Thank you for being here.  I needed you to be.  Everything feels different now.  You wont judge me for being weakened by this thing.  I felt so victimized but now I feel like I have a place to go.  I don't know who you are, but I do know enough about you that I start crying.  You are real.  I'm not crazy or weak.  It's not just me.  Thank you so much.  My name is Danny.

Yeah....we are real alright. Welcome....pull  up a chair and tell us about yourself.

Hey Danny, glad you're here now.

The more you read here, I think the more you'll sense that for many of us (the lucky ones) this CH thing can be dealt with, and that there are many ways of doing so that you won't likely be advised about (or at least won't be correctly advised about) at the doctors office.

You might want to read through some of the other "Getting To Know Ya" topics - I wish I woulda thought of doing that when I first got here - there are some common threads running through the replies in them that  can give you a quick idea of what has most commonly helped others.

Yep this a good spot for comparing notes and getting advice about how to get some real relief.

What treatments/meds etc.have you been on so far?

I am 34 years old.  I work in sales and pretty good at it when I can be.  I have never been diagnosed with Cluster Headaches.  Which is really making me mad the more I identify with the symptoms and sufferers.  This has been happening to me since I was about 20. I have tried: Imitrex, Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen, Vicodin, cloth bags filled with hot rice (my lulu), scalding hot showers, blunt force trauma, and sex.  They all help sometimes.  Lately nothing does.  I was fine for about two years.  But now the pain is back and is worse then ever before.  The part that hurts the most is the way my family looks at me.  Nothing seems to help that but ... then there is you.  I am going to log for the night I have a guest coming over later on I need to prepare for.  Thank you for the welcoming community.  I really needed someone else to relate to.

Well it's quite possible you are crazy! ;) But welcome to the board. In order:

1: Get yourself to a neuro who specializes in headaches.

2: If it turns out it is CH you must take a 2 pronged approach towards dealing with it.

A: A good prevent, that's a med we take daily while on cycle to reduce the number and the intensity of your hits. I use lithium, Verapamil is a typical first round try which enjoys a high rate of success. Topomax is also effective for many.

B: An abortive strategy.....first line abortive should be oxygen. I can halt the beast in his tracks in less then 10 minutes. Read the oxygen info link on the left as it must be used correctly or it's useless.

For now try chugging an energy drink at the first sign of an attack. I use sugar free red bull cuz the taste isn't too awful, but any containing the combo of caffeine and taurine wil work. I've been having great luck this cycle quelling smaller attacks that way.

Joe

Joe hits the nail on the head. Since it looks like you are working mainly with abortives you should definitely add O2 to your arsenal and discuss the recommended prevent options with your doc.

Yeah Danny boy we are definitely real... ;) I'm nearly sure we have all felt like you at some stage untill we  found this site. As racer said tell us a little more about yourself...


Lefty

welcome,

Yep im as real as they come.

Just got 1 question? you put cooked rice in your clothes for the treatment of clusters??

Coach Bill

Hi Danny,

I'm really from Alaska, born and raised... still here and a sufferer.  GET ON THE O2 ASAP!!!

PFDN!!
Angela

Danny A wrote on Apr 17^th, 2010 at 10:31pm:

....... I have tried: Imitrex......

Was your imitrex in the injectible form, or at least inhaler?

I'm asking because dufus doctors constantly, erroneously, prescribe pill form for CH, and it is generally too slow to work very well..

Welcome to the club Danny!  Nobody wants to be in our club, but whatever, you are here you might as well enjoy it. 

Counter attack!  In your pain free moments read all you can on this site and counter attack!  There are many things we all do to ease the pain and live mostly pain free.  Oxygen and caffeine/taurine seem to top the list and then your choice of meds. 

After a diagnosis some get on the prescription meds and some use the natural meds presented well at clusterbusters.com.  You choice of course, but don't let this thing victimize you!  There are options for you, not cures, but good options to alleviate most of the pain most of the time.  It is all here, just keep reading.

Good luck daddy-o! 8-)(and a sunglass guy for you).

--Shaggy

I have read all the side bar topics and did the quizzes/polls.  I haven't felt this good in awhile.  I read "the devil" and woke up my wife laughing.  Sorry for saying so but, it feels pretty good knowing that you guys are going through the same thing.  And it really does hurt that bad.  Not my imagination or lack of strength.  You guys are AWESOME!

Oh and for the record...


Quote:

..you put cooked rice in your clothes for the treatment of clusters??

LOL.  I had a cloth "pillow" that had uncooked rice in it.  I would throw it in the microwave to heat it up and try and burn/sooth away the pain.


Quote:

Was your imitrex in the injectible form, or at least inhaler?

No just pills.  They stopped working for me too.  I was only supposed to take one pill per day.  I ended up taking three a few times and my doctor freaked out.

welcome Danny    :)