Posted by Chris S. (208.166.66.15) on August 02, 2001 at 10:43:19:
Hello everyone...under the circumstances it's hard to say I'm happy to find this board, but I can say I'm grateful. I started suffering cluster headaches a few years ago, and actually found this site then. My pattern, however, was always that I would be awakened early in the morning, suffer for 30-60 minutes (with one that lasted 2 hours), then it would subside and I'd go back to sleep. This would happen 3 or 4 nights over a week to 2 week period, then I would get no more for 6 months to a year. As I write this I am in the middle of a cycle that has lasted three days so far and has a very different pattern than before. Now, I fall asleep, and around 2 hours later I suffer for around an hour, go back to sleep, and get another attack 2 hours later.....I haven't had restful sleep in 2 days so far. As i was just laid-off from my job last week and lost my health insurance on the 1st of august, I wanted to say that I'm very very grateful for this site and the ideas like the water treatment I can try until I can find more work (and insurance), and also just for a place to share with other sufferers. I'm also a recovering alcoholic (last Dec. 27th was my four year anniversary of sobriety) so I'm also grateful for any treatment that doesn't involve drugs. AA has taught me the power of sharing with others and I hope to spend more time here, even when not suffering attacks. Hey, as I've been writing this the pain has subsided :) I can still feel the shadows of course, but during this cycle I've discovered that sometimes during less severe attacks the pain seems to subside more quickly if I can distract myself by doing anything that gets me to focus on something other than the pain. As well as coming here and reading and posting, I've washed the dishes, cleaned, played a video game....even read the paper during a really mild attack. All I have for now, thank you all again.