Hello,

Newbie here. I am 43 yr old male and have recently been diagnosed with cluster variant by a neurologist. He says my symptoms are closer to a cluster headache than anything else. As briefly as I can, I would like to provide some history. I don't know if all these things are connected but I feel it necessary to give a chronology of events.

In May of 2009 I was exposed to a high dose of pollen when cleaning off my back porch. An hour later I had a severe sneezing fit and major congestion. I felt terrible and woke up the next day with a low grade fever. This had never happened to me before. I was over it in a couple of days. In August 2009, out of the blue, I developed a severe sinus condition. My only symptom was congestion which could only be relieved with OTC nasal spray, Afrin. I became “addicted” to it. I was prescribed with a anti-histamine nasal spray, a steroid nasal spray, and Prednisone to get off the Afrin. It was treated as allergies by my primary Dr. Two days after I completed the round of prednisone, I was awakened at 2am with a severe stabbing pain in the top-right front quadrant of my head. My mother-in-law had some hydrocodone and this relived the pain.  A week or so later my congestion returned and I was back on the Afrin. I was referred to an ENT who diagnosed me with Allergic Rhinitis and he had me do another round of prednisone to get me off the Afrin. I completed the 2nd round of prednisone by  mid November and I was off the Afrin. My sinus condition was alleviated but I had this headache.


I had this constant feeling of "pressure" in the area of my head I referred to earlier. It was with me practically all day everyday. A CT scan of my sinus's was normal. For 4 weeks straight beginning in late November, on an average of once per week, I would wake up with this God-awful stabbing pain in the right side of my head. Come to Jesus kind of pain. If I had a pain pill it would relieve it. If not, it would back off some but would not go a way with out a narcotic. I should mention that I had shingles in this same area of my head back on 1995. The pain felt very similar but the Dr's tell me it's not related. I should also mention that I experienced a fairly significant stress event involving my sister just before Thanksgiving. Over the course of a week, I composed and edited a 7 page email to her. It's a deep and long story that I will not go in to here. Suffice it to say that it weighed heavily on me.

In December I had an MRI which showed nothing abnormal. At the end of the month I saw the neurologist. He prescribed me with an anti-inflammatory for prevention and Imitrex for any acute attack. I have not had a severe acute attack since the end of November but I still have this daily stabbing, burning "pain". I wake up with it and it may back off some but not much. I should also mention that my job has been very stressful since around the beginning of December. The more stress I feel, the more of the headache I feel. I don't seem to have the “classic” cluster symptoms. No teary, droopy eye, etc. I stopped the anti-inflammatory after a month of use and I have been on Verapamil for 9 days now. I am working my way up from 80mg to 240mg over a three week period.

At this moment I have the stabbing sensation. I have not had the severe acute attack since that four week period in Nov-Dec. But the daily paid I do have is wearing me down and it's a bit depressing. Will I ever get better?

I am just looking for some feedback here. Your thoughts, advise..anything. Does anyone else experience similar symptoms?

I really appreciate your time.

Thanks,

Scott