Hello everyone,

I'm 22 and I have had these out of this world headaches since I was 15... Just passed 7 years of my life medicated for migraines, with very little effect... Started with zomig, then naramig and now almogran, but I know that with time this last one is going to lose its power...

I hope to find more portuguese people with this condition, because I really don't know anyone and I look like an idiot when I try to explain to other people how terrible this pain is. Sometimes I wish I could crush my head on to some wall.

Oxygen is kind of an angel, just found it yesterday when the doc said I was suffering from cluster headaches and I started the correct treatment.

About me: well, I'm a law student and I'm somewhere in between the gothic and the metal cultures. I like music and literature and my concept of beauty stoped in the 19th century. I hope to find more people with the same interests and that can understand the pain I go through every 15 days. I'm a fairly happy person and I hope to make good friends in here. If you wish to know me better please email me or something  :)

Hugs for every one and special greatings for those that are chronical like me.

Welcome, Mara Bel.  

I'm sorry to hear that you've had to deal with CH from such a young age, but I'm glad you've decided to introduce yourself.  

I'm very glad to hear that you've been prescribed oxygen as well.  It should make managing your attacks that much easier.

All the best,

George

Welcome to your new family!  I'm so sorry you have to have this while you go through school (I'm in that boat, too.)  You'll find lots of support here.

Do you mean you have an attack every fifteen days, or you only go fifteen days at a time being pain-free?
-Paige

Hi and Welcome

 Just to make sure  .  .  . what flow-rate (lpm) and what type mask are you using?

 02 IS a miracle for most of us and is my only abortive (can't use triptans).

 Very glad you found us.   Read, read, read and ask any questions you might have.  

 Be Safe,   PFDANs

     Richard

UnderTheRadar wrote on Jan 20^th, 2009 at 9:03pm:

Welcome to your new family!  I'm so sorry you have to have this while you go through school (I'm in that boat, too.)  You'll find lots of support here. Do you mean you have an attack every fifteen days, or you only go fifteen days at a time being pain-free? -Paige

Being in school at the same time you're in pain can be disturbing even to your friends and teacher, it's really a terrible boat to be in! Once my friends thought I had drugs and was having a bad trip!

As for the attacks, well, I have them twice a month, usually I get a free week between each attack, goes like this: I have a free week, then I have 4/5 days of pain and then a free week again. I said 15 days because the highest point of the pain comes in that rate, altough I do have pain during the 2 days before that peak and in the two days after it. Never had more than a month of pain free days.

It's quite frustrating, I live terrified when that time of the month comes, waiting for it to attack. Some times it looks like It was a life of its own, tricking me by waiting another day before comig or comig a day earlier.

RichardN wrote on Jan 21^st, 2009 at 12:48am:

Hi and Welcome  Just to make sure  .  .  . what flow-rate (lpm) and what type mask are you using?  02 IS a miracle for most of us and is my only abortive (can't use triptans).  Very glad you found us.   Read, read, read and ask any questions you might have.    Be Safe,   PFDANs      Richard

Oxygen ie really a miracle and the best part is that in Portugal for the normal health regimen provided by the state is for free. The flow rate that I use is 12 lpm and the mask that the oxygen company left has a little bag attached to it. They said that's the kind of mask that's now being used, tough the one I used in the hospital was a normal one with two large holes. I really don't know if that one is the more apropriate, but I have to trust because they are the experts (I hope so).

It's really bad that you can't use triptans, they have been my companions for a long road. I read that some people take zomig and it works, I left it years ago. I realized that the triptans usually lose their effect with time and have to be changed from one kind to a stronger one once in a while.