Hi all, i'm kind of new to this. I have been having these REALLY painful headaches about 2 months out of the year for, oh...10 years now. They come on every night (somtimes twice a night) in an instant and go away almost as fast as they come on. It's like a tornado ripping through a trailer park. So FINALLY I think I am able to put a name to the pain as cluster headaches. I also have a "thing" about taking medication so you can understand my delima when these cycles come on. I end up going through a whole bottle of Excedrin migrane in a matter of days, yet these bastrad headaches sneak off into the darkness before they have a chance to work. I haven't been to a neurologist (have an appointment next week) to actually diagnose 'clusters" yet, but after reading up on these SOB's i can safely say i get them complete with water eyes, stuffy nose, nausea, head banging, floor pacing, knee dropping, grown man crying and all. So up until now i have just been living with it and have had nothing to ease the pain. I will shoot up gasoline if it will work. I don't suppose there is anything I can take over the counter that will help. Will I just have to wait on a percription of some Pfizer miracle drug?

Oh please stop taking the Excedrin...that is way too much, won't do squat for CH, and you're tearing up your stomach.

Having an appt. next week is a good thing.  You need to rule out other possibilites as well as getting a firm diagnosis.  In the mean-time please read some of the links to0 the left of here so when you go in to see him you will be prepared as well as knowledgeable about the treatments.  

ASK FOR 02!

Linda

Ok so O2 does work. I've read that, but for some reason that didn't compute. I guess bc i'm still programmed to believe that pain medication is the way to go. I'm not a big pill advocate and have certain beliefs about drug companies. But i will do whatever it takes to make this go away!

I guess i will just have to wait it out until i see the doctor. Are there natural remedies that you are aware of that at least ease the pain?  

and check my reply to your other message

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welcome and get to the 02.
the bb

O2 here i come!

Quote:

Are there natural remedies that you are aware of that at least ease the pain?

Oxygen is about as natural as it gets.  Oxyegen therapy requires a Dr.s prescrition.  He should write the script for a regualtor that goes to at least 15 LPM with a non-rebreather mask.  02 works for at least 70% of us in aborting an attack.  If I can get on it when I feel the first twinge coming on...I can abort in less than 10 mins.  A whole lot faster than any pill that you swallow.  

There are alternatives and herbals. Caffiene will abort the mild ones if you consume mass quantities, quickly at onset.
the bb

check out clusterbusters.com for a "natural" approach...and STOP the OTC's!!! they won't do jack for a cluster, but you WILL get ultra-nasty rebound headaches from taking that much of it.  :o

I think he's looking for something to help with the pain between now and his appt. with the neuro... :-/

Some things that help me before my prevents and abortives came into play are cold packs on the forehead of the affective side and on the back of my neck at the base of my skull, hot (or cold) showers (you'll have to find which works better for you), putting my face in front of the air conditioner in my car on full blast and inhaling deeply, and a few more things that I can't think of at the moment, but will list them when I do remember!

Funny you mention the A\C thing....i've actually done that before and it did help. I guess it was almost instinctive.

This is great. At least now I have a starting point after livign with this BS for so many years. I assumed that this is just my life and i would have to live with it. But it looks like there are answers out there. We put a man on the moon you would think that we could come up with a sure fire way to kick this beast in the A$$!

Oh!  Another thing that helps many people here abort CH's is energy drinks that contain at least 1000mg Taurine, like Red Bull, Rock Star and I dunno what others.  I can't use them myself as I am sensitive to a lot of caffeine, so YMMV.

While you are waiting for an appointment, get some welding O2. No point in suffering needlessly..........

You can also try the energy drinks out there to be taken at the 1st. sign of a twinge.  Make sure you read the label and it has Caffeine as well as Taurine in it (1000mg.)  The combination makes it work faster.

It really works to keep the hits down and I wouldn't be with-out at least 6 in my fridge.  I like the taste of Rock-star better than any of the others as some of them are just flat out nasty tasting to me.

Do you have to chug the energy drinks? Does that help?

I do...trying to get it into my system faster.  Because carbonated beverages hurt my throat chugging it, I open up a can as soon as I get up in the morning, and put it back into the fridge.  By the time I need it later in the day a LOT of the bubbles have gone making it much easier to chug.

Very strong coffee is another abortive.

Chug the energy drink as fast as you can as soon as you feel the beast start hitting. My personal recommendation is Monster Energy Coffee Lo-Ball. Is has the 1000 mg of Taurine with the Gaurine seed extract and caffeine plus half the calories so weight doesn't become an issue if you drink a few. I was drinking one when a hit tried to break through with no luck.