Five years ago, this site helped me through the worst cluster cycle I'd ever had...got onto Topamax, and although I got dopey and tingly, the beast went away for 5 years!  Of course, I also quit the job that had been making me sick for most of 13 years, so that might have helped.  Now after five years working for myself, came back into the workplace, and within four months the beast is back.  Went through 20 Imitrex before calling doc -- started on Topamax this weekend, hoping to tame the beast again.  And planning to leave the job and go back to work for myself -- the beast never seems to bother me when I'm self-employed, so although I have less money, I have less hassle! 
Just wanted to express how glad I am to see that this site is still here and folks are still supporting each other.  Let's all kill this damned beast together! :)

Well Welcome back.
   I once went for 7 years PF  ... after I moved 650 miles south...so I don't know about the job thing.
   This darn beast is so random, Its anyones guess what brought it back on ...if anything.
   Hope you get it in control soon.

A really good way to go completely insane is to try and figure out cause and effect with the beast. He truly marches to his own beat!

You did not mention oxygen. With minor changes in delivery, it's showing an incredibly high rate of success. I'm just finishing...(I hope I hope I hope).....an almost 4 month cycle. I aborted attacks in 6-8 minutes again and again using oxygen. Thus far I only had to resort to imitrex once, oxygen has worked that well. MUCH cheaper and no imitrex hangover.

Read the oxygen info link on the left, everything you never thought to ask about oxygen complete with color pics. Sorry you're back, hope it's a short run.

Joe

Cynde wrote on Apr 12^th, 2010 at 2:55pm:

Went through 20 Imitrex before calling doc....)

Hopefully you're following the imitrex tip to increase the doses available to you by at least double?
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Welcome back.  I'm back after 5 years as well.  I never thought they would come back ...... but alas, they did.  I can't tell you how much o2 has helped this time around with a really high flow rate.   Now that I have a regulator that goes to 25 ..... ooooolalalala, I can get rid of that headache in 7 - 8 minutes on average.  I do stay on for an extra 10 - 15 minutes at a lower flow rate, just to make sure the beast is gone (I got rebounds before I started doing that).  This site has been a Godsend to me.  The people here are so willing to point you in the right direction, all you have to do is read.  :-) 

Had a kip 10 last night -- writhing on floor for an hour awaiting hubby who was away at soccer practice -- was in such pain I couldn't get up to get to the damned child-proof and adult-proof imitrex pack...did take two once he arrived, as well as a 25 mg topamax.  Slept like a baby.  Took topamax this a.m., am starting to take 25 mg twice a day.  Doc refused to give me scrip for oxygen before, but now that I see I can get it without a scrip, I will get it -- thanks to all who suggested it and have provided links to sources.  This beast deserves to be annihilated!

Imitrex pills are much too slow for aborting CH, you need the injections or inhaler in that order. Sub-q inj are best. Very few have results with the pills.

O2 (oxygen) used with the right equipment works wonders for most of us.

Good Luck, Don

Sumatriptan pills can work if your attacks come like clockwork and if you are not a nighttime hitter (both of which is the case for me). Popping one 1 hour before "showtime" can circumvent the attack very effectively for me when I am on the road without access to O2.

Awakened again at 2 a.m. by the beast...took imitrex, over within 15 minutes...sublingual doesn't do it any faster for me...but now I'm getting hit twice a day like clockwork, usually about 5:30 pm and 2 am.  Topamax day 5, and I know it will work eventually, but it usually takes about two weeks and I'm getting impatient.  Doc is leery of O2, won't give it to me despite pleas.  Think it's time to go out of network and see neuro in Alexandria who's on OUCH list -- hopefully I can get in soon.  Otherwise might have to jump off a bridge (just kidding).  Thanks to all for input.  Oh, and found Rozen's study amazing.  I fit the description perfectly, right down to eye color, family history, everything except smoking (never have, although both parents did).  Amazing.

Or go the welder's O2 route.

If your hits are coming like clockwork at 17:30 and 02:00, take one at 16:30 and set your alarm for 01:00....

Damnation, Brew, as soon as I predict this thing, it changes on me!  Last night it passed 7:30, 8:30, thought I'd escape...no, it hit at 9:15, then at 4:00 a.m. instead of 2:00.  Gonna see doc this afternoon and see about oxygen, although  I suspect it's not gonna work, as my HMO is very reluctant to give it...I will print out some of Rozen's papers and show him the evidence, but he won't have time to digest it (just as this site says).  Got an appt. with a center here in VA, but not 'til the end of the month, and if this pattern is like previous ones, the beast will have disappeared by then, but maybe I'll be able to get a scrip for O2 from them so that when the beast does return, I'll have O2 to beat it back the next time, even if it means I buy my own machine...

Don't be afraid of paying for your own 02, I did it for many years. E-Tanks rented for $4.25 a month, refills were about $12. I averaged 4-6 hits per E-tank so it really wasn't all that costly. Especially when you suggest to those stupid bean counters they compare the cost of oxygen to Imitrex! ;)

Joe