just been diagnosed with possible cluster headaches. last 2 days at work have been awful; i didn't think my body could hurt me that much. However reading some of these posts sounds like i'm getting off lightly but man is it scary reading them.
mine start dead on 07:05 and finish bang on 11:55 and i am dreading tomorrow morning already. how many episodes am i likely to have before i can get back to normal? :'(

Those are very long attacks Matt - is it continuous severe pain or is it a bad pain with more severe spikes?

Have you been given any meds?

We will do all we can to help!

Helen

Welcome Matt.

   (Oh....no pun intended )
  Have you been seen by a neuro yet?

    You might ask them to prescribe you some O2 right away...that is a good start, and you won't have to suffer so many hours.   Then go from there.
    Good luck.         lorac

   Also you might try some of those Energy drinks till you get it.  Thay do help some. 

Until you can get some high flow oxygen (see the oxygen info in yellow to the left) get some Red Bull, Monster, 5Hr Energy, etc.  Keep it chilled enough to drink, but not so cold you cannot slam it down without stopping.  At the first sign of an attack coming on chug one down just as fast as you can ddrink it.  It will knock a hit back a few knotches at least for me, and if I get to it early enough sometimes will totally abort it for me.

There is a lot of excellent information available on here.  Please take the time to read, and as questions come up ASK them.  I emphasise that because sometimes people are afraid to ask and cause themselves unnecessary grief.

Jerry

Welcome aboard Matt but I'm sorry you are dealing with this horror. That is some long episode! Mine were usually 20 minutes several times a day. One thing you might try is a technique that I learned years ago that worked for me:

Dr. Wright’s Circulatory Technique

I am not sure what mechanism is triggered by this but whatever it is, at least indirectly helps kill the pain. This technique has nothing to do with meditation, relaxation, or psychic ability. It is entirely physical and takes some work. It involves concentrating on trying to redirect a little circulation to the arms, hands, or legs. It can described as a conscious circulatory flexing. Increased circulation will result in a reddening and warming of the hands. As silly as it sounds, try to think of it as filling your hand with redirected blood flow. The important part is that it has to be done without interruption until it has some effect. Do not give up in frustration. It may not work on the first try. Sometimes it can work quicky but it almost always worked after a time. Try experimenting between attacks. You will find that it gets easier with practice.

I was given less than five minutes instruction in the use of this method. The doctor, while placing his arm on his desk, showed me that he could slightly increase his arm and hand circulation. After several attempts, I was able to repeat this procedure and use it successfully. I have had about a 75% success rate shortening these attacks. My 20 minute attacks were often reduced to 10 minutes or less. Once proven that I had a chance to effectively deal with this horror, I always gave it a try as I had nothing to lose but pain.

I used to try to imagine I was pushing blood away from my head into my arm. Use your imagination. There is one man who wrote that his standing barefoot on a concrete floor shortened his attacks. This may be similar as it draws some circulation away from the head. Cold water, exercise, or anything affecting circulation, seems to be worth a try. My suggestion is to not let up immediately when the pain goes. Waiting a minute is probably a good idea. So long as you do not slack off, this has a chance of working.

This technique is very useful while waiting for medication to take effect or when none is available. It costs nothing, is non-invasive, and can be used just about anywhere. It is not a miracle but it helped me deal with this horror. It can be a bit exhausting but the success rate was good enough for me and a cluster headache sufferer will do just about anything to end the pain. It gives us a fighting chance.

You never know.

Keep in touch!

Charlie

thanks everyone, it's good to not be alone. another 4 hour attack today but not as severe as yesterday probably  cos i was shovelling the codedine prescribed yesterday down my throat like smarties.

have a fridge full of red bull ready and waiting for tomorrow. so hoping that this stops as i can't concentrate at work or home.

:-/

M