I changed doctors today. I saw him at 3:45 PM. He was upfront with me and told me he didn't know that much about cluster headaches (my heart took a downward pitch) but then said BUT by the time we're finished with you I'll know everything there is to know about it.. Thank God for him !!  We went over many issues and he even left the room once to do a bit of research.  In the end he gave me an RX for Sumatriptan 50 mg .. I told him what I've been reading about those pills - how long it takes to dissolve and by that time the HA is in full swing. He asked me to give it a try so I will. He said he'll be busy reading all he can on the subject.  I am being scheduled for an MRI tomorrow.. I recently was diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism and just found out I have Pernicious Anemia .. and he is going to research all of that to see if there is any connection with those conditions and the onset of these headaches. I usually get my cycle going in late December..
One thing I forgot to ask him was - and I'm hoping someone out there can answer for me...
I take Melatonin (12 mgs) every night.. Can I take the two together since both mention Serotonin ? 
I've been up since 2 AM and it is now 9 PM .. That headache got me good last night.  I've noticed a pattern.  If I can manage 2 or 3 nights of good sleep with the Melatonin I'm going to get hit good during the day ..
I sit here and read all of your posts - and I get so angry that researchers haven't come up with anything concrete to go on involving these horrendous headaches..

I am so exhausted but petrified to close my eyes tonight. 

Thanks for listening... I've learned so much from all of you...

You're going to find those pills next to worthless, Lucy. You can continue the melatonin. I don't know a lot about serotonin syndrome, but I believe it takes some time to develop.

You certainly don't want to take the sumatriptan regularly like you would a regular preventative. It is a rescue or abortive med and should only be used when being hit. And I wouldn't use it until after high-flow O2 at 15 litres per minute minimum through a non-rebreather mask has failed.

You might want to ask him for the injections - they're much faster (8-10 minutes vs. 30-45 minutes for the pills).

Well since you do have these pills laying about now, I think I recently saw a thread with some of our local cluster bubs - who regularly get hit shortly after falling asleep - reporting that taking a trex pill before bed provided some kinda good results...???

Might be worth searching that thread out, especially if you can usually expect to be visited by the beast within an hour or so of falling asleep.

[Edit: found the thread - here it is]: START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

With sumatriptan, that may be just postponing the inevitable as it's a short-acting triptan.

I've used Amerge (naratriptan) like that - to ensure a full night's sleep. I've also heard that Frova (frovatriptan) will do the same thing. Maxalt (rizatriptan) is somewhere in the middle.

So glad to hear about your new Doc. being willing to listen and learn! Stay with that one! sounds like my Doc. who eventually knew as much as me and was willing to help me anyway I wanted. He was pleased with my desire to get O2 and not drugs.
Good luck!! :)

Once he starts his own research I think he will soon see the benefits of oxygen .. I am just hoping this cycle ends before we have to get into that .. this is an unusual time of year for my cycle to begin ..

Brew, I had a wonderful night. I took the usual 12 mgs of Melatonin and fell asleep nicely (no doubt since I was exhausted from the previous night of no sleep at all) and at 7 AM this morning I felt the first pang of pain .. jumped up and popped an Imitrex and within 12 minutes I felt fine.  During those 12 minutes I was starting to feel those old feelings starting up.. Day 1 was a success.  I have no idea how long this cycle is going t last since it's out of 'order' this time.. I usually get them late December.  Once my doctor does his research and if these headaches stick around I think he'll be agreeing with the 02 ... Time will tell..
Have a great day..

Sounds great, Lucy! Any victory over the beast is a small victory for all of us.

Lucy,

Congrats on finding a Dr that doesn't think MD means God!  You have a gem there, and should be able to work with him.  Print out the information here on the oxygen info button on the left or give him the link and have him check it out himself.  While you are at it I would suggest you go whole hog and ask him to prescribe 25 lpm rather than only 15.  That way if you need more than 15 you don't have to go through it all again.  If you only need 15 you don't have to use it all.  15 didn't work for me unless I got to it in the early shadow stage and I went without it for several years.  Got my new Dr to prescribe it for me at 25 lpm (I gave her the directions for the prescription from the info button but asked for 25 lpm instead).  She knows I have researched it far more than she has, and she wants to learn, so she went along with me on it.  I've had such good success with it she is going to recommend it to a couple of other patients who also have CH. 

Anyway, I said all of that to say this, I can knock out at hit in 5-8 mins now even if I have already gotten into a full blown attack where I could not do it at 15 lpm.  My next move may be to go to a demand valve because I can still suck a bag flat and look for more at 25.

Jerry