Hi Krys
You and your husband have certainly been going through a pretty tough time, not helped by how the different doctors have been handling things.
Whilst many parts of your description sound just like a cluster headaches (CH), there are some parts that don't, like going unconscious. You also said "he's now getting a different type of stabbing pain after he falls asleep that causes him to wake up mid-scream, but then it goes away in a few minutes" - this sounds like it could be something else as most CHs last longer than a few minutes. It could also be a combination of headache types.
We're not medical doctors here, so you really need to get your husband to see a neurologist who specializes in headaches as there are a number of other things that give similar symptoms to CHs but need to be treated differently. An accurate diagnosis from such a specialist will get your husband started on the treatment he needs.
Where are you in the world? There are some suggested doctors on the OUCH website - Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to
or
.
Do keep a diary of the headaches, note the time, duration, pain level, symptoms and anything else that may seem applicable, e.g. started just after drinking wine, etc. This will help with the diagnosis.
Have you tried the CH quiz - Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to
or
- this can be a good guide, but it's not definitive.
Some of the medication you've listed is not normally used for treating CHs. Fioricet is normally used for treating tension headaches. Dilaudid is an opiate based pain killer, which will have little impact on the pain from CH and opiates can cause multiple other problems, so are normally avoided with CH. Naproxen is an anti-inflammatory, again not normally used with CHs.
Some of the other medication is more useful for CH. Prednisone is often given as a preventive, starting at a high dose (around 60mg) and tapering off over about 2 weeks. This for many people will stop the CHs, however it should not be used long term. It is normally used to give time for a different prevent, e.g. verapamil, lithium, topomax, etc. to build up to an effective dose.
Imitrex injections can be very effective in aborting a CH, however restricting it to just 2-3 times per week is probably over cautious, however it can be pretty tough on the heart so other medical issues with your husband might be why he is restricted to 2-3 times a week.
Oxygen can be highly effective with CHs, however you need to start it soon after the CH starts, so waiting long enough to get to hospital is unlikely to give the best results. When using it, a high flow rate (15lpm or higher) using a non-re-breather mask can be very effective. I can kill my CHs in about 6 minutes at 25lpm and I try to be within a few minutes of one of my oxygen cylinders so I can get on it ASAP.
Oxygen shouldn't be as hard as it is to get. Some people here have been using welding oxygen, which is just as effective and you can get it without a prescription. This can all be sorted out very quickly, not having to take weeks. Posting where you are in the world will let people give you info on how to get it a lot quicker.
You've not mentioned using energy drinks - look for something with taurine and caffeine, like Red Bull, Monster, Mother or similar (depending on where you are in the world). Drinking one of these rapidly at the start of a CH can reduce the intensity and / or duration of the CH.
I hope this helps.
You're bound to have lots more questions, keep reading and keep asking them.