Not sure how else to explain it.

Sometimes my clusters dont actually go away so much as they just diminish greatly. Many times Im still left with a vague stabbing "cluster-like" sensation that is just enough to be uncomfortable but not enough to be full-on painful.

They're called shadows.  They seem to vary from person to person.  For me a disturbing twitch in my eyelid, annoying but bearable pain in temple, and/or a general 'sizzling' in my head can persist after an attack, or creep up and fade away outside of attacks, as a gentle reminder the Beast is lurking.  Shadows can be a precursor to an attack.  My attacks seldom come with more than 10 minutes shadow warning.

Some of the preventive meds that keep attacks at bay, seem to let shadows through.  They are annoying, but better than the full-force attack any day.

Others may chime in with ideas for handling shadows, or hunt the Boards for ideas.  I haven't tried these yet, but might if I should get long shadows. 

Fox

Mine present as a sort of tightness in the eyebrow/cheekbone/ear canal. Sometimes painful, other times not so much. Oxygen or an energy drink or both. Sometimes they're not painful enough to even pursue.

I view them as my little reminder to stay ever vigilant. Like the dent on the end of my nose (from removal of a basal cell carcinoma) to always put on sunscreen if I'm going to be out in the sun.

I find shadows to be a common almost everyday event escpecially when in cycle, but have periods of when they persist long before and after a "typical" cycle.

Nothing like those gentle reminders of CH adventures past and yet to come.

However, I readily admit...,

Compared to the professional strength versions, these are little more than lingering nuisances.

burnt-toast
(Tom)      

          

Yes.  My cycles are late spring, but I have also had a period with these in late fall.  Everything but the pain.  Weird, scary, but quite tolerable in the end.  The worst downside is the "get away from me" part during a micro-hit, but I can usualyy excuse myself and take a walk.  My hope that more of your hits are this variety.

Sorry to be a hijacker but I'v been out of cycle for nearly 6 weeks now but I'v still been getting shadows and today they've been almost constant , I was starting to get a bit scared the clusters were coming back, so is it common ( I use that word loosely ) to get shadows out of cycle ?

Nigel

I've been having constant shadows all day. Generally I get them for about 10-20 minutes after an attack but these ones today have been lasting straight between each attack. I get a "cold tingling" from my temple up similar to pins and needles of an appendage falling asleep followed by slight pressure in my temple. My eyelid also droops slightly and my pupil dialates a bit more. Occasionally during the shadows my ear will also plug up.

Yes not every day but i have ear pain and eye pain. I get so freaked out thinking i am going to get them. The last time was 6 months.

teresa1919

A shadow to me only happens while in cycle or when a cycle is coming.  It's a warning to ACT fast.  What is feels like is a stone being placed on my temple with a mallet hitting it lightly only to get more intense if I don't ACT with an abortive.

I've been using powderd ginger. I mix 1/2 tsp.-1tsp. per an oz. of water, mix it up as best you can and slug it down. chase it with more water. The taste is strong but it works for me for a few hours. I hope this helps. Peace Hickory

Hickory wrote on Mar 1^st, 2010 at 5:56pm:

I've been using powderd ginger. I mix 1/2 tsp.-1tsp. per an oz. of water, mix it up as best you can and slug it down. chase it with more water. The taste is strong but it works for me for a few hours. I hope this helps. Peace Hickory

I've read about this powdered ginger and would be willing to try especially since I love ginger.  Anything natural is worth a shot.

Ok, so maybe the headaches I've been getting daily are "shadows" which means I'm still in my cycle. They do make me nervous and afraid another "big one" will follow especially when it's persistent and lasts more than a few minutes. Thankfully that has happened for the last 8 wks. just annoying head pangs.
Donna Mae

this happens to me as well during my cycle. i have always referred to it as a background headache, but most here refer to it as "shadows" from what i see. i do know what u mean by haunting me as u are just waiting for the pain to turn into a full blown cluster headache. its peering over your shoulder ready to pounce.

I was wondering what a shadow was.  I need to pay closer attention of these signs.  I left myself with an empty tank of o2 here at work yesterday and got a ch and had an hour left of work.  I made it home, switched out the bottles and sat for 20 minutes until it eased up and was wiped out.  Still learning about all this stuff.
Needless to say, not sure if related or not, but I was up most of the night with a migraine too. Nausea was really bad. And today I feel like I have been hit by a truck. BUT I do have O2 with me! :o

Here is my analogy:

shadow headache = tremors

cluster headache = earthquake

I have shadows in-cycle. Just a dull minor headache in the temple. A minor annoyance is all it is to me. Actually I'm thankful having them, knowing it could be a lot worse.