example

1.Day                                                                                                                              
                                         [2a. medicine                         
2.Basic preventative therapy [2b. dosage                              
                                         [2c.numberofdosages                        

                                                        [3a. medicine
3.Rescue/abortive medicines/measures [3b. dosage
                                                         [3c. number of dosage

4.Kip scale 1-10

   
5.Duration of pain

6.Phone/visit
doctor/E.R.

7.Activity before/during getting hit
                                         



this is what has worked for me in the past.
sorry for putting this vertically.it is supposed to be horizontally but not enough space helps do the trick.So every number it's a collumn with its sub collumn/category.hope this helps somehow.

Hey there,

I was diagnosed with CH in October 08.   - am just going thru my 3rd cycle.  I have had migraines for 5 years, however and am not new to tracking though it is a bit different without the huge list of food triggers possible for migraines.

There is a diary format at the bottom of this OUCH website, along with some other useful links:

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

"OUCH Headache Diary - 69kb .pdf file - Use this form to track your headaches and the effectiveness of your treatments."

There are so many out there however -

Just checked a few other diaries I have saved.  time of occurrence, duration, and intensity are important.  location in the head is important - where in your head... on one side or both, etc.  Type of pain - throbbing, pounding, splitting, steady ache, sharp pain, dull ache, blinding?
How the headache impacts you also - do you sleep, pace, etc? What did you try to combat the pain? Ice? Med? were they effective? how effective?  Did the pain return?  Were there any other symptoms besides the direct pain - nausea, sensitivity to light, sensitive scalp, etc?

There are so many things that can be tracked that would help a doc help you.    Your ability/ inability to function with the headaches explained to a doc might also impact their want to help you, so this might be something that you try to get across if CH is impacting your life in a great way, as I know it did mine until I got it under "control".

Hope this helps some.  

Val

Val_ wrote on Jun 3^rd, 2009 at 6:04pm:


All good stuff from the other replies. I can heartily endorse the relating to your Doc how these things are affecting your life.

While they may not receive training in treating "headache", and do NOT understand the debilitating effects of ch (it's ONLY a headache, sheesh)...they are apparently well versed in "how is this condition affecting your life?". Nearly every Doc has asked me that question,
and I've opened a few eyes with my replies. THAT, they get...

The other one is the "pain" scale...I despise the "smiley face...frowny face ones...always just cross out and put in a dang number...but they get that one too.

Perhaps an analogy here...don't know...but I'll give it a try. Recently, a colleague asked me why I was so successful with governmental regulatory agencies (part of my job). Now that one is easy...first, being upfront and honest (they're not used to that) THEN, speaking their language... learn it, use it appropriately, and they think you know what you are talking about...same with Docs...give 'em what they want (or know) and you got a better chance...

AND, this I learned from the National Headache Foundation...keeping a diary of headaches is a SIGN of ch...we are compulsive, or desperate, or whatever, but we do keep diaries....an enlightened Doc will recognize that...

Best,

Jon

Mine started out as annoying headaches, always behind my eye, always on the same side. Each year they'd get worse. They didn't become the real butt kickers until my late teens early 20's. Back then I could gut it out with lots of aspirin. Shudder to think what I was doing to my poor tummy back then!

My point being, for me they continued to get more painful. A decent preventative medication will go a long way towards making your day to day life more bearable. You're doing all the right things, getting the referral to the neuro, the diary. Wishing you luck with the doc!

Joe

Not being on any treatment can cause them to sort of lurk in the background all day (the 0-3 shadows), coming out to play sveral times per day. Or it could be this is just a wierd cycle. I have been having clusters around 30 years and sometime mine will be once perday.

This cycle is more unpredictable. I got woke up about every hour and 15 minutes last night. Luckily I have O2 so none of them were bad.

A word of caustion about your current meds. Hydrocodone is codiene plus acetominophen. And you mentioned you are also taking acetominophen. Too much isn't a good thing for your kidneys.

When is your next Dr appointlemt? Hopefully you can get O2 and verapamil or something else that works.

Sorry, I misunderstood about the meds you tried before. Yep they don't work for CH.

What works fairly well when I don't have meds or don't want to use up another Imitrex injection... is very strong coffee. I keep a jar of Folgers instant crystals around for this. A coffee cup about half full of water nuked for 45 seconds (I don't want it too hot) and a heaping tablespoon of the Folgers. Tastes like crap but I don't care in the middle of a Kip 6 or 7.

Hi Casey,
a headache diary was what helped with my Dr also try to keep a list of all your symptoms eg:- red eye, tearing, blocked nose etc your Dr will probably refer you to an Neurologist and you will more than likely have a series of tests to make sure theres no other cause. its a long road but your going in the right direction.
some people use heat or cold to help with the pain. I use an ice gel pack wich i press on the side of my head and on my neck wich helps me alot to control the little devil, you can also use for eg frozen peas basically anything in the freezer but wrap it up in a towel first and use it as soon as you feel the beast rising.

wishing you lots of pain free days and nights

Mark (i came to visit but ended up staying)

Quote:


geee thanks joe  im choking up

mark (feeling very wanted )

thats ok thats the wife ROFLMA

mark (get into trouble for that one)

So I went back to the doctor today and he gave me more hydrocodone and gave me some midran to try. He also referred me to a neuro but I have to wait a couple weeks for it to go through the insurance and then they will tell me which doctors I can see. Just giving an update!

I know you doctor is trying to help but hydrocodone and Midrin aren't going to cut it for cluster headaches.

Many insurance company websites allow you search for specialists that are covered by your plan. Choose one, call and make the appointment even if your insurance has not yet approved the referral. You can cancel the appointment if insurance doeesn't approve it (or you cannot pay); but by making the appointment now... you will be a couple of weeks ahead.

If the neurologist's office wants to give an appointment one or two months from now, don't accept that. Tell them you are in the middle of a cluster headache cycle and need to be seen this week.

Please look into o2....odds are it will save yourself from unnecessary pain!

Dairies are fine. Abortives that work are better.