I have suffered for over five years with terrible pain in the right side of my head. It happens at least four times a week,mainly just after I go to sleep,but also hits during the day at times. This goes on year around, does this sound like CH?
tried to get my doctor(at the time) to help me, but always got "Oh, that is to bad". Changed docs and she promptly sent me for MRI,Cat scan, and blood work. Now seen a Neurosurgeon yesterday and he thinks it is a CH. I will be going for another MRI on my head instead of my shoulders soon.
Everything I'm reading here states that you have certain times of the year you have them so I'm not certain this doctor is on the right tract.

Nancy...I think what you're describing is chronic CH vs. episodic CH.  I too suffer from chronic.  Started about a year and a half ago and it ALWAYS woke me up from a deep sleep...usually at the same time of the night.  I felt like an auger was drilling into my left eye, the roof of my mouth, and my left temple. I thought for sure I had a brain tumor. My left sinus (nostril) would plug up and my eye would weep. They started out as 2 a week and I would have 11 days off...then it progressed to more on than off.  I now have them 5 nights a week (plus I've had a couple during daylight hours).  I had a brain MRI come back abnormal indicating migraine.  Well, that beat a brain tumor. Altho sometimes with the pain accompanying CH it's a toss up. Everyone on this forum says that oxygen therapy helps, so that's what my neuro is ordering.  I don't want to get in the cycle of perscription meds so I'm doing everything possible to stay out of that loop.  I do take kudzu root before I go to bed and so far this is keeping them at bay...they're there, but they don't materialize into a full blown wanna-kill-myself headache.  I've only started the kudzu so this is only my initial take on it...time will tell.  Also because I have chronic, it seems I walk around in a fog the next day because it's a vicious cycle.  You have no remission to get your strength back, so it's draining to say the least.  My Neurologist was amazed that I had clusters because it's primarily a male disorder..he has only seen one other female with clusters.  But he is convinced and it does sound like your doctor is on the right track.  You have my sympathies because if you have to go thru this hell, I'd rather be episodic than chronic.  I guess we don't get to choose.  Hope this helps Nancy.  Good luck!

Hi Nancy, read the cluster quiz on the yellow tab on the left. Then read the o2 tab.

Keep reading as much as you can, there is lots of info on the site. You can also print much of it to bring to various MD's. They sometimes, if not most times need to be educated themselves about CH

All the best :) Iddy

yes, it can go on year around. sorry.

Charlotte

Agree with the above post as it sounds like you're describing chronic CH as opposed to episodic CH.  Suggest you see a neuro ASAP.

Good luck!

Thank you everyone, I was wondering if we(doctor and I) were on the wrong track. I'm waiting for the neurosurgeon  to set up my MRI, then will see him for results and he will then send me on to the  Neurologist if he still feels it is CH.
I'm so pleased with this board, and am reading everything I can find on the topic. Guess the doctor I treated with for so long had no idea what a CH was, she sure didn't offer me any help, just an "Oh, that's to bad", and it just didn't help me through them. :-[
Again, thank you all for this help. Off to read more.

IHS Classification of chronic CH:

Description:
Cluster headache attacks occurring for more than 1 year without remission or with remissions lasting less than 1 month.

The remission period was revised to 14 days.