No cigarettes, no headaches

Q: I suffered from cluster headaches for 14 years. Some doctors said the pain was psychosomatic. Others told me I was allergic to chocolate.

Once I actually put a pistol to my head to kill myself because the pain was so unbearable. But with a wife and three children to support, I could not pull the trigger.

Doctors prescribed Demerol for the pain, and I became dependent on this narcotic. I eventually kicked the habit.

Then I quit smoking. Within a week, my headaches stopped. They only return when I am in a room with a smoker. I thank God I no longer suffer horrible headaches.

Cluster headaches are sometimes called suicide headaches because the pain can be so severe.

It tends to occur on one side of the face, near the eye. The pain can last up to several hours and recurs in clusters for weeks or months at a time.

Nonsmokers may benefit from breathing oxygen. A new study shows that 15 minutes of high-flow oxygen at the beginning of a cluster headache can be surprisingly effective.

We discuss treatments for cluster headaches, migraines and other head pain in our "Guide to Headaches and Migraines."

Q: Seven months ago, my mother died and my sister-in-law broke her hip. I was under great stress and couldn't sleep, so my doctor prescribed Ambien. Soon after I started taking it, I had my first awful experience with acid reflux.

The only way I could sleep was to take Ambien, but the reflux was unbelievable.

As soon as I read about it on your Web site, I made a doctor's appointment, but I also skipped the Ambien that night. I didn't sleep much, but the reflux wasn't as bad. The next night, I did not take Ambien, slept a bit better and had very little reflux. Last night, I repeated the experiment and had no reflux although I slept fairly well.

I'd much rather cope with a sleepless night from time to time than the pain. Is heartburn listed as a side effect?

The prescribing information lists "dyspepsia," a general term for indigestion, as a side effect.

Although there isn't much research on this complication, dozens of visitors to our Web site ( www.peoplespharmacy .com ) have reported reflux linked to Ambien.

Q: My nose gets terribly dry in the winter, and I frequently get nosebleeds. I used to use Vicks VapoRub to moisturize it but read in your column that this is a bad idea.

My doctor told me to use K-Y Jelly, and it works great to prevent nosebleeds.

Pulmonologists have warned against using petroleum jelly in the nostrils, since such products may be bad for the lungs.

K-Y Jelly is a water-based sexual lubricant, so the risk is much lower.

Saline nasal sprays also may help moisten dry nasal tissues.