Hi all, quick intro: My name is Megan, my significant other has suffered clusters for nearly 10 years. His season is usually a month to two months beginning anytime from May to September. He started taking Verapamil last year toward the end of his cycle and it had an impact. He has continued since then. Now to what is strange. He hasn't begun a cycle per se this year (fantastic, I know!). Weird thing is that he is has been waking at two am and has, once or twice, experienced something akin to a shadow, but not even as painful. Said it was a twinge or two. Obviously we're thrilled that he's not experiencing full blown clusters. I'm just curious to know whether or not anyone else has had this experience or anything approximating this. Anyhow, thanks for reading, pleasure to finally introduce myself (I've been lurking for about three years)!

Hi Megan....welcome...we do so love supporters around here! Hope your SO will join us too.

What you describe has been reported by more than a few. In my case, I frequently get several symptoms without pain...mostly temple sweating, maybe including pupil constriction and nasal congestion. Rarely, but on occasion, multiple other symptoms. I usually can tell whether a true hit will develop or not...what I really dread is the "twinge"..in my case it's like a toggle switch...and I KNOW a hit is on the way.

We are all the same yet different...so don't worry that twinges mean anything for your SO....

Best,

Jon

Hi Megan and welcome.

I've been having something similar the last few nights, waking up at about 3.30am when I normally sleep so deeply that nothing much wakes me.

It just seems that the beast is morphing how he affects me.

My usual cluster times included a hit at 11PM and 1AM. For years. When I began to get these things under control with high flow O2 and high doses of melatonin and verapamil, I stopped getting the nightly hits. But I still was waking up at 11PM and 1Am because that is what I was accustomed (or habituated) to doing. Maybe something like that is going on. Maybe they are precursors and warnings. I think it is safest to be on guard in case they are coming back at a new time and a new channel, and hope and pray they are not. God bless. lance

Thanks all for some insightful responses. He and I have been together for nearly three years and its been so helpful having this site and all of you as resources as I get myself to the point where I start to understand what he suffers. Not sure what we're facing right now. We want to think that the worst of the season this year will be some inconvenient late night awakenings, but are obviously worried that this is a precursor to an actual full-blown cycle. Last year was (according to him) the worst that he had ever been through and we're hoping that we've found an 'out' for him through what his neurologist is suggesting. Definitely worrying that his clusters will manifest in an "inconvenient"; ie; daytime way. His have always been late-night attacks. As difficult as it is for him to function on a night with little to no sleep, it would be worse to deal with a full blown attack in the middle of his day. As said before, we feel like we're in completely uncharted territory right now. Hence why these responses have done us some good. Will definitely be sure to keep everyone updated. Thanks again!

Hello Megan
Welcome, For sure the beast is different for all of us. I have had shadows daily since my last cycle back in Dec 09. I have not had major hit's (thank God) but I do get breakthrough migraine headaches with more intensity with the shadow's. I alway's stay on guard since the "shadows" are just a reminder that the beast is different for all of us. Thank's for being a supporter!!
best
Anthony

Welcome Megan. I too have been experiencing the same thing, early for me, and at 3:30 am. I thought it was odd as my time is always dead on between 2-230, then I realized we haven't turned the clocks back yet!! And since I usually start my cycle later in October/November, it's explained. I get hits out of cycle, as well. Sometimes, I attribute it to stress, dehydration, eating certain foods. The important thing is to try and identify triggers and see if your SO can remove them to see if the shadows stop. Could also simply be some barometric pressure changes, as you will see many of us talk about (we're all better than the weathermen). Welcome to the board, and see if your SO can hop on too.