Posted by Jim V on March 11, 1999 at 13:48:31:
In Reply to: I have the Ice Pick posted by Tom on March 11, 1999 at 11:36:35:
I am unfamiliar with the "ice pick" headache. For me the cluster is centered behind my right eye. The eye tears and the eye lid droops. The sinus on that side becomes congesetd. The whole right side of my face and head are in pain down through my neck. The pain is excruciating. So much so that when the attack is over it's hard to believe that you lived through it. They generally last from 1 to 2 hours before subsiding. And another attack can occur in a few hours. Sleep is impossible and if you are already asleep the onslaught of these monsters will wake you up faster than anything you can imagine. The begining of an attack for me is a tightning and tingling at the base of my neck on the right side and strange as it may seem, my sinus's open wide. At this point I know that I have about 10 minutes before a full blown CH. My sinus will close then. And it's off to the races. I mean that literally. I would pace back and forth, sit on the edge of my bed and just rock to and fro holding a compress on my head until it was over. Then prepare for the next one.
I haven't had an attack for quite awhile. But I remember them like it was this morning. I'll never forget those cursed things even if I am spared them the rest of my life.
Best of luck to you.
Jim