A
Publication of the East Bay Headache Support Group
A Member of the Americal Council for Headache Education (ACHE) Support Group
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VoLUME 10, ISSUE 6
NOVEMber 2005
November 8th Meeting: Simple Headache Relief
The East Bay Headache Support Group welcomes Amy Erez as its guest speaker for the November meeting.
Amy says, “Join me in learning practical and simple self-help techniques for headache relief. Chinese practices have long been known for their healing abilities. We will be doing Tai Chi Gong and acupressure to create balance in the meridian system. When the system is in balance, symptoms recede. With regular self-care, the causes of headache can be reduced dramatically! You, too, can benefit from the ancient wisdom of Asian healing arts.”
Amy Erez, co-owner of Health, Etc. and Sugi Studios in Pleasant Hill, has been a holistic health professional since 1984. She had many health challenges as a child (one of which was headaches) and found that holistic therapies, movement arts and meditation were profoundly valuable in her own healing. She has many years of experience helping others and communicates clear and simple messages of wellness wisdom. Check out her Web site at www.sugistudios.com.
The meeting will be in the Sterns Conference Room at John Muir Medical Center from 7:30 to 9:00 pm on Tuesday, November 8, and is open to all interested persons. Take the stairs or elevator to the lower level and follow the signs. Call Leslie Davis at 925-685-8775 for more information.
DON’T FORGET TO VOTE before you come to the meeting! California’s Special Statewide Election is November 8 and the polls close at 8:00 pm.
Did you miss the last meeting?
The September meeting of the East Bay Headache Support Group featured Dr. Michael Stein, who answered questions in a “Talk It Over Night” format. Typed notes of the meeting will be available at future meetings, and eventually can be found on our Web site at www.headachesupport.org. We encourage you to attend the meetings, however, for firsthand information.
Some topics discussed:
Dr. Stein stated, “There is not a medication on the market that started out as a headache medication. They were developed for something else, such as hypertension, epilepsy, psychosis, wrinkles, etc., and patients discovered that their headaches improved while taking them.”
Have triptans been associated with strokes? Dr. Stein answered, “Not in his experience.” After taking a triptan many people report experiencing a tightness in their chests. Dr. Stein said that this has been figured out to be a spasm of the esophagus, and not heart-related. Triptans cause very minimal coronary artery constriction.
Migraine is associated with stroke, however. There is a slight risk of stroke if you are a migraineur, but the risk increases if you experience auras, and taking birth control pills and smoking further increase that risk.
Dr. Stein has made an interesting observation: When taking new patients’ family histories of migraine patterns, he has noted that maybe the patients’ relatives didn’t suffer from migraines, but many had psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, panic attacks, alcoholism, etc. ¨
Future Meetings:
January 10, 2006: Join us for our Tenth Anniversary Celebration. Guest speaker to be announced.
March 14, 2006: To be determined.
Editor’s Note: If odors ever trigger headaches for you, beware…
Suite Scent By Christina Lewis
Realizing that scent is strongly tied to memory, several hotels are exploring how pleasant smells can potentially increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Westin Hotels & Resorts has created a signature White Tea scent to spritz in its lobbies, corridors and other public spaces. The fragrance is currently being tested in seven Westin Hotels, including inside the new Renewal Suite in the Westin New York at Times Square, and will eventually expand to all 121 Westin hotels.
“Scent is the most memorable of the senses,” said Sue Brush, a vice president at Westin. “Obviously, our hope is that guests will relate [the smell] positively back to the hotel.”
Marriott Hotels & Resorts is exploring use of aromatherapy in its lobbies and recently established a partnership with Limited Brands Inc.’s Bath & Body Works to distribute an orange ginger aromatherapy bath kit in each guest room bath.
Omni Hotels’ Omni Interlocken Resort, a 390-room property near Boulder, Colo., hangs eucalyptus over guests’ showerheads as part of its turndown service. When the shower is turned on the smell permeates the entire room, a spokesman said.
Perfuming a hotel can be tricky. Allergic reactions have to be ruled out; the White Tea scent passed that test. And customer tastes will vary. During Westin’s testing, men disliked a floral blend, but a citrus-based scent may eventually find a home in Westin fitness centers, Ms. Brush said. She said further refinement could be necessary depending on climate, season and air conditioning at individual properties. ¨
Found in the Travel Watch column in the October 18, 2005 issue of the Wall Street Journal, pg. D3. Copyright 2005, ProQuest Information and Learning Company.
Personal Profile
Editor’s Note: This personal profile was published in the May 1998 issue of Headlines and recently updated by its author.
May 1998
My early experience with headache began when I was about eleven years old. My family doctor thought it was a sinus condition attributed to allergy. I treated my occasional headaches with over-the-counter (OTC) pain and sinus medications. But my headaches during the next twenty-five years gradually became more intense, frequent, and lasted much longer. In my mid-thirties, I was again diagnosed as having sinus-related allergy headaches. After the allergy tests, I was put on a food elimination diet and received allergy desensitization shots weekly for almost three years without improvement. I continued taking OTC pills and got an occasional prescription medication of Tylenol with Codeine, or Fiorinal.
As my work career progressed, I took on more responsibilities and my headaches got worse. I was now diagnosed as having tension headaches related to stress. I took up long distance running as recommended by my doctor friend and later running partner. Although my headaches vastly improved, I continued my regimen of pills only when absolutely needed. After close to twenty years of running, I developed back pains, plantar fascitis, and a sciatica nerve pain down the right leg. Needless to say, I was advised by an orthopedic specialist to stop my running addiction.
Shortly after discontinuing running, my headaches got worse with greater severity and lasted as long as two to four weeks. I continued with OTC medication and was prescribed other stronger pain pills with no lasting improvement.
I later developed chronic daily headaches with varying intensities. I would wake up in the morning with pain over the left eye, a stiff and painful neck on the left side, a stuffy left nostril, and later during the day the pain would migrate to my entire forehead. I took only OTC medication and was very careful to limit their use because I was well aware of rebound type headaches.
I went to doctors, one specializing in headaches, and was told that I would probably have to live with my chronic headaches. I read books and surfed the Internet. I researched until I found the East Bay Headache Support Group, and then came to the meeting when Dr. Michael Stein gave a presentation on tension-type headaches. *
Dr. Stein described in detail the rebound headache phenomenon associated with continual use of OTC medications. His presentation mirrored what has occurred in my life. I immediately stopped all the Advils and Excedrins. I now take only one Nortriptylene (an anti-depressant used as a preventive medication) each evening under Dr. Stein’s care. This treatment and a much better understanding of headaches has helped me considerably in relieving my headaches. I have been almost headache-free for two months.
Updated October 2005
After over seven years, I can safely venture to state that my tension and related rebound headaches are under control. I still get an occasional tension headache (probably less than 6 per year) and still take Nortriptylene as a preventative. My original prescription was for one per day, but now I only take one every other day in the evening. I still get a headache checkup from Dr. Stein every two years or so. I diligently monitor both OTC and prescribed pain medications that I take for chronic lower back pain.
I hope this update to my headache profile will be an encouragement to others— that each headache sufferer must take the lead, be persistent and continue his search to find the real cause and a treatment that works. ¨
Anonymous
* Notes of Dr. Stein’s presentation on Tension Headaches can be found on our Web site at www.headachesupport.org under “Meeting Notes - February 1998.”
Medication Guidelines
Before any medication is prescribed, tell your doctor if you have any allergies. Also tell your doctor about all other medications you are taking, including over-the-counter (OTC) medications, vitamins and herbal products.
Know the names of your medications and what they do. Know the generic and brand names, dosages and side effects of your medication. Always keep a list of your medications with you.
Know what side effects to expect from your medications. Call your doctor if you experience unexpected or troubling side effects.
Take your medications exactly as prescribed, at the same time(s) every day. Do not stop taking or change your medications unless you first talk with your doctor. Even if you feel good, continue to take your medications. Stopping some medications suddenly may make your condition worse.
Have a routine for taking your medications. Obtain a pill box that is marked with the days of the week. Fill the pill box at the beginning of each week to make it easier for you to remember.
Keep a medicine calendar and note every time you take a dose. Your prescription label tells you how much to take at each dose, but your doctor may change your dosage periodically, depending on your response to the medication. On your medication calendar you can list any changes in your medication dosages as prescribed by your doctor.
Wash your hands before preparing or taking medications.
Take your time. Double-check the name and dosage of all your medications before using them.
Regularly fill your prescriptions and ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.
Know your pharmacy phone number, prescription number, medication name and dose so you can easily call for refills. Try to fill all your prescriptions at the same pharmacy, so the pharmacist can monitor for interactions and provide proper dosing and refills. If your refill medication does not look right, ask your pharmacist to verify that you have received the correct prescription.
Do not wait until you are completely out of medication before filling your prescriptions; call the pharmacy or doctor’s office at least two business days before running out. If you have trouble getting to the pharmacy, have financial concerns or have other problems that make it difficult for you to get your medications, let your doctor know. A social worker may be available to help you.
If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take two doses at the same time to make up for the dose you missed, unless you are instructed to do so.
Do not decrease your medication dosage to save money. You must take the full amount to get the full benefits. Talk with your doctor about ways you can reduce your medication costs.
If you have prescription coverage, make sure you know the terms of your policy. Remind your doctor about the type of insurance coverage you have.
Do not stop taking your medication—talk to your doctor if you have concerns about your medication and how it is working.
Keep medications stored in their original containers. Store according to the instructions given with the prescription.
Check liquid medications often. If they have changed color or formed crystals, throw them away and get new ones.
Do not take any over-the-counter drugs or herbal therapies unless you ask your doctor first.
When traveling, keep your medications with you so you can take them as scheduled. Take an extra week’s supply of medications and copies of your prescriptions, in case you need to get a refill. ¨
Excerpted from an article on COPD on the Web site of the Cleveland Clinic Health System, www.cchs.net.
Living with Migraines. Marcia Cross speaks out about her struggle with debilitating headaches
When Marcia Cross was 14 years old, she had a headache so intense it caused her vision to blur. “I went to the school nurse, and she wanted me to call my parents,” says Cross, “but I forgot my phone number. I sort of had a stroke-like syndrome. After my parents took me home, I remember lying in bed writhing in pain.”
That was the Desperate Housewives star’s first migraine. Cross, who’s speaking out now to help the nearly 30 million other Americans (three times more women than men) who also suffer from migraines, would suffer similar episodes over the next 10 years, including one attack that ended in a trip to the hospital. “I was shot up with Demerol or something to take care of the pain,” she recalls. Finally, she learned to avoid key migraine triggers, which can include skipping meals, sleeping in, alcohol, stress and certain foods. She also began taking triptans, a class of medications which block the chemical reaction that causes migraines. At 43, Cross hasn’t had a serious attack in years because of her regimen. “This is something women can take charge of,” she says.
First, they have to admit they need help. “Most people with migraines keep it hidden,” says Dr. Stephen Silberstein, president of the American Headache Society. “In the past it was considered a disorder of neurotic women.”
For Cross, the migraines also affected her relationships. “You become very isolated,” says Cross, who in August got engaged to investment banker Tom Mahoney, 47. “You feel underwater and out of touch.” As for her work life, Cross hasn’t had an attack on the Housewives set, and she doesn’t worry about getting one in the future. “If I stress about migraines, it makes it more likely that I get one,” she says. “[Instead], I do what I need to do to take care of myself.” ¨
Found in the October 17, 2005 issue of People Magazine.
The intention of the East Bay Headache Support Group is to provide information and resources. It does not provide medical advice, which should be obtained directly from a physician.