I'm Nate-living in S.Indiana. I'm 37.Been having these headaches since I was 20.They started back up again this past month.Got a break from them for about 15 months.A couple of years or so ago I started going to my wife's Dr. The only thing we found to work is percocet.I don't like having to take pain pills,but they work for me.Often I can take half a pill at the early onset of an episode.Surprised to see so  many of my tendencies (which I thought were my own) are typical and shared with so  many others.All I can say for now is: Bless percocet and icepacks.

Percocet isn't gonna be on anybody's list as an abortive.

      Potter

Nate: your experience sets you apart from most of us and raises the question: Was the diagnosis made by a doc with some knowledge/experience with complex headache disorders?

Not a nit-pick issue, for there are a number of disorders which appear to be Cluster but which are, in reality, quite different, often rather serious disorders.

Look under: Medications,  Treatments,  Therapies › Important Topics >Cluster-LIKE headache

Ditto Potter

Ice . . . yes,  02 . . . YES!

I've had a script for percocet (5 mg X 3 per day) for six years (osteo-arthritis),  Rarely have I used it at that level . . . usually 5 mg in the morning, 1/2 in mid-afternoon, 1/2 at night to keep in my system so I can move.

During a high cycle (like now and especially June) . . . 1/2 in the morning . . . 1/2 mid-afternoon.  Had an attack within 30min of dose this morning.   I closely monitor my use in great part because of the initial warnings on this site, that not only do narcotics NOT reach/kill a CH attack, they can trigger or cause a rebound attack.   That, and the fact I've known too many people who've become seriously addicted to same.  I've never crushed one, snorted one, or "shot one up" . . . and don't intend to.

Since the 70's, when I had to go "on the street" to find codeine for my wife's migraines because docs assumed anyone in their 20s-30s was a druggie, we closely monitor any pain meds.

To us, pain meds are like having guns in a bad neighborhood . . .  better to have them and not need them than need them and not have them.

And don't anyone pm me for an offer for my reserves . . . . NO!

Get thee to a doc . . . find a preventative that works for you, and acquire an 02 set-up to abort the attacks.


  Be Safe,   PFDANs


      Richard

You've been given some great advice. Start here:

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I'm 51, male, 33 year episodic sufferer. I went from 90-120 minute attacks, to 6-8 minute aborts just by huffing pure oxygen.

Also read this, it's a link to our sister site, using non traditional methods to treating CH:

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Be really careful with the percocet. It's not a question of your ability to handle it, the simple fact is narcotics are stronger then the human will, and that can be a recipe for disaster. Wishing you some peace and pain free time soon.

Joe