My Life with CH

Cluster Headaches



It started with a couple of migraines the summer of 2010, my wife has suffered with them for as long as I can remember so I just did what she said to do and took my first 50mg Imitrex on the last one.



October 29th, out of town seeing family woke up in the hotel bed numb all down the left side, you know like when your foot falls asleep, and the worst headache I have ever had, what I will later call "The Freight Train" had just ran over me. Called in sick at work Sat...Sun..Mon..Tues had to go in on Wedsday but only made it 2hrs, I drive a forklift indoors around a lot of people, Headache..Blured vision..Runny nose... wanting to pound my head aginst the wall..NOT GOOD I steped off and they drove me home..Thur..Fri ...I  finally see the doctor Friday headache getting worst... He said "It sounds like Cluster Headaches, rare to start in your mid 40's but lets take a MRI to be sure".



Went home and found CH.com



I learned I am not alone, the doctors are still trying to figure out why it happens, and my new friend "The Freight Train" keeps a schedule.



Speaking of my new friend,  He's a constant headache I would say about a "4" kip scale. with a roaring in my head " like the sound of the static on TV after the stations went off the air when we were kids!" all of a sudden its like I am under water, pressure and quiet, then my pulse starts pounding in my inner ear...stronger...stronger.. full collision with the right temple, knocks me to my knees....my brain starts coming out my eye... pain... well nuff said.. throbing, dripping hurt someone pain.. and the dance go's on....



My journey has just begun...

Jeff in Montana

Where in Montana?

          Potter

Marion,up by Kalispell

Hey Jeff, I started at 46. I don't think that's the norm, but not unusual either. From your description, it sounds like you nailed it. I also have ongoing headache, ranging from 2-6.

Get to a headache specialist or headache center if you can. They'll get you on the right meds at the right doses. CH is not just a bad migraine, it's totally different.

-Chris

Welcome to the board Jeff. Chris is right, the sooner you can find a headache specialist the better. It's tough finding docs who are up to speed with the treatment of CH. 2 immediate suggestions:

Read the oxygen info tab on the left. 32 years of CH and I have found nothing as consistently effective as 02. I abort my attacks in about 6-8 minutes.

Go to clusterbusters.com    alternative therapies outside of mainstream medical that are showing tremendous succes stories.

Then start reading like crazy, an educated CH'er hurts a lot less! ;)

Joe

Hi Jeff & welcome
There are some here who did start late in life; I didn't get my first edition until I was 49 nearly 50, so if like they say CH goes away with age then I'm going to live to 100 ;)
Cheers
Barry