Thank god for the internet, that now I know what it is I suffer from after all the years. My clusters started some where in my late teens. I am 46 now, and thanks to the internet and sites like these, I know I am not the only one with this intense pain. I've lived in five states, and was a truck driver for a few years. and no matter where in the country I've been, I've never been able to get away from the pain of the god-awful headaches. I am in the cycle right now. it started last week. and as always the first day, the pain lasted about fifteen minutes and I was able to go back to sleep. I work over night and sleep all day. But with each day, the pain is getting more tense and more frequent. I'm at the point where I can't go back to sleep. Thru the years people have given me advise on what to take. and I tell them, I've gone thru every pain/sinus ( I thought it was sinus for a few years) medicine there is, and nothing helps. It only makes me more naucious. It feels like a nail is being driven up my nose, while the vein above my eye throbs, and it hurts like hell. My eye waters, my nose runs, sometimes I cough 'til I puke. It's always on my right side, and when it gets really tense, it will run through to the back of my neck. It always comes on during the season change. Usually in the late Summer, right at the start of Fall, but this year it's coming on early. I guess it's going to be an early fall this year.
Usually at the start, if I do get a full days sleep PF, the next day/night I really suffer for it.  Yesterday I did good and slept all day PF, today I've had two attacks, and as of this writing I'm about 1 1/2 hours into the second. It backs off for a bit then comes back. I've gone through my usual routine trying to find relief, a shower, two big glasses of water and now very strong coffee. And the cycle has only started. When i lived in Los Angeles, the cycle would start in January, with the Eastern winds across the dry desert, and last over a month. Then finally one night, while on the floor in intense pain, and the cold wind was blowing outside. Then suddenly the winds shifted, that made me sneeze and the pain just suddenly stopped. It was over.  The common factor has always been when the air is really dry, so I beg for rain to clear the air or at least some humidity. If I get these in the Winter, I will go into the bathroom, shut the door, and turn the shower on full blast hot and get it steamy in there.

Welcome, Gregory.

Sounds to me as if you've got it, all right--but right about now you need to get yourself to a doc to see if he or she can do you any good.

You need a diagnosis, and a plan.

Oxygen at 15 lpm with a non-rebreather mask is an effective abortive treatment that can kill an individual attack.  (We call them "hits" around here.)  You also need an effective preventive treatment, which may include verapamil or lithium.  Finding the right dosages for you may include some tweaking by your doctor, so it's important that you get a physician--whether or not he or she is a specialist in headache management--who is knowledgeable about headache, and is willing to work with you to find an appropriate treatment regimen.

As you've already discovered, pain medications and sinus preparations aren't likely to do you much good.

Others (more knowledgeable than I) will be along to provide you with further information.  

As far as dealing with your headaches and your OTR job, we have several truck drivers on the board who will no doubt be weighing in with their thoughts as well.

Again, welcome.

Best wishes,

George

Hi Gregory!  Welcome to your new home.

I see George has already given you some great advice.  Oxygen and Verapamil are my magic combination.  I'm sleeping again when in cycle and that is a great achievment after going 12 years without a diagnosis.

Speaking of diagnosis... We're not Doctors around here and there is no substitute for a Neurologist versed in headache treatment.  There are lots of different types of headache out there.  Some even mimic CH.  Treatments can differ accordingly.

Having said that, your symptoms do sound like CH.  I'd suggest you start keeping a headache diary.  Record time of attack, duration, what you did to try and take care of it.  Where the pain is located, etc...  That'll help the Dr with the diagnosis.

Here are some good references on treatment.  Your best weapon is knowledge.  The more you know about your condition the better you'll be able to evaluate treatments and Physicians.

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

Thank Algore. He invented it.

Hi Gregory,
I also thank god Internet , hope you get as much support and useful advice from this wonderful  forum it's been a  god send for me.

Sorry i can't give any good advice but I  send you heaps good vibes for lots of pain free days

Sparkles :)

Witam Gregory,

This site has become one of my favourites. And not without reason.

I'm really lucky in that my neuro pointed me towards this site. Now that's a forward-thinking neuro.

There's a lot of really good stuff here, as well as loads of really nice people.

I've had much help. Even in the small things. I'd never have thought, for example, that a high-energy drink - such as Red Bull - could be so helpful.

When I feel a headache coming on, the first thing I do is knock back a Red Bull (or cheaper equivalent). It's a good first line of defence.

I used to hate the taste of the stuff, but not now. What might have been KIP 6's have become 3's if I swallow it in time.

Just don't mix it with vodka when you're in cycle.  :P

Ian

Welcome and sorry you had to find us but glad your here for help all these guys are great and have given great advice and indeed dont use vodka red bull when in cycle and when out use it as much as possable with vodka and enjoy the PF time as much as you can

Thanks for all the nice messages. and I can say this cycle is over!! I think the trigger this time was Taco seasoning. I got an Old El Paso Taco Dinner Kit, and it seems there's something in the seasoning that triggered the attack. It's been two days and I've slept back in normal. I live in the Lewisville,Texas area and it's raining (FINALLY!!) and that's clearing the air. Around 2:00 pm I almost got another attack, which is when they were coming on. But it passed. So now, that should be the end of this cycle. Now, I just gotta wait for the end of September and hope I can get thru that. Usually, it's the final Summer storm that changes the season and dries the air out  that will trigger the next attack. Some years back, I did discover a cup of hot tea brought relief.

I sure hope they are gone!   Sounds like you still got the shadows though!  Hang in there-  Its' great to get some pain free times under your belt!

Have you read any of the links provided in previous posts?  If you should get hit again or start having some serious shadowing the links provided are excellent starts to getting you on the right track!  

Heres hoping you stay out of cycle!

Kelly

Quote:

I think the trigger this time was Taco seasoning. I got an Old El Paso Taco Dinner Kit, and it seems there's something in the seasoning that triggered the attack.

Quote:

Some years back, I did discover a cup of hot tea brought relief.

Please keep reading here Gregory. o.k.  The more you read, the more you'll find things that do not trigger as well as do and also what works to abort and what doesn't.   To the left of here is a tab titled OUCH website.  You'll find so much information there it will make your head swim.  Take one thing at a time....and read.  In knowledge, there is power over this beast.

Consider joining OUCH as well. (It's free)  In numbers there is also power.   ;)


Linda

gregory s wrote on Aug 11^th, 2008 at 8:19pm:

I live in the Lewisville,Texas area

There's your trigger right there. :D It's all that damned Dallas air blowing in from the south HAHAHAHA I'm out in west Texas...Lubbock...it don't rain here. Anyway, Welcome and sorry you need us, but glad you found us! READ READ READ READ. there is so much information here your eyes are gonna hurt from reading. I've been coming here since March and I still haven't read all there is to read.  All these folks know their stuff. Pay attention to 'em and read and follow the links. There are quite a few.

Good luck, welcome and PF days to you!
Eric

And I will say another trigger for me is worrying. When I've had those times, where my finances were in a mess and I was worried about getting bills and other stuff paid that will keep from getting to sleep. And then suddenly everything turns around good, where I can relax and actually feel happy again, that will trigger an attack. So I believe emotions come into play as well. When I have those attacks, I will fight those off by occupying my mind with something else, like drawing or playing a game to where I can relax and unscramble my head.

gregory s wrote on Aug 11^th, 2008 at 8:19pm:

I think the trigger this time was Taco seasoning. I got an Old El Paso Taco Dinner Kit, and it seems there's something in the seasoning that triggered the attack.

Gregory, great to hear your cycle is over and done with.
In 15 years of experience with the Beast, I can say that very spicy foods are a wellknown Kip10 trigger to me, plus that it provokes several attacks shortly after each other. Off course I didn't notice this the first time, it took me a few bouts to add up.
Me, I'm a huge addict when it comes to Middle Eastern foods, be it Lebanese, Israelian, Egyptian, just love the damn stuff. However, they tend to destroy me while in cycle. I can honestly say that each time I got hit with the worst of the worst, the ones that bring an adult man to his knees crying. I'm pretty sure it's the seasoning, so they are a no-no while in cycle.

Hope I was off any use here, haha.

Continue your painfree time, buddy!