Hello group, i am a 60 yo male living in western WV.  I first started having headaches this past July, lasted everyday but 2 for 60 days... didnt know what hit me and why.  Never was a victim of headaches of any kind much previously.  first few headaches happened during my sleep, which of course woke me up.. then afternoons most everyday.  went to GP for some help, he thought i was having migraines at first. the meds he prescribed were not helping much at all,  then finally GP set me up with neurologist where he is suspecting me of having cluster headaches.  i had done a fair amount of research on headaches and ruled this out because when one occurs, i do go and lie down and suffer, which is not typical.  my eye lid has been dropping since the headaches but i have not had one in nearly 6 weeks now.  Neuro is now setting me up for MRI, had the CAT scan earlier which showed nothing abnormal.  i dont know what else to say except, that if you guys have been having these things for years, then i respect your ability to endure the pain and are still surviving.

Hey Kayak.

Sorry to hear of your malady with this headache you are having.

It indeed is unusual to lay down during CH, unless it is shadow, and even then that pain makes me anxious, making my heart beat faster (maye due to panic/hystery) The pain is very sharp, slightly perhaps throbbing but also can feel it sometimes as constant, very intense and strong located behind my right eye.

How does your headache feel exactly?

-Matty

EDIT:

P.S forgot to add, have you tried anything apart meds? Maybe prescribed medical Oxygen would help, many folks on site use high oxygen flow as a fast CH breaker (If used properly, with good mask) or perhaps some vitam D regiment, have you got your testosterone and other hormones and general blood work done? I would check it out too. Mostly CH does not appear in MRI nor CT, apart the abnormaly in hypothalamus build I guess, but only in fMRI?

Go around look up topics on our boards and read stuff, if you want you can PM me for any questions I will be glad to answer :)

Peace and painfree time again!

-matty.

Great to hear you got referred to a neuro, GP's just don't have the training necessary to diagnose and treat more complex headache disorders. Hopefully this neuro is a headache specialist neuro as headaches are a world of medicine off by themselves!

A couple of links to read while you're weaving through the medical system trying to confirm a diagnosis:

Go to the medications section, read the thread titled "123 pain free days and i think I know why." A daily vitamin/ mineral supplement thats been providing relief for migrainers and CH'ers.

Read this link on oxygen therapy, if its CH you have, this will be your number one weapon:

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Glad you found us, good lckk on the diagnosis, wishing you some answers and some pain free time soon.

Joe