Well, I don't actually live in London, but I do live nearby. :)

I'm 26 and from Texas. I've immigrated to England. I've been having these headaches off and on (mostly off until last month) since I was 13/14. I recently went to the doctor for them because of how much more frequent they've been. He gave me a diagnosis of probable cluster headache. He put it as probable because they don't seem to be as severe as they should be for that diagnosis but otherwise fit it to a T.

I hadn't had another headache since the 3rd until today. I'd hoped they'd finally gone away, so when I got another one, I wanted to cry. So I joined because I figured y'all would know how I feel.

The doctor gave me a prescription for 3x a day naproxen. He thinks it should help, since my headaches are relatively mild. I guess I'll see. Normal medicine's never worked before, but it could just be because they don't last very long. During the appointment, I wasn't very keen to try any of the other medical options on offer. I think I'm too optimistic for my own good. I suspect my responses would have been different if the appointment had been during an attack.

Does anyone else here have mild(er) headaches? Or did anyone start off having more mild ones that got worse?

Poor guy! An American trapped in the English health care system--where local docs appear to get almost no training re. headache. <bg>

But seriously: many of the GB folks who come here report the same story. Local docs have meager, inadequate understanding of complex headache disorders and so poor treat.

Getting a pain med for Cluster is a prime example.

There is an excellent Cluster support group in England. Urge you work work with them:  START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

They can confirm this understanding: if you're covered by the National health service, you have a right to by-pass local health care providers and move directly to a headache specialty clinic. Good move regardless of whether you have fully developed Cluster. Getting an early start on diagnosis and treatment is a must. (Second thought: even if you are not under Health Care you may get free care. Probe the support group on that one.)

If you are near London, might contact:  START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE. Institure of Neurology where some of the best world quality work is being done on headache. Again, quiry the support group for guidance but look at the web site to get you to the Cluster folks.

Hi, Bob! It's nice to meet you! I actually didn't go to my local GP for just that reason. I went to the National Migraine Centre in London, because I saw it mentioned on here as a decent place. I have to say that I do love the English health system. I'm very glad it exists and is free at point of use.

I think he offered the naproxen solution partly because mine are relatively mild at this point and because I turned down everything else for now.

I found the energy drink suggestion on here, too, and I'm quite amazed how well it works. I'm not sure needing to drink an energy drink almost every night around 8PM is the best thing, but so far it's working for me. Probably because I don't have a job at the moment and so don't need to wake up early!

If they get any worse or the energy drinks stop working, though, I'd definitely be asking to try the other options he offered.

ptork66 wrote on Dec 6^th, 2013 at 5:07pm:

Does anyone else here have mild(er) headaches? Or did anyone start off having more mild ones that got worse?

It seems to be pretty common for people to start with milder, erratic headaches that seem to mature over time to the classic CH symptoms. For some people this can be over several cycles but for others it can be over just a few weeks / months.

Hi there   [smiley=wave.gif]

Our NHS has it's faults but I thank God for it. It's paid for through national insurance contributions taken directly from your pay, but even if you are not working you are still covered. Children, over 60's and the unemployed pay nothing and others pay a nominal amount for meds. I think the charge is currently around £7.

I have read many threads on this site from Americans who are in absolute despair because they have no insurance and no job/money. I personally could not have afforded to pay for CH meds as they are so expensive and I know I would have done something drastic by now without it. As I said, the NHS has it's faults but I wouldn't want to have the American system and be without help just because I have no money.

A proper diagnosis is vital because there are many conditions which mimic CH and they all respond to different meds, but if CH is definite then ask your doctor for sumatriptan injections. Easy to use and will abort a CH in 5 minutes. It comes in tablet form, and nasal spray too but these will take longer to work. As for the energy drinks, they are not conducive to sleep but what do you have to lose. It's better to be up all night and pain free than up all night in agony.

In answer to you question, yes, some attacks can be mild, but beware, they can change. I have just finished a cycle that has been all k5 or 6 (check out the kip scale tab on the left of your screen), but I have known times (pre diagnosis and meds) when suicide seemed like my only choice. Sumatriptan is my best friend and has surely saved my life.

Finally, go to the "medication, treatment and therapies" board and look for a thread titled "123 days pain free". It's a very long read but well worth the effort, and may have all the answers you need. Over 80% of people have found it effective and I believe it's the reason my last cycle was only k6 and not a screaming k10. I have a ways to go yet but am expecting to become entirely pain free.

Hope I've helped a bit. Take care and keep us posted.
Maz.

It's only looking back I realize how my CH started in my late teens with sporadic attacks of these killer headaches that came and went outta the blue. It's not unusual for CH to take its time before morphing into a recognizable pattern. If it is CH, the sooner you develop a solid relationship with a good doc the better! It's a lifetime ailment that requires a lot of diligence on your part so it doesn't get the upper hand. Welcome to the board.

Joe