- Cluster Headaches
- Interviews
Kris's interview
How did all start?
I was woken up 1 fall night shortly after going to bed with an excruciating 1 sided headache I had never experienced before.
Do you already have a diagnosis? How long did it take you to get it?
Yes, diagnosed by my PCP shortly after as episodic cluster headache.
What has been the most useful thing for you so far?
Emgality, high flow oxygen and sumatriptan injections.
What have been your biggest difficulties?
Differentiating between symptoms of both Hemicrania Continua and Cluster Headaches as I have both.
How has your social and family environment reacted? Have your social or family relationships changed?
My husband and daughter are very supportive but it is very hard on them to watch me suffer. I can no longer work.
What things have you stopped doing?
I can no longer work. I can't drink tea or eat certain foods. I don't travel more than a couple hours from home now.
What do you think about the future?
I pray I find remission or they find a cure. I can't stay on some meds forever and am fearful of what will happen when I have to stop taking them.
So far, which years have been the best years in your life? What have you done during them?
This last year was the best year after being afflicted. Making progress in a positive way working with my neurologist to reduce daily pain so I can function.
What would you like to do if you didn’t have your condition?
Go back to work full-time, travel.
If you had to describe your life in a sentence, what would it be?
Constant pain at varied levels.
Finally, what advice would you give to a person in a similar situation?
Don't stop advocating for your care. Always log your daily pain. Don't give any doctor more than a year before you see results. Ask for the referral and keep moving on until you see results.
