The only abortive treatment that has had much effect on me is ice.  I need a bag of ice cubes (preferably the big ones).  I work it around till I get the smooth side of one ice cube pressed into my eye socket.  It needs to put actual pressure on the eye.
I never tried triptans because until I found this site I had no idea they were used for anything but migraine.  I wish that I'd known a lot of this stuff 25 years ago, before my mother got her diagnosis.  Her doctor had her on a med called Fiorinal with Codeine, which is a cocktail of barbiturate, caffeine, aspirin and codeine.  

Miki, many of us use either heat or cold to help take the edge off the attack.  I use cold.  I keep a bag of frozen peas in my freezer that I use on the back of my head/neck, at the hair line.  Others find success on the side of the head, the top of the head, the eye (as you do) or where ever!

The bag of frozen peas works well because they are cheap, they are cold, they mold to the body part you put them to, and they are reusable.

It is amazing the little tricks that you can find on this web site!  But, just remember, what works for one person, may not work for you.  You just have to keep reading and trying, until you find your magic trick!

Good luck!

Chuck

Ice is my friend with CH. It is my enemy with migraine but with CH its my friend.
I keep the  mouldable gel packs used by sports therapists in my freezer to take to uni with me.
I do use ice cubes too but my tolerance level with pain does not extend to having drippy water down my face. I long for the cold but not the wet and found the sports packs solved the problem.

Chuck is right- it is a case of finding what helps you.
Its also worth tracking down a good neuro and chatting about the different drug options et al that could be suitable and available and getting a definete diagonosis.
I have lost jobs because of this thing not being 'official'.

ice was one of my abortives from my early years. someof us on the board have mastered the efficiency of ice. one of my favorites. i keep pees in the freezer and a pitcher full of ice water in the fridge. i drink alot of ice water during a hit.

i'm hoping batch will chime in with his genius techniques. [smiley=vrolijk_26.gif]  

I was given fiorinal in the early 80's, it was still one of the first wave meds back then. Actually provided a little relief if I got on it right away. Doesn't hold a candle to the 02 though!

Ice never helped me much, although in the peaks of a killer hit I'd wrap my head in bags of ice, for the little relief it provided.

Joe

Joe,

I hear ya', I was on Fiorinal for a long time, I agree, didn't do much except take the edge off, I quess we're old timers huh???? ;)


Miki, check out the O2 link, and research it, it's my go to and has offered the most relief for me in this war.

Baer

miki wrote on Mar 7^th, 2009 at 12:21am:

The only abortive treatment that has had much effect on me is ice.  I need a bag of ice cubes (preferably the big ones).  I work it around till I get the smooth side of one ice cube pressed into my eye socket.  It needs to put actual pressure on the eye. I never tried triptans because until I found this site I had no idea they were used for anything but migraine.  I wish that I'd known a lot of this stuff 25 years ago, before my mother got her diagnosis.  Her doctor had her on a med called Fiorinal with Codeine, which is a cocktail of barbiturate, caffeine, aspirin and codeine.

You're a Doctor and don't know that triptans work for Clusters ? Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

        Kinder gentler Potter

A first script way back when was Fioricet, the one without codeine, but it stopped working a long time ago.  It was to fill in for the times I didn't have enough Imitrex nasal spray.  Kept three icepacks in the freezer, good for waking with a hit well under way and waiting for the n/s trex to kick in.  At that momentum, overchallenging for any abortive.  

Ice was an "edge of sanity" band aid of appeasement, at least trying to do something, and helped maybe more than just whatever effect it had against pain.  

I still use ice (temple area), and it's needed, while ramping up preventive meds and waiting the several days for them to be effective.  Although nowadays, oxygen has been a great addition.

Ice can also be placed on the neck and upper back, especially on the cluster ganglion if you have one of those. Pressing a wet ice cube directly on the ganglion can really help reducing the pain during a hit.

Drinking lots of ice cold water before and during a hit helps too.

Painfree wishes to you.

Katie wrote on Mar 7^th, 2009 at 2:46am:

I keep the  mouldable gel packs used by sports therapists in my freezer to take to uni with me. I do use ice cubes too but my tolerance level with pain does not extend to having drippy water down my face. I long for the cold but not the wet and found the sports packs solved the problem.

I am the  same way - the drippy aggitates me and I'd rather throw it than use it. The gel packs or frozen veggies work for me and I can wrap them where i need them.

wrote on Mar 7^th, 2009 at 4:58pm:

Ice can also be placed on the neck and upper back, especially on the cluster ganglion if you have one of those. Pressing a wet ice cube directly on the ganglion can really help reducing the pain during a hit. Drinking lots of ice cold water before and during a hit helps too. Painfree wishes to you.

I have a Cluster lump at the base of my skull on my cluster side.  Someone ( can't remember who, but thank you)  suggested that I apply ice to it during a hit.  It is amazing how much it helps.  In the past I had only applied ice to my face and the top of my head.

Jeannie

Yes, Potter, I am a doctor-a [i]pediatric intensive care[i] doctor.   Not all doctors get the same training.  There is so much medical knowledge available that it's impossible to know it all.  You are only trained in what is pertinent to what you do.
CH isn't common in the grade-school set, so I was never trained in its treatment.  What I did learn is from looking it up on my own.

Miki

I have the utmost respect for those who work in Paediatric Intensive Care. Its soooo much harder both mentally and skill wise, dealing with very ill babies and children, than with adults. And dealing with CH at the same time ?

My hat off to you !    [smiley=bow.gif]