Hello everybody...

Im not sure what type of headaches i get.. but i been doing a lot of research on cluster headaches.. and it is a possibility i have these..

Let me tell you my symptoms so i can get some advice on what i have..

All my pain is on my left side of face

The back of my eye
The middle of the left side of the top of my head..
And the Left Side of my Jaw

Feelse like im getting stabbed with something right through all of it at the same time..
it's painful..

It does wake me up when im sleeping..

and i sometimes wake up with 1...

I have 1 this very minute.. lol..

ummm...

Ohhh.. i used to take painkillers for it.. Tylenol ibprofin.. and other pain killers did not work..

But 4 Excedrin when i wake up and 2 more later in the day did the trick..

ohh and i did take some vicodin.. but that didnt work...

I have stopped takin all the pills due to sideaffects..

im thinking about taking the excedrin again but the side affects are not worth it..

i cant go on with this tremendous pain on a daily basis..

please help  :-[

The symptoms sound like it but it could be a million other things.

Visit a good neurologist to get a definitive diagnosis because there is no reason to suffer needlessly.

Welcome to the board, glad you found us. First, take the cluster headache quiz on the left. That'll give you a better idea of what we look for in CH. If you are not already doing so, start keeping a DETAILED  headache diary. When they start, how fast they build, how high they build, (The Kip Scale on the left in the tabs is a useful tool for measuring pain), how long they stay at peak and how fast they fade. Try to identify food and life style triggers. The more information you can record, the better your odds of a competent diagnosis. The following is a link I stole from one of Bob's posts...forgive me Bob....but it's a great post on how to find a headache specialist. You NEED a headache specialist.:

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.


That's twice I've plagiarzed Bob's post now, will eventually have to start paying him royalties! ;)

The reason we stress the importance of an accurate diagnosis is there are hundreds of headache types, meds which help one can be worthless and even harmful for other types. As a layman, much of what you describe does sound like it may be CH. That's as close to a diagnosis as a layman like me can give!! It's worth the time and effort to get the correct diagnosis. Wishing you luck on your journey, let us know how it goes for you.

Joe

But i cant go to a doctor of any sort.. Cost to much money.. and i dont have a medical card.. so im not sure what to do..

See #3 in locating a headache specialist and call your United Way office for information on low/no cost health care.

If it is really CH, and it sounds like it might be, an energy drink slammed as quickly as you can chug it at the first sign of onset can knock one back pretty quickly.

I know money is an issue, but call the Drs office, explain your situation and ask if they have any recommendations as to how you can work it out or where you can find assistance.  Check with your local public health officials.  Depending on your state you will probably qualify for public aid.  Not the best way to go if you can find another, but it is an avenue.  

Read, read, and then read some more here.  Check out the Meds and Treatments section of this board.  There are some home remedies there that might help.  I have gone med free for several years, as have others here on this board.  I don't say it is easy, but with the right mindset and finding ways of coping you can do it.  Check into welding oxygen and use it.  It is the same as medical oxygen, just comes in a different color bottle and doesn't have the medical sticker.  

First thing you need to do though is to get a real diagnosis.  CH is bad enough, but you don't want to self-diagnose it and have something else that has similar symptoms, but can be deadly.

Jerry

find a way to get to a doctor.

if truly cannot then you can use ice and steam to alleviate the pain and to ease the sinus pain.

know that otc's won't help so dont over do it.

i went over a decade undiagnosed so using ice was all i had.
power walks may help.

good luck

Thanks guys..

Im going to try the water treatement.. That seems affordable.. lol

Ok starting now... a glass of water ever 30 min to an hour.... i'll let you all  know if it works...

it would be neat for this to work :o

ohhh.. and after waking up... like 1 min with being awake... i get a headache... same places i described... Ugh.... its dieng out now..

Only been awake for 30 min.. so a 30 min headache aint to bad...

Quote:

Only been awake for 30 min.. so a 30 min headache aint to bad

Hi im no Dr (apart from the LOVE Dr) and i really hope you dont have CH. your comment made me think as i have 40 minute attacks mostly during the night and believe me thats 39.9 minutes toooo looong i have never thought of an attack as not too bad mostly i think of them as if some one just kicked 7 kinds of sh+t out of my head for 40 minutes.

Mark (the word for today is PUTANG)

i meant that the pain was tolerable.. It wasnt to painful..

Ive had headaches that woke me up in the middle of the night.. that are just Horrible.. were i like hit my head with my fist.. so painful..

But the 30 min 1 this morning was tolerable..

Where do you live?  If you live anywhere near a university that has a medical school, there should be clinics available.  Their fees are based on income.