I live in Northwest Arkansas USA in the Ozark mountains near Fayetteville. I am 44 yrs old and have been experiencing these crazy headaches for about 4 years. They usually start during a head cold or hay fever type of event. I do not have health insurance, so I have been combating them mostly on my own.

I found this site about two weeks ago and have been obsessively reading the info here. Thank you for being here. It is so wonderful to finally know what's going on.

I am currently in the third week of the most consistant episode yet. And am very tired...getting headaches one hour after going to sleep every time.

Thanks to some of the suggestions from here the intensity of the attacts are down and I have been able to manage most of the pain...redbull who would've have thought.

I have missed a few days of work...but I now believe I may survive.  I will find a way to see a headache specialist and will get the o2 as soon as I can.

I went to a walk in clinic and they agree with the cluster headache diagnosis and I took a round of Predizone.
I am take the D3, fish oil, calcium and magnesium regime.
I am taking 10mg of melitonin before bed as well as 1mg of xanex (unperscribed) also taking B complex vitamins and vit C. drinking lots of water.

The sleeping issues are really taking there toll on me however...I am very shaky and generally confused...any sugestions would be appriciated ... Sorry about spelling and grammer mistakes ... not at my best right now.

I currently have feelers out for busting options. Sounds much better than most of the meds that you guys talk about.
This site has already been such a help to me...THANK YOU 

Zenchow - sorry the beast is poundin' ya hard, but very glad you're absorbing so much info here, taking action on various fronts, and building that beast killing arsenal.  8-)

If you haven't run across this bit of info yet, plenty of CH'ers here just skip the prescription and get the very same O2 at their local welding supply outfit.  8-)

About the only other thing that occurs to me right off is that since it sounds as if the melatonin may not be extremely effective for you yet, well some people here have taken it even as high as 21 mg before they obtained max relief.

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This is our sister site, home of all the info you could hope to find on the numerous busting options available to you. Please spend some time on that site as it has a wealth of information to give you the best opportunity at a succesful bust!

You might want to try kicking up the melatonin dose, some go up to 18 mg  a night to get them to sleep all night. Also, look at splitting it in half, 9 mg of regular relase melatonin, and 9 mg of sustained release.....also might help you get a bit more sleep.

Glad you found us, do push hard for the 02 as if you go the busting route you have to detox off of most anything else you use to prevent or abort attacks, with the exception of oxygen. Good luck whichever path you go.

Joe

I'm glad you found us.  Like beejeeber said...try "upping" the dosage of Melatonin a bit every night and see if that doesn't work. 

The results of those who have tried the busting route is nothing but phenomenal.   It has given people their lives back. 

Stick around and ask questions.  That's what we're all here for.

Linda

Once you DO see a headache specialist and have a diagnosis of CH, you don't have to go the medical O2 route. You can then set up your own welding O2 rig, probably for a lot cheaper.

Prednisione is a preventive, but only to be used for the short term as it isn't kind on your body. It is normally used whilst another longer term use preventive builds up. Commonly used ones are verapamil, lithium and topomax.

Zen,
Here is a list of sufferer recommended doctors

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