Hello guys, greetings from Serbia.
I'm a 25 year old guy seeking advice on "the beast" as I saw some of you call it. I'm hoping if I tell you my story, you'd be able to recall how your struggle first started and maybe give me some guidelines and tips on how to deal with this (if this is the real deal that is).

Last year around march I believe I started getting daily headaches located above my eye (I think it was right side, but I just can't remember now). In a months span there might've been like two pain free days, and most of the days it was two attacks. The pain was as if something was squeezing, stabbing the area and it was pulsating. It wouldn't matter if I'm lying down or rocking my head back and forward, though it helped when I squeezed the sides of my head. Duration was between 30 mins to an hour and there wasn't any "shadow pain" after it. I actually used to keep diary about the attacks but I can't find it now.
As some of you describe it, alcohol was a big trigger, so I wasn't having any of it even a month after the cycle ended in fear of it repeating. What I clearly remember though is that sharp pain located exactly above my eye.

Few days ago I started getting some minor headaches which I was treating with caffetine (paracetamol, coffeine, codein) but they didn't resemble the ones from last year in any way. Also worth mentioning that I drank last 3 weekends. Now yesterday evening I was woken up by pulsating pain behind my right eye. It developed in like five minutes and it was awful, got me squeeling and walking around the house at 4 am. The pain also spread and I felt it in my right ear. When I looked into the mirror my eye was teary and red. Subsided after 40ish minutes and I managed to fall asleep. Now the whole day today I'm feeling a shadow pain in that area as if it might happen any second now. What worries me the most is that I am supposed to be working night shifts for the next two weeks, and I don't know what I'll do if they happen during my work.
Also worth mentioning is that I'm working in front of the computer, so I don't know if extensive looking at the screen might trigger it tonight.

So yeah, any input or advice would be greatly appreciated. Also if you can remember how your headaches started, do write it down. Wish you all a pain free day!  :)

Hi and welcome to the CH forums

Whilst the symptoms you describe sound very much like those you get with CH, it is impossible for us to confirm that you have CH. What you need to do is to get a diagnosis from someone with the appropriate skills and experience in headaches. We strongly recommend that you see a headache specialist as most doctors, even most neurologists just don't have the skills or experience required.

There are also multiple other medical conditions, some potentially life threatening, which can give the same symptoms.

I'd kick off your headache diary again, avoid alcohol (if it is CH then this is a strong trigger for many) and work on getting the diagnosis. Once you've a diagnosis then you can start to get it treated.

We all know what it is like to be at your stage as all headaches are not at all fun and can be hard to deal with. Keep us updated with how you get on.

Hello Mike, and thanks a lot of your fast response.
I'll see if I can find a headache specialist in my area and will take it from there. Fingers crossed.

Danit, welcome to CH.com.

I noticed in your first post, you said the pain behind your eye was "pulsating".

Cluster Headache pain is not known to pulsate, more of a steady stabing pain. Something to try at the start of an attack is an energy drink that contains caffeine and taurine.

In the USA this would be Monsters. Rock Star or similar drinks. You have to slam it at the start of an attack.

Don

Skyhawk5, mine also pulasates.  It's like a drum being played in my temple. It's very hard to tell though, if that pulsating is just the pain throbbing, or if I can actually feel it under my fingers when I touch the spot.

Danit,  I remember my first CH well. I woke in the middle of the night with the most trrible toothache - like having them pulled.  But it wasn't long before it had moved to my temple.  Nowadays I never know where it will appear, sometimes teeth, sometimes temple/eye area, cheekbone, and behind my nose.

Sorry you had the need to find us, but stick around.  You'll learn more from the folks here than any doctor knows.