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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> Do i have cluster headaches?
        
(Message started by: Mike_Easton on Apr 30^th, 2004, 11:20am)

Title: Do i have cluster headaches?
Post by Mike_Easton on Apr 30^th, 2004, 11:20am

Hi I am 14 and I have been experiencing headaches for the last 4 1/2 weeks and they haven't stopped.

It started out as a constant headache above my right eye which I immediately labeled as a migraine.

I didn't think much of it, and it went on for about a week; that constant migraine so my mom took me to a neurologist.

The doctor asked me a few questions and then told my mom that he feared that it could be cluster headaches. (I did not know this then because he talked to my mom in private.)

The migraine like think continued and then I started waking up in the middle of the night with an even worse headache on my right forehead, eye, and cheek. It wasn't too much worse but definately worse.It went away after about 10 minutes. This continued and the intensity increased and the duration did too. This happened until the 3 week mark.

For the last week I have had the constant pain and along with it about 2-4 attacks per day (one at night and one in the morning with two others possibly scattered) of the most excrutiating pain I have ever experienced. I feel like ripping my face off when it happens and I cannot go back to sleep when I have it in the night

I have the migraine-like thing and then I feel something crawling up the back of my neck and wham! I have the really bad stuff for anywhere from 10 minutes for the more moderate pain and then 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours for the super pain. It then goes away quickly and then I have the migraine-like thing again.

Does it sound like I have a cluster headaches? The thing that puzzles me is the constant pain followed by the excruiating pain. From what I have read you go from totally pain free to the cluster headache. Am I an exception or what?

The doctors have diagnosed me with a cluster headache because weve ruled out everything else but I want to be sure.

Btw I have been missing school due to these..

Title: Re: Do i have cluster headaches?
Post by UN_SOLVED on Apr 30^th, 2004, 11:33am

4 1/2 weeks of headaches doesn't necessarily mean you have clusters. Most ppl don't get 'properly' diagnosed for years.
Since this is your first 'bout' with these headaches...make sure you have all the tests (MRI's and all) to rule out anything else. (or ask your parents) I would think you would have to at least have more than one 'cycle' to be considered as having clusters. Is it a neurologist that you see ? If not, it's time to get one.
Goodluck
Unsolved

Title: Re: Do i have cluster headaches?
Post by Mike_Easton on Apr 30^th, 2004, 11:47am

I have had all the tests and everything and they could not find anything.

Ive read everything there is to read on this site, and the attacks that people get are nearly identicle to mine.

Thrashing Screaming Rolling on the floor Ice-pick like etc.

it just seems strange that I seem to be the only one though with aother type of headache when the terrible attacks aren't there.

Title: Re: Do i have cluster headaches?
Post by thomas on Apr 30^th, 2004, 11:55am

Dude, lots o' peeps here have more than ch headaches. A lot have migraine, cph, daily persistant headache. etc.

Title: Re: Do i have cluster headaches?
Post by Karla on Apr 30^th, 2004, 12:24pm

It sounds like it could be clusters. Time will be the true way to tell. I get migraines and clusters. Maybe you are suffering from more than one type of ha. Try ice or heat and see if that helps you. Some people have found relief from there nighttime attacks by sleeping in recliners and /or taking around 9mg of melatonin. You can get this over the counter at your local drug store. Have you tried oxygen yet? This usually helps alot of people to abort/stop there ha within 15-20 min. Read up on the link to the left about oxygen. It will tell you what you need and how to use it. Some drs don't know about this so you have to tell them what you need. Good luck and wishing you PFDAN.

Title: Re: Do i have cluster headaches?
Post by Mike_Easton on Apr 30^th, 2004, 1:35pm

thank you, I will ask my doctor about that.

Title: Re: Do i have cluster headaches?
Post by Margi on Apr 30^th, 2004, 2:48pm

I agree with Karla here. Mike, oxygen will help you with both cluster AND migraine (take it from me - a migrainer married to a clusterhead: we both use it and get relief.)

It does sound like you've got two things going on here, although I tend to wonder about the residual pain being migraine though. Classic migraine makes you want to lay down in a dark room, motionless and quiet as possible. Nausea is a HUGE part of migraine, as it visual disturbance. You don't mention any of those things about your residual pain after your intense pain (that do, sadly, sound like cluster or CPH maybe). Neck pain is sometimes tension and it could be that your so worried about the intense pain that you're stressing yourself out, clenching your muscles and ending up with tension pain. I dunno. Sure worth seeing a good neuro though to keep digging until you find an answer.

Title: Re: Do i have cluster headaches?
Post by gills on May 1^st, 2004, 7:56pm

Mike

The constant pain is not cluster headaches but it sounds like the attacks are cluster headaches. I think you get two different types of headaches.

Perhaps stress headaches and clusters.

Most suffereres start their cluster headaches in their teen years.

In a clusterheadache, the pain is not above your eye, but behind your eye. (deep)

Make sure you have CT Scans and MRI and nuclear medicine blood flow tests.

Clusterheadaches do not kill you but other reasons for getting pain behind the eye can.

You will know the difference. You can put up with stress headaches and migraines but you cannot put up with CHs.

Good luck

.. my sympathies are with you if you are getting CH's, chances are you will probably have them for decades. Concentrate on a method of pain control.

As doc about Verapamil for prevention (lessens the frequency)
and Imitrex injections for pain relief.

Title: Re: Do i have cluster headaches?
Post by wingnut04 on May 1^st, 2004, 8:13pm

Mike, I can tell you are a strong and intelligent young man. It saddens me to "see" a boy your age having to deal with something like this. My son is almost 14 and it would kill me to him suffer the way the we do.
Kids have "kid things" to worried about and shouldn't have worry about head pain!!!!!

I'm still trying to figure what meds work best for me. Seeing the Dr. once a week until we find something that works. I really hope you don't have as hard a time as I have been finding relief.......

Stay strong. Fight hard. Sleep well.

Kevin