It's hit and miss to try and work thru such situations withou working with a skilled doc. If at all possible;

LOCATING HEADACHE SPECIALIST

1. Yellow Pages phone book: look for "Headache Clinics" in the M.D. section and look under "neurologist" where some docs will list speciality areas of practice.

2.  Call your hospital/medical center. They often have an office to assist in finding a physician. You may have to ask for the social worker/patient advocate.

3. Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or ; On-line screen to find a physician.

4. Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or Look for "Physician Finder" search box. They will send a list of M.D.s for your state.I suggest using this source for several reasons: first, we have read several messages from people who, even seeing neurologists, are unhappy with the quality of care and ATTITUDES they have encountered; second, the clinical director of the Jefferson (Philadelphia) Headache Clinic said, in late 1999, that upwards of 40%+ of U.S. doctors have poor training in treating headache and/or hold attitudes about headache ("hysterical female disorder") which block them from sympathetic and effective work with the patient; third, it's necessary to find a doctor who has experience, skill, and a set of attitudes which give hope of success. This is the best method I know of to find such a physician.

5. Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or NEW certification program for "Headache Medicine" by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties, an independent, non-profit, professional medical organization.
        Since this is a new program, the initial listing is limited and so it should be checked each time you have an interest in locating a headache doctor.
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But, when the usual main stream meds don't work it's time to consider that the issue may not be Cluster.

See:     Look under: Medications,  Treatments,  Therapies › Important Topics >Cluster-LIKE headache

It's very common, with Cluster, to have to change both meds and doses over a period of months before finding the combination which works for you. It's not a one-fix kind of disorder.

See the PDF file, below. It makes it clear that patience and and a skilled doc are essential

Hi! I'm new too! Welcome, and congrats for being so brave to make it through 8 years, you're really strong and I bet nobody knows how you try each and every day!

{ big hug }

They're right, give o2 another chance!
- non-rebreather mask
- higher lpm ( actually I've been rationing my tanks, and realized maybe that is why i only have 80% success rate with o2, because I use almost half the flow rate, which does work a lot of the time, but not all the time. I need 8-13 generally, but now I will try higher too, I see here 15-25 works best, you can try it with me! )
- 100% tanks only, the 80-95% generator just beeps and makes me sad. lol.

rotating ice packs, always one lying around here somewhere, heh.

good luck! hang in there, you can do it!



[edit: to say 15-25 lpm is best! ]