As the weather has started to change so has the nature of the beast. the amount of attacks i get in a day is slowly increasing once again and i am finding less days pain free just like before. it seems to happen every year, as winter arrives so do the attacks and the pain. The low pressure fronts we get as the colder and wetter weather approaches seems to be a major trigger for the cluster attacks. I am not sure if the brain can sense such changes or if its the actual pressure on the head that causes the attacks but one thing is for sure its the colder weather that causes me the most pain.
The last few weeks i am finding that every morning i am being woken at 3 or 4 am and sometimes even earlier due to the pain starting at the front of the left side of my face. One problem i have is pain in the neck that also seems to aggravate the condition and can cause it so much pain that it will eventually set off a full attack. i have spoken with the doctor and there isn't really much she can do other than refer me to a specialist for an MRI scan on the neck and the spinal cord as she feels that is where the problem may lie. In the mean time i just have to put up with the pain and the constant attacks and hope they don't take too long arranging an appointment for me.
The last few weeks i am finding that every morning i am being woken at 3 or 4 am and sometimes even earlier due to the pain starting at the front of the left side of my face. One problem i have is pain in the neck that also seems to aggravate the condition and can cause it so much pain that it will eventually set off a full attack. i have spoken with the doctor and there isn't really much she can do other than refer me to a specialist for an MRI scan on the neck and the spinal cord as she feels that is where the problem may lie. In the mean time i just have to put up with the pain and the constant attacks and hope they don't take too long arranging an appointment for me.
One of the biggest problems i seem to be having at the moment is with my walking and pain in both my legs 30 seconds after moving. I have been to the hospital and they have scanned them for blood clots but nothing showed up and the doctor checked my circulation and it seemed to be fine. Yet i am still getting pain right up both legs when i move about and can hardly walk. I am also finding i am getting pain down my left arm which at first was a bit worrying but i have had my heart checked and there was no issues but still i get the pain and the feeling like numbness. I am also getting it from the shoulder at an angle across the front of the left of my chest. The doctor has referred me to the vascular specialist as she is unsure why my legs are so problematic and what on earth is going on with all these other symptoms. It could be that there is a nerve trapping in the neck that is causing these problems but until they actually take a look at me its a worrying situation.
I have my appointment at the Gastroenterology department in Llandoch hospital at the end of the month, next week, and hopefully they will be able to take a look at me and tell me what is happening about my hiatus hernia and whether they are going to operate or not. They will also be able to look at the reason why food and drink is trapping when i eat and causing me to choke all the time. It just seems ever since i had the hiatus hernia all hell has broken loose. The amount of problems i am getting is crazy. I actually started writing this blog the other dasy but had to stop suddenly due to pains in the chest again and this time it was accompanied by numbness and pain down the left arm. I originally thought that it was the hernia playing up again and the nerve in my neck causing a problem but to be on the safe side i rang the doctors and was called over there to be seen on an emergency appointment.
The doctor was able to confirm i have a damaged ir trapped nerve in the neck as she pushed on a few spots of the neck and then suddenly i was getting extreme shooting pains down the left arm to the tips of my fingers. The confusing thing was the numbness in the arm and the chest pains so after she examined me she insisted i have an ECG just to make sure everything was ok. I was glad she did insist and so was she as after i had the ECG it showed an abnormality in my left Atrium of the heart and she has now put me on aspirin and referred me to cardiology. I Just cant believe my luck! My health has been gradually getting worst ever since i the hernia came about and i first started the drug trials with different medications in order to get control of the beats and hopefully stop the cluster headaches all together. not only did we fail in controlling the attacks and finding the right combination of medication to get it to go into remission but it has now caused me serious problems with my health.
There's not really much i can do about it other than except the situation and get the treatment i desperately need and hope things will improve over time and not get any worst than it already is. i am determined not to let this effect my fishing and will still get out as much as i can on the local waters. Ok i will now have to take things easy and keep an eye on myself during the trips but i refuse to loose the one thing i love so much and that is keeping me sane. Its hard enough to get out as it is the last thing i need is more problems stopping going out altogether so hopefully the referral wont take long and i will get some idea on how i can manage the condition and continue my sport.
The doctor was able to confirm i have a damaged ir trapped nerve in the neck as she pushed on a few spots of the neck and then suddenly i was getting extreme shooting pains down the left arm to the tips of my fingers. The confusing thing was the numbness in the arm and the chest pains so after she examined me she insisted i have an ECG just to make sure everything was ok. I was glad she did insist and so was she as after i had the ECG it showed an abnormality in my left Atrium of the heart and she has now put me on aspirin and referred me to cardiology. I Just cant believe my luck! My health has been gradually getting worst ever since i the hernia came about and i first started the drug trials with different medications in order to get control of the beats and hopefully stop the cluster headaches all together. not only did we fail in controlling the attacks and finding the right combination of medication to get it to go into remission but it has now caused me serious problems with my health.
There's not really much i can do about it other than except the situation and get the treatment i desperately need and hope things will improve over time and not get any worst than it already is. i am determined not to let this effect my fishing and will still get out as much as i can on the local waters. Ok i will now have to take things easy and keep an eye on myself during the trips but i refuse to loose the one thing i love so much and that is keeping me sane. Its hard enough to get out as it is the last thing i need is more problems stopping going out altogether so hopefully the referral wont take long and i will get some idea on how i can manage the condition and continue my sport.
