hey, my name is mike.  I was recently diagnosed with chronic cluster headaches and migrains.  I have been battling the beast for about five years now.  I had seen dozens of doctors and diagnosed with everything from "just migrains" to pre-glaucoma.  Many dollars and failed presciptions later, I found a doctor who listened.  Although it is terrible that a website like this has to exist, i am relieved to know i am not alone.  I look forward to exchanging info and stories.  I hope all of you hang in there and we find a definite cure, soon!

Welcome, Mike.   :)

If you're not averse to doing so, please tell us a little about what you've been prescribed, and what has and has not been helpful to you.  Could be you might add to the collective wisdom here, or perhaps we can suggest some things you haven't tried.

Welcome home.

Best wishes,

George

Hi Mike and welcome to the family.  I'm so sorry to find that we are related.

Anyway, tell us a bit about how you battle the beast.  That's how this site works ... we all learn from each other.

The biggest thing I got out of this site early on was learning that I wasn't alone.  Awesome feeling isn't it?

-Dennis-

Welcome to the board, but warning, we're a nosy bunch! Do give us a run down of your treatment regimen when you get a chance. The strength of this board is our combined knowledge. Here's my current routine just for comparison.

A cycle starts up again. I go on a 2 week prednisone taper while starting my lithium, working up to 1200 mg of lithium a day. At that dosing, after about 2 weeks, the lithium will block 70-80% of my attacks. the prednisone gives me complete relief which is why I use it while I'm waiting for the lithium to kick in.

When an attack breaks thru the lithium, I go to my oxygen. I can abort an attack in less then 10 minutes, often as fast as 6-8 minutes by huffing pure oxygen. Sure beats the 90 minute dance with the 10 hour headache hang over I used to have to endure. ;) On the rare occasion the 02 doesn't work or I'm stupid enough to get caught without it, I resort to the imitrex injectables.

31 years of these things and that's what's currently working for me. You'll hear a thousand variations of that regimen, hoping one of them proves the magic bullet for you. Welcome home.

joe

Welcome Mike,

All the best in your journey to find what helps you find PFD.

You have come to the right place,welcome home

Iddy

mike84 wrote on May 21^st, 2009 at 2:10am:

I found a doctor who listened.

There's half your battle won already...!

Welcome aboard Mike. Please do tell us a little more about yourself i.e. what meds you are currently on. Have a good nosey around the medications,treatments and therapy's section and take all this new found knowledge to that excellent listening doctor of yours and hopefully we can get you started on the second half of your battle.

Lefty...!