I am about 6 months into this cycle.  I have been suffering with these headaches since I was 18(now 31).  I usually get a break for about 2 years between each cycle.  I have tried every medicine under the sun, including oxygen....but my question is how do you know the difference between a rebound and the actual ch.  Do they feel the same as the ch?

Each time I get close to the end of my cycles I always face this same question...could I be prolonging these headaches by taking this injection/Pill.  Here lately I have not been very powerful with my pain.  The pain has been winning lately and I take my imitrex shot.  I can't even run my fingers through my hair without pain right now.  I think my nerve ending are shot. 
If anyone knows the difference please let me know.  Thank you!

So much of the info on this is anectdotal. Do the meds we use prolong cycles? Some are convinced they do, especially the triptans like Imitrex. If they do in fact prolong a cycle, is it worth the pain relief for the longer cycle? That question always comes down to the individual.

As far as a rebound vs. an attack. Not sure there is really a difference. If I abort an attack with only oxygen, I will suffer a re attack within 20 minutes. So now I drink a Red Bull when I start my oxygen, seems to prevent the re attack. When I abort an attack with Imitrex, I do not suffer the re attack. Not sure this helps...........having an extra long cycle myself this year....hoping the end is in sight for both of us.

Joe

Thanks Joe, that is exactly how I feel....just got done using my imitrex shot again (hour after I feel asleep) :(

Keep trying at the O2 and ditch the triptans.  If rebounds do exist, O2 hopefully should help eliminating them.

A rebound is not different in quality from the "real thing" which makes diagnosis troublesome. One of the old CH docs wrote much on rebound before he reitred and made this key point:

If you suspect rebound, you stop the suspected med and see what happens. If the headache frequency changes, then you have identified the problem. No clinical/lab tests.

Melissa,

Joe, Chad and Bob have made some sound observations that all point in the same general direction.  There are times when no matter what we use to combat our cluster headaches that nothing seams to work very effectively and sometimes not at all.

We've been working with a number of neurologists specializing in our disorder that think arterial pH may be the culprit.  From the data we've collected so far, it appears a low arterial pH (too much acid) contributes to vasodilation with a resultant increase in the frequency and intensity of cluster headaches.  It also appears this condition can make the medications we take less effective.

One of the regimens that has worked to reverse this low arterial pH condition for a number of us involves taking mineral supplements and a diet high in alkaline forming foods. 

We've found that taking 3 to 4 calcium citrate tablets with vitamin D, magnesium and zinc washed down with homemade lemonade can make a big difference.  This combination acts as a buffer on the stomach gastric juices and ultimately elevates a low arterial pH back up to normal to a slightly alkaline condition after 12 to 24 hours.  We've also found a diet that cuts back on red meat and replaces it with fish high in Omega-3 fish oils, poultry, and lots of green veggies also helps elevate arterial pH.

The following link will take you to a site on pH control.

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At the bottom of the page is a table of food types you can eat that help elevate arterial pH.  Hope this helps.

Take care,

V/R, Batch

Here's a nice reliable site with some patient info about rebound -
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best clue as to whether your ha is rebound is if it gets better with meds but then immediately comes back when the meds wear off - generally all day headache.  The treatment is stop the pain meds and battle through it...

of course, with CH how you tell the difference from a heavy shadow that lasts for hours from a rebound, well, this may be the tricky part...
:(

of course, with CH how you tell the difference from a heavy shadow that lasts for hours from a rebound, well, this may be the tricky part...

Combined with the delight the beast gets in constantly morphing on us throws another wrench in the mess! ;)

Joe

           I have also been questioning if my head pain could be "rebound". I've noticed recently that shortly after I take my Verapamil dose that I often experience an increase in the head burn nerve pain, but it seems to subside after an hour or so.
            
           But I'm also still experiencing other CH symptoms like eye droop, constant tearing, conjunctiva, eye feels like it's on fire most of the time. So that along with the daily head pressure and burn tells me I'm still in cycle and I need to continue treatment. I don't use Imitrex, right now my treatment regiment is O2, Verapamil and nortriptyline.

         This is my 1st cycle, 7 mo for me now. I'm still a newbie and trying my best to figure this out myself. Not much help from any Docs I've seen so far. Everything I've learned about CH has been here on this site! Thanks everyone for all the support and advice, tips, etc.

           Hoping and praying our cycles will end soon!

Donna Mae    :)

You're on the right track, Donna Mae. Check your pm.

And for me, a rebound will become a full fledged attack if I don't treat it as a full hit right away. One leads to the other. I don't try to classify the hit, just abort it well and good! That usually means staying with the full O2 treatment time, regardless of the Kip level.