HI THERE I LIVE IN RURAL SE SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA AND HAVE BEEN HAVING CH'S FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS NOW. A DOCTOR IN ALBERTA TOLD ME I HAD CLUSTER HEADACHES ABOUT 9 YEARS AGO AND GAVE ME ZOMIG RAPID MELT WHICH HELPED STOP THE BAD ONES. THEY COME AND GO OVER THE YEARS USUALLY ONLY LASTING FOR A FEW WEEKS THEN GONE FOR A YEAR OR SO BUT THEY ARE LASTING LONGER NOW AND I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO I READ SOME OF THE STUFF ON HERE AND WILL TRY TO GO SEE A DOCTOR BUT THE ONES HERE ARE IFFY AT BEST DOES ANYBODY KNOW OF ANY AROUND HERE. I NEED HELP IT HURTS LIKE HELL I KNOW YOU KNOW THAT BUT I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO.. THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ANY ADVICE

Unfortunately, our sister group in Canada has stopped operation and we have (I believe) little contact with/about local sources of help.

You might explore the www. sites, below, and see if they include Canadian information.
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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.
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Read what we offer here so that you can gain information/skills for your treatment. Explore the buttons, left, and prtint out.....




Cluster headache.
From: START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE (Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases)
[Easy to read; one of the better overview articles I've seen. Suggest printing the full length article--link, line above--if you are serious about keeping a good medical library on the subject.]

Leroux E, Ducros A.

ABSTRACT: Cluster headache (CH) is a primary headache disease characterized by recurrent short-lasting attacks (15 to 180 minutes) of excruciating unilateral periorbital pain accompanied by ipsilateral autonomic signs (lacrimation, nasal congestion, ptosis, miosis, lid edema, redness of the eye). It affects young adults, predominantly males. Prevalence is estimated at 0.5-1.0/1,000. CH has a circannual and circadian periodicity, attacks being clustered (hence the name) in bouts that can occur during specific months of the year. ALCOHOL IS THE ONLY DIETARY TRIGGER OF CH, STRONG ODORS (MAINLY SOLVENTS AND CIGARETTE SMOKE) AND NAPPING MAY ALSO TRIGGER CH ATTACKS. During bouts, attacks may happen at precise hours, especially during the night. During the attacks, patients tend to be restless. CH may be episodic or chronic, depending on the presence of remission periods. CH IS ASSOCIATED WITH TRIGEMINOVASCULAR ACTIVATION AND NEUROENDOCRINE AND VEGETATIVE DISTURBANCES, HOWEVER, THE PRECISE CAUSATIVE MECHANISMS REMAIN UNKNOWN. Involvement of the hypothalamus (a structure regulating endocrine function and sleep-wake rhythms) has been confirmed, explaining, at least in part, the cyclic aspects of CH. The disease is familial in about 10% of cases. Genetic factors play a role in CH susceptibility, and a causative role has been suggested for the hypocretin receptor gene. Diagnosis is clinical. Differential diagnoses include other primary headache diseases such as migraine, paroxysmal hemicrania and SUNCT syndrome. At present, there is no curative treatment. There are efficient treatments to shorten the painful attacks (acute treatments) and to reduce the number of daily attacks (prophylactic treatments). Acute treatment is based on subcutaneous administration of sumatriptan and high-flow oxygen. Verapamil, lithium, methysergide, prednisone, greater occipital nerve blocks and topiramate may be used for prophylaxis. In refractory cases, deep-brain stimulation of the hypothalamus and greater occipital nerve stimulators have been tried in experimental settings.THE DISEASE COURSE OVER A LIFETIME IS UNPREDICTABLE. Some patients have only one period of attacks, while in others the disease evolves from episodic to chronic form.

PMID: 18651939 [PubMed]
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See the PDF file, below. Whom ever you see should be using meds from this list.
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Explore:


A couple of sites which are worth your attention: medical literature, films, plus the expected information
about CH.

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

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Welcome JSHIPOWICH  Glad you found us and so sorry you had too.

Read the oxygen info on the left and print some portions or all of it out if necessary to help get the oxygen prescription from the doc.  Or you can see if you can pick up some welders O2.

Here is a list of herbals/supplements that may give some relief.  Keep in mind they will not be nearly as affective as actual prescription medication and abortives.  As Always check with your Dr before adding any supplements or herbals.

Omega 3 Supplements 1000mg

Vitamin D3 suppliments

Tanquil- (contains Humulus Lupulus and Valerian root extract)
This can also help get you through the night and can help avoid night time hits.

Cetrizine/Zyrtec = over the counter allergy medication, taken before bed by about 1 hour it may help him get through the night with no hits and some decent zzz's. Found in most any grocery, drug, or walmart store.

The above are items I use.  Along with my regular prescription medications.



Others here also use...

Taurine - found in energy drinks (stay away from high acidity energy drinks if you haVe ulcer issues) such as redbull **there are others.     Taurine Combined with Caffeine/coffee works in many to help kill a CH hit.  You can also find taurine supplements at GNC or buy it off the internet, however if you use the internet you will be waiting for at least a week to even get  your shipment.

Kava - Herbal also found at GNC

Melatonin : take 1 hour before bed- GNC

Magnesium - GNC

Hot or cold wet clothes to the head during an attack- depends on sufferers preference.

THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH FOR THE RESPONCES. I AM CURRENTLY ABOUT FOUR WEEKS INTO CH BOUTS AGAIN AND AM RUNNING OUT OF MY ZOMIG I AM GOING TO SEE DOCTOR IN A FEW DAYS AND WAS WONDERING ABOUT THE IMITREX I SEE HERE IS IT BETTER? SHOULD I ASK FOR A NASAL SPRAY OR INJECTION AS OPPOSED TO THE ZOMIG RAPID MELT PILL I AM CURRENTLY TAKING. THEY SEEM TO WORK SOMETIMES :-/. I WILL ALSO ASK ABOUT THE O2 AND OTHERS I SEE HERE BUT RIGHT NOW ZOMIG HAS BEEN MY KILL PILL. WHAT DO YOU GUYS/GALS THINK.

I think there's wide consensus here that O2 is ideal to have for your primary abortive, reserving the triptans such as imitrex as a backup for when you can't get to the O2 or in case it doesn't work.

Imitrex injections are not only the most effective form, but you can dramatically stretch your doses and lessen the risk of side effects or running out by utilizing this imitrex tip: START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

When I read your report, the term 'needless suffering' come s to mind and of course we all hate to see that!

For preventatives, a couple of my favorites are the D3 regimen that has been getting a lot of attention around here, and the clusterbusters approach.

Here's the D3 discussion topc:START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

And a Newsweek article about clusterbusters: START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE