Hello my dear pain-friends.
I am Daud 33 years. I am originally from Afghanistan but living in Holland since 1998. I have been suffering from CH already for 18 years. I have been chronics en episodic as well. I have never had any medication untill this year 2009. I am now rebulding my character from my last episode which stopped 2 weeks ago. (took 8 weeks).
The only thing which sometimes could stop my attacks is strong coffee.
No smoking reduced the periods by me. But the only blooding thing which irritates me is the nagging small fucking tiny pain arround my eye. That is why I can never forget that I am suffering from CH. It is there waiting till next season or just a drop of alcohol in my throat. Then it can start wristling with me. I call my pain my huge ugly monster inside my head and when it starts I say to myself haha there he wakes up again and wants to fight me with has SAW-Movie-tools. I have heartproblems in the family that is why I try not to use any medication.
Tips from an experienced afghan CH-pain-suffer (Yeah yeah afghans are also humen:  :-?)
Stop smoking
Take strong coffee before the attack starts (you know when, right?)
Stop what you are doing at that moment and go outside. Take a walk in the nature and try to breathe and enjoy the beauty of the nature
No chees
No chocolate
Don't sleep on the pain-side
No ice cream
No strong perfume
Drink alot of water. I mean alot lots of water but don't forget to pie
Train alittle. Keep you health in balance.
The weaker you become the stronger your (CH) monster becomes
Try to have fun and enjoy your life because there is no other option (still there is no cure to gun down our ungly monster for ever)
Swimming is a good sport during the perionds or episodes (in my case it reduces the attacks)
Keep writing down what the pain treggers and don't eat, drink or do that.
Try not to stare too long at something.
Avoid looking at the sun, sunlight or bright screens.
When the attack starts keep your neck cold and try not to press against your head ( in my case it forces the pain to become more severe)
Avoit listening to hard music, loud sounds or shouting yourself.
The last thing and the most importand thing which you should never do IS WORRING or ROWING. It can give you alot of pain, trust me.

I am still looking for some solutions to avoid have tow charactors.
During the my attack-periods I am totally somebody else. I am not kind and trust me nobody gets forgiveness when I have pain. That is because suffered alot with any medication.

Any way guys: keep you body and mind strong because the moster will never leave your head. Go and make your body, mind and soul stronger and stronger. That is the only way you can fight the moster without medications and side-effects of medications.

Daud your brother in pain!!!!!

Welcome.

            Thanks for all your input and insight. The only tip i may have a problem with is "Try not to stare to long at something". I just cant stop looking at my beeutteefullll wife Barbara. I guess i will just have to take my chances... LOL  

                                   Coach Bill  8-)

If you wish to work with a local physician, there are some excellent treatments abailable. Here is a list of those commonly used in Europe.
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HERE ARE TWO MAJOR DOCUMENTS WITH RECOMMENDED TREATMENTS FOR CLUSTER HEADACHE, ONE FROM A U.S. PHYSICIAN, THE SECOND FROM EUROPE.
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Here is a link to read and print and take to your doctor.  It describes preventive, transitional, abortive and surgical treatments for CH. Written by one of the better headache docs in the U.S.  (2002. Rozen)
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Treatment guidelines from Europe

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A. May, M. Leone, J. Áfra, M. Linde, P. S. Sándor, S. Evers, P. J. Goadsby:
EFNS guidelines on the treatment of cluster headache and other
trigeminalautonomic cephalalgias.
European Journal of Neurology. 2006; 13: 1066–1077.

Download free full text:
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(Thanks to "cluster" for link.)