Hello all, I just wanted to say that this is my first time to this website and I have to thank all of you for helping me understand what my husband is going through.  I can only imagine the pain.  When I read a certain article about Cluster Headaches and how they are also know as Suicide headaches I just cried.  My husband can handle pain but these things bring him to tears and it kills me inside.  He was laid off from work last year before the headaches started up again and now he can't go back to work because they don't want to seem to go away.  They started a few years ago and we thought it was the heat that was causing them because when summer ended so did the headaches so we thought.  Then a few months ago they came back and worse then ever.  He may go a few days without one but when it happens the pain is so bad he can't sleep he can't do anything except remain still with ice on his head the once the pain is gone he is so exhausted that all he can do is sleep for an entire day.  We are waiting to be approved for health insurance before he goes for any testing so if just in case its more then these terrible headaches he will be insured if major surgery is needed.  I can only pray that he doesn't have a brain tumor or something like that but then again these headaches seem to be worse because Dr's do not know how to cure patients of them and there are so many different types of medications that I understand you may take several different ones before you find the one that MAY work for you.  Does anyone out there have any suggestions for me in regards to home made remedies?  Please let me know.  To be honest I was so relieved when I read so many posts from so many different people going thru the exact same thing as my husband because to be honest again with the headaches first starting a few years back when it was hot I actually thought he just didn't like his job since he was outside a lot to then happening again now when his unemployment is about to end and I thought that he just didn't want to go back to work but its neither he is going thru something very real and very painful and he is not the only one there are many of you and all I can say is that I hope a Dr. finds the answer to making the headaches go away very fast.  No one deserves to have to experience the pain you all feel when having an attack.  I believe in God and so my prayers include all of you.  Thanks for being there and sharing.  

G'day Rose, and thanks for being there for him. It really does make a difference. As to more natural ways of coping, breathing pure oxygen is remarkably effective for many people. Ice packs can help a lot with bags of frozen peas being the most convenient but be a bit careful using bags mixed vegetables as they may contain carrots.

Red Bull type energy drinks can also help if guzzled straight down at the first hint of an attack. most CHeads need to avoid alcohol so send any beer you have me so as not to have it there as a temptation and I'll see it's disposed of in an environmentally-friendly manner.

All the best to you and keep asking questions. We're ever here for you.

You cannot safely or effectively treat a condition which has not been diagnosed. Let me encourage you to first locate a headache specialist--not any neurologist! Only then can you begin to consider which treatments to use.

Rather than wait until your insurance becomes effective, start your search now, getting you name on the appoitment (waiting) list.

You can also use this waiting time to learn about headaches, in general.
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LOCATING HEADACHE SPECIALIST

1. Search the OUCH site (button on left) for a list of recommended M.D.s.

2. Yellow Pages phone book: look for "Headache Clinics" in the M.D. section and look under "neurologist" where some docs will list speciality areas of practice.

3.  Call your hospital/medical center. They often have an office to assist in finding a physician. You may have to ask for the social worker/patient advocate.

4. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE  On-line screen to find a physician.

5. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE Look for "Physician Finder" search box.  Call 1-800-643-5552; they will send a list of M.D.s for your state.I suggest using this source for several reasons: first, we have read several messages from people who, even seeing neurologists, are unhappy with the quality of care and ATTITUDES they have encountered; second, the clinical director of the Jefferson (Philadelphia) Headache Clinic said, in late 1999, that upwards of 40%+ of U.S. doctors have poor training in treating headache and/or hold attitudes about headache ("hysterical female disorder") which block them from sympathetic and effective work with the patient; third, it's necessary to find a doctor who has experience, skill, and a set of attitudes which give hope of success. This is the best method I know of to find such a physician.
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MANAGEMENT OF HEADACHE AND HEADACHE MEDICATIONS, 2nd ed. Lawrence D. Robbins, M.D.; pub. by Springer. $50 at Amazon.Com.  It covers all types of headache and is primarily focused on medications. While the two chapters on CH total 42-pages, the actual relevant material is longer because of multiple references to material in chapters on migraine, reflecting the overlap in drugs used to treat. I'd suggest reading the chapters on migraine for three reasons: he makes references to CH & medications which are not in the index; there are "clinical pearls" about how to approach the treatment of headache; and, you gain better perspective on the nature of headache, in general, and the complexities of treatment (which need to be considered when we create expectations about what is possible). Finally, women will appreciate & benefit from his running information on hormones/menstrual cycles as they affect headache. Chapter on headache following head trauma, also. Obviously, I'm impressed with Robbins' work (even if the book needs the touch of a good editor!) (Somewhat longer review/content statement at 3/22/00, "Good book....")

HEADACHE HELP, Revised edition, 2000; Lawrence Robbins, M.D., Houghton Mifflin, $15. Written for a nonprofessional audience, it contains almost all the material in the preceding volume but it's much easier reading. Highly recommended.

Hi Rosel,

I'm with Bob on this one.  I know the frustration of not having insurance, haveing gone without for quite a number of years.  BUT, which is more important, trying to save a little bit of money now or peace of mind knowing that it isn't something like an aneurism or tumor.  I really doubt that it is something of the sort, but the head is not something to fool with.

That being said, What Brian recommended should not hurt if  you have access to welding oxygen and can set up a regulator and get a proper mask.  See "oxygen info" on the left.  If you want to go that route someone here can give you advice on setting it up properly.  I'm not sure I want to recommend the energy drinks before you have seen a Dr, as I would not want to aggravate any condition that is causing the pain if it is not CH.

When you find a Dr explain your circumstances to him.  Very often they will give you a discount for paying cash because of not having to go through the hassle of dealing with the ins companies or waiting for them to pay.  Also, check with the business office at the hospital/clinic where any tests are run.  Quite often there are programs available to assist in paying for it.  I know you have to swallow a little pride to accept it, but I've had to do so in order to get back to where I could be productive.  That is what those programs are designed for.  They get abused frequently enough.  I think it is high time they get used for what they were designed for.

Please keep us posted.

Jerry