Hi,

I am 22 years old and I have self-diagnosed myself.

Let me explain why.... At age 16, for one month during the Summer I had a headache that was TERRIBLE, left side, behind left eye (felt like a sinus headache on steroids).

Gone, pain free....until age 20. Same time, about 1-2 headaches a day for a month. Same area, same severity.


Pain free again, until yesterday. Now age 22.  :'( 
Same pains, same times. Same severity.

I'm glad to be a part of this community, but to be honest, hate the headaches.... especially at work, under fluorescent lighting. >:(


I will be going to the doctor to officially get a diagnosis, but the way I've experienced these headaches it seems pretty  much spot-on.

Does this sound like cluster headaches to anybody? I've read people that have it much more severe, but I know, just like with any illness or complication, every case is defferent in severity and frequency.

Well I won't be surprised either if the official diagnosis matches yours.

You could potentially save yourself a whole lot of trouble if you could get to an actual headache specialist for that diagnosis. Other docs, including garden variety neurologists, are commonly horribly misinformed about CH, and will basically just steer you wrong.

Then, diagnosis in hand, come back here!! This is where you're going to find out about the most effective treatments, and there are some very effective treatments.

Some of the first things you could check out would be the use of oxygen for aborting attacks, as outlined in the oxygen info link to the left

For prevention, you'd want to take a look at the topic here about a 'new' high dose vitamin D3 regimen that has been garnering much attention due to the reports of impressive results: START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

Then there's what many consider to be the most effective preventative of them all, the clusterbuster approach. Here's a Newsweek article devoted to that topic  to give you a quick idea of what's going on there: START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

Plenty of other stuff to learn about too, energy drinks for aborting hits, or at least shadows, melatonin for prevention of night hits, etc.

Stick around and join the bunch of us who have found some real relief.  8-)

I've already been reading many remedies and I'm sort of excited to see the advancements in this

I want to stay away from narcotics and illegal substance or anything that will do more harm than good in the long run. Heck, I rarely seek out prescriptions; and the fact that my episodes last about a month, I wouldnt want to take medication while in remission and pain-free periods.

I find myself tapping my head against the wall lightly as it brings about short bursts of relief, haha. That, and rubbing my temple and trunk of my neck (where it meets my left shoulder)

Thank you for your response!  :)

Very much agreed about narcotics or anything with long term side effects.

And yep, taking medications during remissions would be just plain dumb IMO.

At your age, odds are Cluster but if you will read one of the abstracts here (
Link to: cluster-LIKE headache.

Section, "Medications, Treatments, Therapies --> "Important Topics" --> "Cluster-LIKE headache") 
you will see that there is a 50-50 chance of it being something rather more serious.

Not to scare you but to make the point: self-diagnosis is not wise. The area of headaches is far more complex than "take a Bayer"  conveys.

We have medical surveys which show people taking years and multiple docs to get a good Dx, i.e., it can be a complex problem to resolve.

So, see a specialist if possible....
----
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.

Please don't poo-poo the clusterbuster approach. I suffered for 20 years, and now I don't suffer anymore. It may be illegal, but it won't do more harm than good. In fact, I've yet to find any harm.

Brew, I thought it was only illegal to actually partake of the RC seeds or shrooms, not to have them. Fine distinction, I know, but I wonder, exactly how illegal is it? I suppose one would have problems if drug screened, but beyond that? Not sure I've seen this side of it addressed. It's still on my list of things to try but I'm pretty satisfied that so far my chronic hits are manageable....way more manageable than before. I do like having that iron in the fire, though. Anyway, blessings. lance

I know that it's legal to order and possess RC seeds, and in most states you can order and possess grow-able psilocybin spores legally, but I'm under the impression that possession of actual full grown mushrooms is illegal.

Correct me if I'm wrong about the psilocybin mushrooms anyone, and since they grow wild all over the place, if one stuck to your shoe when you were walking through a field could you be arrested?  :D

In California...yes! ;) But with a defense like that Bejeeber I'd take your case. ;D

Joe

Jeebs is correct.

It is legal to possess RC seeds. It is legal to possess psilocybin spores.

It is illegal to ingest RC seeds. It is illegal to possess or ingest psilocybin mushrooms.

Being screened for hallucinogens rarely ever happens. The cost for the test goes up from the standard pot/coke/opiate pee test by several hundred dollars, and most employers (including the DOT) consider that they have done due diligence by screening for the most common stuff.

Besides, hallucinogens don't hang around in your system in detectable amounts for more than 24 hours.