in ice, bring me my 02 tank, etc.. But, after reading her post, I feel differently - I'm trying to see things from her side.  1961mom, your son sounds like a remarkable young man. Hopefully, we will all get to meet each other some day!  Â
  3. Tingeling, my heart hurts for you. I understand the deep fear of thinking that we may have unknowingly passed on a defect to our children. I love my girls more than I've ever loved any thing else in my life. My girls are ages 16 and 12. I've protected them as much as possible from seeing me suffer. I didn't know it at the time, but my oldest saw me with about a level 9 last year. We were watching tv and I suddenly excused myself so I could go to my room. Sudden exits are a common thing for me as I've had clusters ever since they were born. I try to pretend nothing is wrong, but, you are right, they do KNOW. This was a particularly bad attack and I couldn't handle being confined to my bedroom so I went outside to dance. After 20 minutes of pacing barefoot in the rain and mud with an 02 bottle, praying, screaming, cussing, begging, crying, pulling out my hair, and clutching my eye it finally ended. I snuck back into my room, pulled myself back together the best I could, and then joined my girls again watching tv as if nothing had happened. That evening, my oldest daughter confronted me. She had watched me through the blinds when I had my attack. She felt horrified and helpless but she did not regret what she saw. She's now my biggest supporter - my sitter when I dose. My youngest hasn't seen as much, or know exactly what I take for a treatment - I've just told her it's an experimental medicine that makes me loopy. She's my other sitter. During one of my recent "breakdowns" - I sobbed uncontrollably while expressing to them that I would never forgive myself if I passed this curse on to them. I literally pray to God and beg him to spare my children from this. They sat beside me, looked me the eye, held my hand and lovingly told me that never, ever should I feel that way because it is not my fault. Deep inside, I know that, but it warmed my heart heart to hear them say it. My girls are my heroes.  I hope you find a doctor to help your daughter. My oldest started having severe headaches at age 5 - crying, screaming, anger, throwing up, no sleep. They did an MRI and it came back okay. She has frequent migraines which are aggravated by allergies and barometric pressure changes. I hate that I cannot take them away. But I can help her cope, just like she helps me cope. For me, part of coping is trying to see something positive in every situation I experience. Whether it's clusters and/or migraines, our pain has led us to discover our inner strength, develop empathy, and become very grateful.Â
  4. I've never all of a sudden become nauseous in the middle of a cluster. I do have many days when I am nauseous all day long. No vomiting. It starts up after I've had a string a several days in a row of getting slammed relentlessly. In my case, I believe it's from exhaustion, stress, and my stomach being tore up from excessive excederin/coffee/energy drinks. My stomach just hurts and I have very little appetite.
  5. I've done all sorts of color to my hair since I was a teenager (many moons ago) - highlights, lowlights, bleach, dye - you name it, I've probably done it. I haven't noticed any differences between when I color a lot or when I go natural for a long period of time.
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