"Today at 3:49pm     I have been getting some unusually intense "phantoms" lately. I am out of my cycles (or atleast thought I was) and am getting phantoms like I've never had before. I was wanting to hear about what you guys experience as far as phantoms are concerned.

"Today I have had 2 so far and they were moderately intense. My first one woke me up around 7 am with about a kip level of aboub a 2 or 3....a little worse than a shadow. Thought that it maybe was a sinus or tension headache, but it kept growing with intensity. It began to feel much like a CH minus the excrutiating pain that gets behind your eye. Mind you, this mornings episode was only about a 5 or 6 at its peak. It had very similar characteristics of a CH but without the "intense" burning pain.

"I treated it with my CH routine and after about 30-40 minutes, it went away. About an hour ago, I was dosing off on the couch during a movie, and had another one. This one however, came on much faster and with more intensity. It peaked at around a 7 or mild 8 and again only lasted for about 30-40 minutes. What made this one different from this morning was the intensity. I had no "warnings" from either one and they were both intense enough to cause me to go into my typical "routine". Granted, they didn't have the unbearable burning pain, but they were painful enough to stop me from doing anything else.

"I have never had phantoms quite like this, however, this last cycle was different from the ones in the past. I just wanted to hear about everyone elses phantoms and how they are for you. I know that CH's vary from person to person as well as intensity. I know that OTC abortatives don't do a thing for CH's, but today's phantoms seemed to get tamed from a BC powder. Maybe it didn't actually help and it was just time that stopped it. This last one almost made me believe that it was a "rebound".

"I know you're not Neuros and I should be consulting in one, but just wondered everyones opinions and experiences with the irritating CH's little-brothers." 
   

I've got nothing nice to say about phantoms, Tim, and reckon they can be scarey as all get out. Silly as it may sound to some, I'd rather a real one than get spooked by a ghost.

Like you, I just follow my normal routine when they hit but probably think an extra few bad words.

Phantoms or shadows? Or a string of real attacks at low KIP levels? For what it's worth, and that ain't much, I favor the lattermost of the three. But so what? They hurt. Hit 'em hard with O2 and Monster chugged. Or trex them after about 15 minutes. Meet them head on because in my experience the little ones build up into something much uglier. blessings. lance

Well, perhaps my "CH lingo" is incorrect. What I call a shadow is basically an almost "painless" entity. Its very much like the "tingling" sensation we get just before we get hit. For me a shadow will typically last off and on for most of the day, but has also been known to plague me for days on end. When I'm getting "shadowed" most of the time I can go to sleep. However, sometimes the pain is just enough to keep me awake.

Many times I can take an OTC pain reliever and it will tame it. For me shadows come on pretty strong at the peak of my cycles and occur more frequently towards the end of the cycle. Usually I associate shadows and many times confuse them thinking that they are a CH that is about to hit. What is so aggrivating for me is that I get Shadows always after the peak in my cycle and it always feels like a beast is coming on. Sometimes I get hit, other times it will linger with me and have me scared. Just like you, I'd just rather get hit and not be tortured with a haunting fear.

"Phantoms" are something different for me. Phantoms only hit me when I'm out of my cycle. They are a pretty nasty HA and are just like a typical CH, but with one difference......no agonazing pain behind my eye. Everthing else is the same: 30 min- 2 Hour duration, runny nose, droopy red eye and the intensity varies. Usually they aren't as bad as a CH. They always hit me when I'm out of my cycles and come out of nowhere. They come on fast and leave just as fast when the episode is over. They are always on my right side and most times I can tolerate them and work through them.

Yeah Don I thought for quite a few years that I was getting K-10s just like you talked about. It. Wasn't until about 5 years ago did I get my first one. I'm very glad that every CH isn't a 10.....thank god!