Little do I know about if I could possibly be a clusterhead, but nevertheless I'm not trying to belittle the diagnosis. I'm only seeking advice. If what I experience is anything like the real deal, I've yet to experience it enough to seek a diagnosis.

I have never been prone to having headaches before, before the episodes I only experienced tension during thunderstorms and so on. I don't know I'm mixing things up with migraine but I read that is more chronic, but my symptoms are very much like migraine.

It started off two years ago when I was 21. I started smoking (dumb as it is) and after some time I started having extreme headaches.
The scenario mostly go like this: I wake up in the middle of the night 3-5am with extreme pain ranging from my right eyeball and on my right side of the head. I try to squeeze my head into the pillow, but the pain keeps going worse. I usually end up leaving bed, drink water and walk around aimlessly squeezing my head and pushing it into the couch. I often try to sit at the computer, it being a comfort-zone as I'm a nerd but I can barely view the screen because my eyes are running (almost like a cold with at least one nostril blocked). It easily gets into me banging my head into the computer table instead of actually doing anything.
The pain feels like knives stabbing me in the eye and at the side of my head. Although I never experienced any real pain like breaking a limb I often feel helpless and tend to start crying a bit.

I only experienced this four times. I usually wake up from it, endure it for 15min to 2 hours or so, when the pain fades I usually fall asleep.
Later into the day it usually returns, where I can usually feel it building up a bit, however a little less extreme than if I wake up from it (dunno if this is because I'm already fully awake or if I know what it's all about).
I don't think it has ever happened three times the same day.
I never had it two days in a row, but it usually occurs the day after.

Judging from my experiences, I've had two episodes every year, so it's not really that common for me. I haven't experienced it since May 2010.

I've tried the usual painkillers like paracetamol which either works or not. I can never tell because I haven't treated a headache before. It lasts 15 minutes to a few hours if I take it or not anyway.

I suffer from tremors as well, which is a neurological disease that I've had since a age of 6 or so. It is most easily explained as; the same tremors you get the day after when you've had a good night at the pub - I have permanently. and it increases by nervousity greatly.

The reason I mention this is the same reason I'm writing.
I was prescribed Inderal, which I later found out was used against extreme migraine.
I further investigated today and found out it is also used against cluster headaches, which is why I incidentally found out what it's all about.

I haven't thought of trying taking Inderal in these cases, has anyone been prescribed this?

From what I can tell, my experience is similar to migraine but more similar to cluster headaches. That's what I can tell from reading about it.

I may be a wuss who's never had a headache before, or I have some kind of migraine, or I'm right about the cluster headaches. I honestly don't know. I was just hoping you could give me hints if there are any similarities.

Best regards,
Frank

Welcome rscl.

When mine first started they were every other day too. Over the next couple of years they came and lasted around 4 weeks. I had 1 every day or other day. The finally came every years and lasted from 4 weeks to 2 months. I would get hit 3-4 times a day.

Please get a diagnosis and if it is clusters, breathing 02 from a tank with a non-rebreather mask and a regulator set at 10-15 LPM will knock most with 10-15 minutes.

Make sure if you chug an energy drink *red bull etc* that is has taurine in it as well as the caffeine. 1000mg of taurine is what I hear is the best.

Again welcome, get a diagnosis and if so, come back and read all there is. We have been here for 10 years and have a wealth of information.

There is a list of buttons on the left side of your screen. Click the 'cluster quiz' button, take the quiz and please let us know the results. Also you can click the 'cluster traits' button to learn a little more.

Welcome RSCL !

As the others stated your description does sound like CH but please see a Dr. for a proper diagnosis.

Check out the Oxygen info. link to the left and talk to your Dr. about alternate treatments, since you are affected as you say about 2 times per year you may want to ask him about verapamil as a prevent or a prednisone taper.

Also Print out the Cluster traits page and the medical info page (links to the left) and bring them with you when you go see your doctor.  Start a Headache journal it sometimes helps if a doctor sees in black and white what you are going through.  Here's what you will need to note on it.

Day/Date:      
Time of Day of CH hit:   
On pain Scale 1-10 10 being highest what is your pain at?
Duration of Headache:
Symptoms that come with your Headache:
What, if anything you tried to get rid of HA:

You can make up your own HA Journal and if you get more than one in a day use 1 piece of paper/page per day, or you can use MS Excel for this.