Hi everyone I have suffered clusters now for 5 years and always have attacks in the spring and autumn.  This years spring attacks have been more violent than  ever before with 2 really bad attacks today. 

My clusters always start behind the eye on the l/h/s of my face and spread up into forehead and down through my teeth and gums.  Its now 1.57am and have just come out of a really bad attack.  I use both 100mg Sumatriptan tablets as well as the Sumatriptan injection pack.  Niether seems to reduce the length of attacks that I endure which are usually 50 - 1 hour long.

In the words of Clint Eastwood I refer to these headaches as Cluster Fucks, sorry about the use of bad language...

Steven,

Two suggestions for abortives to start things off:  1)  On the left hand side of this screen you will see "oxygen info" highlighted in yellow.  Click on that and read it thoroughly, then post haste get to your Dr and don't leave without a prescription for at least 15 lpm of Oxygen through a non-rebreather mask.  You may need to print out pertinent information to take with you as many Dr's know little about it (or CH for that matter.  I think your Dr is one of those if he has you on Trex tablets)  Then go to the "CH.com store" button down a ways and order the O2ptimask.  It will be the best $30 you ever spent for CH.  It is tremendously better than the little things the med suppliers want to give you.  I would seriously consider buying a regulator that will take your flow rate to at least 25 lpm, but that is for you to decide.  Many of us have found a higher flow rate is much better than 15 lpm.  If you have troubles getting O2 let us know and we will help you work around them.  2)  Get some Red Bull, Monster, RockStar, 5hr Energy (my preference) or another energy drink with caffeine and Taurene.  Slam it down as quickly as possible at the very first sign of an attack.  I won't usually totally kill a hit, but within 5-8 minutes I can knock it down to a level I can work with.

Next, to preventatives:  1)  Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or ; You may not want to go that route, your choice, but at least you need to look into the alternatives.  It has been very successful for about 87% if those who have tried it.  2)  Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or ; This is the Vitamin D regimen that has been very helpful to quite a number of us.  It is all healthy stuff that you probably need anyway.  It is quite a long thread now, but at least read enough to have a thorough understanding of it and give it a try. 

My thought is that it is always preferable to prevent rather than to abort.  Also, if you wait for your Dr to make you pain free, you will be in pain for a long long time.  It is up to you to educate yourself and to find what works for you.  Do so working with your Dr as much as you can, but sometimes you just have to take matters under control for yourself. 

There is almost 15 yrs of compiled information available on this website.  Probably more than is available anywhere else in the world.  Take some time and read, read, and read some more.  Use the search box to search topics, and then ask questions.  we are here to help you.  You don't have to go it alone any longer.

Jerry