I don't post here much so here's some back story...I'm 28, I've had CH for 8 yrs and my dad has them too, so I'm not new to them, and I'm in the USAF.  I don't get my headaches as bad as I used too, matter of fact my last couple cycles I went through unmedicated, other than some motrin or red bull.  Previously I was on Depakote and it seemed to work, either that or it was the end of my cycle...I could never tell.  I was getting really lucky with the timing of my headaches; I would only get them maybe a few times a week and only in the middle of the night, so they would never affect me at work.  And since they didn't affect me at work I never really worried about them.

Well, on my recent deployment to Thailand, they hit...HARD.  It was our last week there, and I started getting them every day around 1 p.m.  I didn't know what the hell to do...it had been so long since I had gotten them that I had fallen out of my rhythm.  I always take a few Imitrex autoinjectors on every deployment, just in-case, but they ran out pretty quickly.  I started examining everything I was doing...I was drinking plenty of water, as it was really hot.  I stopped drinking alcohol entirely.  The flight doctor couldn't do anything for me because we were in a foreign country away from "modernized health-care."  It SUCKED.  Then came the flight home.  I was hoping that I could load up on Tylenol P.M. and go comatose for the whole thing, but alas, it was not to be.  Our flight got stuck on the ground for 6 hours because the Thais would not refuel our chartered airplane.  I had 4 attacks while we sat on the ground.  Finally we took off and I passed out.  I didn't wake up until we hit ground in Anchorage. 

Before we had left Thailand, I had called my wife and asked her to put in an order for more Imitrex shots and set up an appt with my doc...he started me on Topamax.  I'm now in my 2nd full week of it, but it doesn't seem to be taking.  I think it has more to do with the Imitrex though.  While it works wonders, I'm pretty sure it is giving me rebounds.  If I could just get my headaches to a pattern of just occurring at night, then I could deal with them in the comfort of my own home; I can't and won't deal with them at work while I'm trying to fix F-15's...it's impossible. 

I'm going in to see the doc again on Monday or Tuesday so talk about other possible abortive options aside from Imitrex injectors...I'm going to look around here, but I've seen some good things.

I guess I don't really have any questions, I just wanted to rant.  Week 4 of one of my worse cycles.  My doctor is pretty cool though, definitely not the normal motrin-dispensing douche I usually get in the military.  He knew exactly what I was going through, and when I ran out of shots after the first week he didn't hesitate in putting through another scrip for me.  (Tricare will only let you have 8 shots in a 3 month period; after that you need your doctor to override it)

I feel really bad for my wife.  She really wants to go out and have fun, but I just can't.  And on top of that, I've been pretty depressed since this cycle started.  It's a lot for her to deal with, especially because I'm usually the one dragging her out to hang out.  She's been really good with it though; when I get my headache she knows right where I keep my headache beer (a can of Bud Light that has been in my fridge for 2 years for the sole purpose of putting on my head during a headache).

Anyway, thanks for listening.  I really want a beer.  Hopefully this Topamax takes hold soon.

What dose of topamax are you on?  It takes a little while to get in your system. Sometimes it doesn't work if the dose is too low.

My maintenance dose is 100mg at night (take it at night and it lessens the side effects). I have been up to 400mg during a really bad cycle, but had some bad effects (got suicidal). But it's been my magic bullet since 99 (I'm chronic).

O2 O2 O2.... Listen to Pete about that. It's done wonders for so many here (about 70%) as an abortative. In fact it's taken the place of trex for a lot of people.

Also some of us switched from Trex to Cafergot (another vaso-constrictor) because of the side effects (and I personally think it works better and longer). It comes in pills and supposotories (if you do the supp. be SURE to us a phenergan supp. BEFORE you do the cafergot cause it has a naseauting effect and you could get sick).

Hope the cycle ends really soon and you get to take your wife out on the town.

Hugs BD

P.S.  Frozen peas work better than the Bud - fits your head better.