Hi,

New to the board here, just found you.  My husband is going through these Cluster Headaches, 5-10 times/day.  He had a period a couple of years ago, and then they were fine.  Now, they've come back with a vengeance. 

They interrupt the quality of his life...he can't sleep, misses work, can't eat, can't excersize...we're trying to have kids, and we've missed the last couple of cycles because of them...

Is there anything that I can do?  I feel so helpless...it kills me to see him like this, I can't even imagine how terrible it must be to go through it. :'(

Please, does anyone have any advice?  Is there anything I can do to help?  I try to be understanding and sypmpatheitic  Sometimes he wants me to hold him, and I try not to complain even if he is squeezing me super hard...I just want to help him so bad!  Please, help us.

Thanks so much.

One piece of advice: Get yourself a big cup of your favorite comfort beverage (coffee, tea, yak's milk, whatever) and start reading this site, front to back. There is a board called Medications, Treatments, Therapies located here:

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

...that you need to familiarize yourself and your husband with. He should be reading this stuff himself.

God helps those who help themselves.

Welcome. Sorry you had to find us, but glad you did.

Hi and welcome.  As a fellow supporter, I can relate.  There is nothing worse than watching someone you love suffer and feeling totally helpless.  Hopefully, coming here is the first step in changing that helpless feeling.

You don't say if your hubby has been properly diagnosed, preferably by a headache specialist or if he is on any medications.  A little more detail will help those here offer you advice.  Is he on any preventive?  Do you have any abortives?  There is SO much to learn on this site.  So first, read, read, read, all you can and ask questions.  There are so many variables to what works for some, but not others.  Finding a good doc knowledgable in CH is the first step.  Getting an oxygen system set-up to abort a hit is a MUST.  I'm sure others be will along to give you more detailed advice on their experiences.   You should also take an active role in his doc appts, research, keeping detailed notes incluing doc appt outcomes, what works & what doesn't, in other words be his advocate.  He'll need you to help deal with insurance, pharmacies, docs who don't get it, etc...

Thanks for being a supporter.  He's lucky to have you.

If you need to look for a doctor, the OUCH (Organization for Understanding Cluster Headaches) has a list of doctors that have been used by clusterheads.  That website is

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

If you scroll down to the bottom, it has a lot of links that might help you out.

Carolyn

Yes.  He is very lucky to have you.  Us sufferers treat our supporters like gold because they are worth their weight in it. 

   Brew is correct that he should come to this site, but if is getting hit as many times a day as you say, he probably doesn't feel like it for now so you should educate yourself and THEN steer him here when he's able.

   Knowledge is power and most doctors haven't got a clue about this rare condition of ours so we have to.  Through the years we have amassed a slew of information about CH.  The first thing is to get properly diagnosed and treated with a preventative like Verapamil or Lithium and then to get a good abortive like pure oxygen or as a last resort...Imitrex.

     Start with links to the left of here and especially the "oxygen info" in yellow.  We're all here to answer your questions too.   :-*

Can you tell us what you all have tried...what meds. is he on, do you have 02, etc.

Hang on, Sweetie....it gets better.  This is a good bunch and they'll do what they can to help.  Keep talking to us.

Welcome to the board, we consider our supporters gold around here. Thanks so much for doing the intitial footwork for him and finding this board. Now push him to get on this board. 32 years of CH and I wouldn't have my sanity without this board.

He's suffering too much, there is too much help available here for him not to make use of it! We'll help you every step of the way! ;)

Joe

Give us info on prevents and abortive you are using,read and talk to us we can help.Being a supporter is sooo very inportant.

I worry about these newbies sometimes, they reach out in desperation, and we're all so invested in helping, but its so hard when they post and just never come back to see it. Grafixdiva hasn't been on the board since 20 minutes after her post on the 21st.

I hope she eventually comes back to see the help that's available. This site just made such a difference for Lucas and me, I want the same for her and her husband. I remember that lost desperation she's going through, I hate to think of someone stumbling blindly through that and coming so close to help but not taking it. We did 3 years ago. I remember Lucas found the board years ago, but never entering the site because he thought it would just be all horror stories. So much pain we could have saved him had we but known...

I know what you mean Lauren.  There have been several that I also felt very invested in and after a post or two, never returned, or even logged back in after the inital welcoming that we all so freely give.  My hope is that they are reading (just not logging in) and educating themselves.  I also think that for those few that do that, there are dozens more that we do connect with.  But no matter what, I think EVERYONE on this board who offers support, advice, wisdom, experiences, or just a shoulder to vent on...we all need to remember we ARE making in a difference in the lives of so many.  I know that's how I felt when I first joined.  The unbelievable amount of support from SO many different people.  Nothing was off limits and no question was ever considered stupid.  I think that's why we all stick around to pay it forward.  It's up to them to embrace the site.   ;)