hello everybody my name is joe an i have had cluster all my life an i dont understand y this is not a disability because its hard to keep a job when your constantly having attacks 3 an 4 times a day an mine last for 2 to 3 hours at a time its hard to get someone who doesnt have them to understand what u r going through ive been laid off now for a little while so i dont have insurance an the imatrex is 209 dollars for 12 pills thats to high. im glad to b able to talk wit people who understand what im going through wit these headaches right now im going on my 5th month straight everyday with these clusters i have 5 kids to take care off an when i go through these periods all i can do is lay down its hard to keep a job when i have an attack i have to leave an go lay down but the boss doesnt understand because he doesnt understand clusters he thinks its a regular headache lol i would give anything for a regular headache.

Let's get off to a fast start and try to offer some help.

First,
Please tell us where you live. Follow the next line to a message which explains why knowing your location and your medical history will help us to help you.

Cluster Headache Help and Support › Getting to Know Ya › Newbies, Help us...help you

You can add your location by editing your profile. CP Member --> profile
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Then outline: are you able to see a doc who knows about Cluster--who has been helpful?

And: outline the treatments you have used as well as what meds, etc. you are using now (including dosing).

It helps us to have some factual data so that we can offer help which we think will meet you needs.

Until you can get this thing under control, you might want to print the following letter and give him a copy:

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

I'll 2nd the letter.

Also, head over to the "Medications, Treatments, Therapies" section of the board and read the post titled "123 Days PF And I Think I know Why"...Vitamin D regimen, all over the counter and cheap...it doing alot of good for alot of us (myself included). It's a long read, but well worth your time.

-dvb

Hi Joe,

     I understand you pain, I am a chronic sufferer and for a long time i had no health insurance and a job the paid state minimum, good news is, you CAN get disability, i am in the proses of it now and several other members of the board have had success as well, NOT easy and you will probably be denied twice and have to get a lawyer the 3rd time, But here in VA you do not have to pay anything upfront. if you don't win, you pay nothing if you do win, you pay 15% percent of your back pay when you receive it. this is sometimes a long process, make sure you have all of your paperwork from, doctors, hospitals, employers and all that good stuff to make your case easier. I will also add from what Ive heard episodic sufferers tend to get denied and put on partial disability opposed to chronic who tend to get full. ( I AM NOT A LAWER THO, THIS IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD ! LOL ) also you say you are on imitrex 12 pills for $209.00 without insurance. have you asked for the Sumatriptan pill form its the same thing only generic and much cheaper. Also you can get O2 at welder supply companies for rent i have heard to. if you are jobless and have no felonies and live in the states, have you tried to apply for Medicaid you mentioned you have 5 children give that a try. Hope this was some help for you, your in my prayers.
Lydia

Joe, welcome to CH.com.

"Laying down" during a Cluster Headache is impossible for most of us. The intense one sided pain will not let us do that. Everyone is different but this stands out among sufferers.

Imitrex pills are not very good for CH, we need the injections or inhalers. Read around CH.com and you'll learn a lot about CH, especially look at the tabs on the left. Learn all you can because Doctors know very little about CH.

Don