I remembered this site from three years ago which was the last time our friend paid me a visit.  I was strictly a lurker back then but now that he's back I figure I might as well jump in.  My first episode was 15 years ago, and since that time my cycles have ranged from 1 to 3 years apart.  I think it was during my second cycle that I was diagnosed by a nuero, and that's when Imatrex became my best friend.  My new found bliss was short lived since shortly thereafter I became self employed, and our family BCBS med insurance co pay was $75 per injection.  :(  I was able to get a few samples along the way, several of which are now 6 years out of date, not very efficacious, but I won't part with them.   Anyhow fast forward to last week.  I'm laying in bed, and got that old sensation  behind my right eye.  It had been so long since my last cycle I did not recognize it right away.  Well it did not take long for me to be re introduced.  Coincidentally I had my annual check up already scheduled later that week, so my doc gave me a prescrip for a new med called Maxalt. She also agreed to call in a prescrip for Oxygen which I requested due to the reviews on this site.  The Maxalt while not as rapid acting as an Imatrex injection, worked much better than the Imatrex pills.  Maybe because it's dissolvable under the tongue. :P 

My main reason in writing today is to thank all those on this site who have shared their experiences both good and bad.  I tried Oxygen therapy for the first time ever about an hour ago and am so relieved that it worked.  I still have the shadow and watery eye :'( but the pain had receded within 10 - 15 minutes.  Best of all my out of pocket is only $22 per month which helps a lot since even the Maxalt cost me $25 per tablet.   

I have sent several friends and family members to this site over the years to help them understand what the deal is.  If I had a nickel for every time someone said "come on it's just a headache" >:(  It's a better description to call it a cluster bomb in the head rather than a cluster headache.  There is nothing remotely similar to a headache and this.

Oh well, thanks for putting up with my ramblings.  I am so thankful for this site. :)

Hey JBOGG,

In complete agreement about clusterbomb being a better name. You won't catch me ever calling one of these attacks a headache.

"Ache" - yeah right, makes about as much sense as calling severe stab wounds to the stomach a tummy ache.  :D