Hope? Well kind of.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
This has been the longest I can remember without updating. Over a month. Time flies when you're a chronic clusterhead so here it goes.
Since my last post I have had an amazing respond to a medication called Divalproex Sodium. Also goes by the brand name of Depakote. Within a week a noticed a definite decrease in pain for the first time in a very long time! As usually the medication presented some an upset stomach even when taken with or just after a meal. Now this can be side effect and is normal for until the body adapts. Unfortunately this can be a major issue for me is I have chronic GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) as well as chronic clusters & epilepsy. After the second week I had quite a bad case of unrelenting heartburn. Then on the 3rd week the time came to up the dosage to from one 125mg twice a day to two 125mg tablets twice a day. What can be said except 'Game Over'. Nothing would stay down so they had to be discontinued...Stopped...And quit. I almost cried.
In the short span of 3 weeks my mind had lost the 'chronic cluster foggies' and became able to focus on tasks without the ever linger of a previous or upcoming attack. Mindy even noticed how much more I was smiling. It felt nice to genuinely smile again. Almost forgot how. One good thing came out of the experience, the fact that we now know something works. Depakote may or may not work without the other medications I am on but at the very least it gives another pinhole of light. I hope sometime soon I will be able to see my way around in this darkness.
Paul
Hope is that thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops... at all.
-Emily Dickinson
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Since my last post I have had an amazing respond to a medication called Divalproex Sodium. Also goes by the brand name of Depakote. Within a week a noticed a definite decrease in pain for the first time in a very long time! As usually the medication presented some an upset stomach even when taken with or just after a meal. Now this can be side effect and is normal for until the body adapts. Unfortunately this can be a major issue for me is I have chronic GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) as well as chronic clusters & epilepsy. After the second week I had quite a bad case of unrelenting heartburn. Then on the 3rd week the time came to up the dosage to from one 125mg twice a day to two 125mg tablets twice a day. What can be said except 'Game Over'. Nothing would stay down so they had to be discontinued...Stopped...And quit. I almost cried.
In the short span of 3 weeks my mind had lost the 'chronic cluster foggies' and became able to focus on tasks without the ever linger of a previous or upcoming attack. Mindy even noticed how much more I was smiling. It felt nice to genuinely smile again. Almost forgot how. One good thing came out of the experience, the fact that we now know something works. Depakote may or may not work without the other medications I am on but at the very least it gives another pinhole of light. I hope sometime soon I will be able to see my way around in this darkness.
Paul
Hope is that thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops... at all.
-Emily Dickinson
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Medical terminology can cause confusion at the best of times. If there is a word you do not understand all you have to do is double-click on it and the definition will appear! Don't forget to drop me a line by email at versilleus@gmail.com with your comments, questions‚ recommended resources‚ concerns‚ & especially your experiences with clusters. Or come find me on my Facebook Profile to add me as a Friend. Whether you are a supporter‚ care-giver or sufferer. I would love to hear from you!
*Please do not use this information for self diagnoses. Writing about my experiences with chronic cluster headaches & epilepsy is a good outlet for me. Consult your Dr. with any kind of headache or chronic pain you may have. The 3rd party links on my site I have found to be a good resource to me over the past few years & dearly hope they will benefit you as well.*
