I think it is so strange how for months before this cycle started I was waking up at odd hours all through the night almost as if I was getting the clusters with no pain (that has never happened to me before).  I had even started to think that it was like I was getting clusters with no pain and lo and behold I went into cycle a few weeks after I thought that.  Now it is strange--this medicine is helping a lot, but last night I was back to waking up at all those weird hours with nothing more than a twinge from the CH demon each time.  Oh, and you know what else is weird?  On the nights that the headache (s) do break through I can tell they will even before I go to bed because I feel kind of hyper in the evening (like hyper in my mind like I have "extra" energy in my mind).  I hope that doesn't ridiculous!  Anyway, I am doing well--just hope sometime my brain goes back to normal.

It's called anxiety,and most of us get while in cycle.It sux's big time..

That is what it is isn't it--anxiety!

Yeah, it is anxiety, but...remember these suckers are called clusters because of their circadian nature. I think a couple of things are going on. One, they do come at more or less the same time when we're in cycle. So much so, for me at least, I can anticipate the coming of the hit and get prepared. Two, I think we habituate to the coming time of stress. Anticipating, as it were, the hit. When the cycle winds down, we're still anticipating the cycle and when it doesn't come, we feel something is "missing." We are creatures of habit and routine, and our bodies like steady state patterns. When that is coupled with anticipation of a painful attack, it's like Pavlov ringing the bell...we salivate whether or not the steak is on the table. It takes some time, I think, for us to break that pattern as well. Blessings. lance

Good post Lance, glad I popped in this morning! See, I learn somethin' everyday around this place!

wimsey1 wrote on Dec 14^th, 2010 at 7:38am:

Yeah, it is anxiety, but...remember these suckers are called clusters because of their circadian nature. I think a couple of things are going on. One, they do come at more or less the same time when we're in cycle. So much so, for me at least, I can anticipate the coming of the hit and get prepared. Two, I think we habituate to the coming time of stress. Anticipating, as it were, the hit. When the cycle winds down, we're still anticipating the cycle and when it doesn't come, we feel something is "missing." We are creatures of habit and routine, and our bodies like steady state patterns. When that is coupled with anticipation of a painful attack, it's like Pavlov ringing the bell...we salivate whether or not the steak is on the table. It takes some time, I think, for us to break that pattern as well. Blessings. lance

Well put. 

I know that when a cycle is ended, it takes several weeks before I stop waking up every time I enter REM sleep.  Gunshy, I suppose.   :P

Best,

George

Lance,

I never even thought of that but that makes so much sense looking at it from a pavlovian type angle where maybe part of my sleeping problems, waking up at crazy hours, feeling anxious, is the anticipation of the headaches even when they don't come.  Knowing that it is anxiety and probably a habit in a way lets me know that I need to try to use some relaxation techniques or at least make a conscious effort to try to relax (if I ever want normal sleep that is!)

Yes, and a glass of warm milk, melatonin, a mild sleep inducer, or just time which cureth all ills. You'll readjust. Blessings. lance

It takes me at least 2 weeks before I can close my eye's at night or take a nap and not worry.

After iam out of cycle for two weeks I can start drinking myself to sleep. ;D J/K

I sometimes wake up at 2AM even though I think I have no pain. My problem is that I sleep so heavily, I often sleep through the pain, then wake up, so don't even realize I'm in pain. My wife later tells me she had to wake me up, or hold me down because i'm thrashing or yelling in my sleep.