If your assumption is correct--your doc doesn't know anything about headache--see if he is open to learning. Print out these two medical abstracts and give to him; use them as a tool to discuss treatment options.

He may be open to receiving this info. when he sees it comes from medical sources.
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PDF file,below; then print out the full article below.

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Cluster headache.
From: Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or (Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases)
[Easy to read; one of the better overview articles I've seen. Suggest printing the full length article--link, line above--if you are serious about keeping a good medical library on the subject.]

Leroux E, Ducros A.

ABSTRACT: Cluster headache (CH) is a primary headache disease characterized by recurrent short-lasting attacks (15 to 180 minutes) of excruciating unilateral periorbital pain accompanied by ipsilateral autonomic signs (lacrimation, nasal congestion, ptosis, miosis, lid edema, redness of the eye). It affects young adults, predominantly males. Prevalence is estimated at 0.5-1.0/1,000. CH has a circannual and circadian periodicity, attacks being clustered (hence the name) in bouts that can occur during specific months of the year. ALCOHOL IS THE ONLY DIETARY TRIGGER OF CH, STRONG ODORS (MAINLY SOLVENTS AND CIGARETTE SMOKE) AND NAPPING MAY ALSO TRIGGER CH ATTACKS. During bouts, attacks may happen at precise hours, especially during the night. During the attacks, patients tend to be restless. CH may be episodic or chronic, depending on the presence of remission periods. CH IS ASSOCIATED WITH TRIGEMINOVASCULAR ACTIVATION AND NEUROENDOCRINE AND VEGETATIVE DISTURBANCES, HOWEVER, THE PRECISE CAUSATIVE MECHANISMS REMAIN UNKNOWN. Involvement of the hypothalamus (a structure regulating endocrine function and sleep-wake rhythms) has been confirmed, explaining, at least in part, the cyclic aspects of CH. The disease is familial in about 10% of cases. Genetic factors play a role in CH susceptibility, and a causative role has been suggested for the hypocretin receptor gene. Diagnosis is clinical. Differential diagnoses include other primary headache diseases such as migraine, paroxysmal hemicrania and SUNCT syndrome. At present, there is no curative treatment. There are efficient treatments to shorten the painful attacks (acute treatments) and to reduce the number of daily attacks (prophylactic treatments). Acute treatment is based on subcutaneous administration of sumatriptan and high-flow oxygen. Verapamil, lithium, methysergide, prednisone, greater occipital nerve blocks and topiramate may be used for prophylaxis. In refractory cases, deep-brain stimulation of the hypothalamus and greater occipital nerve stimulators have been tried in experimental settings.THE DISEASE COURSE OVER A LIFETIME IS UNPREDICTABLE. Some patients have only one period of attacks, while in others the disease evolves from episodic to chronic form.

PMID: 18651939 [PubMed]
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The Valium likely relaxed you enough so that you could sleep but this class of meds is not used for Cluster.

Couple of things......the antihistamine is used by some on the board to avoid the nite time hits. Many also use melatonin, an over the counter sleep aid, start with 9 mg about 30 minutes before bed time. Give it a few days to work, many swear by its ability to kill the night time hits.

Don't expect any results from the verapamil right away. It'll take up to 14 days to build up to a therapeudic level. Many have to go way high on the dosing, up to 960 mg a day, to get relief. It is a very common first line try at  a prevent and many people have success with it. Shows your doc has at least a basic knowledge of CH. DO NOT  adjust the dose without working with the doc, it's high horse power stuff.

Then work on getting oxygen. The miracle abortive for so many CH'ers it's an absolute crime not to at least try it. My aborts run 6-8 minutes, beats the old 90 minute rides I used to take.

Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or

That link will make you an expert on 02!

Joe

Mike, as Joe said, don't give up on the verapamil too quickly. It's a long term preventative, not an abortive. It takes time to build up in your system, and many of us have found its effectiveness well beyond 400mg/day, up to 960mg/day. And do be careful of mixing too much Red Bull with the verapamil. Those of us who use both are careful to try and limit ourselves to one energy drink a day. Good luck with O2...it really rocks! Blessings. lance

Thanks again all for the support and advice; so if I understand correctly,it's unlikely the Verapaimil is going to be doing very much at the moment. I have been prescribed 3 doses of Ibuprofen at 800mg each dose and Anihistamine to assist with sleep, so the only abortive component is the Ibuprofen? I had an attack last night and took an extra dose of the Ibuprofen but of course the attack still lasted nearly 2 hrs, I was too exhausted to go to the doctor yesterday but could go today, if he still resists the O2, what other quick abortive could I suggest?
Thanks again,
Mike

Dear all,
I think I may be on the back end of this episode, its been the worst I have ever suffered, but I know that I am one of the lucky ones as mine is not chronic. I have had to to take 10 days off work and thankfully my employer has been sympathetic. I have a minor shadow now as I write this, but I hope I am through the worst. I salute you all for the support and assistance you unselfishly give, I am in awe of you all and wish you all relief from this nightmare. my poor dog has been very confused by the late night wailing walks, but I hope we are free now for a while.
I will do my utmost to make sure we have some 02 around in future, it was just luck that my wife was back in the UK on holiday for this one and didnt have to put up with it...
once again thanks.....x
mike

Mike Macau wrote on Jan 15^th, 2011 at 4:10am:



I WOULD like to ask what are the reactions after mixing valium and red bull ? is it serious ? are there some serious reactions, that can have bad influence on you?

BobG wrote on Jan 14^th, 2013 at 9:04am:


I second what BobG said. blessings. lance