Thankfully we have found a combination of mediation that doesn't actually cause me side effects or other problems resulting in me having to take even more medication just to feel comfortable. The neurologist decided to try me on Amertripterlin as not only does it help ease nerve pain but also acts as an antidepressant and with me suffering from Type 2 Bi-polar it may help me and so far i have to say i am very happy with the results. Slowly but surely i have seen a decrease in the amount of sharp pain i get going up and down the back to the side of my spine. I have also noticed that the neck problems are not setting off as many attacks as they used to but now the cold weather is here there has been a slight increase.
I have come to terms with the cold being one of my main triggers for the CH attacks and try and avoid situations where i am out in the cold for too long. The trouble with this is that i am sat indoors all day and its starting to drive me slowly insane. Not being able to get out or go fishing has really taken its toll on me and now for some unknown reason i have been suffering mild panic attacks on a regular basis with every now and again i get this huge panic attack that actually feels as though i am about to have a heart attack or stroke and die. The pain shoots across my chest, the sweat suddenly pours off me and the sound i hear become like echoes. My vision seems to slow down and the outer vision becomes blurred like you are looking down a tunnel. This is the worst one and the most scary and the sharpness of the pain in the chest also increases my heart rate and where a normal panic attack will end and your heart rate will return to normal this seems to last all day until i have slept it off.
Ever since i was diagnosed with CH Cluster Headaches and was then told there is no cure and that using medication you can learn to live with it. I though it would have been like bi-polar where you have your down periods that can sometimes last weeks or months and then you are back to normal in between mood swings. CH doesn't seem to stop at all either you have them or you don't. In my case its every day with out fail. I have the main one early hours of the morning which is normally my wake up call at around 3 am where i use one of my injections to deal with and if i have a good day then i will get no other attacks. Then there are the days where its attacks after attack and i can have up to 8 during a 24 hour period and that really does take it out of you. Thankfully it hasn't been that bad for a year now but its still a daily issue i have to deal with and wonder if i will ever be completely pain free ever again.
All i know is i really need to do something about being stuck indoors all the time and have to make the effort to break the cycle and get out and do some fishing again. I know as soon as i am out on the bank side setting up my fishing gear all my troubles and illnesses seems to melt away and my mind then focuses on one thing and that's catching the fish, Everything else gets pushed to the back of the mind and this is one way i manage my depression. If i feel down just get out and do some fishing. The trouble is i have missed out on a lot over the last year due to the back pain all the time but now the tablets seem to be taking care of the pain i have a feeling that 2016 will be a good year for me and my fishing, fingers crossed.
