Posted by Donald (205.188.198.54) on August 06, 1999 at 04:45:10:
In Reply to: please - let's not regress ! posted by gary g on August 05, 1999 at 11:07:31:
First off, it would appear that you and some others in this thread didn't bother to examine the URL's that I specified, or else you wouldn't have said some of the things you said. There ARE references from many 90's original researchers, and documented publications. There are also older references to original research, and documented publications. If you believe that anything older than late 90's is not worth looking at, then I cannot take your stated desire to find answers for the CH dilemma seriously.
Your message is a kneejerk emotional reaction. You go from insisting that anything to be considered should be from a "legitimate proven medical reference/research", to saying that "95 out of 100 Doctors you run into still don't have a clue." What's up with that? Is it okay with you if someone's home remedy proves to be effective?
"What Donald probably doesn't realize yet, is that the biggest problem CH patients have suffered is the nearly automatic linkage between migraine & cluster headache that has prevailed throughout this century..."
While I would contend that searing pain and disrupted lives are the biggest problem, I am also well aware that the cluster/migraine confusion IS an important issue, or else I would not have warned about the "M" word in my message. What Gary probably doesn't realize yet is that most of the original research that has been done in this century, that may be specific to CLUSTER HEADACHES and therefore very pertinent, has probably been published in journals under the name of MIGRAINE. So do we throw it all out or do we take a look?
You say that CH's are "almost indisputably, to not be a vascular headache in primary cause and physiology." That's funny, I've had clusters for 28 years and done a lot of research, and I haven't reached that conclusion. At least with the "almost", you did leave yourself an out. It sounds to me like some of the missing pieces may change the look of the solved-puzzle considerably.
When you make reference to medical quackery, I hope you're not so naive as to separate that term from the "accepted" methodologies within the history of western medicine. How's about a little Bloodletting? Thalidomide Rx for pregnant women? Or Shock Therapy? Frontal Lobotomy anyone? The AMA and FDA have an interesting track record that would top any snake-oil hoakster or new wage guru. The medical establishment is political in nature and has a vested interest in staying in control. That is a fact that has caused many responsible physicians to find themselves in a personal quandry. The Doctor who discovered that stomach ulcers can be caused by bacteria, and can be cured with antibiotics, had to struggle for years to get his work accepted by the medical establishment, because the establishment already knew that his premise couldn't possibly be true. Hell, if it was true, then the halls of science would have to rewrite all their damned scholarly textbooks on the subject. And the experts would look like idiots. And the experts were eventually proved wrong.
"Cayce was a major figure in this healthfakir movement who later became much more well known as a spiritualist, medium and self-annointed expert..."
Edgar Cayce was a photographer by trade. Edgar Cayce was a life-long Christian. For his entire adult life, he was a sunday school teacher. He read the bible from cover to cover, once for every year of his life. He accepted donations for the purpose of building a hospital, and he never turned anyone away if they were unable to pay. Your "facts" about Cayce are wrong, Gary. The Meridian Institute, and others, are carrying on his work, and do substantial amounts of original scientific medical research AND draw upon the resources of other responsible researchers. There have been many books written about Cayce, but he never wrote one, and he avoided publicity.
I think I understand where your frustration is coming from, Gary, but please don't throw the baby out with the bath water. You are hard-wired on certain issues and that's fine if that works for you. But there are others, including some of the silent majority on this website, who just might find some value in exploring the ideas that I am sharing. And they are big boys and girls and can make up their own minds.
All The Best,
Donald