Close minded Doctors

[LEGION]

Hey Folks,

Last night was terrible, I was hitting the oxygen like there was no tomorrow, indomethacin, vit d, 5 hour energy shot... nothing was helping, I tried to convince my fiance to hit the left side of my head with a hammer, instead of that she forced me to go to the ER-- the ER Doc did another scan, gave me some more oxygen and a shot of morphine, the morphine didn't really help, just made me really sleepy which I was happy for that.

Today I went to my Doc, he wanted to prescribe me oxycodone, I told him NO, which shocked him as most peolple go to him to get PAIN KILLERS to just get high. I explained to him they don't work, only thing they do is constipate me and mess my stomach up. I decided to try and talk to him about the "Busting" method...

That did not go well, he told me, "I've never heard of such nonsense".

I was hoping he would be open minded, figured he would know I'm not seeking a "high" as I turned down the oxycodone. He ended up prescribing me esgic-plus.

Sorry 4 the long post, just wanted to vent to people who know how FUBAR clusters are, most people around me don't understand and try to compare them to migraines, Migraines do not make want to dig my eyeball out and jam a fork in the socket. It just seems the Docs, when they hear the word pain, they just wanna shove pain killers down my throat and call it a day. The few people I've tried to talk to about "Busting" just look down on me and think I'm trying to get a high, but hell, I don't even drink liquor.

I just feel lost and alone most of the time. Once again, sorry 4 the long post, just venting to people who understand.

[Bejeeber]

most people around me don't understand and try to compare them to migraines

Yeah I'm afraid most if not ALL of us are familiar with that sad and tired old routine! 

my Doc, he wanted to prescribe me oxycodone

I sure hope you can get to a good headache specialist sooner than later, Legion, as it's hard to imagine one of them trying to slap the hillbilly heroin on ya - certainly the experience wouldn't be as FUBAR as it is with your current doc.

Glad the girlfriend didn't comply with your hammering instructions. 

[CHfather]

Legion, what's your oxygen system like?  Are you using a "standard" 15 lpm with a "standard" non-rebreather mask?  If so, you'll get much better results with the O2ptimask (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/khxc/) and a higher-flow regulator that permits you to hyperventilate.  In the short run, you could try (a) replacing the reservoir bag on your mask with an unscented turkey bag or large garbage bag; and ( tilting your head down (like you're looking toward your feet) while you're on the O2.  Some people, including a prominent CH doctor, say that helps.

I'm a pretty gentle soul.  I had heard people saying they wanted to kill someone and I had always assumed that was a figure of speech.  Until I had to deal with my daughter's neurologist.  Arrogant, uncaring, stupid monster, that neurologist was.  There's something seriously wrong with your doctor, LEGION, prescribing esgic-plus, which might only help because of the caffeine.  Has he never heard of the internet?  Doesn't he have some kind of prescribing book that would tell him what to prescribe?  To me, he's just another monster.  We can hope that busting will work for you and you won't need the standard meds, but as Jeebs says, it looks like you would want to get to a headache center ASAP to get those meds, if only for future emergency use.

[CHfather]

LEGION, maybe you'd want to share this with your idiot doctor. (Posted just a while ago by MoxieGirl.)

http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/cluster-headaches/print.html

[LEGION]

I've got a 15 lpm and a standard non breather.

I found 2 headache centers here in Louisiana, going to call n the morning and go from there. I just hope they don't cost a arm and a leg, got laid off from work due to cut backs- but if I got to, I'm gonna hit the street corner and sell my body, my fiance is gonna be my she-pimp. There's gotta be some older, lonely ladies who need a male trick (just playing).

My Doc is a older guy whose about to retire in 2 weeks. When the BEAST started I was sent to a neurologist, they had me hooked up to a machine, I watched a screen displaying various colors, shapes, etc. I was told I had 4 lesions on my brain but they were benign. That's when I was told I had CH's, before that I had NEVER even heard of a CH. I was put on prednisone, indometh, oxygen and oxycodone.

As I said before, after about 3 years, I was tired of being doped up so I quit cold turkey and was soooo glad and shocked that the BEAST was gone. I thought it was over... cut to a year later, seems like the BEAST got home sick and hell, has it been making up for lost time.

Thank you all for taking the time and letting me vent, I don't mean to sound like a sissy, but it means alot that this site and you folks understand. This is the 1st time I can talk to people who know what I'm going through and know what it's like.

[Tony Only]

LEGION, you are in the US right ? I have read of people finding great doctors to treat their clusters, it just might take some time. For me it has been a discovery to see it written that people can actually find good doctors concerning clusters. I have seen 95% of simply awful doctors, mostly neurologists in my 25 years. Around 50 doctors total. Before the internet I thought they are so "out of it" because we are in Finland (I always took latest CH information in english with me I had gathered from libraries, not once anyone read anything or was willing to hear me out) but nowadays I am not so sure. During the years there was several stuff I told them about, mostly they labeled it nonsense accompanied with a phrase "you are not a doctor, you don't have a medical degree" and few years passed and they offered the same things to me because they had become official forms of treatments. They just needed someone ranking higher than them tell them so.

Back in the nineties I tried to get verpamil having read about a study and research. Nope; opioids and a appointment for a psychiatric, maybe I am "imagining the pain". Then O2, when I told them about it, the doctor laughed so hard and even invited his secretary to the room; "this patient wants oxygen for pain". 8 years later same doctor said "there's a new form of treatment, medical oxygen..." the list goes on and on.. About melatonin neurologist said it is a hormone and not intended to use in a pill horm; refused to hear me out. Few years later, "Have you heard about melatonin?"

I am often sorry how much my experiences have affected my attitudes towards doctors (in cluster headaches). Nowadays I know several people under who's care I would be safe and well treated. None of them are doctors.

Sorry for the rant. Keep looking LEGION, these folks can guide you further

[CHfather]

Here's a list of doctors in Louisiana that have been recommended by people with CH:

Baton Rouge: Dr. Steven Zuckerman

Covington: Dr. Srinivas Ganji

Lafayette: Dr.Steven J. Snatic

Metairie: Dr. Daniel J. Trahant

New Iberia: Dr. Timothy F. Himel

If one or two are near you, you might call the office and say you have cluster headaches and want to be treated by someone who understands them.