Well, I've finally been diagnosed with Cluster Headaches, after enduring years of useless treatments for "Sinisitis", "Neuralgia", "Migraine" etc, and being left for hours in A&E after doctors continually write "Headache" on my notes and wonder why paracetamol isn't working. I've been put on daily doses of Verapamil and have a couple of Sumitriptan Nasal sprays when the warning pains come.
I appear to be one of the lucky ones whos clusters come once a year(Around oct-dec time) for a period of about 6-8 weeks. I'm 23, and male by the way, and clusters started when I was around 19-20, and I've noticed with each cluster the pain is progressively worse. Which is worrying.

Where ya located?

         Potter

Welcome to the board Henry. Yeah, I found my headaches got worse as I left my late teens, and really hit their stride in my mid 20's.

Take a look at this link:

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Since discovering oxygen, my use of triptans has almost stopped. I can abort my attacks in aboout 6-8 minutes just by huffing oxygen. Been a real game changer for many.

What is your dosing on verapamil? We find many doctors use too low of a dosing, we have members going as high as 960 a day to get relief.

Go the the medications section of this board, and check out the post "123 pain free days and I think I know why"

It's a daily vitamin/mineral supplement that's providing relief for some on the board. All over the counter stuff, worth a look see.

Glad you found us, as Potter mentioned, let us know  what part of the world you're from as a lot of the info you need is location specific

Joe

Clearly, you are blessed at this point in you life!. Unfortunately, there is no way to predict changes in your experience.

So, while I take your "worry" comment as a conversational aside now, if you find yourself becoming preoccupied/anxious about what may develop (and this pattern can become a source of painful paralysis for some), take a look at this article and tuck it away.

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Your story sounds a lot like mine! Started at 19ish and have gotten worse and more worse, until now where I use the words excruciating and suicidal to describe the pain. Although I wouldn't kill myself, those thoughts do come. But, now I dread sleeping and running out of pills. I'm a big worry wart as well.

Potter - Epsom, Surrey, UK

Joe - Thanks I'll have a look at that, if I can get over the counter relief(at least a little). I can't remember offhand about the Verapamil but it's the lowest possible doseage - Had my first ECG a week ago. Same with the Sumitriptan it's 10mg spray.

Bob - That's really useful! I have found that if I think about CH a lot, I'll get a shadow. Weird.

Trotter - Yeah you feel the same as me, it sounds! Though I've only had a couple of night attacks, mine are usually around 10-11pm(at my desk at work). You never know, they might come up with something before we get old enough for the attacks to be totally insane.

Stick around here and read like crazy, get yourslf educated as to ALL your options for treatment. Knowledge is power when it comes to beasty.

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They have a lot of information specific to obtaining treatments and navigating the medical systems on your side of the pond.

Joe