Hello, this is my first post.  Glad to see so many people helping out here.  I have had cluster headaches since 1986, my sophomore year in college.  I always suffered from sinus infections and with the teary eye and the runny nose I just thought they were sinus related.  My doctor did not diagnose me until 2006. (Allergists gave me nasal sprays, doctors gave me decongentents, of course it did not work). Seems like a long time for a diagnosis, but my cluster's don't seem to be as severe (timewise) as some of the posts I see here.  By the time my dr. diagnosed me in 2006 my clusters had gone away so I did not really research anything and the diagnosis was so new.  Every four years for about 1 month I get them.    My month is just about up now and the headaches have gotten less and less severe in the past three days.  Today was almost pain free so I am thinking I am coming out of this cluster.  I know the pain of these things, I am ready to jump out of my skin after a month so I can sympathize with anyone who has these chronically or multiple times a year.    I have never tried anything more than Imitrex and it did help.  I always get my headaches in the morning, about 7:15 am.  The Imitrex helps but then the clusters came in the middle of the night and the night headaches, as some of you know, are worse then the day time.  I am hoping I won't need any advice now, because I am still new to the treatments, but I am definately going to stay tuned in so I can see my doctor immediately when the clusters come back. (hopefully not for another 4 years).  I am so grateful for reading this site knowing that there are meds and other therapies to help with the pain and for no longer thinking that this was just a bad sinus attack every four years.

Hope everyone reading this gets the relief they need.

Brett C.

Hey Brett,

Welcome, and here's to you being able to abort 100% of your attacks if you get hit again 4 years from now (not an unattainable goal for a case like yours, as long as you have your arsenal all prepped, and contingency plans in place).

Heck, 4 years from now we should all finally have hover cars, jet packs and electronic instant cluster killer buttons to push.  :D

Hi Brett,

Glad to hear your cycle is almost over, keep in touch with the site as new information on our condition is always coming in.

David.

Thanks All,

Definately keeping in touch in or out of cycle.  Seems to be alot of nice people sharing an (unfortunately painful) common affliction.  When these headaches hit you need as much support as possible.  No fair weather friends here.

Thanks.

Brett C.   

Welcome to the board Bret, glad you found us. You'll find knowledge is your best ally. Whether it's a new prevent to try, a new way to use the oxygen, another quick tip like the energy drinks...there's always new stuff people are bringing to the board.

Wishing you a lifetime remission. ;)

Joe

Thanks to all.  Last couple of days the pain has been about a 1 or maybe a 2 on the Kip scale and only lasts about 20 minutes at a time, so I have been dealing.  Hoping they are on their way out.

I might try some red bull, which I have never had before, to try to take the edge off of the 2's. 

Regards,

Brett C.

Brett,

I have found the Red Bulls and also for me coffee helpful with shadows and low level attacks, I still go for the 02 however on anything approaching a 2 or more.

David

bcsanders wrote on Jun 11^th, 2010 at 5:41am:

No fair weather friends here.

Hmmm....maybe the regular responders here oughta form a gang called the Foul Weather Friends.  ;D

Matching jackets and caps would be nice. We could wear them while at the computer.  8-)

Jacket sounds cool, or even a t-shirt would do.  Always looking for t-shirts. 

Brett C.

I have too many caps according to my bride, but put me down for a jacket.