So I have had episodes of cluster headaches once a year since 2010, but skipped last year :) This year I had an episode on the 4th of May and now it is the 8th and I haven't had another one yet. I have been doing a lot of cardio every day and drinking a couple liters more of water than normal every day - keeping to normal eating schedule whether I am hungry or not, normal sleeping schedule as much as I can and staying away from all simple carbs (except fruit) to see if that helps. So far so good.

I thought I was going to have another episode and started doing pushups and air squats and running in place before it peaked - did that for 30 min while drinking a lot of water and the headache went away!! No drugs or anything and I was able to go back to sleep.

Has anyone else had success like this??
I am determined to not have to have these headaches with no hope of recovery and a constant fear of when the next one is coming. I want some kind of solution besides just taking Imitrex.

I have heard that this does work, but have not tried it. I am in a cycle right now, so I will try it and let you know if it worked. :)

I've been having CH for about six years and haven't had much relief with any medical treatments from the doctor. About a week ago I started getting my headaches again, as I do every summer, and I was dreading the next few weeks.

Recently I have begun jogging in the street just to lose my beer gut and get fit. I have found that when I start to feel my headache coming on that if I take 2 cocodamol and go for a 15 min run then my headache is stopped in its tracks. Like I said, my headaches have been back for about a week and I have used this method 5 or 6 times and it has worked every time. After about 7-10 mins of jogging the headache goes away.

Im no medical expert, but I assume that this may have something to do with increased oxygen intake. I had to go to AnE  a few years back with a CH and they gave me oxygen through a face mask. Also when I lived in Australia I took to sitting directly in front of the fan and taking huge gulps of air and it helped a bit. This jogging method was just an evolution of this.

Like I said I have done this about 5/6 times but it has stopped the headache every time. If anyone else tries this then let me know how you get on and if you have any success.

Exercise has an interesting interaction with CH. For many it can trigger a CH when they are in cycle but for others, including you, it can help either mitigate or kill off a CH. Whilst running is popular it seems that just about anything that results in you breathing faster and deeper will do the trick, so if anything this might be easier for those who aren't quite as fit as they should be.

I'd try skipping taking the two cocodamol as pain killers rarely help with CH as they don't touch the pain, can cause dependency issues and can give you medication rebound headaches too.

Are you taking any preventives to limit how many CHs you get? Have you got anything to kill off a CH, like oxygen or injectable imitrex?

Keep reading and ask all the questions you can think of.

As Mike said, exercise can either abort an attack or bring
one on, but drinking lots of water during the day, and before going too bed is known to help in some folk.

Hoppy.

Yeah ive stopped taking the coccodamol and i am just doing the running, and i works great for me. If i get jogging just as the pains starting it stops it after 5-7 min every time.

The doctor has proscribed me Naproxen and propranolol and I have been taking them as instructed but I haven't seen any effects. I still get the headaches, about 2 or 3 times a time. I have just been mitigating them by going running. 

Good move in finding that running alone works just fine. I know it isn't easy trying something new when you have a recipe that works when a CH is involved.

It sounds like your doctor is treating you for migraines as Naproxen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory for mild pain, so it won't touch a CH, and propanolol is one of the classic migraine preventives (where it is effective in preventing migraines) but it isn't too effective at preventing CHs.

After 3 years with no CH I'm sad to say I'm back. I have found cardio helps me the first week or two of a cycle. I breathe as deep as I can while I do jumping jacks as fast as I can. I get hit around 1 am and like I said no re hits the first couple of weeks.It seems my clusters build up steam, my first couple of weeks are just the warm up to  terrible month then 2 weeks of backing off.

Cardio works for me too. A jog, stationary bike or press ups and sit ups will kick the beast after 5 mins or so. Not that it's practical at midnight tho...

I find that excessive exercise is a trigger for me. Mild to moderate exercise every 2nd day is fine. It may even help a little.