well, it was bound to happen, but I'm lucky it started later this year than it did last year. My bout kicked off about 2 weeks ago, but not too bad. Unfortunately, Friday night, the pain registered a 10 on my scale, and I fumbled with a Sumavel shot to ease the pain. While the shot used to wipe out the pain in the past, this time it only took the edge off. I had what I would call seizures of pain that caused my wife to hold me down and the tears to roll down my cheeks. I've had 3 concussions in my life, yet never such searing head pain. I'm 3 days into this shot, and hoping it lasts the usual 6-7 days, but who knows. seems to be a whole new ballgame this time. I may go back on the Topamax, as it worked last year, though it took 3 medications to discover it, and then it took 2 months to knock down the beast.

Oh, and to add insult to injury, my daughter knocked me in the back of the head with a wooden rocking chair, when she jumped on it, as I was plugging something in the wall behind it. Knocked me on my arse, and of course, did nothing to ease the pain in my usual spot.

Happy Thanksgiving, I suppose. Oh, and as someone else pointed out on this board, I think I got "lazy" taking my CH seriously. I was drinking alcohol over the summer (not a lot, just the occasional wine or gluten free beer), and the more it didn't affect me, the more I thought it was OK to drink it. Not so anymore.

Being new to this (I had my first "documented" episode last year), I thought I needed to speak to my doctor first. I know that no one hear can "prescribe" treatment, but from your experience is it common to just start the meds on my own? I do have quite a supply leftover from last year, as well as many refills to get me through until I meet with him.

Hang in there, it gets better...  There are some really smart folks on this board, very caring, knowledgable, and  with real experience in this suffering...    Trust what they tell you...

Welcome to the board Mike.

Have you read all about the 02 on the left. Many on here get relief in 5-10 minutes sucking on oxygen from a tank with a high flow regulator (15-25LPM) and a non-rebreather mask. It was my silver bullet.

You might try melatonin at night to help you sleep and if you find yourself out and about without anything, you might try an energy drink (Red Bull etc) with taurine in it.

Mike, I've found combining an energy drink with the oxygen seems to both speed the abort time, and push off the re occuring headache. Might be worth a shot.

Joe