Don't ever apologize for being painfree, Terry. As a matter of fact, we all cheer here if a fellow sufferer is into remission sweet remission.

Why don't you tell us a bit about yourself? Medication, diagnosis, the works?

Hoping here your remission will be long, Pascal.

Thanks for the kind welcome, as i said i am 39 and from the UK. For the first couple of years of bouts, 5-6 a day for 4 months, then nothing for a couple of months then back to the 5-6 a day, it did change from left hand side to the right but the next time came back on the left, now my left eyelid is permanently slightly lower than my right (if that makes sense). I moved house and doctors and went to see a new doc after 'The Fiend' revisited. He gave me Almotriptan 12.5mg one to be taken when needed ( 6 tabs in total), i tried to expalin that by the time i had got them out of my pocket to take the fiend would be setting about me !!! and Pizotifen 1.5mg(28 tabs in total) to be taken every night !!!. These were prescribed on 4th Feb this year and i still have about half of each left. i guess i have just got lucky!!!! I have shadows now and again but as yet nothing worse. Just the memory of waking every night and sitting rocking on the settee for 30-40 mins and then crawling back to bed almost brings me to tears. I was so scared to go out anywhere because i knew he would be on me at some point, I do not touch alcohol at all.

I feel for anyone who suffers and will offer any support i can!!!!

Thanks again
Newsh

River, i think i have just got lucky, simple as that, the pizotifen made me drowsy and i think that helped at night even if just psychologicaly.

i have, in the past, when going on holiday or away for weekend taken 10-12 panadol/ibuprofen (headache tablets) a day to try and ward them off. But i dont think thats the answer.

Good luck to you, try to find a doc that knows, you will feel better just knowing they know a little of how you feel.

Newsh

A big warm welcome and I agree, don't EVER apologize for being pain free, anyone beats the beast we all win!

You are an episodic in that you get breaks between your cycles, chronics don't get those, I'm episodic too and will give you a brief run down of my regimen. It's a 2 pronged approach.

1: A good preventative medication. That's something you take, while you are on cycle, to reduce the intensity and the frequency of the attacks. I use 1200 mg lithium a day when on cycle. Other popular prevents are verapamil and topomax. Many more to read about and discuss with your doctor.

2: an abortive regimen. A headache starts, now what? Riding it out for 45-90 minutes is simply unacceptable! Your first line abortive should be oxygen. I can abort an attack, be completely pain free, in as little as 6 minutes. Breathe pure 02, from a high flow regulator, at least 15 litres per minute, through a non re breather mask, started at the first hint of an attack. Been a miracle treatment for so many on the board it is worth pushing  REALLY REALLY HARD  with your doc to get it. Other popular abortives are imitrex injectables and nasal sprays. Many other abortives to read about on the med page.

With this condition, knowledge is power. Docs just don't see enough of these to have much at their fingertips. It is YOUR responsibility to educate yourself and assist your doc in planning your treatment.

Good news is you'll never be alone again!

Guiseppi

Sunset, the magnesium supplement seems to be popping up a lot on the board lately. Batch posted an article a while back explaining how the magnesium affects the body's PH levels, making you less susceptible to a CH attack. I started a daily supplement of magnesium and vitamin B-2 many years ago and swear it's had a postive effect on the length and intensity of my cycles. Just to add if you're taking magnesium you might want to add a calcium supplement as I've ben told magnesium will leach calcium outta your system.

Guiseppi