Reading all the entries has been a wonderful boost for me. Knowing that people have been suffering for years and NOT killing themselves is what is currently saving me. I am a 63 year-old woman and started having clusters about 6 years ago, with the diagnosis confirmed about 4 years ago. I've been on verapamil 360mg daily since diagnosis, and get about 2 episodes or 4-5 weeks per year (although I did have a 2-year period of remission). They came back when I started tapering the verapamil, thinking that the headaches were past (I don't fit the "normal" references for CH, not being a male between 20 & 50 years old). Imitrex works most of the time, although the side effects can be pretty bad, especially the injectable kind. I haven't run out of insurance yet, but it seems from other posts that I may do so with this episode, since I'm getting CHs nightly and I'm going through meds like they're going out of style. This episode is the worst yet, and the agony/torture I go through before Imitrex takes effect is definitely the worst pain I've ever been through. I'd be interested in hearing from any other older women who have started having CHs late in life. What keeps you going? My kids are grown and settled in their lives, I won't be able to retire anytime soon, with all my pension funds drying up with this financial crisis - what's the point of trying to "soldier on"? Any advice would be welcome!
Barbara <bebo.bates@gmail.com>
San Francisco, CA USA
Tuesday, October 28, 2008 at 16:32:45 (EDT)