Hi, i have been in my cycle and it has come to an end now.with all my other cycles the headache has been every 2 days always just after i have droped off to sleep.After the attack the pain has gone completely,then when the cycle ends  its gone completely,however this time i seemed to get niggling pain around 1-2 in between hits and now the cycle is over i still have this every day now for 4 days. The only thing i have changed since last cycle is i am now on a zero caffine diet.(not good for a ch sufferer) so i am Just wondering if this could be causing the prelonged pain. The real worry is it feels like the start of an attack and im always waiting for the real thing to kick in. Thanks chris

Hi Chris,

     No one here is a Dr.  That said..I'm going to offer you my non-Dr. advice. LOL


You are having what we call shadows.  That low-grade pain that never morphs into a real attack, doesn't make you want to climb the walls but is there, just enough to make it slightly miserable.  I so highly doubt the diet cola has anything to do with it.

I'd like you to try something.  Get some 4-way nasel spray and use it on the affected side.  it can't hurt, and at the least it will relieve nasel stuffiness.  This has helped a lot of us with "shadows"  It has to be the 4-way brand though.  Please let us know..o.k.?

I would also add that if you are experiancing shadows then your cycle may not have truely ended.

If you are taking a preventative then I would continue to do so until the shadows are gone.

Also ,if your a confirmed caffeine addict, you might be going through withdrawl.

I 2nd that last post if your on prevents stay on them! im in the same position been pretty much pin free for 3 days or so but on verap and a bit of topomax and will stay on till the "tingle" thing goes away! (just in case) the bastard aint finished his visit :-/

NancyB wrote on Jan 25^th, 2010 at 6:31pm:

Also ,if your a confirmed caffeine addict, you might be going through withdrawl.

Caffeine withdrawal lasts 2, maybe 3 days.

Sometimes it lasts longer, but absolutely should bahve like it's not over yet. Better to be prepared.

NancyB wrote on Jan 25^th, 2010 at 8:58pm:

Sometimes it lasts longer, but absolutely should bahve like it's not over yet. Better to be prepared.

What?

Quote:

Caffeine withdrawal lasts 2, maybe 3 days.

I've gone through that a couple of times and Brew's timing fits in with my experience. Hurts like hell but it won't last.

Charlie

Did I mention I'm a little out of it right now?Have had a couple of friends that had their withdrawl last a week or more, but they were also big time fiends for a loooong time. I will however shut up now though.

No need. I simply don't understand what you are saying. Can you try explaining it differently?

O.k. I'll try  one more time. Some caffeine headaches do last longer than a couple of days, but just in case it's not and her cycle isn't over, she should be ready with all the preventitives and abortives she can. There, I think that one made more sense.

Yes, it did. Thank you.

hi thanks for replying.  I dont take any meds at all for my ch as normally i only have one attack every 2 days and only normally lasts for about 3-4 weeks. But i have been on a non caffine diet for around a year now so this is first cycle where i have had no caffine at all. with  my other cycles i never had shadows at all but this time i am having them constant so i was wondering if its beacuse im not having any caffine.
  Just been and got some nasal spray and olbus so going to try that.

Just a note that just about the only thing I did differently about the same time that my ch disappeared was to drink a lot of very strong coffee all the time thick enough to use a fork. It was coincidental, not something done for my hits.

Charlie

Doesn't caffeine withdrawal affect your whole head? It's completely different than shadows I would say. Still a pain for sure though.
Nasal saline works for me in the case of shadows. At least on many occasions. At home I keep it refrigerated.