DEAR READER: Thank you for writing. I have printed your letter in the hopes that it will in fact reach those readers who need it most. However, I do have a few issues. First, cluster headaches are fairly easy to diagnose because they follow a pattern, so I am surprised to hear that your husband underwent all this treatment for something that his doctors either couldn’t diagnose or wouldn’t tell him. Second, you did not provide any dosing information. How much ginseng is your husband currently using daily?

I ask that you or any other readers familiar with this write to let me know so I can pass it on to others. Thank you.

To provide related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Headaches.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed stamped envelope and a $2 check or money order payable to Newsletter and mailed to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title or print an order form off my website at www.AskDrGottMD.com.

When I was 19 years old, I developed cluster headaches that, at times, became unbearable. I presented all the classic symptoms. Our radiology office was located in a professional building, along with 40 other specialists. At the time, I became a guinea pig. I had everything from Novocain injections into my cervical nerve to histamine injections in my arm, all to no avail. I tried all the known remedies available at the time.

My agony lasted until I was about 33 years old. My episodes were predictable. Every day, they lasted from one minute to several hours, for over a period of six months. Then, just as rapidly as they appeared, they vanished for six months.

Then, as luck would have it, while reading a medical magazine, I spotted an ad from a pharmaceutical company advertising a brand new drug called Sansert, which I believe is now off the market. I asked the radiologist I worked for if he would please contact the company and ask for samples, which he did, knowing that everything else I had tried had failed.

Already in the throes of a cycle, I took the pills according to directions without success. After a period of calm between cycles, I was prepared to make another attempt. Typically, the cycle of pain would ensue and build in crescendo, until reaching its pinnacle, after which it would act in just the opposite manner until I was pain-free; usually all within a minute. Only this time, as soon as the pain started, I popped a pill and did so for one full week, after which I began to notice that the excruciating pain began to abort and then lessen, finally disappearing completely. Then I skipped a cycle, only to become disappointed when it once again returned.

After a period of remission, the pain returned. I immediately began taking the Sansert again with success. After that last bout, at age 33, until this day, I have not had another recurrence.

DEAR READER: To my understanding, Sansert is no longer available in the United States but is still available in other countries. It carries some serious side effects, and this is likely why the United States chose to remove it from the market.

Sansert is chemically similar to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), a well-known, potent hallucinogenic that has been purported to relieve the pain of cluster headaches and migraines. To my knowledge, no legitimate research has been done on this subject. I discourage everyone from trying LSD as a treatment because it is an illegal substance that carries stiff legal penalties, not to mention the potentially serious side effects that may last for years in some people.

I bring the similarities of these two substances up only because Sansert carries the side effects of mood changes, hallucinations, delusions and more that are also associated with LSD.

While I am happy to hear that you have success with this drug, there are safer options available. Unfortunately, Sansert has too many strikes against it for me to feel comfortable recommending it to others.

I suggest anyone suffering from cluster headaches be under the care of a neurologist familiar with the condition. Many of my readers with this problem have found relief using supplemental oxygen. Other options include the triptans (sumatriptan, zolmitriptan), local anesthetics (lidocaine, etc.), certain antihypertensives and others. Rarely, surgery may be recommended for those who don’t respond to aggressive treatment or cannot tolerate other treatments.

To provide related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Headaches.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092-0167. Be sure to mention the title or print an order form off my website at www.AskDrGottMD.com.

I went to my physician for a regular checkup. Routine lab work indicated I had an elevated TSH (6). My doctor asked about fatigue, weight gain, hair loss, brittle nails, dry skin and more. I explained the circumstances of my former job and because of my age, I was at least perimenopausal. I was still having periods every three weeks instead of four. I felt the symptoms I had indicated hypothyroidism. I expressed my feelings and was prescribed levothyroxine, which was to continue forever. Well, I took it for six months and saw no improvement, except for a lowered TSH level. I gained back the 20 pounds and weaned myself off the medication. I still noticed no change in my health.

My question is: Could adrenal fatigue or exhaustion from the stress and being perimenopausal be factors in the elevated TSH? Could they normalize on their own when the stress is removed? I understand there are cardiac implications with levothyroxine. I don’t suffer any issues, but there is a family history on both sides. At what point does the risk outweigh the benefit? I currently feel fine, my nails are longer than they have been in years, and my hair is OK, as is my skin. My energy level is acceptable, and I wish the 20 pounds stayed off that I gained back.

DEAR READER: I can understand why your physician put you on levothyroxine, because hypothyroidism can cause fatigue, changes in hair texture and thickness, split finger nails, dry skin and irregular menstrual cycles. One striking difference is that weight gain is relatively common. However, the reversal in your case is obviously job-related.

Let’s cover a few basic differences between adrenal fatigue and hypothyroidism. Adrenal fatigue carries no specific symptoms of heart palpitations, no fluid retention, orthostatic hypotension, good flexibility of ligaments, thin and brittle nails, thin hair, insomnia, dry skin, cold intolerance and a craving for sweets. Hypothyroidism isn’t generally associated with palpitations and presents with fluid retention, no orthostatic hypotension, poor flexibility of ligaments, normal to thick nails, coarse hair, sleepiness, normal skin, heat intolerance and a craving for fats.

Stress plays an enormous role in health, affecting us in a variety of ways and worsening many medical conditions. Therefore, I cannot rule it out as having a bearing on the symptoms you have. My recommendation is to have your TSH retested to determine what your readings are without the levothyroxine. Discuss the pros and cons with your physician. Maintain a healthful diet, get adequate rest, reduce the stress in your life, and exercise regularly. The body is a truly miraculous thing. Give it some time to recharge, but don’t hesitate to seek medical intervention if appropriate.

To provide related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Thyroid Disorders.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092-0167. Be sure to mention the title or print an order form off my website at www.AskDrGottMD.com.