My CH episodes usually start out a bit slow - a week or so of a heavy-ish shadow for about 20min or so every evening easily beat with some O2.  The following week, they begin to daily gain in strength and frequency and duration until they are 2-3x/d lasting a couple hours each with shadows inbetween hits and rather severe pain much more resistant to O2 and tripans....  But the ramp up does give me a bit of time to make sure the issue is an episode and not just a couple of random hits.

This time around, they started right out of the gate at 2x/d with hard shadows in between.  Grrrrr...   >:(

Luckily, I've been stockpiling meds so we're good to go on that front.  Already started the verapamil and it's been about a week and seems to be working a bit already.   :)

I'm thinking my stress level may be part of the change - I have a new baby.  We are moving to Indianapolis in 2 weeks.  We're trying to sell the house.  I am starting a new job in Indianapolis - for the first time, I will be working full-time in Hospice and Palliative Care (which, in and of itself, can be somewhat stressful - at least emotionally...) 

Am I looking into it too much?  Perhaps the Beast just felt like mixing it up a bit... 

I've seen several people post about how a change in their stress levels can affect their CHs.

For myself I find that if I'm under stress that is seems to act as a preventive, with significantly fewer CHs during the working week.

Your hormone levels could be playing into this, too.   Sorry about them being so difficult from the getgo.


[smiley=hug.gif]

carolyn