Hey ya'll.  Yeah,  I'm from Alabama and that's just how we talk. This is only my second cycle and I am rather new to this CH beast.  Thank you for the good information I have received from reading on this board.  This cycle seems to be a lot more severe than the first which I had from September to November last fall.  This cycle started January 29th and just in the past week I have developed this clinching type feeling behind my left ear.  It feels like a huge eagle claw sticking under the base of my skull with the other claws stuck in my scalp up toward the top of my ear.  I had one really bad hit on Monday morning at 2:30 and i remember on Sunday afternoon that I had this same feeling.  It starts everyday about 1:00 in the afternoon and seems to grow worse with the day.  It is kinda like a volcano building pressure befroe eruption.  During the hit there is no pain there whatsoever.  It is with my eye about to blow along with the watering and stuffiness in my left nostril.  Has anyone ever experienced this?

Could be a shadow as we call it. Does this happen after you've had a bad attack? After I've had a bad hit (k-9 or 10), I get what we call the afterburn and this can be very painful, (k-7-9).

Don

yes, i have had some really rough hits in the past week and this claw thing has just started.  maybe it is from the big hits.  i have read about shadows but i don't full understand what they are.  maybe someone can give me a very simple explanation.  most days there is some kind of tingly, crawly feeling in my scalp along with something that feels like a mild hit.  thank you for your insight.  i've been having a really rough time sleeping because all my hits come at night.  they seem to have spread their timeframe somewhat.  it seems the earlier i go to bed the sooner the hit comes and the more hits i have per night.

i've read about you guys talking about shadows so now i suppose i know what they are.  the digging into your brain feeling is a pain.  it's 4:23 right now and it started again today aboyt 12:30 so i guess i better prepare for tonight.  i am gonna see about the oxygen because i read it seems to really work.  i tried it once and it did nothing for me but i don't think i had the right setup.  i suppose endurance to the end with a good attitude is a great place to start too.  day after day fighting this thing gets old but ya'll give me reassurance it will go away one day.  i should have about 3 1/2 more weeks if it trends the way it did the first cycle.  thanks for you input.  i really appreciate it.

This claw that is digging in behind my ear has changed the time of day it begins now.  It did start around midday but now it is starting around 7:30 in the morning and gets more severe as the day progresses.  It seems to tighten its grip as the day goes by.  It is about to become unbearable.   It is practically a 24 hour companion now and I have been having at least one hit every night and sometimes two or three.  I've tried lots of caffeine during the day to get rid of "The Claw"  but nothing seems to help.  Does anyone have any ideas on how to make this sucker go away during the day?  I haven't tried O2 on it yet.

O2 O2 O2 --

Get some Melatonin for night.... Take 12-18mg before bedtime (keep taking it for a while even if it doesn't work the FIRST time you try it) - it tends to stop the night hits that hit during the REM sleep - about 90 minutes after you fall asleep.

Try a can of RED BULL (or another energy drink that has lots of caffeine and at least 1000mg of Taurine in it) for the shadows. It will sometimes abort those shadows.

You didn't say if you're taking a preventative. Are you?

The talon is not that unusal. I get a "cramp" in my ear. When that happens I usually hit the Red Bull or O2 (depending on where I am and what's handy).

Hope you're PF soon...

Hugs BD

Ok, now we're cooking with grease (yeah, I'm from the "south" too ).

Topamax has been my "miracle" prevent. Been taking it since 99. Keeps me sane. (shut up Chuck!). I take it at night before bedtime and don't get any side effects along with at least 15mg of melatonin. I've about "almost" eliminated night hits, so I do get the rest I need.

If these things keep hitting you bad you might talk to your doc about increasing the dose of topamax. My maintainance dose is 100mg, but I've been up a lot higher during a high cycle. But I ALWAYS take the whole dose at night. The people who've had the side effects here have taken it in the day time.

Wishing you some PF time

Hugs BD