Hi all.  This site has been invaluable over the past few weeks.   I have been getting CHAs for over 10 years.  it wasn't until 4 years ago that I really started having specific cycles.  Now the cycles are getting worse in terms of amounts of HAs per day, HA intensity and cycle length.   

I have always used Imitrex Injections but with the past two cycles, I am getting so many HAs a day, that I am concerned I am taking to much.   I have been trying the Qtip method which seems to work however, using only 2-3MGs instead of 6MGs seems to take much longer to kick in.   Last night, I was having 30-40 minutes of what I consider KIP 8-9 pain before the trex halted the headache. 

I started Verapamil last year and I though it had worked well as it seemed to cease the cycle soon after starting it.  This cycle however, it has been unhelpful.  I am on 240 MGs at onset and have gone up to 360 without change.

I started o2 this week at 7-8 L (the highest the regulator will go).  o2 works for light HAs and shadowing but does nothing for the baddies.  I have kicked the tank in 4 days and of course, the o2 place doesn't do refills on weekends.  LAME!!

The Neuro put me on Gabapentin this week would IMHO made my headaches much worse. 

Ok, that is my history... here is my vent... I am getting to the point of dispair.  I have a 1 year old (my and my wifes only child).   She is great but at the stage of whining as she doesn't have the words to speak what she wants.   I have been shadowing all day and my face still hurts from last nights greatness.  ever time she whines, it is like sticking a fork in my eye.   My wife has been taking all the parenting responsibilities and for that, she is my angel however, she is sad that she can't do anything for me and is really angry at the Beast.   I try to hide the beast from her as I don't want to burden her.  The pain has been so excruciating the past week though that I can't hide it any longer.  I am running out of trex, am out of o2, and the preventatives aren't doing anything.   I even tried ritalin today with no effect. (i have ADD and used to take it so had some leftover).   

I am fearing the KIP 10 which I keep telling myself, I haven't had yet.  I am scared to go to sleep.  I am in pain from last night.  I took off work thursday and Friday (the first time I have ever taken off work for headaches in a very long time).  I can not see how I can return to work next week if things are like this.  I am almost 2 months into this cycle and it just gets worse.  Usually it only lasts 4-6 weeks.  I am afraid that with the cycles getting worse, they are going chronic.  I am afraid that out of desperation of pain, I will take to much meds accidentally.   The rational side of me says this is going to end soon and I will find a better preventative.  The worried, anxious side of me is really freaked out.   I am worried that these HAs are going to ruin all that I have worked so hard to build.   

vent ended...   Thanks for listening.  Thanks for being an outlet to turn to in my darkest of days.

I hear you and understand your desperation.  Your first child is difficult to adjust to as it is, though they are so precious.  They keep going and going regardless of how you feel.  Maybe you could try spending a few structured minutes each day with your child, say 10 good minutes twice a day and then disappear to another room during your cycle.

Have your tried drinking Red Bull?  People here like it for shadows.  They also seem to have luck with Melatonin at night.  You aren't drinking any alcohol, are you?  I'm just trying to figure out why your cycle is hanging on, however, I have heard many people say that recently.  Mine wasn't any longer this time (my usual 8 weeks), but it was intense!  I also use Verapamil as a prevetative and I use 2.5mg Zyprexa as an abortive (this was my first time for that).  I really worked for me!  The cautions are scary, but that is for people that use it in higher doses for a prolonged amount of time for a different reason, so don't let it turn you off.  It also made my feel rather pleasant.  For me, when I took one at the onset of a HA, I would be pain free for about 30 hours.

Regardless of the treatment, I have found that anything that is great in preventing or aborting also has the potential to exacerbate the HA's when it is leaving my system. 

Good luck!!!

Ken,

Sounds like you need to up your flow of O2. E-bay has regulators that go higher than 8 liters. And they're not that high. 15-25 liters are the recommended flow rate around here with an optimask (ch.com store has them). 7-8 liters just don't work for MOST of us.

You might ask your doc for a pred taper while the neurotin starts working (sometimes that takes a while to kick in). If it keeps making them worse - call your doc and get something else (it made me nuts and I couldn't take it, but that was ME). Lithium, verapamil, topamax are others that some of us take for prevents. But they take a little while to get in your system.

Melatonin at night works for a lot of us to help get rest at night. Gets us thru the REM sleep and helps us get some rest to get us thru the day (6-15mg). It's OTC so it's not hard to get.

Red Bull (or an energy drink with caffeine and taurine) at the first sign of a CH sometimes will abort a hit.

Nuther thing (no one mentions it much) drink LOTS of water (see Water X 3 on left side). It works for some people. Worth a try.

Hope you find some releif soon...

Hugs BD

In the meantime, tape up the holes on that mask and simply move the mask away from your face a little to exhale. You want to take in nothing but 100% O₂.

Hey Ken
    Welcome   and hang in there, we are here for ya!