In 2006 during my last cycle before the one that just ended a few days ago, I worked as an account manager for a large electronic medical claims clearing house.  It was also a position that you had to be very alert, organized, ect...ect.

About 6 weeks into the cycle I was so wrung out from sleep deprivation that I could no longer effectively function in the position and had to go on short term disability for almost 10 weeks.  I didn't pay that well but it was a danged site better than all of nothing.

Dallas Denny

Even though I have considered disability many many times in the past,   I have always found that the best thing to do is to try and keep up with your life.  Once I accepted that the cycle may never end, and I might be chronic,  I was always able to function better.
  Even though it sucks,  it is the hand we were dealt.  You have to have a life outside of CH.  If you let it it will pull you very far into despair and depression.  It really is amazing what a change of attitude has given me in the past.

  Please try to keep on truckin.

Hugs,
Christine

I've been on long term disability for roughly 6-7 years. Despite many, many attempts to get back to the work force the clusters make me far too unreliable for any sort of work. It took me a long time to comes to terms with having to rely on someone/thing other than myself.

The problems with your mental focus could be related to pain levels. When I went to the St. Paul's Pain Clinic, the Doctors told me that my problems with my poor mental focus (it used to be quite high) was from the high pain levels caused by frequent clusters.
If you are chronic and no abortives have worked for you then maybe ask your Doctor(s) to treat you as someone with chronic pain, which you seem to be in. At least that way (s)he could send you to a Pain Clinic to learn things like Biofeedback, meditation and so on. It is worth a shot. Hopefully that could help you so you can go back to work.
Good Luck

Paul

Hi,
We have similar issues and doubts here in the U.K.  I am chronic and some days as we all know, living is tough enough, let alone going to work.  With my worsening status, I took long leave and now cannot work.  Although our DWP (state system), lists 'headache, or migraine as a 'disability', you almost always get turned down! So I appealed to my GP and it took a full blown medical examination by the DWP doctors to agree that CCH was for me very disabling and was sufficient to let me have disability pay.  The pay itself is a very low amount, but it 'opens doors' to other disability linked support so it's worth persevering, in the UK at the very least.

By definition, if you are an episodic cluster headache sufferer, your attacks will stop. They will also restart.

Don't set yourself up for disappointment by confusing correlation with causation.

Scott Wolter wrote on Dec 15^th, 2009 at 7:38am:

SSI or SSDI?

            Potter

Hi, I applied for ssid to start with and was denied 2x, I got a ssi lawyer and got full ssi.  Yea The ch was what I think pushed it over the top, to get ssi but, that isn't my only disability, and, as we all no with ch is just cuz it is gone today,,,I can come back and bight you any time. I already lost my house, and most everything I had, worth anything. After a car wreck in 2000. So I took my back pay,Packed up 2 bags,got a pass port and moved to the Philippines. I think it was the best thing I ever did, NO MORE SNOW.   GOOD LUCK TO ALL
   Scott

§416.215 You leave the United States.

You lose your eligibility for SSI benefits for any month during all of which you are outside of the United States. If you are outside of the United States for 30 days or more in a row, you are not considered to be back in the United States until you are back for 30 days in a row. You may again be eligible for SSI benefits in the month in which the 30 days end if you continue to meet all other eligibility requirements.

By United States, we mean the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

[47 FR 3103, Jan. 22, 1982. Redesignated at 61 FR 10277, Mar. 13, 1996]

        You are bullshittin us.

             Potter

Mac_Muz wrote on Dec 20^th, 2009 at 4:36pm:

  Not hardly. Bout a thousand miles apart

          Potter

In Jan 2003 I was layed off from work due to a staff reduction (yeah right been in autoparts selling for over 20 years but only been at that parts store for 6 years). The autoparts company bought out another and moved people to my store that had alot more time than I did so I had the lest time at that place. I was full time but always was the first to go home early when work was slow because of my clusters. When they let me go they asked if I would like help because they knew I was going to try for SSD. I declined but used them as a reference when I applied. I collected unemployment and after 3 days it ended I was granted full SSD. It took over 10 months. I had every record of Dr appointments, ER visits, surgery done at Mayo Clinic (had trigeminal nerve cut in May 2002), medications tried that failed and the current ones I was on that wouldnt help me get a job because of the side effects and they were narcotics, and statements from co-workers and main office about my suffering while at work. That helped me the most was the folder with all that information I had collected. The people at SSD said they would interveiw me every 2 years but I havent had to do that in the over 6 years of being on SSD. Thats about all I can say about getting help with SSD. Terry

Potter, I ain't Bs'n anyone,, Ha ha, But I did get my ssi, and yes you are allowed to move to many countries except a few, most of them end with Stan, and I wouldn't want to live there. I came to the Philippines back in 1984 in the Marine Corps, and loved it,so I'm back. As for the other question on why I don't go back to work? I am in bad shape, Neck was broke in 2 places, back broke 2x still need 1 more metal hip, just to name a few. Living here, if ssd wanted to come and check on you, they would have to send someone to your house, they do have an office here, but it is a 1 hour flight from there office, and even if I was BS'N  them, chances are I would never see em. I was, before the months of acupuncture, a chronic, 1-3 a day for 3 years, I still Pray there gone for good. Im just saying if your body is in bad shape already, like mine, CH can work to get your ssi, or ssd. Just don't give up, like I said, apply the first time, you will get denied, ten if a ssi layer will take your case, your almost got it in the bag. If your chronic like I was you cant work and do a good job, I couldn't, and I owned my own business. I payed a LOT of tax through the years, and getting SSI a little early kept me from turning 50 and living at Mom's house. When I got it I was at the end of the rope, and now, I'm starting my life over. There is a way out. If you can get ssi, I say get it, before Obama spends it.

To answer your ? Joni
I am still on SSD and still have a cluster 24/7 at a 3-4 pain level. Current meds keep me there at that pain level most of the time. When clusters get too bad I take a 10mg morphine shot. After getting a shot after 15-20 minutes I can drive go to the store do some yard work. NOW please let me say that using narcotics isnt the way for everyone its just my choice that I have been on for over 4 years and it helps me. Right now to try and get and hold a job wouldnt be fair to me or any co-workers. I do housework and even watch my granddaughter a few times a week for a few hours. Terry