I'm in the middle of a cycle, which makes me feel sorry for myself and wish I could find a hole to hide in until it's over. But, I'm a Mom we don't get to do that, gotta push on the best we can.
What's a cluster headache? It's a headache, think a migraine on steroids, on one side of your head, usually near the eye. My eye usually swells, some people's do not. It can last from 15 minutes upwards to three hours. The kicker, they come in cycles! Lasting for weeks, months, sometimes even a year! I am lucky because my cycles usually last around 3 weeks. For awhile I thought I knew my triggers, now I think it's just bad luck. Because, I quit all the things I thought were triggering them, and yet they still come around.
Nothing really helps me, except oxygen. But, my insurance is being a real PIA about getting an oxygen tank. I'm currently debating driving 4 towns over to a place that I know has an oxygen bar. Just to avoid the hassle of going to the doctor. I know I need a neurologist, but my current insurance is quite honestly shit. I've already warned my husband when the next one hits, he may be driving me to the Oxygen Bar. He's all too willing, he understands how painful these are for me.
This condition affects like .1% of the population or some minuscule amount like that, but because of the beauty of the internet, it seems like there are so many. Which isn't reassuring because you know they suck a lot, but there is still that comradery of "I get you". So, that is nice. I mean I guess, lol. The doctor said more men are affected than women and a quick internet search says men are 4 times more likely to suffer, so I guess I could say I'm in a super selective club. I sure hope we get special lapel pins or a Member's Only jacket.
I've been getting these since I was around 18 and I have finally been able to narrow down some symptoms. But, I'm too forgetful to remember that's what they are when they're happening. UGH. DAMN ME! One of my eyes gets intensely blood shot the day before a cycle begins, usually, my left because that's the side they always happen on. Then my left nostril randomly runs, and I wake up really early the morning before on fire (which I always think is some sort of early menopause sign).
When they hit I feel like that little guy from Space Balls is in my eyeball. He's trying to burst out, while some invisible entity is squeezing the left side of my head trying to hold him in. The simultaneous crushing and bursting feeling are indescribable. I can't liken it to any other pain, I've had two c-sections and those were walks in the park. I'd take 5 of those over a cluster headache any day. I have kidney stones too, and those are bad, but not as bad as my cluster headaches.
Then there is the day after, you just feel exhausted. It's almost like a hangover without any of the night before fun. Mine also leaves me with a mild all over headache the next day. Wah, wah, poor me, right?
I can not take very many medications because I am very allergic to most pharmaceuticals, so my go to when they happen is to place a frozen Waldo's Warmer (buy them here) over my face, and breath the ice cold air in the 4-7-9 pattern (this is good for so many things), until I pass out. I am crying the whole time, but it works. Writing it out sounds terrible, but I suppose I am just used to it.
So, now that this cycle has started I probably will not hit my goal to blog every day, because I am just exhausted, and anxious waiting for the next headache to hit me.
If you suffer from these, I want you to know you're a bad ass, and you're not alone (and you need to contact me so we can work on those lapel pins).
What's a cluster headache? It's a headache, think a migraine on steroids, on one side of your head, usually near the eye. My eye usually swells, some people's do not. It can last from 15 minutes upwards to three hours. The kicker, they come in cycles! Lasting for weeks, months, sometimes even a year! I am lucky because my cycles usually last around 3 weeks. For awhile I thought I knew my triggers, now I think it's just bad luck. Because, I quit all the things I thought were triggering them, and yet they still come around.
Nothing really helps me, except oxygen. But, my insurance is being a real PIA about getting an oxygen tank. I'm currently debating driving 4 towns over to a place that I know has an oxygen bar. Just to avoid the hassle of going to the doctor. I know I need a neurologist, but my current insurance is quite honestly shit. I've already warned my husband when the next one hits, he may be driving me to the Oxygen Bar. He's all too willing, he understands how painful these are for me.
This condition affects like .1% of the population or some minuscule amount like that, but because of the beauty of the internet, it seems like there are so many. Which isn't reassuring because you know they suck a lot, but there is still that comradery of "I get you". So, that is nice. I mean I guess, lol. The doctor said more men are affected than women and a quick internet search says men are 4 times more likely to suffer, so I guess I could say I'm in a super selective club. I sure hope we get special lapel pins or a Member's Only jacket.
I've been getting these since I was around 18 and I have finally been able to narrow down some symptoms. But, I'm too forgetful to remember that's what they are when they're happening. UGH. DAMN ME! One of my eyes gets intensely blood shot the day before a cycle begins, usually, my left because that's the side they always happen on. Then my left nostril randomly runs, and I wake up really early the morning before on fire (which I always think is some sort of early menopause sign).
When they hit I feel like that little guy from Space Balls is in my eyeball. He's trying to burst out, while some invisible entity is squeezing the left side of my head trying to hold him in. The simultaneous crushing and bursting feeling are indescribable. I can't liken it to any other pain, I've had two c-sections and those were walks in the park. I'd take 5 of those over a cluster headache any day. I have kidney stones too, and those are bad, but not as bad as my cluster headaches.
Then there is the day after, you just feel exhausted. It's almost like a hangover without any of the night before fun. Mine also leaves me with a mild all over headache the next day. Wah, wah, poor me, right?
I can not take very many medications because I am very allergic to most pharmaceuticals, so my go to when they happen is to place a frozen Waldo's Warmer (buy them here) over my face, and breath the ice cold air in the 4-7-9 pattern (this is good for so many things), until I pass out. I am crying the whole time, but it works. Writing it out sounds terrible, but I suppose I am just used to it.
So, now that this cycle has started I probably will not hit my goal to blog every day, because I am just exhausted, and anxious waiting for the next headache to hit me.
If you suffer from these, I want you to know you're a bad ass, and you're not alone (and you need to contact me so we can work on those lapel pins).
No comments:
Post a Comment