Hello! I am new here as far as making an account and posting, but i have been on here before a couple of years ago when my husband got his first CH. But two years have passed and he is starting to get pains again. I thought the CH were coming back, however, they are not meeting the normal symptoms:

The time when the pains hit the highest are not at the exact same time. They could be hours or minutes away from the last one.

The pain is always there, its very slight during the day, but gets really bad at night. With every night passing, the pain gets worse

Nausea: two days ago he tried to throw up. Not sure if it is a symptom, or if it is because just before he hit his peak from the CH two years ago, he vomited, maybe from the cortisone shot? And is trying to repeat that for a solution.

I was thinking it could be a migraine but a few things don't add up:

Droopy eye: as he starts getting the pain his eye is starting to droop.

Light and sounds: Normally a migraine you cannot be around sight and sound. But he seems ok with it. Having the TV on and talking to him seems be a way of distraction of the pain.

Eye pain: the pain is right behind his left eye.

He said so far the pain has not hit that peak, but it has been hurting alot and keeping him up at night. This has been going on for almost two weeks now.

Any information is greatly appreciated!

Thank you

-Maria

Hello
Has your husband seen a headache specialist? That should be top on the list. Sorry he is having a rough time but glad he has you! :-*

The first time he had the CH he went to his normal doctor. That doctor just gave him some pain medicine. This time he has not gone yet. I did not know until today that there was such a thing as a headache specialist. I will let him know and see if there is one around here. Thank you.

Did he go 2 years without pain? I would get him to a Neurologist ASAP. Its impossible to tell by some brief descriptions, and I don't mean to cause alarm, yet a brain tumor is a possibility. I'm not a dr, so take my advice with a grain of salt. just trying to convey the seriousness of getting some professional medical help.

if only "for the heck of it", you could try Batch's Anti-Inflammatory Preventative Regimen for Cluster Headache. Its possible its effective for Migraines also, but that's my mere guess.

It helped me in 2 days, and I've been pain free since. One could argue that most people should be taking these vitamins, and it costs under $50 to get started.

Omega 3 Fish Oil - 2000 to 2400 mg/day (EPA 360 mg/day, DHA 240 mg/day)
Vitamin D3 *      - 10,000 IU/day
Calcium **         - 500 mg/day (calcium citrate preferred)
Magnesium         - 400 mg/day (magnesium citrate or magnesium gluconate)
Vitamin K ***     - 120 mcg/day
zinc                    -   10 mg/day
Boron                 -     1 mg/day   

This regimen can be taken any time of the day, but it's best taken in the morning with an 8-oz glass of lemonade, limeade, or any fruit juice high in citric acid sweetened with with a little honey.  Honey is a natural source of Boron, which is listed as one of the "cofactors" along with magnesium, vitamin K and zinc.

How about Oxygen? I'd assume he hasn't tried it. I'm not sure about the situation, but I'd even consider a trip to the ER, if you can't see a Dr relatively soon.

keep us posted, and best of luck.

Also, it might be Tension headaches, or perhaps Sinus Headache. Due to a sinus infection perhaps. Do Painkillers help at all?

Thank you for the suggestions. I have been trying to tell him to go back to the Dr. but he has been trying to avoid them after his recent 600 bill for multiple tests on fatigue.

I will talk to him about the vitamins, maybe that is all he needs.

He has not tried Oxygen before. I will also talk to him about that.

He has been stressed, he has been doing a lot of physical labor these past few work days.

Painkillers were helping but now he has been getting to more stronger ones to help him sleep.

Ouch on the $600 bill.
If painkillers were helping, I'd suggest its not CH's. Its easy to assume they help a CH, even though they don't even touch them, due to the fact that CH's only last an hour roughly.

Also since you said the pain is always present, would suggest its not CH.

I'd suggest he try some meditation, its great at relieving stress and pain, especially if its Tension headache related. If I had to guess, I'd say it is Tension HA, yet I wouldn't think that's the only issue.

Youtube has some good videos to help you meditate.

Please do not take what we say as a substitute for medical advice. Yes, a headache specialist is the best way to go, although even a general neuro is a place to start in order to rule out other disorders. What you are describing could just be the way CHs are hitting your husband before he settles into a more predictable cycle. This often occurs. The nausea, while not typical, is also reported from time to time. The "vague" element of pain, while not typical of the sharp or explosive pain of a full-on attack, may be what we call shadows. Those can literally last for days and such unrelenting pressure can easily cause a stomach reaction. All this is to say, nothing about CHs is typical. Please be wary of trying to mask symptoms before a doc has gone through a full diagnostic procedure. Keep us informed, good luck with this, and may God bless. lance

Headache is a complex area of medicine and most GPs don't know how to diagnose or treat. (Several studies show that some folks take years to find a solid diagnosis/treatment as they wander from doc to doc.)

Pain meds will not work for Cluster and increasing the frequency of use tends to increase the rate of attacks--but without benefit.

It's not wise to start self-directed treatment without having a good diagnosis. It's possible to mask pain but also to make it difficult/impossible for a good doc to make an accurate diagnosis. There are many problems which mimic Cluster but which can be rather serious conditions, hence, need for solid diagnosis.

Our regular suggestion is a headache specialist:

LOCATING HEADACHE SPECIALIST

1. Search the OUCH site (button on left) for a list of recommended M.D.s.

2. Yellow Pages phone book: look for "Headache Clinics" in the M.D. section and look under "neurologist" where some docs will list speciality areas of practice.

3.  Call your hospital/medical center. They often have an office to assist in finding a physician. You may have to ask for the social worker/patient advocate.

4. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE On-line screen to find a physician.

5. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE Look for "Physician Finder" search box. They will send a list of M.D.s for your state.I suggest using this source for several reasons: first, we have read several messages from people who, even seeing neurologists, are unhappy with the quality of care and ATTITUDES they have encountered; second, the clinical director of the Jefferson (Philadelphia) Headache Clinic said, in late 1999, that upwards of 40%+ of U.S. doctors have poor training in treating headache and/or hold attitudes about headache ("hysterical female disorder") which block them from sympathetic and effective work with the patient; third, it's necessary to find a doctor who has experience, skill, and a set of attitudes which give hope of success. This is the best method I know of to find such a physician.

6. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE NEW certification program for "Headache Medicine" by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties, an independent, non-profit, professional medical organization.
        Since this is a new program, the initial listing is limited and so it should be checked each time you have an interest in locating a headache doctor.

Thank you everyone for the help. He spent the day in recovering in bed all day yesterday and looks like it may have helped.

I also gave him some allergy medicine with a decongestant, and he only woke up once last night for about an hour.

I think he could be having migraines caused or getting aggravated by allergies.

Hopefully this will all go away by the end of the week.


Again thank you to everyone!  ;D

I agree on the idea that you need a Neuro with real experience to get a good diagnosis...And I wouldn't assume that they are migraines just because opiates work (some people, including me have found opiates to be able to get rid of a cluster) OR because of cluster lasting longer than typically noted...Hell mine will last all day and night unless I bust them with something...and my headache specialist has most definitely diagnosed me with clusters.

Ricardo
Interesting u say that yours would last all day! the same thing happens to me sometimes an "all day" headache and really havent heard of anyone else that had a cluster like headache all day! i too am definately diagnosed with clusters!

Cluster Quiz located yellow tab, left side of screen. Results from taking quiz should provde a starting point to differentiate Migraine VS Cluster Headaches.

OUCH website located yellow tab, left side of screen.  Click on area for recommended doctors (in your state, your country) who are familiar with CH's.

This sounds very close to what I experienced on and off for 10 years.  My neuro just called them "ocular migraines."  I have now been diagnosed with CH and believe that I had on-and-off experienced both ocular migraines and CH for a decade.

Here is what worked best for me when I had the problems your husband is describing:  120 mg of extended release Propranalol twice a day as a preventative and I would switch on and off with the triptan Axert and the pain/nausea drug Fioricet as needed as an abortive until the cycle broke.  If the cycle went on for more than 3-5 days, I would get a Medrol dose pack.  I had a 100% success rate with Medrol for migraines (it was an absolute utter failure for CH!).

Best of luck to you and your husband.  He may be experiencing a little of each at different times, which is unfortunately something to which I can relate.

Hi

Sounds like me I have chronic daily migraine and cluster headache if you want to discuss this further let me know but I know those symptoms very well and I can't necessarily stop them but sometimes knowing you are not the only crazy person helps?

Let me know

Greetings Maria,

I have no experience with migraines and am still learning about Cluster Headaches and the advice that you have already been given is good sound advice.

The only thing I can add at this point...."What you can measure you can manage" - Start keeping a diary, journal, log or whatever you want to call it. The information you may find on this website and it's members is very valuable, but the information you will accumulate in a journal will be priceless.

Keep track of times of headaches, duration, intensity, enviromental factors, medications used and tried as well as their effectiveness, foods eaten or anythingelse you may deem important or not important.

Please keep us posted.

Blessings to us all,

d

As always Thank You, Thank You, Thank You for those that have suffered before us.