I have not needed a re-fill for Imitrex, (Sumatriptan), for over two years... last Thursday, (June 23), my clusters returned at about 3:20 A.M... Man, I thought I was DONE with this stuff this time!! I've had one at almost the exact same time every night since. By the Grace of GOD and the genuine love from my beautiful wife Pamela of 18 years, I'll get through this.

For the first time in over two years I've also conducted a Google search for 'Cluster Headaches' and located this site... what a blessing!

I was first "diagnosed" as a cluster sufferer in 1993 by a female M.D. working at one of those "Doc-in-a-Box" places in Duluth, GA. She was previously an M.D./Captain in the Air Force. After I explained what I had been experiencing for several years, (since 1986), she pulled a dusty medical book off of her bookshelf, opened it to a "bookmarked" page and asked me to read it.

It was AMAZING! For the first time I read a detailed description of everything that I was experiencing after a cluster started kickin' my a** with a generous 30-60 second notice... my left eye swelling shut and constantly tearing-up, the molars on the left side of my mouth, top and bottom, feeling as if someone was attempting to extract them with "heated pliers"... etc.. Prior to meeting her, I had been through multiple CT scans, MRI's and had visited at least 8-9 doctors with NO results... and DIFFERENT recommendations from each. (By 1993, I had been shot once and stabbed two times. At that time I was a police officer in metro-Atlanta and had recently returned from a combat tour with the US Army during Desert Shield/Storm.)

The pain I experience during a cluster makes getting wounded seem almost like a welcomed alternative.

I can actually pace from room-to-room in my house in the early A.M. with no lights on, (The Dance), while chanting various "PLEASE, Dear Lord" phrases that I never seem to remember the next day... and never stub my toe or bump into anything... that's AMAZING.

I want to sincerely thank the creator of this site... you obviously 'get it'. ANYTHING offering support for people and their family members suffering from clusters is truly a blessing! THANK YOU!   ;D      

That would be DJ. The man with the idea for the first streaming CH site which eventually morphed into what you see today. We're kinda fond of him!  :)

If imitrex is your only weapon, I've got great news for you. It's like the old Colt .45, nohting wrong with it, but you sure don't want to go to war with only a .45 on your hip. There's a whole arsenal you need to load up with. First off, read this link. It's all but eliminated the use of imitrex for me, I abort in about 6-8 minutes using oxygen. But it must be used correctly or its worthless. A non re breather mask, a high flow rate of at LEAST 15 LPM, and get on it as soon as you feel the tingle of the beast:

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

Next, go the medications section of this board, read the link "123 pain  free days and I think I know why". A simple vitamin/mineral/anti inflammatory regimen that is providing relief for a bunch of board members. All over the counter, cheap, certainly worth investigating.

Then take a look at this site. Our sister site, they use non traditional methods, inlcuding mushrooms, RC seeds, to treat CH. Has been a blessing to many for whom traditional medicine was not helping:

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

You didn't put anything in your post about prevent medications, a med you take daily, while in cycle, to reduce the number and intensity of your attacks. Verapamil is the most common first line prevent, I use Lithium, blocks 60-70% of my hits, Topomax has some loyal followers.

I'm a 51 year old male, 33 year episodic sufferer. Thanks to this board I no longer fear the beast, more a minor annoyance in my life. I reired last year after a 30 year career in law enforcement. Used to keep an E-Tank (oxygen) in my cruisers trunk when I was on cycle! So glad you found us, now get reading! An educated CH'er hurts a whole lot less!

Joe

I would love to find that doctor who diagnosed you and had that page book-marked for you to read and give her a huge hug.  If you knew how many here went for years/decades of being mis-diagnosed, called a drug seeker, treated for other things, wouldn't listen and were generally clueless when it comes to treating this condition of ours, well then you'd know why I like to give her a hug.

One thing about being an episodic sufferer is that you KNOW they will come back at some point.  We've learned around here to always stock up on any meds we take for when they do,  so we're not caught without them.  Many of us use oxygen and one time I ran out on a Fridayevening and had to suffer all week-end.  I always made a point of checking my tanks on Thursday night after that.

Linda

So glad you found this message board JC!!

The replies you've had so far are like a golden prescription from the heavens - please read and memorize and explore those links given because many many CH'ers who have done so have found tremendous relief.

I'll just add that if you're using injectible imitrex, this tip for how to stretch the doses can a be a really critical aid:
START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

Also, here's a good Newsweek article on the clusterbusters approach:
START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

Thank you all for the EXCELLENT responses and support information... I have some reading to do!

If there's anything I can do to help your efforts, please let me know!

JC

Your participation on this site is help enough. So many, myself included, have exactly the kind of reaction you describe when we are diagnosed, and then when we find this site. It is indeed a Godsend. Let us know how you make out. God bless. lance