I have not had melatonin "delay" an attack, what it does for me is eliminate the night time attacks.  I have always gotten both day-time and night-time attacks.  But getting a decent night's sleep helps me battle through the day.  You may have to adjust your dosage and I've found a combo of regular melatonin and timed release melatonin work the best for me when dealing with CH.

Knowledge is power.  This rare condition of ours is no exception.  You say she is stressed because you won't talk about it.  I can understand that and it really would behoove you to tell her everything you know and like Pat said...send her here where she can read and talk to other supporters who have doing this for decades.
Talking to her/your  family isn't going to do too much since most folks have never even heard of Cluster headaches, much less be able to help her. 

I guarantte that once she talks to others here and asks questions...she will stress a LOT less.

Thanks all for your advice, I will give my wife the website address so that she can read up.  I think I will try the Melatonin - unfortunately my hits are increasing in frequency, seem to be getting one in the morning after the night before which looks more disruptive to life than they have been so far - not funny!! 

Thanks Guiseppe, I have been prescribed Naproxen and Naratriptan.  The latter used to seem to work quite well (during my last bouts a couple of years ago - funny I was saying to my father in law 2 weeks before they started up again that I thought I was over it!).  I am also taking asproclear and codene - any time I have the slightest inkling that I may get a headache I pump myself full of everything I can. I haven't tried red bull yet but will get some in.  I am quite lucky at the moment I seem to be only getting hit every 36 hours as opposed to the normal 24 hourly hit, however, they are coming x2 in relatively quick succession (from what I am used to).  The worst thing is getting to sleep - the slightest pang (just a heart beats worth) - whether or not it turns into a full blown headache keeps me awake at the moment which is quite exhausting.  The only doctor at our surgery that understands this - an initially diagnosed it (when I thought it was a sinus problem) has a month long waiting list to see him.  I know that he suffers himself from either migraine or CH, so he is greatly interested.  When I first saw him 5 years ago he mentioned that o2 was emerging as an abortive so he is certainly clued up.  It will be a month until I get to him so I have to stick with the drugs they have given me plus what I can get over the counter - I think the aspro clear helps get the other drugs into the bloodstream more quickly than just water - presumably red bull would do the same.  Doesn't the red bull keep you awake afterwards though?  Under normal circumstances I avoid it as it makes me buzz!

Guiseppi wrote on Jul 30^th, 2010 at 6:04pm:

It has as much caffeine as a medium-strength cup of coffee, dude. For people who are ultra sensitive, it'll keep you up 'til dawn if taken at 3:00 a.m.

Good point. Alcohol which is carbonated, (champagne for instance) is absorbed into your system faster then wine which is not carbonated. May be a good reason to keep the fizz in the energy drink when you chug it!

Joe

Hi LutonEd, welcome to the board. Sorry I missed your earlier posts. Few comments that I have for you:

The naproxen is an NSAID which can be both hard on your stomach long term and takes too long for your body to absorb it to deal with the CH of the moment.

Same for codeine and( if the other meds you mentioned are painkillers) any other pain killer.

For fast and effective way to abort a CH read up on the oxygen info we have here. Imagine 15 minutes being pain free without feeling loopy afterwards. Imitrex is also a self-injecting shot you can take for times when you are out and about without an oxygen tank.

My husband Guiseppi has been able to get on with his life since O2 came along. He takes lithium as a preventive once he goes on cycle. Then he uses O2 and Imitrex for those that break through.  Please read messages posted in the treatments and meds area.

In terms of support, what others said is true. When I didn't understand this condition I was frustrated by the drugs, the missed opportunities when we had to cancel plans etc. I had the phrase "Joe's having one of his headaches" as an explanation for everything. Now I know how to recognize when he's getting hit, or I notice he's disappeared (he also prefers privacy) and I take him a red bull and an icepack. I don't say anything, and I leave him be because that's what he prefers.

I'd suggest you speak with your wife about what you do and don't like during an attack. That way she knows what she can do to help. Watching someone suffer is nearly as agonizing as suffering, at least it is for me.

And be sure to show her this section of the board for supporters where we can help support each other too. MosaicWench and I have become great friends through this (and others too) and we help each other too when our loved ones are suffering.

Take care and again, welcome.

Do heed the advice on O2. For your wife and other supporters, I have come up with this list I do want from those closest to me:

1.  Take a little time and read this website; I am neither crazy nor suffering from a hangnail.
2.  Assist me with abortives when the pain is too great for me to be able to think straight.
3.  Shield me from "unwanted" outside contacts who may not like my "dance with the beast."
4.  Remind and encourage me to continuously evaluate the preventatives I am taking, and to seek out other, better ways to deal with this.
5.  Talk to me; don't let me sink into a black hole pity party which so easily comes.
Blessings! lance

I'm with the Wench Lance, great "instruction sheet" for the care and handling of a CH'er!

Joe

Lance that's awesome! That is SOOOO right on!