There's a lot of things that don't make any sence with this CH stuff but the last few days have been rather strange. After dinner I start feeling what I think is a shadow on my left side. During this cycle the pain had been on my right side though. In the past from cycle to cycle the pain sometimes switches sides, that the norm for me. but this pressure and pain that switches on the left for a few hours is totally new during this cycle. The pain eventually goes away and returns to my right side. I find this weird to say the least and for some odd reason extremely scary because at least I know what the pain feels like and know what to expect from the right side. If I sound like a wuss, oh well, I just don't know if I can handle the pain on my left side, it seems like I've become used to it. Any info, help, advice would help. I'm probably just going crazy, but wondering if this has happened to anybody else. Thank you.

Kathleen

Occasionally, I will feel pressure on my left side (the unaffected side) but the real attack comes on my right side. Has been this way for 24 years now. Sometimes CHs do switch sides. We've seen this especially with cyberknife treatments that seek to deaden the nerves on the affected side. While CHs are generally unilateral, they aren't exclusively. I do know what you mean, though, about not wanting them to switch sides. I know what is happening when an attack comes, but I have no idea what is going on when my left eye becomes involved. We are conditioned by our attacks, and their regularity is part of the conditioned response. We have learned what to expect so any change can be unsettling. Keep up with effective abortives regardless of which side the pain hits. Blessings! lance

I've experienced the same phenomenon myself, so I know how you feel.  Usually when I get the shadow on the left before it moves right I know I'm in for a real barnburner.  It is just a way for the beast to mess with your mind a bit more.

Jerry

Same here, I get shadows right and left side, I even had once or twice what I could swear felt like, shadows on both sides behind my eyeballs simultanously.

Though I get hit on right side with anything above kip3

Kathleen,  Yes it switches sides.  Same is ture for shadows.  It doesn't mean anything at all.

Thank you everybody. This CH crap is really pretty strange. I am really glad once again that I am not going crazy. Does it feel like it almost is filling up with fluid or some sort of matter that causes the pressure to begin? Again another weird thing, just curious.

Its false feeling, it is just nerve activation that makes you feel band around head, or fluid inside your head causing pressure.

Afterall if in fact there was some fluid inside your head, your nerves are one making you feel them the way you should feel.

But nerves can fake that feeling without certain cause, making your brain think that there is some fluids inside.

If it makes sense I am glad, if it doesn't just ignore my post :P

Matty, really anything that can help me with what's going on is very much so helpful. For the past few months the things I have been feeling and experiencing have been making me feel I was completely loosing touch with reality. It just doesn't make sense to me and I thought I was going insane. Even though this is the absolute worst thing I have ever experienced, I am glad that I am not the only one who is experiencing these phenomenons no matter how crazy and weird they seem. Thank you everybody for the input.

I had the same experience during my most recent cycle (teh first in 4 years and 2+ months of pure hell) and it totally threw me off. I also exsperienced numbness and pain in  my neck, and recurring numbness in my face, most often my lower lip and teet area.  It can really mess with your head, eh?  I'm still getting occassional numbness and the neck "headaches" but no real ripping headaches of recent.  I'm on a verapamil and some dietary supplements recommended here (magnesium, calcium, zinc), which seem to have helped.  As many here have said, this thing is really unpredectable.  If I start getting strong shadows on the left (I'm normally a right-sider), I bang down some caffeinated beverage (yes, the Red Bull does help) and see what happens.  Recently, this has been sufficient.  If it starts to ramp up on the right, I'm off to the O2 (another gift from the people at this site) if I'm home or find somewhere quiet to shoot some Imitrex.  Good luck

Hi,

Yep, I've experienced these things too.  Totally understand how difficult it is to deal with when its on the otherside, either a full blown hit or shadows.  Had a doozy of a hit that got me both sides at the same time once - I'll never forget that.  Thankfully it's only happened once in 20 yrs.

I also feel like my head is filling up with liquid pain and then eventually it slowly subsides - like the tide going in and out.  Since having 02 I've found that I can sit quietly and just be aware of what is happening in my head rather than thrashing around - which of course makes it so much worse.  Also often get a pain down the left side - arm and leg - although a righty.

Its a tricky beast!!

Wishin you all the best,

Kate

I have had shadows and clusters on both sides, but not in the same cycle.