Chuck gave you the basics to get you started. In short order you will find you are more knowledgeable on CH treatments then 90% of the medical community. You will obtain the best results by first educating yourself, then armed with all your new info, "assist" your doc in treating you.

Oh, and a HUGE vote for oxygen here. 30 years of these damned things and it remains my front line and most effective abortive, the basics:
Pure oxygen, at a high flow rate, at least 15 LPM, (Your lungs must get ONLY oxygen, no outside air no exhaled air) using a non re breather mask, (critical, rebreathers, nasal canulas, next to worthless) started at the first sign of an attack. I can completely abort an attack in less then 10 minutes, often as short as 6 minutes. Really Really push the doc hard on this one. It's cheap, no side effects and works so fast it's damned near miraculous.

Damn glad you found us, hope we can help you.

Guiseppi

I want to thank everyone for your advice and support. I was hoping the steroid would stop everything but now having headaches about every three hours.  Not as bad as before or as long but still coming.  Had two last night and got about 4 hours sleep.
One question, I have found that I have sweats in the night when I am having attacks. Anyone else experience this?

1. Search the OUCH site (button on left) for a list of recommended M.D.s.

2. Yellow Pages phone book: look for "Headache Clinics" in the M.D. section and look under "neurologist" where some docs will list speciality areas of practice.

3.  Call your hospital/medical center. They often have an office to assist in finding a physician. You may have to ask for the social worker/patient advocate.

4. Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or ; On-line screen to find a physician.

5. Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or Look for "Physician Finder" search box.  Call 1-800-643-5552; they will send a list of M.D.s for your state.I suggest using this source for several reasons: first, we have read several messages from people who, even seeing neurologists, are unhappy with the quality of care and ATTITUDES they have encountered; second, the clinical director of the Jefferson (Philadelphia) Headache Clinic said, in late 1999, that upwards of 40%+ of U.S. doctors have poor training in treating headache and/or hold attitudes about headache ("hysterical female disorder") which block them from sympathetic and effective work with the patient; third, it's necessary to find a doctor who has experience, skill, and a set of attitudes which give hope of success. This is the best method I know of to find such a physician.
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Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or

Here is a link to read and print and take to your doctor.  It describes preventive, transitional, abortive and surgical treatments for CH. Written by one of the better headache docs in the U.S.  (2002)
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Michigan Headache & Neurological Institute for another list of treatments and other articles:

Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or
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MANAGEMENT OF HEADACHE AND HEADACHE MEDICATIONS, 2nd ed. Lawrence D. Robbins, M.D.; pub. by Springer. $50 at Amazon.Com.  It covers all types of headache and is primarily focused on medications. While the two chapters on CH total 42-pages, the actual relevant material is longer because of multiple references to material in chapters on migraine, reflecting the overlap in drugs used to treat. I'd suggest reading the chapters on migraine for three reasons: he makes references to CH & medications which are not in the index; there are "clinical pearls" about how to approach the treatment of headache; and, you gain better perspective on the nature of headache, in general, and the complexities of treatment (which need to be considered when we create expectations about what is possible). Finally, women will appreciate & benefit from his running information on hormones/menstrual cycles as they affect headache. Chapter on headache following head trauma, also. Obviously, I'm impressed with Robbins' work (even if the book needs the touch of a good editor!) (Somewhat longer review/content statement at 3/22/00, "Good book....")

HEADACHE HELP, Revised edition, 2000; Lawrence Robbins, M.D., Houghton Mifflin, $15. Written for a nonprofessional audience, it contains almost all the material in the preceding volume but it's much easier reading. Highly recommended.

Warm welcome, Dave!

Wishing you PF time,
Sanna

I would like to thank everyone for your support.  The cycle may be ending.  I have had about 24 hours PF and slept through the night.

Had appointment with Doctor and he is sending me to a neuro. Could somone tell me what a "Shadow headache" is?  Thanks.  I ask because I am still having what feels like a CH coming on but it doesn't get full blown.

Thanks Guiseppi.

The GP wouldn't prescribe O2. Left that for the neurologist.

Dave