Hello everyone

After a head cold which then morphed into a sinus infection, on Monday i began getting an odd pain over and around my right eye, which shot down my head to the bottom of my skull. It was on and off, sort of a dull pain.

But then i awoke at 2am this morning with very severe pain in the same area...like my eye was going to pop out. I became nauseous about a half hour later and vomited. I know, yuck.

The pain subsided somewhat in about an hour, after which i managed to get back to sleep. But when i woke up this morning there was still sort of a "ghost" pain in the same area, which would hurt more if i coughed or sneezed.

I'm going to the Doc's next week because i've never experienced anything quite like this. I don't think it's related to my earlier sinus problems, so after searching on the net, i found that "cluster headaches" seemed to match what i've been experiencing. Does this seem likely to others?

thanks,
sam

It's possible! Most of us start in our teens but starting later is not unheard of. I'd strongly suggest getting a referral to a headache specialist neurologist if at all possible. Your average general practitioner gets about 4 hours TOTAL training on all headache types in doctor school. Your garden variety neuro doesn't get much more. Headaches are a specialty field, it's one of those times where going to the expert can REALLY shorten your diagnostic time and subsequently your suffering time.

Between now and your doctor appointment, start a diary. When the attacks start how fast the pain builds, how high the pain level goes, the type of pain, pounding vs. stabbing etc., any secondary symptoms you observe in your eyes, sinus, nausea etc., how long the pain stays at peak how fast it fades. Look for food and environmental triggers. Most of your headache diagnosis is in the details so the more details you give the doc the more pieces of the puzzle he'll have.

Hoping it's not CH. If it is, don't lose this website, it's the single best source of CH info on the planet.

Joe

Typically CH'ers don't get the nausea. Some do but it's a small number. The only nausea issue I've ever had was with the old school CH meds that really messed with the stomach. The "eye ache" is what catches my eye....(sorry it slipped!!!)....that's one of the classic CH poses..... bent over with the hand cupping the eye. Still way early in the game to call a diagnosis, hoping it's something they can tweak and be done with. Do let us know either way, adds to the "experience bank" for the board.

Joe

Update...

I haven't had another attack, and the "ghost" feeling i'd been experiencing this week seems to have dissipated.

I just had a conversation with my sister. It turns out my brother-in-law has had bouts with CH's ... Oddly enough, he has gone about 10 years without one...until just yesterday!! 

His "regular doctor" had prescribed Imitrex for him back then. He said it made his heart race and he stopped using it.  After that,  he tried acupuncture , and he thinks that worked, up until now.  He's had 3 in about 24 hours.

I sent them the link to this forum, and also to the Omega-3/vitamin regimen.