Please ask specific questions so that we can focus our responses. Glad you found us; a surprising # of fellow souls living around you.
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As you have time, explore the buttons (left) starting with OUCH and the multiple internal links there.
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Suggest you print out the whole article, link on lin 2.

 
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]
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Current therapies:

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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And a p.s.: do your best to get off the OTC pain meds. As you know, they are not effective with CH and, with regular/large quantity use, they will create rebound headaches, i.e., headaches causes BY the med. Makes the whole scene the more difficult.


 

Welcome,nice to hear you have good support.

A question Topiramate as an abortive?

I'm on 100mg of it as a preventitive which I take at night to try and avoid any side affects.

Far and away the best option to search out is oxygen. It works for many of us.

You sound well versed with regards to our shared afliction.
There are many here that can advise you in your quest to fight the beast. They will be arrive shortly

All the best Iddy

A big g'day from across the ditch Jaily, and we'll help you as much as possible from West Island - at least until the next test. After what the dastards of the All Blacks did recently to the gentlemen and scholars of our revered Wallabies there was an outbreak of CH throughout our nation that made swine flu look like hiccups.

Firstly, oxygen.  For best effect it needs to be at very high flow and via a particular mask. Here's a link to a thingummy put together by Barry from Karratha which may help while fighting your GP for a script.

Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or

Getting onto it fast is the key, along with staying on it longer than is really necessary and for the vast majority of CHeads it's the first line of attack.

If you're using Immegran in the pill form it's really too slow-acting to be much help. Consider the injectable form (best) or the nasal inhaler which is only a little slower. Incidentally, it's the same as the Immitrex you'll see mentioned often throughout CH.com.

Thirdly, and most importantly, beer is known to cause immediate and serious attacks in CHeads worldwide so is best removed from the house immediately.  I reccommend you send it all to Rollingstone Hotel, Townsville (Attn AB Recyclers) who'll ensure it's disposed of in a way that's environmentally correct and sustainable.

Only good daze ahead and go the Maroons,

Brian.

Welcome jailwatch,

               I dont know how to respond, i just want to thank you for joining and shareing your info with us. I got clusters as well, started at the same time as you, 23 at 2am. Good luck and i know you will soon be back to your life again.

                          Coach Bill