my name is lisa and I have been getting cluster headaches for 12 years now.  I have finally tried a combo of stuff that actually worked for me! ;D  my doctor (who is absolutely wonderful) started me on about 2 1/2 weeks of prednisone (not a fun drug to take but it kills almost all types of pain) 80mg for 4 days, 60mg for 4 days, 40 mg for about 1 week and 20mg for 4 days.  meanwhile i began taking verrapamil 120mg 4 times a day and 3 meletonin pills a night.  The doctor said the prednisone was to keep me pain free until the verrapamil kicked in.  He didn't want me to take it for so long but i was going on vacation and couldn't chance getting a headache.  about 6 weeks later (about how long my headaches usually last) i stopped taking the verapamil and melatonin and the only headache i got was the very first one that woke me up in the middle of the night.  luckily i was able to get into see my neuro the very next morning!  he did also tell me that md's are now also using some sort of cortisone injection right into the base of the skull (on a tender spot) and in most cases this aborts the cluster.  he wants to try this on me next time...hopefully this is a year or 2 away!  For now i am pain free and feeling fabulous!  Hope this helps some of you! :D

Right On Lisa!  That is awesome.

I actually had the cortisone injection in the E.R. some years back.  They also used Narcaine.  It worked pretty good.

The last time I went to the E.R., last May, they were dead against it.  It was a different hospital and the doc had never heard of it.  It was honestly a miserable experience, they were no help at all.  I suggest that if anyone ever wants this done to bring some literature to back it up.  I wish I had...  

Hi lisa

thanks for sharing your success and glad you are PF-  verapamil worked for me too-  I took 680  till i was pretty sure my cycle was done then tapered off slowly-  

Isn't it great to find something that works and allows you pf time?

Wishing you more days and nights being pain free-

Kelly

awesome lisa!!!!!!!!!! [smiley=hug.gif]

It's wonderful that you're PF. :)

Lots of more PF days your way,
Sanna