My name is Arelious McCormick III and I've been a chronic clusterhead since about 1999.  I'm happy to be part of a community that can really understand.  I'm currently on Toamax and imatrax.  I've been here off and on over years and just now decided to post and interact a little,  Thank You all for being here; the support of course is a plus.  Feel free to contact me about anything.  Billlmac@aol.com
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Hello all....

My name is Lesley and i have been a sufferer for 6 years now. I am 23. That sucks. I can remember back to my very first cluster attack. Like it was yesterday. I imagine that all of you are the same way. I have read this site before and decided to join. Yay! There are people out there that CAN relate. I hate trying to explain these things to people and doctors that just look at you like you are crazy. I did go into remission for 2 years after a GREAT woman doctor perscribed me Cyproheptadine. I stopped taking it because they went away but I have had a few attacks since. None that were severe enough to have to make a trip to the ER until last Sunday. They swiched sides and got worse. I did find a doctor who gave me a script for the Cypro again and now we are trying the Prednisone. I feel better today and was finally able to have enough energy to go back to work. The prednisone has made me little jittery and my boss thinks its funny. It kinda is.  I feel like I am cursed for life most of the time when I get an attack. But I am trying not to do that anymore because that won't help any to pity myself. My husband of 1 year has only seen me have 2 attacks and I get so frustrated with him because he just doesn't understand. I think he just needs to research it a little more. Maybe he will get it.

I just want to thank everyone out there who are just like me. And it comforts me to know that you are out there!

Hi!

Im 34 yrs old, from Sweden. I have had CH since -97. Up till now i ve had a bout once per year, lasting about 2 weeks. Now, im in a bout with 3-4 seizures per day since the 3:rd of December. Verapamil doesnt seem to slow the attacks anymore, so i am trying out steroids for the second day now. I pray to god it will help (although i am not religious), i have shadows for the second time this day right now.

4 years ago i finally got Sumatriptan injections, they are really helping me out. Before that i was undiagnosed, i have tried most of the conventional painkillers available, getting frustated about doctors prescribing paracetamol and sleep. I guess you know the drill...

Ive quit smoking due to CH, and started to exercise on a regular basis to keep in shape and was hoping that the devil within would die.

This tuesday i was at the hospital and got O2 for the first time, it helped ok. (Neraly collapsed at the reception, just shaked, screamed and cried) I am getting a tube to my bedroom next week.

Otherwise i work as a manager at a government youth institution, i am married to a nurse and have three kids.
I like hunting, weightlifting and computers.

Life is not fun at the moment.

I'm 55. In a year I will be able to say I've spent half my life cursed with ch. At that time a couple of Dristan (old formula) bailed me out. Since then my first husband, children (since birth) and second husband have made me feel OK about whatever it is I've needed, the ugliest being pacing the floors moaning with my eyes closed knocking over furniture cursing doctors. Discovered this site in 2001 (I think), which was after 22 years of non/misdiagnosis as a hysterical female. What a lifesaver!

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The love of my life and best friend

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the sons who supported their ch mom

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Name is Paul. 33yo married guy with 2 kids. Also I am a Licensed Veterinary Technician at Cornell University Hospital for Animals. Glad to be here with all of you! and thank you so much for all of the information to help me with dealing with my CH!!

Hi.  I am glad to have found you folks.  I am reading the posts and guest book and feel lucky compared to so many of you.  I am 49 and had my first bout with these monsters 13 years ago, I was blessed to find a neurologist who diagnosed me almost immediately.  Verapamil was just out and he would inject me in his office.  It was not out in pill form.  Is it now?  My first time in hell was 13 years ago and lasted about 6 weeks.  One a day.  Same time each day.  They came back 6 days ago after a bout with the flu.  They wake me up and make me insane.  My head aches dully all day as a prelude of what will come and I fear the sleep.  I have two great kids and a husband who feels bad for me but nobody really knows how it is.  Until I found you all.  I had my reg. doctor fax my last years chart notes to the neurologist which is now required before they will even give me an appointment.  So, looks like a weekend of hell.  I have researched and found that ch folks have a high level of histamine in their blood during attacks.  I am taking benadryl twice a day.  I also read on an alternative med site that 5mg melatonin might help.  I take that before bed. Did it first time two nights ago and slept thru the night!  Last night however, was my worst one yet.  I am mad at science for not having found a cure.  My dad had these bouts a couple times in his life and as far as I know, out of 5 kids, I am the only one that gets them.  I would not wish these on anyone.  I feel so bad for you chronic sufferers that tonight before bed and as often as I remember I will pray for you.  I will pray for all ch victims, God Bless you all    GonnabeatemJudi

Hi Becky and welcome. I, as many here, also thought it was a brain tumor or something similar. I was given a Cat Scan which ruled that out right away.

What is your doc doing for an abortive and a preventive for you? I have o2 for an abortive and take Verapamil as a prevent.

Read all that is to your left and print off the o2 info and show your doc, hopefully he will be willing to listen as to what helps some of us deal with the beast.

Welcome to your new home and remember Clusterville is open 24/7, someone is always available to help you if you need to talk or rant or whatever.

   Barry

how do i put a picture on here?

Hello all, my name is Bill Roberts im 39 i live in Euclid Ohio suburb of Cleveland. Im married to my soul mate Barbara, we have 2 wonderful girls, 9 year old Isabella and 15 year old Samantha. I got my 1st round of cluster headaches when i was in my early 20s, after 3 weeks of HELL at night it finally went away, so i just thought it was over untill 2 years later back they came. Well the doctor said cluster headaches, gave me a pill and away they went again, well every 1 year or so (sometimes i get lucky 2 years) as we change back the clocks bang, my life gets stopped on a dime. I coach girls fastpitch. were the central park crushers, its a blast, and those kids keep me going sometimes!! for a long time i thought i was going crazy, i thought that they made this cluster stuff up just for me, because i never met or even heard of anyone eles who had clusters. And when people told me they had the bad headaches too, (you know the real bad ones where you have to take 4 asprin and lie down for a couple of hours), I really thought i was nuts, untill i found this site. this website has been the best thing i ever found, i learned so much here, i used to be so afraid, not anymore.. I didnt know half the things i needed to know untill clusterheadaces.com. i thought i was alone. But were not. Thanks to everyone so much.. coach Bill. [http://www.hopecube.com/me.htmlgif][/img]

hi! i am deb, i live on Long island and i am 50& fabulous , xcept when the beast visits!!!.kinda new to this beast!! long story short................35 days of the beast, the big one at night, either before i fall asleep or a few hrs after...minimum 2 hrs..i am so afraid to go to sleep!!! pacing, crying, wrapping head in heated herbal wraps, walking crying..................... ........little ones throughout day,left side  pain from top of head, down thru ear, into jaw, mouth teet..............treated for sinus infection,  3 diff antibiotics, 5 day prednisone, when i went off HE returned!!! starting a log watching my symptoms during "the visit" and basically diagnosed self! off to new doc today,she feels i am right,  bloodwork, ct  of brain with contrast to rule out mass,(nxt week ) 20  day supply of prednisone.............i hope on this i will be pain free, but then what happens when i come off??? and wine triggers and i am a tasting room manager @ a vineyard!!!!!!!!!!! my dad also startd getting these 24 yrs ago when he was my age.............uggggggggggggg................kinda feeling depressed, and even tho i have a support system of family and friends, THEY ARE JUST NOT GETTING WHAT I AM GOING THRU!!!  i am so frustrated & so sad.i believe they think i am blowing this all out of proportion however I AM NOT!!! i feel so alone because they just "don't get it".........but they say you only get what u can handle, so i will just keep reaching for the rainbow after the storm..........................thanks for listening
deb

Hello!
Man where should I start...

I'm Henry 28 years old I live in Holland(the Netherlands)I was diagnosed CH a month ago(febr 2008 )
My last cluster period was from september 2007 to febr 2008 I'm In"remission"if that's the right word?

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Only last 2 days I've had what I believe are shadows,2 times each day typically at the same times of the day.
It begins with a crackling sound In the back of my head and then I get goosebumps all over my skull followed by that dry/stuffed nose feeling.
They're KIP lvl 2 and 30 mins to 1 hour long.

I've recently been diagnosed but I've already read a lot on the i-net about cluster headaches,since I know what I've got I'm completely fascinated by it!

My first real CH hit  was In 2005 I was diagnosed as a sinisitus but I've red that a lot of CH sufferers where diagnosed that way.
I had it on both sides!!!for 3 months! It was the most terrible thing In my life the pain was excruciating as if my head was gonna explode!Not to speak of the fear of having somekind of out-of-control infection or tumor in your head wich is close to your brain!
This was the first time In my life I actually really thought of yumping out of the window roof...
I better not write what I think about my doc...
I've pushed for an appointment with an neurologist this year by taking my girlfriend into his little office as a withness to see

I,ve had a hit 2 years ago and this year,last year no hit I think because I went to holiday to Crête that year.

I'm an episodic left sider btw,autumn/winter(for now)

Nobody can point an excact reason for CH  but I have my theories.
I know I've had an heamorage after being hit by a motorcycle when I was taking a turnway on my bike I.ve struck the street hard!
I smoke(also pot),I drink(weekends) and don't excersize a lot.
I drink a awful lot of instant soup(msg!)eat an awful lot of chips,nuts ets(msg!)
Well I eat a lot with msg I've discovered,Ít's almost sick if I see In how much food it is!!!It's not forbidden In my country.+a lot of salt(jodium)wich amplifies the msg effects.
This stuff Is causing terrible hyperventilations to me! Recently I suffer them a lot even when avoiding msg now as much as I can.
I've quit drinking beer,I smoke much less and want to quit that along with the pot smoking as soon as possible too.But first I've got to get my mind together after hearing the news.

Well I also have hobby's:music both passive and active mostly rock/metal,online poker(better get no CH when I go play live poker ),and some computer gaming(civ rules!)
I've got a nice girlfriend who was totally shocked when she realized the nature of the beast.
I've showed her some video's at y-tube and she got mad çause I showed her those horrible video's,but later at night she started crying and told me it was good to have confronted her with the truth and that she never could even imagine the pain I was going through she also nows she's gotta face the facts.
It's good to have someone who understands you especially when you have CH I've noticed.

I know there are a lot of people who are In more pain than I was and for longer periods of time like chronics. Some stories made me cry instantaniosly,and I never cry!
When I hear about children having it and patients who go through living hell without health insurance it really hurts me deep inside!

I hope clusterville will help me deal with the problem.
I'd like to share the misery as well as the fun with you all.

By the way my other name for "the Beast"would be "the finger of God"because the main pain is focussed at a specific location in my nose.

I am new!!

I am 34yrs old, mother of two teens:1 14yr old boy and 1 15yr old girl.  I have also been married for 16 years to the same man(although he loves me and I him, how much longer he can stand to be snapped at for asking if there is anything he can do for me when I am in pain remain a mystery).

I have read several posts here, and I feel I have found a group of people who have suffered not only the pain of the headaches, but also the pain of what they do to your life. 

I am sooooooooooo glad that finally I can talk about CH's and not be looked at as crazy!!!!!!!!