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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2005 >> Cluster headaches and Sleep
        
(Message started by: Herbs on Oct 19^th, 2005, 1:39am)

Title: Cluster headaches and Sleep
Post by Herbs on Oct 19^th, 2005, 1:39am

What is the connection between cluster headaches and sleep?

I’ve been suffering from them for 2 months. They always came in the night. In the past two weeks I have discovered a method that stops the pain becoming overwhelming.

First, some cold water inhaled through the nostril on the side of the pain.
Second, strong coffee.
Third, a hot cloth placed on the side of the head/eye, where the pain is.

I’ve noticed that if I get up and about this greatly helps. I’ve read of some connection between cluster headaches and REM sleep. My headaches occur often when I am woken from deep sleep (I’ve a young son, so this is quite often). Is there any other way of relieving the pain from the headaches? Is there a proven connection with deep sleep?

I’d be interested in comments.

Best wishes

Title: Re: Cluster headaches and Sleep
Post by BMoneeTheMoneeMan on Oct 19^th, 2005, 1:53am

Greetings Herbs, welcome.
I am not well versed in the cluster-sleep relation, but lots of us here take a sleeping cocktail at night. A typical dose might be 9 - 12mg melatonin, and 50mg dyphenhydramine (benadryl). This does not provide total relief, but lots of people including me say it helps tremendously. You should take 1 hour before lying down, and try to make it several hours after eating.
Do you have any other meds that you can take to try to relieve the pain if you do get hit? Steer clear of pain meds, prescription and OTC.
Do you have Imitrex? do you have Oxygen?

Again, welcome, you have found a huge wealth of knowledge here in this community.
pain free wishes
BMonee

Title: Re: Cluster headaches and Sleep
Post by Gator on Oct 19^th, 2005, 12:11pm

Welcome to the website. Here is some information on treating CH.

As you have no doubt discovered, the links to the left have tons of good info in them. There is more info on the OUCH website (http://www.clusterheadaches.org). Read everything you can, take the Cluster Quiz (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/quiz.html) and print stuff out that seems applicable. Unfortunately, because of the rarity of the disorder, you may end up teaching whatever doctor about CH.

Here is a link to read and print and take to your doctor. It describes preventative, transitional, abortive and surgical treatments for CH.

http://www.brightok.net/~mnjday/chtherapy.pdf

Here is a link to some non-prescription alternatives different people have used to help with the pain:

http://www.clusterheadaches.org/resources/non_script_treat.htm

If you are currently taking medications, I would suggest you talk with your doctor before taking any of the nutritional supplements. At the very least check for interactions at a website such as:

http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Home/AllAboutDrugs

Nutritional supplements can interact with prescription meds just the same as some prescription meds interact with each other. Better safe than sorry where your health is concerned.

If you need assistance is getting your meds, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance website has links to hundreds of programs to help people get the meds they need. Check them out here:

https://www.pparx.org/Intro.php

Oxygen is an excellent abortive. Works for most people when used properly. Defintely try this. As well as it works, I have a hard time understanding why more doctors do not prescribe it. It must be used correctly to work, though. Get it prescribed for up to 15 lpm through a non-rebreathing mask for no more than 20 minutes. If your doc won't prescribe it for you, you might try welder's O2. It's the same pure oxygen used by medical suppliers. Many people here use it and would be more than happy to help you set it up. Here are some links that tell about using O2:

http://www.maplefallswebdesign.com/misc/oxygen/oxygen.htm

http://www.headaches.org/consumer/topicsheets/oxygen.html

http://www.chhelp.org/mhni.html

Here is a link to a letter that may help explain things to your friends, family and co-workers.

http://www.clusterheadaches.org.uk/home/index.cfm?address=../clusters/note_colleagues.cfm&added=04/01/04&code=CB

Again, welcome to CH.com. There's no better place in the world for info and support of cluster headaches.

Gator