I am new to this site as well, read all you can, there are thousands of people on this board that know alot more about this subject than I.

Good Luck with the Beast

Rob

A good diagnosis is critical...but damn dude.....you reek of CH!!!! The knot on your back....very common symptom. I get some relief by rubbing it during an attack but just rubbing it hurts like hell!

Alcohol as a trigger....that's very common. If coffee helps, try energy drinks, Rock Star, Monster, any containing the combo of caffeine and taurine. The taurine speeds the effect of the caffeiene. Many can abort an attack or at least substantially reduce the intensity by chugging one at the onset of an attack. Some keep open cans in the fridge so the fizz goes away and it's easier to chug.


For the night time hits....buy some melatonin...an OTC supplement available at vitamin and health food stores. Take 6-9 mg 30 minutes before going to bed. Many can avoid the night time terrors that way. Give it 3-4 days to really atke effect.

If you can get into a decent neuro, most find the best results using a 2 pronged approach.

1: a good prevent. A medication you take when the head aches come back to reduce frequency and intensity. I use lithium, others use verapamil, many to read about on the meds board and discuss with your doc.

2: An abortive. A headache starts, now what? Your first line abortive should be oxygen. I can abort an attack in 6-8 minutes using just oxygen. Works for about 70% of the people who try it. It's cheap, and no side effects. I use imitrex injectables for the real slammers but that's pretty rare these days.

Get thee to a decent neuro, get a solid diagnosis and get going on a decent regimen. Just waiting to get creamed by these things is unacceptable. We'll help you every step of the way. Welcome.

Joe

Kirk wrote on Jan 11^th, 2009 at 10:13pm:


Yeppers.  SLC is basin and range talk for Salt Lake City.   

Best,

George

LOCATING HEADACHE SPECIALIST

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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Cluster headache.
From: Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or (Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases)
[Easy to read; one of the better overview articles I've seen. Suggest printing the full length article if you are serious about keeping a good medical library on the subject.]

Leroux E, Ducros A.

ABSTRACT: Cluster headache (CH) is a primary headache disease characterized by recurrent short-lasting attacks (15 to 180 minutes) of excruciating unilateral periorbital pain accompanied by ipsilateral autonomic signs (lacrimation, nasal congestion, ptosis, miosis, lid edema, redness of the eye). It affects young adults, predominantly males. Prevalence is estimated at 0.5-1.0/1,000. CH has a circannual and circadian periodicity, attacks being clustered (hence the name) in bouts that can occur during specific months of the year. ALCOHOL IS THE ONLY DIETARY TRIGGER OF CH, STRONG ODORS (MAINLY SOLVENTS AND CIGARETTE SMOKE) AND NAPPING MAY ALSO TRIGGER CH ATTACKS. During bouts, attacks may happen at precise hours, especially during the night. During the attacks, patients tend to be restless. CH may be episodic or chronic, depending on the presence of remission periods. CH IS ASSOCIATED WITH TRIGEMINOVASCULAR ACTIVATION AND NEUROENDOCRINE AND VEGETATIVE DISTURBANCES, HOWEVER, THE PRECISE CAUSATIVE MECHANISMS REMAIN UNKNOWN. Involvement of the hypothalamus (a structure regulating endocrine function and sleep-wake rhythms) has been confirmed, explaining, at least in part, the cyclic aspects of CH. The disease is familial in about 10% of cases. Genetic factors play a role in CH susceptibility, and a causative role has been suggested for the hypocretin receptor gene. Diagnosis is clinical. Differential diagnoses include other primary headache diseases such as migraine, paroxysmal hemicrania and SUNCT syndrome. At present, there is no curative treatment. There are efficient treatments to shorten the painful attacks (acute treatments) and to reduce the number of daily attacks (prophylactic treatments). Acute treatment is based on subcutaneous administration of sumatriptan and high-flow oxygen. Verapamil, lithium, methysergide, prednisone, greater occipital nerve blocks and topiramate may be used for prophylaxis. In refractory cases, deep-brain stimulation of the hypothalamus and greater occipital nerve stimulators have been tried in experimental settings.THE DISEASE COURSE OVER A LIFETIME IS UNPREDICTABLE. Some patients have only one period of attacks, while in others the disease evolves from episodic to chronic form.

PMID: 18651939 [PubMed]

I feel like a have a path forward now!

That's the attitude you'll need! Hang in there.

Joe