Hi,
I've been having cluster headaches about once a year for 20 years. I'm in an episode now. I've found that if I pound a large cup of expresso right when I feel the first sign of an attack, it will kill the headache. I will still have the constant low grade one, but I won't have the horrible one from an attack. I am talking a lot of very strong coffee. I just did it ten minutes ago. Has anyone else ever found this?

If you read through these boards you will see that it caffeine does seem to help a lot of people. Try high energy drinks like red bull too.

What Maz said! Monster, Rock Star, any containing the combo of caffeine and taurine, chug it down at the first sign of a hit, very popular for aborting/reducing attacks. You're first post.....have you been lurking at all? I ask because this is the newest and greatest thing here since oxygen,

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

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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!

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. Read this link as it must be used correctly or it will not work

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

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Welcome to the board.

Joe

Caffeine has been used for general headache treatment for quite a while, though its effects on cluster can be hit and miss. It may take some of the edge off of the headaches for me, but its nowhere near enough to reduce the pain to any significant degree. I also tended to get rather nasty rebounds when I used the energy drinks to abort. But in a pinch and with no better alternatives, caffeine is definitely a last ditch alternative for me.

Caffeine worked for me if I caught the attack early. Once the pain kicks in, no luck with caffeine.

Have a read through the board and pay particular attention to the Vit D3 regime. I've tried for about a week and haven't had an attack since starting. :)