I've been getting CH's for 15 years. Last night my girlfriend had to call 911 for a trip to the ER room. It was one of those KIP10's, 2 1/2 hours, vomiting and sprawled on the bathroom floor types. At least i do it right, huh.

The medics were there in less than 10 minutes but it felt longer. I imagine it always does. It felt like KIP30MINUTES. I think I just invented a new scale.

I wish I didn't get these headaches but I have never felt sorry for myself. Last night was very stormy(I'm Jersey outside of Philly) and I was parked in the hallway on a gurney about 50 foot from the ambulance entrance. Keep in mind this is my first hospital visit ever. They were bringing "customers" in one after another. This went on for 3 hours. Then I heard over one of the nurses phones "code red, child, 10 minutes", soon to be followed by "code white 2", all necessary personnel and equipment to room 2 I deduced, because that's exactly what happened. Not a mad dash but orderly chaos. ETA 5 minutes, ETA 2 minutes, I see the pediatrics surgeon walk out from room 2, take a peek and turn around. Two other incoming accident victims arrive and are lined up on the far wall and wait with what i guess are minor injuries, because the EMT attendants have their backs to them looking towards room 2. I hear the nurse ask were are they, and she's says there's traffic and it's a storm out there. I can see that from my vantage point. Then I see lights flashing and it gets real quiet.

Did you ever watch one of those dozen or so ER shows and a code red comes in and they're running along the stretcher saying BP is blank over blank, get a cbc and etc.? Not here. The EMT's calmly push the stretcher through the door, one of them squeezing a bag, releasing, squeezing, releasing, never looking up. The other makes eye contact with a nurse. It's quiet. She points and holds up 2 fingers. They turn to go in to the room and I see a kid, bare legs half bent out to the side, bare arms over his/her head. I notice ER patient relatives peak out of doorways.
I was there for another 1/2 hour and they were still working on that kid. I do not know what the outcome was, I don't need to. I know that I am lucky

This is one of the songs I'm going to listen to tonight. I'm feeling pretty good.

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what a beautiful, beautiful song :)

Tell us what you have learned, in 15-years of CH, about how to care for youself.

Dave good buddy,

Sorry you had such a rough time...  Kip-10 head bangers and a trip to the ER are brutal events no matter how you cut it... 

If you think there are more trips to the ER in your dance card, you may want to download the Medic Alert Card from the OUCH site at the following link: START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

Take it to your doctor and have him fill out the needed info then drop a copy by your local ER and keep your copy handy.  It could save needless delays in obtaining relief and they might just give you oxygen therapy and an ice bag while you wait through the triage to see an ER doc...

While you're talking to your doc, ask about more effective abortives.  The cluster headache survey many of us took in 2008 listed oxygen therapy as being currently used by 25% of the survey participants with 70% efficacy.  If you use it at flow rates of 25 liters/minute and higher, it is even more effective.  There's a "How To" post that will help you when asking for the oxygen therapy Rx at the following link that many have found helpful:
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The CH survey also indicated subcutaneous sumatriptan injections were currently being used by 19% of the survey participants with with 80% efficacy.  Many said they use a combination of these two abortives with even higher efficacy.

In short, not having oxygen, imitrex or both on hand as a CH'er is like practicing bleeding without a transfusion at the ready...

Take care,

V/R, Batch

Hey Batch, received your email on O2 and it's being worked on for this week, thanks so much.

Bob,
I've learned more in the last year and a half than the 14 years before that. My Friday night ER visit I had the initial attack and another one in the hospital.  My first request once in the ambulance: OXYGEN. My next question: what is the flow rate? 12lpm. Please increase it, thank you. WITHOUT YOU PEOPLE I NEVER WOULD HAVE ASKED THAT. The hospital tank ran out while I was in that hallway but my headache subsided so I didn't think anything of it, until I felt that precursor we all feel. I was at the beginning stage of the CH by the time it was hooked back up, but I have to tell everybody...AMAZING. If you have not tried O2 try it. If it didn't work the first time, try it again, and if you have any questions email Batch, I barely know him but I know he won't mind. Starting today it's not a CH, it's a ch.

My first post on this site was a week and a half ago and I kind of gave a quick history of my ch's. If I could pick one thing I've learned it is to question, push, insist, etc. your doctor. If you are on this site, there is a good chance you know as much about this disease as them. And don't be afraid to change doctors. And if they schedule you 2-3 months down the road, that is not acceptable.

That's great news dockwolk! Now that you know what 02 can do for you - you are back in control of this evil beast!