Hello there!
As the title states I am the partner of a CH sufferer and I'm looking for any info and advice on what to try next!!
We are both 28 and have been together for ten years and live in cornwall. The headaches have been going for as long as we can remember and he has been given many different nasal sprays, tablets etc but nothing really helps! He was diagnosed last year with CH and saw a neurologist but was just given an array of tablets which did seem to help eventually. When the cluster period had ended he stopped taking them and now, like clockwork, they're back! They always seem to start to grumble in the spring when he will get the odd few and then May, BANG! gets them all the time and really bad attacks, until the autumn when they start to ease off and then stop over the winter!
He's been back to the doc and was put on verapamil but it isnt doing anything and he also has a sumatriptan aqueous nasal spray to use when he feels a headache coming on!
So he's been back and is now on omeprezole, indometacin, nasal spray and amitriptyline but nothing seems to be really stopping these attacks!! He's only just started taking the new medication so it might take a few days to take effect, I dont know?!
It's the same meds he was on last year but each year the headaches seem to get more severe and what worked before doesnt seem to have the same effect the next year!!
He's also been referred back to the neurologist but its anybodys guess when that'll be!!
Any info or advice on what to try or do would be great as he seems to be getting more and more attacks and has just had 4 so far in 24 hrs! and this year they seem to be more severe than ever!!
Also has anybody had any luck in getting signed off work whilst the attacks are around?? Ive had health issues before and been signed off work and had no luck with benefits etc and although I do not think Dan should be driving to work and working in a builders yard, he wont go to the doc and ask for sick notes etc as he doesnt want us to be skint and have the same hassle I have had over the years trying to get benefits etc to help!!! I didnt know if anyone had had any success in getting time off and any financial help?! We have two young children, 3yr old and 7 month old, and so Dan doesnt want us to be struggling any more than we already are in this financial climate!!
Thanks in advance for any advice as I feel so helpless for him and just want to find something that might offer him some relief!!! or a direction to go in to try and find some answers!!!
Bex
xxxxxxx