Hi Everyone

My husband has had CH's for approx 30 yrs, 18 yrs that I've been with him.  He is 48.  He gets episodic CH's, usually about once a year.  Since learning about O2 therapy on this site in 2002, we have used only O2 to abort his headaches.  In full mid cluster, he gets about 3-5 per night, once he falls into REM sleep, and using O2 usually aborts them within 15 mins as long as he jumps on them very fast.  If he wakes to a CH, then the results with O2 are mixed and may or may not be sucessful.

He had been PF for 3 yrs, until 3 weeks ago.  O2 this time seemed to be working, but the first bad night where he didn't feel that he was getting enough O2, fast enough, had me back onto the website looking for new information for him.  Reading about the masks, had us tweaking his NRM, and now he breathes straight from the valve, in and out as properly outlined on the website and at a higher flow rate than previous years.  This modification was because he only really breathes through one nostril because of an old hockey injury and this time, seemed panicy that he wasn't getting enought O2 to beat the CH.  We are using 15 lpm now instead of 10-12.  The CH's seem to be much stronger this time; still 4-5 a night, nothing really through the day, and taking approx 15-30 mins on O2 to completely abort (the last 5 mins is when the CH is gone, just making sure...)

So...we are tired!!  Yes, we are having a great success rate in aborting the CH's, but bottom line, we haven't had REM sleep in almost 3 wks.  I wake with him for moral support and to help him remember to breathe deeply and calmly as he panics with the pain intensity (ice picks of joy).

Reading again on the message boards, I am wondering about him trying Melatonin?  For him, the worry is that if the melatonin puts him in too deep a sleep, will he sleep through the shadows that wake him that a CH is coming, and allow him to jump on the O2 really fast for success?  Or does melatonin somehow allow the person to sleep for 4-5 hrs, and only have a couple CH's during the night?

Not sure if I've given you all too much info or too little, but I thought that I would try to get a quick post going (my first on hubby's behalf) as night time is approaching.  We stay awake as long as we can, to delay the start of the nightly dance, but are getting so tired that about 10:30-11pm, we are off to begin the dreaded night hours.  Work through the day is getting tougher and tougher.

Thoughts?  Other info needed?  Thanks in advance to anyone who is able to respond, or post this to the proper area...

Denise (and Lyle)

There is a supporters corner on the main board, and like
yourself being a supporter for your hubby you may get a better response there. As Don said Melatonin at 5-15mg
two hours before going too bed is known to keep the beast
at bay.

Hoppy.