I tend to have cycles approximately every 2 years.  This one started about 4 months early, but close enough.  The last two cycles, I noticed that I had a feeling that they were about to begin.  I get a stiffness or knot in my neck and shoulders that's different than other "aches and pains".  I don't get this feeling when a CH is about to occur, only when the whole cycle is about to start.   I actually jotted down in my H/A journal that I think the H/As are about to return.

I'm just curious if anyone else has noticed this  "Premonition" prior to a cycle starting.

RICK

That knot in the back of your neck or shoulders may well be what we tend to a call a  "cluster bump"  and many of us get just the same thing.  In fact I believed for many years it was actually the cause of my headaches,  rather than being more a by-product of them.

Don't know the exact reason for it but I certainly know it always meant things were about to go down the gurgler.

Rick,

Yes, I too used to get the “premonition” and it put the fear of God in me.

Peter.

I've never had that. No idea if that is good, bad or just an indication that CH can vary for different people, within a cycle and between cycles.

I worry about this also. I’ve had a low level “electric” feeling in my right temple behind my eye several times a day. Same as my cluster location. Not really pain just a tightening and irritating sensation.

I’m 2 months post occipital nerve block after my worst ever cluster cycle. I don’t know if that is wearing off. I’m also on D3 for several months now. Maybe that’s keeping it at bay. I’ve never had this before. Worried the beast is returning.  :-?

Anthony D wrote on Jun 9^th, 2018 at 7:21pm:

I’m also on D3 for several months now. Maybe that’s keeping it at bay. I’ve never had this before. Worried the beast is returning.  :-?

It has worked for over 80% of people who have used D3, so instead of worrying, think positive as it is most likely working for you. Keep taking it and enjoy the other benefits, like many of us have reported less infections and bugs.

Thanks Mike NZ. I appreciate the encouragement. I just came off a horrid cluster cycle. Worst in my 12 years with them. So, my anxiety about it is elevated. I’m trying to enjoy being pain free. Let’s hope the D3 continues. I’m encouraged by all the success I’ve read about.

Generally, I just get warning headaches that I brush off as something else desperately until I can no longer deny what's coming back. Such cute little CH warmups, knock, knock, knocking at my eye.

Husband always comments on being dizzy before a cycle starts.

sped wrote on Jul 30^th, 2018 at 10:47am:

Husband always comments on being dizzy before a cycle starts.

I just realised I always got that, too.  Never put two and two together so thanks for that,  Sped,  and welcome.

I also get some warnings, usually a day of extreme tiredness, plus my right (cluster side) eye gets smaller and red. Plus a tingling sensation around my right eye. Good thing is that I have a day or so extra to get the Verap started

I used to know.  The 1st few cycles always came around July 4th, they did for about 3 years then all of a sudden they were starting sooner and going for a little longer.  Then I got a cycle in March and the summer one.  Then over the years I stated to get a cycle in December.  Now it's basically all year long and I'll have some PF time in between for a few days here and there, then maybe a week or two.  If I'm lucky I'll go like a month or so PF then maybe I'll have like a month where I get very few attacks that aren't as severe.  Honestly it's all just absolutely ridiculous now and I can't stand it.  This last 2 months have been the absolute worst.  Christmas eve around 2pm I got a super severe attack that lasted about 3 hours and then it started to die down and just when I thought it was going to completely go away it came back.  For the next 30 hours I had a constant migraine with attacks in between but really it felt like a 30 hour attack, I really wanted to commit suicide. 

Off track, sorry.  So yeah about knowing when a cycle is coming, I always thought I could tell but over the years it's gotten completely blurred.  Hopefully that won't happen to you and you'll always be able to tell so you can do something to combat it.

Whatever side they come in on for the cycle, left or right, the outside of that eye gets completely bloodshot, and I have eye pain. It's a slightly milder version of the CH pain I will get in that eye. But it lasts for weeks, and then they start. Hurts to touch my eyelid too.

No warnings for me - I just get slammed in the face.
Once the cycle has started, I do get a creepy tickling sensation accross my cheekbone and upper lip sometimes, but often they just come out of nowhere.

I know this thread is a little older but I wanted to throw in my two cents.

I had about three weeks notice before my current cycle began characterized by my shadow experience which is a mild, electric tickle around my right eye. These warnings began about two weeks after I had the oxygen company come take the tank away since I hadn't needed it in more than a year and it was costing more than $1,000/year. (lesson learned?)

Since I had this warning (after about a week of total denial) my wait time to see my neurologist meant that my first appointment with her was the day after my first full-blown CH. We were able to start the prednisone taper immediately and I got back on Verapamil. So far it's been more than 10 weeks and it may be tapering off. Fingers crossed.

Like many others here, my clusters tend to come in the spring and the fall. My longest cluster so far was 8 months long and the longest I've been free of clusters was more than 10 years.

I start to have more vivid dreams when a cycle's about to start.