JF: I’m 65 years old now and they [cluster headaches] started for me in late September 1973, so about 51 years I’ve had cluster headaches. […] I came out of a seven-year remission and as soon as I did, I haven’t had a break since, and that was 6 months ago. I’ve been getting at least 10 attacks a day, every day.
JL: Can you tell us a little bit more about the other medical conditions that you’re suffering from at the moment, just to give a bit of context?
JF: Besides stage five COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease], I have adenocarcinoma lung cancer. I have achalasia disease, which my esophagus swells up and ultimately causes me to aspirate food and causes bacteria pneumonia. And I’ve got multiple abdominal hernias from surgery I had 20 major surgeries. I broke my back at the beginning of the year that was caused by severe osteoporosis from steroids, from my COPD. And I’ve broken my ribs 30 or 40 times in the last couple of years from severe osteoporosis.
JL: How would you compare the suffering due to cluster headaches compared to everything else that you’re experiencing?
JF: I wouldn’t trade anything for cluster headaches. None of it. Cluster headaches is the worst pain I’ve ever had in my life. I’ve never felt anything worse. And, I mean, including being terminally ill and breaking and just so many other really severe painful conditions, but cluster headaches is in a in a category by itself. I’ve never felt anything like it. It’s such severe pain, it’s literally violent screaming pain and, to put it bluntly, it feels like you’re being murdered. It’s unbelievable pain. And you expect to see blood. Telling people about my first attack, I thought I was shot in the head. I thought somebody shot me and I was dying. Every attack pretty much feels like you’re dying. It’s just horrible, horrible thing. So no, I wouldn’t trade any of it for cluster headaches.
JL: And what medications have you tried? And have any of them worked for you over the years?
Leaving this here: “Testimonial of a chronic cluster headache patient after using DMT to abort attacks”. @jonleighton of the Organisation for the Prevention of Intense Suffering interviews John Fletcher, chronic cluster headache patient.
JF: I’m 65 years old now and they [cluster headaches] started for me in late September 1973, so about 51 years I’ve had cluster headaches. […] I came out of a seven-year remission and as soon as I did, I haven’t had a break since, and that was 6 months ago. I’ve been getting at least 10 attacks a day, every day.
JL: Can you tell us a little bit more about the other medical conditions that you’re suffering from at the moment, just to give a bit of context?
JF: Besides stage five COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease], I have adenocarcinoma lung cancer. I have achalasia disease, which my esophagus swells up and ultimately causes me to aspirate food and causes bacteria pneumonia. And I’ve got multiple abdominal hernias from surgery I had 20 major surgeries. I broke my back at the beginning of the year that was caused by severe osteoporosis from steroids, from my COPD. And I’ve broken my ribs 30 or 40 times in the last couple of years from severe osteoporosis.
JL: How would you compare the suffering due to cluster headaches compared to everything else that you’re experiencing?
JF: I wouldn’t trade anything for cluster headaches. None of it. Cluster headaches is the worst pain I’ve ever had in my life. I’ve never felt anything worse. And, I mean, including being terminally ill and breaking and just so many other really severe painful conditions, but cluster headaches is in a in a category by itself. I’ve never felt anything like it. It’s such severe pain, it’s literally violent screaming pain and, to put it bluntly, it feels like you’re being murdered. It’s unbelievable pain. And you expect to see blood. Telling people about my first attack, I thought I was shot in the head. I thought somebody shot me and I was dying. Every attack pretty much feels like you’re dying. It’s just horrible, horrible thing. So no, I wouldn’t trade any of it for cluster headaches.
JL: And what medications have you tried? And have any of them worked for you over the years?
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