Hello,
I am 25 years old and live in the UK.
For the last month I have been getting really bad headaches on the left side of my head right behind my eye, it started of with a blunt pain behind the eye.

It got worse and worse and then I started to get dizzy and lose strength in my right arm.

I constantly have a throbbing sort of headache but then will feel them getting sharper until the pain becomes an unbearable sharp electric sort of pain where I can even walk or lift my head.

The doctor is very good but left me a little confused. He said something about chronic cluster headaches, which he thinks I got. What is that about? Is it normal to have a throbbing headache until you get an attack, someone please help and explain what I am going through and what to expect.

You've got an interesting set of symptoms that sound as if they could be cluster headaches but there are also other things that it could be.

The losing of strength in one arm isn't a typical CH symptom nor are those around walking or lifting your head. Most people with CH get very restless, moving around, pacing, rocking or similar.

A typical CH will come on very quickly, often taking a few minutes or less to go from symptom free to a very severe headache with excruciating pain.

It sounds like you have been seeing your GP, however you really need to be referred to a neurologist, preferably one who is a headache specialist. They will be able to correctly diagnose you. This is not something for the vast majority of GPs to diagnose.

To help with this, keep a headache diary. In this note down when you get a headache, how painful it is, how long it lasts, the symptoms, anything you were doing at the time, recent food or drink, etc. This will help the neurologist to identify common themes if there are any.

What is likely to happen is that you'll have some tests which are likely to include an MRI scan. This will enable the neurologist to work out the cause of your symptoms.

I'll echo what Mike NZ said, with an emphasis on getting to a headache specialist.

Unfortunately garden variety neurologists are all too often ignorant about CH.

You have an excellent support group which can help you with your health care service:
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It's especially true with new cases of CH that symptoms can vary, move about, etc. Makes for some confusion in diagnosing.

So many of the folks from the UK paint a picture of docs who are markedly lacking in knowledge/skill working with headache. Pushing the system to get to a headache specialist is in order. Following is fragmented but will give some leads:

OUCHUK list of GB resources and CH support groups in other countries. (5/10)

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   and
Message: "Dyno", Tenby, Wales, UK, Aug 9, '09:
[Bob-excludes Wales per Dyno]
looking at their website it looks like a better alternative  START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

Why not ask to see the top man in the country - Dr. Manjit Matharu at UCL. Under Patient Choice - look at the link below - you have the right to choose who you see.

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and this - copied from the OUCH(UK) website

Quote:

You can ask your GP to refer you to one of our hospitals for treatment
Central to the government’s healthcare policy is that patients should be given the opportunity to be more involved in making decisions about their healthcare. If you and your GP agree that you need to be referred to see a specialist, then you have a choice of at least four local hospitals or clinics. Since May 2006, that choice has been extended. You can now also choose to go to any Foundation Trust in the country, including UCLH. Whether you’re from Cornwall or Camden, as a patient you now have the right to choose UCLH. You can ask your GP to refer you to one of our hospitals for treatment.

[Source: UCL website]
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City of London Migraine Clinic [and other types]  START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE