Hello just wanted to introduce myself to this forum. I was first diagnosed with CH back in 2009 after numerous CT scans, MRI's, and xrays, and also expensive doctors bills. I am 32 years old and feel like I am 100 sometimes. I have been taking verapamil for about two years which does not seem to help much and also imitrex which just gives me the worse abdominal pain but anything is better than that pain. I've also tried oxygen but had to return because of price but  I am considering getting it again. I have been reading this forum and I notice a lot of people's episodes strike in thier sleep, I am a little different my episodes strike more around noon and its a pain in the rear when you teach students for a living!! I am finally glad to find somewhere that I can vent or even just ask questions from someone who I know Knows how it feels.

Welccme to the board. Do look back at oxygen again, as insurance companies are now covering it, it's so much cheaper per abort then most other meds we use.

As Bejeeber said, the imitrex pills are generally worthless for CH. They just take too long to be absorbed and our attacks tend to build fast. Either injectable or nasal is the only way to go.

If verapamil is no longer helping, talk to your doc about adding lithium. Often called the "chronic cocktail" it's worked for some when neither standing alone was providing any relief.

And look at the Clusterbusters site. It's been a tremendous help to many for whom traditional meds just were not hacking it. Welcome to the board. Read like crazy, a knowledgeable CH'er hurts a lot less.

joe