Hey there

My name is Henrik and i'm 31 years of age.
I have had headaches or migrain for as long as i can remember (6 years old) but CH since I was about 19 or 20. I usually just have one episode per year but sometimes I have two. I usually get around 2 attacks during the first two weeks and then 3 the following two weeks and then i dropps down to 1 for the fifth week (and the sixth if it comes).
My episodes come either in may or september, give or take some weeks i guess. It's the changing of the seasons when I have to be carefull about doing things as systematic as possible, eating at the right time waking up at the same time as usuall ect... . The biggest thing that I can associate with triggering an episode is when I have to wake up earlier than I usually do for some days, every time I do that it starts, and then there are some things I problable do also that contribute aswell.

I am going through a episode now, started about a week ago and it's much worse than last year. Getting attacks around 4 times a day. I use a drug calles Imigran wich has worked fine over the years but now when the attack cools down I have like this buzz in my head and I just know it's coming soon again, it's really preventing me from relaxing. I can't fall asleep cuz it attacks at night and usually at 7 in the morning so i'm falling asleep after 7 AM.

Glad to be a member of this forum and I hope I can help others aswell.

cheers,
Henrik

p.s. I'm starting the water treatment ASAP 

Henrik,

Glad you found this site but so sorry you need it. You're definitely in the right place!

Read, read, read! There is much help for you here. Don't hesitate to ask questions. There are so many different approaches that are very helpful to different people so don't give up if something you try doesn't work for you. Keep trying! You'll find your magic combination!
All I'll mention for now is OXYGEN!!! Read the Oxygen info. The stuff works! it can really give you your life back.
Good luck and once again, welcome!

 
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--link, line above--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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HERE ARE TWO MAJOR DOCUMENTS WITH RECOMMENDED TREATMENTS FOR CLUSTER HEADACHE, ONE FROM A U.S. PHYSICIAN, THE SECOND FROM EUROPE.
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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. Rozen)
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Treatment guidelines from Europe

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A. May, M. Leone, J. Áfra, M. Linde, P. S. Sándor, S. Evers, P. J. Goadsby:
EFNS guidelines on the treatment of cluster headache and other
trigeminalautonomic cephalalgias.
European Journal of Neurology. 2006; 13: 1066–1077.

Download free full text:
Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or
(Thanks to "cluster" for link.)