Good morning CH's
I am very glad I found this group and I am hoping to learn a few things from the posts.  I am sort of new to ch and have only had them for the last two weeks.  I am awaiting an OFFICIAL diagnosis of CH but from all the research I have done, I am very confident that is what a have.  Unfortunately.  So I am trying to find ways to prevent and treat these wonderful headaches since my neurologist appointment is about a month away. I hope the cluster ends well before that.
Thanks for all the info posted, I am try various treatments and avoiding potential triggers on top of the Imitrex and Fioricet that have been prescribed to control them.  Hope I find something that works.  Would love any suggestions

Thanks

O2 O2 O2 -- that's wht your'e going to hear from most of us. Go over to the left and READ up on how to use it... Those of us (about 70%) who get results from it - SWEAR by it.

Floricet probably isn't helping much for CH and can cause rebounds - be careful with that.... (lordy, too many Excedrin can cause rebounds). Red Bull (or an energy drink with lots of caffeine and at least 1000mg of taurine) can usually stop a hit if you get to it right away (some of the time).

Welcome to Clusterville. Read READ read! Some of us have been here so long we forget to tell you things that we take for granted, so ask questions and read some more.

Hugs BD :-*

Get a neurologists diagnosis.

    Potter

Hey Marnie - well glad that at least you're really on top of it and came to the right place here right at the outset.

Here's what appears to me to be important stuff for you:

Ya wanna check out the "oxygen info" link on the left of this webpage view (if the links are showing up for you). That's some critical info right there, and studying it and acting upon it could really make  a big difference in your experience.

CH'ers in the US are known to go to welding supply places for their O2 if they don't have a prescription - the welding O2 is reputed to be the same as the medical.

Then there's the very important imitrex tip over there in the left side links too. Injections are the form of imitrex that work most effectively and this link will detail how to take 1/3 to 1/2 doses that work as well full doses, lessening side effect risk and conserving supply.

I can't believe any reputable neurologist who has ever heard of cluster headaches would make someone in the throes of an attack wait a month for an appointment.  Go down there.  Talk to them.  Get them to squeeze you in.  Refuse to leave.  If you have a hit while you are in the waiting room, I'm sure they'll find a way to get you in so you don't scare the other customers by banging your head against the receptionist's window for a half hour.  Seriously, a month?  It's clusters.  A month isn't good enough.

I was supposed to wait months for my neurologist appointment too. :(  Call the receptionist be the *nicest* you've ever been in your life and stress the amount of pain and how debilitating it is.  Tell them that you'd be willing to drop anything for an appointment at any time, however last minute and you'd get yourself there if there any cancellations.  It might not work but then again, it might and dear God is it worth it for medication!
(Also you *really* need an MRI to confirm)

In the meanwhile you could try heat/ice as something to lessen the pain.  I <3 cold and spent a while pressing my face against the window (looking a little like a crazy person) before I got a lil freezer I can get to while being hit.

Good luck!

Anchor Yanker wrote on Dec 21^st, 2009 at 9:06pm:

I can't believe any reputable neurologist who has ever heard of cluster headaches would make someone in the throes of an attack wait a month for an appointment.

From my experience and what I've seen innumerable others report on here, neurologist headache specialists routinely make CH sufferers wait at least a month, usually longer, for an appointment.

This is simply because they are f**king d**kheads.