This cycle I awake at typically the same times every night with TORTURE by the DRAGON and get hit at predictable times every morning and everyday.

Waking up with KIP 6-7-8-9-10, no less than 3x per night and up to 6x per night, over the past several months has become a living nightmare!

Fortunately, the pain intensity and frequency have greatly reduced during the day and recently at night thanks to an increased Verapamil dosage above 480mg. 

My daytime attacks have transformed into all day shadows that last up to 4 hours unless I abort and am down to only 1 daytime attack.

Here's something I find odd...these past few nights I am astonished to have awoke at the same times I normally get TORTURED by the DRAGON and I awake to NO PAIN! :)   

Maybe I am finally coming out of my longest cycle!?!  Just thought I would share the best news my life has offered since this cycle began 8/6th.

-Gregg in Las Vegas

Thats awesome Gregg!!
So happy to hear that from you my friend! I hope it continues buddy!!

Sadly, I think you've trained your body to wake up for the beast! :o

I sure hope you're right and beasty is getting his butt outta your life, you are certainly due a break. Hang in there brudder.

Joe

Thanks Anthony, always nice to share hope to others! 

Thanks Joe, trained to wake up 6x/nt?  Oh boy, lol, how do I untrain?  Just happy, really f**kin happy there has been no pain at these wakeups!

It honestly pleases me to think of the relief you must be feeling right now ! 

I hope it really is coming to an end for you  :)

I'm praying you are finally out of this cycle.  I know it's been a long, tortuous one.

Martin and Mark, thank you both for your kind words.

Last night I again woke up at the same times as I have had night attacks, with no pain once again.  I wake up, realize I have no pain, feel overjoyed, smile from ear to ear :) and go right back to sleep.  Much easier than getting out of bed, to the o2 tank, dancing with the beast, becoming physically and emotionally drained, going back to bed and repeating the event within 2 hours.

Today I had no shadows at all and only had 1 hit.  I didn't get to it at onset as I was driving home stuck in traffic.  When I did get home, the o2 was a challenge but the abort was successful.  It was a bad hit that physically exhausted me and went to sleep afterward.  I actually had a 3 hour uninterrupted nap that I just awoke from and actually feel rested.  Never thought i'd write that again. ;)

That's awesome news, embrace the pain free times! :)

Joe

Quote:

During a normal night of sleep, humans usually experience about four or five periods of REM sleep; they are quite short at the beginning of the night and longer toward the end. Many animals and some people tend to wake, or experience a period of very light sleep, for a short time immediately after a bout of REM.

Wiki

Your wake ups probably coincide with your periods of REM sleep.  Every night for the past 20 years I wake up and know it's 1 1/2 hours after I went to bed.  I check the clock and sure enough, exactly 1 1/2 hours (also when my 1st night hit comes when I'm in cycle).

Hope they are gone for a long time.

Kind words Joe and Bob P.  Interesting REM excerpt, I believe that!

Got slammed at Best Buy this morning in middle of long line of people and no Imitrex  :'(   

But did have another PF night sleep last night.  Thanks Verapamil ;)

I have seen a lot of people here talking about Verapamil, and I am so lost on this.... My Dad takes that for his blood pressure...  Is the relief of these vicious things a side effect of the Verapamil?  (I cant hardly wait to see the specialist next month in hopes of relief)

Hi shadows1177,
Yes, Verapamil is the #1 prescribed medication for preventing Cluster Headaches. 

To learn more, check out my thread titled "Verapamil Dosage" under the Medications/Treatments board for the most current info on Verapamil/CH's.

-Gregg in Las Vegas

I have been waking up at the same times of my attacks since I started my Pred and Verap.  I started taking Melatonin last night and it helped quite a bit.  I only woke up twice...

Just my 2 cents anyway.  hope you're getting better.

Thanks IndianaJohn,
Waking up at the same times getting attacked and being awake getting attacked at the same times are very common for most of us CH'ers. 

But to awake PF at the same times as I was previously attacked night after night, week after week, month after month; I found strange so started this thread.

PS.  My cycle ended ;)
-Gregg in Las Vegas