This current cycle of CH has been different than all my previous ones.  My headaches still come in the middle of the night, waking me up out of a dead sleep... pretty much the same as a lot of you on here.  I get up, go through my rituals and within an hour, on most occasions, am back in bed.  According to the clock, I am usually still getting 7 to 8 hours sleep, unless my job requires me to get up.  However, the whole next day I feel incredibly weak and hungover.  I feel a very weak but persistent version of my CH on the left side all day as well.  Trust me, there is no alcohol involved as I've learned my lesson the hard way there.  I am 34 years old and I work out fairly religiously.  My work and sleep schedule can be crazy as I am a professional Firefighter, but fatigue has never really been an issue for me until the onset of this latest cycle.  I can't get myself motivated to do anything as I feel nauseated and ....well, hungover.  I don't really eat sugar, I don't drink soda.  I usually drink nothing but water, 2 cups of coffee in the morning and maybe unsweet tea for lunch... so dehydration isn't an issue, I don't believe.  I also take a multi vitamin + 250mg Mag, 500mg Cal and 400iu D3 daily.  I have sumavel injections and imitrex nasal spray which I try my darndest not to use unless I feel completely hopeless.  Has anyone else experienced this along with your CH cycle?  If so, any ideas?  It's completely new to me.  Thanks in advance, you all.

Hi Sleepy. Man 7-8 hours. In the height of my cycles.....I can only wish to get that in a week. I understand that you have a physically demanding occupation. I get that "hungover" feeling throughout my entire cycle. Sometimes its not too bad, but somedays when I get to work in the morning, I must show up an hour early to give myself time to recover so I can drag myself out of the car.

As tough as it may be to swallow, I live with those very hangovers during my cycle. I know no other life when in my cycles. I am happy that you get that much sleep a night. I can only wish.

Yeah.  This cycle has been strange for me for sure.  I really wish you could sleep more and am amazed, I guess at the fact that I am getting more lately, but still feel horrible.  Like I said, this cycle has been so different than any of the other ones.  Maybe I'm just unconscious more, not really sleeping?  At the height of this one, about 3 weeks ago, I was getting two or three during sleep hours, but that only lasted for a week or so... and then I thought I was out of it... 4 or 5 days PF, only to get a whopper that sent me to the ER for the first time ever, coincidentally two days prior to having my first appt with a neurologist.  I know my headaches well, but this one was entirely different... still effecting the same side, but more like severe cramping and squeezing as opposed to stabbing and burning.  Anyway, after an examination by the neurologist, she determined that I am indeed a Clusterhead... (I've known this for years) but what I didn't know is that I also have very bad TMJ issues on the side of my headache.  She said that my facial muscles from my neck to my temple are literally in knots and that I have evidence of massive amounts of grinding on my left side.  I'm not sure whether this is cause or an effect of the headaches.  It's easy to ramble on here about this stuff as I know no one with this problem personally.  The hangover feeling is new to me but I guess it's something I need to be more prepared for in the future.  Again, I wish you got more sleep, Tim.  However, if it's the kind I have evidently been getting, I'm not sure how much good it would do, but any time without a headache is definitely better than time with one. 

Hey Sleepy,
I know the feeling. I also have the hangover feeling after my attacks. My head feels foggy and it's hard for me to concentrate for hours afterward. I also have a bruised feeling,,, kinda like I've been hit in the right side of the head with a bat or kicked by a horse.
I started getting these CH's in August of 1997 and had them 3 to 4 times a week up until May of 2009. For the first 7 or 8 years no Doctor could figure out the cause of my pain. I even went to the M.I.N.D. Institute in Farmington Hills Michigan where they told me it was a hole in my Maxillary Sinus that was the problem. Turns out it wasn't the problem at all. I was finally diagnosed with CH"s by a young DR. in Mount Pleasant Michigan in 2007 or 8. I can't remember for sure. He gave me Imitrex pills for the onset, and put me on high amounts of Prednisone and it seemed to ease the pain and control the frequency of the attacks. Suddenly the headaches stopped abruptly in March of 09. They were gone until a month ago when they made a grand appearance again. So I found this site and am trying to find a fix before they make me loose my mind. As per Bob and Joe here at CH I'm taking 10,000 IU daily of D3 and 3000 mg of Omega 3 Fish oil daily and have not had another attack since I started a week ago. I'm also taking 1 3mg Metatonin before bed. So far, so good. Just a suggestion and I hope it works for you,,, and me. Good luck man.

It's times like that where I have a can of Red Bull or Coke to help me recover from the CH. It seems to work quite well.

For a Kip 9+ I'll always have one to help ward off the "hangover" type symptoms happening.

I get similar after higher level hits. Lasts 4 to 24 hrs depending on how bad the hit. I've leaned to keep most of the big ones away, by using what I've read here. I had to teach my Dr.

I think the best way to prevent the hangovers, is to prevent or quickly abort all CH attacks. O2 is my best tool for this. Not just any O2, the best I could get. Most Doctors don't have a clue about O2 for CH.

My CH started when I was 33, now 57. Now I still have CH but I'm ugly too.

Don

I have long contended that a CH and its aftermath have seizure-like symptoms, particularly after a CH or as in my case, after a string of hits in a short period of time. This from Wikipedia:


Quote:

The postictal state is the altered state of consciousness that a person enters after experiencing a seizure. It usually lasts between 5 and 30 minutes, but sometimes longer in the case of larger or more severe seizures and is characterized by drowsiness, confusion, nausea, hypertension, headache or migraine and other disorienting symptoms. Additionally, emergence from this period is often accompanied by amnesia or other memory defects. It is during this period that the brain recovers from the trauma of the seizure.

Having watched my daughter for many years go through just about every seizure known, and observing her post-seizure behavior, I have come to the conclusion that something similar is going on here. I also note that antiepileptics are often used as preventatives and sometimes have success. Just a few thoughts to ponder on the matter. blessings. lance

Thanks you guys for all of the comments!  I upped my dosage of D3 to 5000iu and began 2000mg of Fish Oil in conjunction with Mag.  Thanks Brydawg.  I'd read Batch's post a while ago and hope it works like everyone says it does.  I realize my dosages are smaller, but I'm not much on medication... if this doesn't work, I'll amp up the dosage.  I've had the thought that CH could be more in line with seizures as opposed to traditional headaches as well, Lance.   I find when I start a cycle, its really hard to remember much at all about previous ones... or just the previous headache from the day before, much like postictal phase of seizure patients.   I also find that post CH my mood is effected greatly.  I am generally a happy person, but post headache, I sometimes get heavy feelings of depression or sadness or something.  Not typical at all of me.  Im glad someone else has thought this too.  One other personal observation.... my pulse and BP are high since I've been in cycle.  Maybe they always are during the cycle, but this is the first one I've actually kept tabs.  Normally, I am high 50's/low 60's for pulse and avg range 130/80 for BP.  As of mid Dec to present day I'm ranging high 70's/low 80's pulse and a BP more in the range of 150/90.  These measurements are taken during headache free periods, usually mid morning and again before bed without much variance noted.  Would anyone consider this normal?  I'm wondering if the Mag-Cal could possibly raise my BP... or if high BP is a result/cause of the headaches... or anxiety waiting on the next one.. etc. ?  Thanks again for all of the replies and advice!  I wish I had more to offer.  Although I've had these off and on for 17ish years, it's only in the past few years that I've actually tried to be on the offensive and learn about them.  Thanks again!

Hi, I so totally understand that hangover feeling!!

I dont suffer with cycles very often, just twice a year, and only for 2 weeks, but I have hangover head for the other 48 weeks a year. it is awful and everyday is a fight, I take co-codemol and naproxen to try and help with the pain, and just battle through, makes life and work a nightmare tho, I feel your pain but nice to know that we're not alone :)

sugarplum wrote on Jan 10^th, 2013 at 1:51pm:

I take co-codemol and naproxen to try and help with the pain

You need to be careful with using pain killers too often as anything more than 2-3 times a week is likely to give you medication rebound headaches. And since you're using co-codemol, these contain codeine, a narcotic, which will not help either.

I posted this elsewhere on the board but I wanted to put it here on the thread I started asking for help as well.  I believe it's safe to say that I can be added to the pain free ranks.  As of Jan 3rd, I have been pain free and it is all thanks to Batch's anti inflammation regimen.  I have been taking 10000 iu Vitamin D3, 2000mg fish oil, 500mg/250mg Cal-Mag Citrate and a multi vitamin daily just after breakfast.  At night if I have felt a bit uneasy I have taken an extra 5000 iu Vitamin d3 just to be safe.  I have even been able to enjoy a few beers, which was a death sentence just weeks ago.  I know words like "cure" are not acceptable around here and I agree with that, but this is the best (and easiest) treatment so far that I have experienced in my 17 years of CH cycles.  I still get shadows around 6pm and 11pm, but there is no pain, just runny left nostril and eye with a bit of swelling and a twitch.  I can feel it trying to set up shop but it just can't get a foot hold.... so far.  Imitrex spray and injections still on stand by but so far, so good!  Amazing.  Thanks, Batch!

Its relieving to know that I am not the only one that goes through this. Its really a terrible feeling.

The question is how do you manage to keep working with the flare ups and hung over feeling? I had to leave my last job because the job did not help my headaches at all. And I've been good for the last two to three months until now.

the CH hangover is awful. The right side of my face usually feels like someone is stepping on it and I can't think straight for hours. Lidocane helps the pain, but I can't ward off the other effects of mental sluggishness.

re: Codeine. That might be the nausea issue if you're having that.

The "hangover" I get from a hit is felt more in the body than in the head.   
 
After an attack, my limbs are awash with a sense of warm numbness/fatigue.  It's a lot like the way I feel after I spend a day on the beach swimming in heavy surf.   I always figured it was because I involuntarily clench every muscle in my body during a hit and tap my feet at inhuman speeds.
 
Does anyone else experience this sort of a hangover effect?

It seems to me this is a natural response.  I had a K8 this morning and I've had the hangover all day... shadows and my body feels like jello.  These things are exhausting, both physically and mentally; it makes sense to me to feel out of it.

I swear I can feel every follicle on the right side of my head and in the right side of my nose.  I am so tired, my body hurts, and I think it's worse than a hangover.  NO sleep + tons of pain = feeling like crap the next day.  JMO

Welcome to the board Angie, I know that feeling all too well, when it hurts to brush your hair on that side! When you get a sec, tell us a little about yourself, what you have for a treatment program etc. Glad you're here.

Joe

Thanks so much for the warm welcome.  I will post my info in the getting to know ya thread.

I am convinced that CH has somthing to do with hormones, etc. which will send me into depression.  I know anyone might be depressed when they arent getting enough sleep and they are dealing with severe pain, but its more than that,  its a depression all over .  This may be due to a vitamin D deficiency, which throws everything off.  But I know my body, and I know my head,  and I am sure you all feel the same about yourselves,  there is more going on here.   Usually if I deal with CH for more than a six month period, I dont feel so depressed about it anymore,  its almost as if you can feel yourself coming back from the dead or something.  Thats how chronics deal with it and manage to live  their lives.

Mike NZ wrote on Jan 10^th, 2013 at 6:18pm:

sugarplum wrote on Jan 10th, 2013 at 1:51pm: I take co-codemol and naproxen to try and help with the pain You need to be careful with using pain killers too often as anything more than 2-3 times a week is likely to give you medication rebound headaches. And since you're using co-codemol, these contain codeine, a narcotic, which will not help either.

I know. I'm told this alot!

I live in a small town in the UK, it took 5 years to even see a neurologist, after referral i waited 5 months for an appointment as the guy serves 2 hospitals!! the GPs here just don't know what CH is, it was a NURSE who referred me to neurology!!  Once he diagnosed me I was sent back to my GP
With a letter to say prescribe triptans. I was advised to take these only when I feel unable to cope as i can only take 1 a day, this was after he looked through pages of his drug advise book and to manage shadows as best I could. That is the only help I've been given. They'll basically give me a job lot of pain killers when i run out and am pushed out the door. I get very frustrated as I know this isn't right, but what can I do??

Sorry for the rant, it's obviously not personal or aimed at you but the NHS is not all its cracked up to be and I'm basically learning from forums and fighting for everything. Very frustrated to say the least!!

sugarplum wrote on Mar 27^th, 2013 at 8:33pm:

I know. I'm told this alot! I live in a small town in the UK, it took 5 years to even see a neurologist, after referral i waited 5 months for an appointment as the guy serves 2 hospitals!! the GPs here just don't know what CH is, it was a NURSE who referred me to neurology!!  Once he diagnosed me I was sent back to my GP With a letter to say prescribe triptans. I was advised to take these only when I feel unable to cope as i can only take 1 a day, this was after he looked through pages of his drug advise book and to manage shadows as best I could. That is the only help I've been given. They'll basically give me a job lot of pain killers when i run out and am pushed out the door. I get very frustrated as I know this isn't right, but what can I do?? Sorry for the rant, it's obviously not personal or aimed at you but the NHS is not all its cracked up to be and I'm basically learning from forums and fighting for everything. Very frustrated to say the least!!

Totally understand about the NHS after having lived in the UK for a long time. It can be pretty good in places and in other places it can leave a lot to desire.

Have you got in touch with other UK people via OUCH UK? START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

They too have forums and a helpline so they can help you navigate the NHS to get better treatment.

And do rant away. You've got a forum full of people who go through or have experienced similar things.

oh yes U.K here too.. treatment is truly truly awful!!
tried for a private neuro yesterday... £200 for 40 minuets!!
yeah right so have to wait see how long an nhs one takes i spose

I always described my after like symptoms as "flu like."
To me it always includes achy muscles, similar to being ill or having something like mono. I definitely do not exhaust myself during an attack but afterwords feel like I just ran a marathon. 

The headache you experience the next day is the result of dehydration. Alcohol makes the kidneys release extra fluid. It is highly recommended to drink enough water before and after consuming alcohol to cure hangover.

sid8 wrote on May 6^th, 2013 at 6:51am:

The headache you experience the next day is the result of dehydration. Alcohol makes the kidneys release extra fluid. It is highly recommended to drink enough water before and after consuming alcohol to cure hangover.

In case you hadn't noticed, nobody here is talking about an actual hangover.

Sugarplum wrote:


Quote:

only for 2 weeks, but I have hangover head for the other 48 weeks a year.

Maybe I'm mis-understanding what you meant, but there is no way having CH for 2 weeks a year would give you a hangover headache for the other 48

I just started getting Clusters two months ago.  I'm 26.  Two things I need help understanding.

1.  I have this aftershock after a day of episodes.  It's tender and sore in the area.  It seems like that is normal, but I just want to make sure.

2.  Still in the aftershock and two days after my episodes, I'm getting what feels like an ear infection.  I've already seen the doctor, and it's not an infection, just keeps aching.  Is that common or expected as well?

Thanks for the help.

Hi. if you have had a night full of ch's it can definitely leave you feeling taxed and exhausted. pain, once it stops might leave us with some residual effects. mine leave me with a droopy looking eye on the same side as the pain till i've rested. but usually just the feeling of being very worn out, no more pain till they return. my ch is still chronic right now, idk if you should still be feeling anything couple days later physically. i hope one of us has better info for you. you're in the right place though to find out. welcome and God bless.

the posts on page 1 of this say it all. plz check them out if you haven't yet. i've  never had that feeling in my ear, but perhaps some of us have and will get back to you. my tenderness is usually gone after some rest, variations to this for us all. :-[

The hung-over (or strung-out) feeling, as you can see from the numerous posts in this thread, is fairly common among CH sufferers. In addition to the fatigue and malaise I can get tenderness on the skin where the headache was. In a very severe hit, I can be tender for days after. These things are nasty business, as your long and hard experience tells you. They are physical and mentally exhausting, not matter what kind of physical condition you're in. The good news is there are some good tips to minimize the damage and even eliminate some hits. Good luck.

jess_m wrote on May 14^th, 2013 at 12:40pm:

I just started getting Clusters two months ago.  I'm 26.  Two things I need help understanding. 1.  I have this aftershock after a day of episodes.  It's tender and sore in the area.  It seems like that is normal, but I just want to make sure. 2.  Still in the aftershock and two days after my episodes, I'm getting what feels like an ear infection.  I've already seen the doctor, and it's not an infection, just keeps aching.  Is that common or expected as well? Thanks for the help.

I'm 28. My cluster headaches are back after 2.5 yrs of break. Luckily, when I had a break I got pregnant and had a baby. I thought I'd never get CHs again. I simply forgot about them. And now, all of a sudden  :( 

They come every 2 days like clockwork. Had 5 so far and they last 2-3 hours. Before I was able to cope without prescription medicine.  I thought I would this time too.  Well, not until #3 happened when (so hard and embarrassing to admit) I started banning my head with a wooden toy and it felt good compared to the pain I experienced. I asked my husband not to go to the park with my daughter and be with me as I was experiencing suicidal thoughts :-[

After that I got a prescription for expensive Imitrex (generic) nasal spray (that I bought with cash) and it didn't work so I had to suffer through #4 on my own. Feeling paranoid about an upcoming round of clusters and upset that I wasted money, I asked for Imitrex (generic) injections.  Last night, got #5 and got a shot and was pain-free within 5 min!!

My symptoms of the aftershock in this cycle DO last 2 days almost right up to the next CH strikes. I also don't know what is normal or not. Right now I don't have financial resources to see a neurologist as my internist advised but I will right away once I can afford it.

My symptoms of the aftershock are:
almost constant foggy vision and feeling
light-headedness
clogged ears
feeling depressed
sometimes it feels like as if there is some infection in my right ear as there is some kind of shooting pain
dizziness
my head is not clear
the right side of my face feels bruised (ice pack seems to temporarily help)
every now and then for a very short period of time, I have painful sensation around my right eye, right side of my nose and on right temple
feeling as if you are on drugs or hungover although neither is the reason
feeling awkward and as if you like in a different reality or something
sometimes mentally slow and absent
feeling wiped out and tired

On the last note, today after the last night's injection my aftershock symptoms are way less prominent. I mainly feel fatigued and slight pain on my right side every now and then. Feeling tension in my right ear and get a foggy/ slightly light-headed feeling that comes and goes.  But I am way alert and able to spend some quality time with my toddler, which I COULDN'T do during the aftershock before I got a medicine that worked and stopped the pain for me.

Feeling hopeful today for the first time in this cycle of CH. So happy to find this post (googled it looking for hungover feeling after the CH attack) and to know that I'm not alone. 

Welcome to the board Marsi, you're not alone anymore. Do try and get into to see a headache specialist neurologist as heads are complicated areas! GP's and even most garden variety neuros just don't have the background or training to adequately diagnose and treat complicated head disorders!

For now,

Follow this link to the medications section of this board and read the post 

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

It’s a vitamin/mineral/fish oil supplement, all over the counter stuff. It’s up to an 81% success rate of those who try it and respond to the survey so you’re just shooting yourself in the foot if you don’t give it a shot. I’m 3 years pain free on it after a 35 plus year track record with episodic CH. Best of all, it’s healthy for you even without CH!

As of January 20, 2013, the compiled raw data indicates an efficacy of 80%. 240 out of the 300 CH'ers who have started this regimen and stayed on it for a month or more have experienced a significant reduction in the frequency and severity of their CH... 78% of the 300 CH'ers experienced a pain free response and 60% of the 300 have remained essentially pain free. Episodic and chronic CH'ers respond to this regimen at roughly the same rate.

Preliminary survey results indicate most of these CH'ers were pain free before the end of the third week with some responding in a little as 12 to 24 hours. The average time to respond is five days

Oxygen should be your first line abortive. Breathing pure 02 will abort an attack for me in less then 10 minutes, that’s completely pain free. It hasd all but eliminated the use of imitrex for me. MUCH cheaper and just as fast, Read this link as it must be used correctly or it will not work

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

This link will show you how to get set up with welding oxygen:

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

Go buy a 4 pack of energy drinks, Rock Star, Monster, any containing the combo of caffeine and taurine, chug it down as fast as you can when you feel an attack starting. Many can abort or at least really reduce an attack using these.

Visit our sister board for “alternative” treatment methods outside of mainstream medicine. As you’ll see from all the success stories on this board, there is something to it.

clusterbusters.com

So glad you found us, I hope we can help you alleviate some of that pain and get ya back to being a mommy.

Joe

Quote:

I also don't know what is normal or not.

I found nothing unusual in your description, Marsi. And I am sorry to say that. The only thing I would say is somewhat beyond the norm is the 2-3 hour length of every hit. Most of us experienced hits of that length from time to time, but not every time. Please pay careful attention to Joe's post above. Everything he offers has been vetted here by personal experience and can greatly assist you in preventing and aborting hits. Keep us in the loop, and God bless. lance

Thank you for the warm welcome, support and comments.  I'm going to try the vitamin regimen and energy drinks, for sure.

Hi guys! My name is idehya and I have suffered from CH for maybe 20 years and the hungover feeling is normal after an attack.  I suffered 1 last night that lasted about 6 hours. I feel confused and tired right now and the ache is always present on the right side of my head, during these periods - but not debilitating for now. I can function when the headache is minimal.

Hi idehya,

If I have minor headaches next day (which I almost always do) as you describe I use small ice packs.

I actually recently used a headband that would hold the ice packs in place on the right side of my head so I could use my hands and do stuff around the house. I put them on and off every now and then.

I look super goofy with the band and ice packs all over my head, but I do get tremendous relieve from the bruised feeling/sensation after the attack.

Thanks to all for sharing.

I know this post is a bit older but it was one that sounded like something I was curious about.  I just asked a question about this in my "getting to know ya" post and I think I found my answers here.

I was gonna say after my weekend of up to 8 attacks I do feel like it hurts to brush my hair or nod or shake my head. 

Thanks again for offering your insights and experiences, it helps me greatly.  My first week as a CH'er has been terrifying but I am find a lot of hope here.  Thank you, thank you!

TeeJ2379 wrote on Jun 3^rd, 2013 at 11:02pm:

I was gonna say after my weekend of up to 8 attacks I do feel like it hurts to brush my hair or nod or shake my head.

Look back at what you've gone through and it is no surprise that you feel not quite on top form. This is another reason why being able to kill off any CHs quick makes such a difference, not just from avoiding the pain but also avoiding the after effects of it too.

I relate to this description big time.  Hungover/Worn out.  That is how i feel.  I get woken up at night out of a dead sleep.  I am not myself during the day.  Worn out and feel like a zombie.