Hi guys

Have managed a grand total of 6 (relatively) pain free weeks out of the last 52.

Think I've pretty much figured out what the initial trigger is though. Last year (beginning of February) I was admitted to hospital after getting an exruciating during sex. CT scan, lumbar puncture and god knows how many other tests ruled out a haemorrage and the neuro diagnosed benign coital cephalgia. Was put on Propanolol.

Within a couple of week, the clusters started. Last one was December 17th.

So... Wednesday night, same thing happens. Head exploded, other half got grumpy and went and slept on the sofa.

Thursday night the first cluster hits at 10pm. Lasted until just before 1am. I was working (cab driver) but luckily it was only a 4-ish so just swore my way through it. Went home around 2.30am, bed around 3am... Woken up with a 7/8 at 4am. Last until gone 8am, went back to bed at 9 extremely exhausted. Last night was the same... smaller attacks between 9.30pm and 2am and then a big one waking me up.

Stayed with family over Christmas and had left my oxygen there (stupidly believing that as I hadn't had a grumble for weeks that I was well out of cycle). Never doing that again. Wherever I go, from now on it goes.

I'm not due to see my neurologist until April but called his office on Friday to see about getting an earlier appointment and they've put me on the emergency list.

I'm still getting the ''sex'' headaches in addition to the CH, but as I'm on Verapamil, I can't take Propanolol. And googling doesn't bring up any other treatment - apart from abstinence - so until I see the neuro, the other halfs gonna have to find other ways of entertaining himself hehe

Anyway... Was hoping it'd be a longer break than it has been, but my heads got other ideas.

Jen

Pain is a remarkable negative reinforcer. The mere association of pain and any activity (sex included, even with its powerful positive reinforcers) can put one "out of the mood" right quickly, and for extended periods. In addition, the absence of pain when not engaging in the activity (called negative reinforcement which is the removal of an unpleasant stimuli, similar to a baby who stops crying when changed or fed) also serves to "teach us" to avoid the activity.  So, my advice, if you don't want to continue the associations of pain and sex in the long haul, is abstinence while in cycle. You seem episodic. I know it can suck. But just as we tend to avoid alcohol while in cycle, avoiding any known trigger can help shorten both the cycle and perhaps the attack. Life sucks, huh?  So do CHs. Blessings. lance

If your other half finds out about the clusterbusters approach to headache prevention he may bring you a dozen roses - and some mushrooms - on valentine's day.