Hi there, my name is Travis, im 18 years old, i started having this headache about 4 months, and have been to my doctors almost every week scene then. At first we thought is was stress causing it, but the headache didn't stop, then we thought migraines, so we tried pills for that, did not work. after 2 months with the headache, not one time of full relief. having my head aches spike 2 or more times a day. we did a cat scan of my head. and it came back clear, nothing wrong. so i looked up info on headaches and learned of the three man types, and cluster headaches seamed the most like mine, so i asked my doctor about them, and he talk to me about the Signs and symptoms of CH, and they sounded a lot like my headache, so we decided to try prednisone, 80 mg for 5 days then tapering down. At first i thought is was working  taking away the throbbing and stabling, but not taking the headache fully away, but now, after i am now off of the prednisone,  now and during the tapering i still have my headache.

for the last 4 months i have not had a single moment with out a headache. i have spikes, where my headache gets really bad, about 2 or more times a day, lasting sometimes for hours, im have trouble falling asleep, this head has taken control of my life, i haven't been to school for a long time, its hard to do my work with the headache. lots of activity make my headache spike, i just don't know what to do anymore.

im going to my doctor's tomorrow, and we talked about seeing a headache specialist if the prednisone didn't work, so that what he is probably going to do. i just wanted to see if anyone can help me or give suggestions on what to do to find out if they are clusterhead aches or just finding a cause for this? stuff i need to get tested? or anything?

Thanks for your time

Hey there, Travis, and welcome. Glad you found us and sorry you need to be here. It's a place where everyone is glad to have found a truly sympathetic ear, and a place from which we all want to graduate. Your experience with prednisone is not unusual. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it does not. I stronly urge you to seek out that headache specialist as soon as possible, particularly one with CH experience. Unfortunately, CHs are diagnosed more by symptom than by direct evidence, except of course, for the evidence of the attacks. You might consider the following:

1. Take the CH quiz at the left and bring the results with you to the drs.
2.  Look into the possibilities for a preventative like verapamil, lithium, topomax, or any number of long term, longer lasting meds that can interrupt a cycle.
3.  Look into an effective abortive like imitrex injections, migranal nasal spray, zomig nasal spray, olanzapine, but most importantly, high flow (15lpm+) coupled with a nonrebreather mask and breathing in such a way to induce hypoxia.
4.  Try using energy drinks (Monster, Red Bull, etc) coupled with O2 at the first sign of a hit.
5.  Read up on "123 days pain free and I think I know why..." for a dietary supplement that seems to be helping lots of us.

There's more, but you now need to develop a personal arsenal, with the help of your dr, and then employ it against the beast with great determination and vigor. In the meantime, good luck and God bless. lance

CONSTANT headache is not a regular feature of Cluster so: 1. seeing a headache specialist is worth the investment in time/$. 2. Your docs need to consider that you may not have Cluster--even if the symptoms seem to be pointing in that direction. There are number of disorders which mask as Cluster and the main issue is getting a correct diagnose.
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Print this article for your doc.

Link to: cluster-LIKE headache.

Section, "Medications, Treatments, Therapies --> "Important Topics" --> "Cluster-LIKE headache"
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And,
LOCATING HEADACHE SPECIALIST

1. Search the OUCH site (button on left) for a list of recommended M.D.s.

2. Yellow Pages phone book: look for "Headache Clinics" in the M.D. section and look under "neurologist" where some docs will list speciality areas of practice.

3.  Call your hospital/medical center. They often have an office to assist in finding a physician. You may have to ask for the social worker/patient advocate.

4. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE On-line screen to find a physician.

5. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE Look for "Physician Finder" search box. They will send a list of M.D.s for your state.I suggest using this source for several reasons: first, we have read several messages from people who, even seeing neurologists, are unhappy with the quality of care and ATTITUDES they have encountered; second, the clinical director of the Jefferson (Philadelphia) Headache Clinic said, in late 1999, that upwards of 40%+ of U.S. doctors have poor training in treating headache and/or hold attitudes about headache ("hysterical female disorder") which block them from sympathetic and effective work with the patient; third, it's necessary to find a doctor who has experience, skill, and a set of attitudes which give hope of success. This is the best method I know of to find such a physician.

6. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE NEW certification program for "Headache Medicine" by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties, an independent, non-profit, professional medical organization.
        Since this is a new program, the initial listing is limited and so it should be checked each time you have an interest in locating a headache doctor.

Thanks for the quick replies, i have already taken the test, that what brought me to talk about CH with my doctor. alot of my symptoms are match CH, but there are some that don't. i talk to my doctor about going to a headache specialist, and hes making me a appointment, we talked about the different stuff that you mentioned and  he said there good possibilities  after i go see the specialist. he wants to find so more answers and see what the specialist thinks. So i just have to tough it out for now and wait.
Thanks again for the info and support,
                                           Travis