First of all, i want to thank each and every person on this site for the wealth of information they put on this site.  i have been suffering these "headaches" for about 11 years.  i have pretty much let it go untreated for the most part.  i hate going to doctors, hate the test after test with no answer except that nothing was actually wrong with me physically.  i was even able to join the army and manage quite well, with the early morning headaches not affecting my performance on the job at all.  they weren't even that bad, from what i have been reading, i would say a kip 4, lasting about 15 minutes to half an hour.  i was able to ignore it and just get on with life.  that all changed a couple years ago.  i made it to my unit, the great 82nd airborne, and was introduced to a new type of personal training, crossfit.  being a motivated airborne infantryman, i gave it everything i could, to be the best, like we all do.  to that end i was succeeding, until one particular company competition almost killed me.  i ended up tearing so many muscles that my kidneys and my liver shut down in response to the dead muscle contents floating in my blood stream.  exertional rhabdomyolisis, the doctors called it.  basicaly, heat stroke without the heat.  the doctors said i was lucky to be alive, even with a constant IV drip, it still took my blood creatine kinase levels 6 days to return to a level that would allow for my release.  from then on, my little secret headaches werent so secret anymore.  i could no longer convince myself that these headaches were normal.  i tried to hide it for as long as i could, but i couldnt hide the petechiae and the conjunctival hemorrhaging that resulted from clenching so hard during attacks.  the first time my squad leader say me come in to work with my face looking like a giant bruise, he freaked out and brought me to my PA, who said i had hives and gave me an antihistamine.  after several visits with the PA telling me i am full of crap, that headaches cant possibly cause my symptoms(like he couldnt see them right in fron of his face?) my profile for the Rhabdo finaly ran out and i was free to do the infantry thing again,  so i got a new squad leader.  after a few days, new squad leader saw my face turn all red-spotty again and it scared the crap out of him.   he rushed me to the medics, who somehow knew about cluster headaches(at least the brand new PA just out of med school did), and i was immediately refered to a neurologist and was diagnosed with cluster headaches.  i am grateful to that newbie PA and the neurologist, but im IMMENSELY grateful for the knowledge i have found here.  my wife has gained a whole new level of understanding now that we know what it is.  she has been an incredible supporter for as long as i have known her, even when she didnt know that the early morning grumbling and gripes were caused by the beast.  so far i have been taking 120 mg of verapamil a day(not working yet, i think its too low)  and i have imetrex pills as an abortive.  i REALLY dont like taking the imetrex pills, as they dont really work fast enough and they seem to make subsequent attacks much more severe and frequent.  im only 24, and i had my first CH when i was 13.  didnt know what they were for so long...  it feels good to know that there are others, that there are answeres, and that im not alone in this anymore. 
im not sure what my future holds, i just know i have to get things things under control soon...  or i will end up in a place where i cant afford an attack.  thankfuly my chain of command has been supportive, they want me to get better.  im glad they arent pushing me out.  oh yeah, im chronic,  but i do get PF periods of a week or so, from time to time.  im already going to try several of the odd treatments ive seen here, including the 123 days PF one, but any suggestions would be greately appreciated.  keep in mind my situation though, if the U.S. Army wouldnt approve of it, i simply cannot touch it. thanks to everyone.
-Bird
PS:  if your reading this, i love you megan!! wouldnt know what to do without your support.

Hi Auban!

I think Richard just gave you the best advice, so I'd consider it to practically be gospel.

Maybe high flow 100% O2 would be something you could use for aborting attacks when you're at home at least?

In case this is something that could ever also be useful - breathing freezing air and/or extremely vigorous exercise will abort attacks for some of us some of the time.

Imitrex also comes in an inhaler, that some on here use, not as quick as the injection but pretty close.

Don

You might also check out Migranal. I know it is not effective for many here, but I actually respond better to it than I do to Imitrex injections. I find the trex works faster but its effects do not last as long; whereas the Migranal nasal spray takes longer to abort but remains effective for 24-36 hours. Just a thought. Blessings, and thank you for your service! lance

Hi again Bird

  I neglected to mention a couple of things.  Re the Verapamil . . . I said I got as high as 480 mg.  Many here take much more . . . 900+ and often in combinations with lithium which many find very effective (I'm NOT saying 900 mg plus lithium . . . but perhaps a lower dose Verap/lithium combination . . . something to check out with your neuro.  Also (just so you won't be surprised), as you increase the Verapamil many have some problems with constipation (I did) . . . easily corrected with diet change or stool softeners.

  Also, as you're having night hits, try Melatonin (OTC), comes in 3 mg tablets . . . 9-12 mg 45 min before bedtime.  Can eliminate the night hits or reduce the frequency/intensity of same.  Side effect . . . if you get a break-through during the night, you can wake up groggy ("what woke me up? . . . oh yeh, HIM again")

  Avoid alcohol!  A guaranteed trigger for me and 70%+ for clusterheads.

  Keep a headache journal (time of attack, duration, pain level).  Use the Kip scale and take a copy of same and your journal to the neuro when next you see him/her.

   Be Safe,

      Richard

Just to confirm; I've tried the imitrex nasal sprays and they work pretty well, 15mins and all the pressure just lifts, I mean just goes, it's weird but one of the happiest feelings! I was also given the 100mg tablets and they are useless. 45mins to an hour sometimes for me. It's better than nothing as I tend to have 3 hour stints but not good. Cost cutting is what I was told but I got my sprays back. Not tried the injectables but with the 'tip' it's got to be good. Only problem with the sprays is the 2 in 24 hour limit. Not sure if you get more rebound HAs (I think you do!) but hey not much beats that feeling of relief when you've been suffering with nothing. Good luck

Quote:


Here is a link so you can see what the nasal spray looks like.

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

Hey Bird . . . saw you online

  How did the Melatonin work for you?

    Richard

  That's great . . . glad you're getting some relief.

  Wish you could get 02 for use at home.

  Mostly, keep reading, keep asking . . . and know that we do understand your pain . . . and with info gathered here you might me able to further inform your neuro.

  Be Safe.  PFDANs

    Richard

birdman,,,why the reluctance to use 02???
next visit to the neuro i will be giving it a shot,,,
seems pretty non-invasive,,,non-chemical intervention to boot,,,
new to the medicinal regime,,,,only for a year,,,but have been asymptomatic,,but the time of the season is approaching,,and i wait with baited breath,,,
current regime:verapamil 250sr qd,,,iithium 300mg tid,,,
topramax 50mg bid,,,amitriptylin 25 mg 2 @ hs...
imitrex oral prn for acute events,,,still effective for me...
the jury is out as to whether this regime will be effective for me,,,my cycle seems to kick booty in the late summer early fall and i am complying to comply,,,
cant take the amytrip at hs btw it makes me feel like robzombie,,just cant do it,,,
so bird,,this is what they are doing for me,,and for now i am asymptomatic,,,dont know if its cycle or the meddys...
time will tell...
good luck with your quest for a leash on the beast...
peace
turd

Glad to hear of the encouraging results! 

You took a caffeine tablet and went to sleep??!! Kudos! That is a fantastic trick! 

Yep an imitrex inhaler (or two) in the pocket still sounds to me like it could be a best bet for an abortive in a combat situation - I hope you're able to test the inhaler out and verify it's effectiveness for you, then get a good prescription for it soon.

Or wouldn't that be fantastic if the D3 etc. continued to REALLY work and you'd have little to no need for abortives?

well, progress so far...  i missed the last two early morning hits altogether, however yesterday i did have a mild hit at about 4pm.  that was the last one.  i took 15 of melatonin last night, fell asleep at about 2am, and slept until 4pm.  no waking up with the beast until 4pm, and that went away after i got really ticked off at a DVD while i was still groggy.  (just goes to show the random things i get ticked off at when i havent quite woken up yet...)  anyway, im not going to be taking that much melatonin at night anymore unless i follow it with a caffiene tablet.  slept way too long...  i used to take guarana tablest at right as i fell asleep, always seemed to make it easier when i woke up.  considering they are oil based and build up in your system over a period of a few hours,  they give you enough time to fall asleep and build up enough caffiene to help you wake up.  it kinda helps sometimes with the army lifestyle.  i think between the fish oil/D3 and an increase to my verap, i might evade the beast indefenitely.  i havent been hit with CH that were this mild since before i went down from rhabdomyolisis.  back then i would run for several hours a day... i wonder how much that had to do with it...

Good point Mike.  My next neuro appointment is in less than a week, so i think I'll just keep up with what I have till then.  If  the beast stays at it's current level of energy, I think I'll be fine.  Anyway,  thanks again everyone for thier input.