Hi all.  I've been using this site for a couple of years, but have only chosen to join today.

I've been an episodic sufferer for 5 years now.  As soon as the hot weather comes in, I get the pain.  I live on a beautiful little island, and when most people are hitting the beaches, I'm hitting the walls.  I can suffer for between 6 and 12 weeks, normally with 2 attacks each day.  

I'm luckier than most, I'm rarely hit at night time, although I still don't sleep well.  The unfortunate side of this is that I'm a single father of 2 beautiful little girls, one aged 6 and the other is nearly 3.  They live with me for 5 days of the week.  I can cope with parenting, that's not too hard, parenting with clusters is a different story though.

So the beast made its first visit of the year on Monday, it's now Friday and he's stopped by a couple more times since.  It's all tollerable at the moment, but I'm terrified of what lies ahead.  After 5 days I'm already sat here with a numb face and a stiff neck and shoulder, despite an ostiopath loosening that up for me yesterday.  

I'm determined to stay positive this time, but it's difficult.  It's not just the pain that I find hard, but it's how they change me as a person.  In no time at all, an emotionally well balanced young man becomes a needy, paranoid, blubbery mess.

I've been given a week's worth of Steroids and I'm also on the good old Verapamil as well.  For the 2nd time, I have made a request for oxygen, this was requested a couple of years ago, but declined by the powers that be.  I'm making as big a noise as possible while I'm still reasonably well, so fingers crossed that I'll get the oxygen this time.

I do live in a very small community where cluster headaches is almost unheard of.  I have learned over the past years that my doctor can prescribe the drugs, my ostiopath can fix up my body, but you people are the only people that can truly understand what I'm going through.  I'd like to say a huge thank you to you all for how you've helped me in the past and in anticipation of the future.  I only hope that I can do the same for you guys as well.

Gav

Welcome.


             Im Bill and i got the clusters too. 02 is what workes best for me.


                                 Coach Bill