Well, after reading hundreds of posts I figured I'd jump in and say hi.  I was so hopeful for today.  I'm in my 3rd or maybe 4th cycle of CH.  ( since I have learned what they are ). Usually only once a year, usually spring,  usually about 2 weeks and always one headache 1-2 hours after I go to bed. 
Learned my own routine.. Get up.. Get up as soon as I wake up from the pain.   Make coffee.  Take excedren, heat up a gel pack. Move to the couch, prop myself upright In the corner, put the hot patch thing on my eye, face, nose.  Then squirm, moan and wait for it to pass.  Usually 30-45 minutes.  Then they go away for a long while.......  Not this time 

Started 19 days ago...  About 7-10 days in I would get a 2nd CH sometimes after falling back asleep a few hours from the first one.  Then... If I tried to catch an afternoon nap to catch up on missed sleep......BAM... "Gotcha". And lately, getting 1 to 3 DURING THE DAY!!   It's been playing havoc with my body, work schedule, family time etc.  but you all know that already.  My girl got me a next day appt with a headache / neurologist.
HOT damn!  Was so excited.  Saw him this morning. Seems OK kinda doc. Says i seem to be right.  I am getting cluster headaches. Scheduled an MRI to check for anything else but agreed to start greeting me for CH right away.   Starting 50 mg topomax tonight. Can go to 100 in a week if no success.   Also got xxxxxxxx.
Tonight , 10:00. I felt it starting.... Coming on fast.  Took the xxxxxx.   Sat up on the couch. And it got worse and worse and worse and faded at 50 minutes.  No better than I have ever accomplished on my own .
I know it's just the start, I have to give it all time, but it was discouraging after spending 300$ to see a specialist and lick up $410 in scripts to feel absolutley nothing.   (Health insurance kicks in August 1st , thank god )
..... I'll post more tomorrow.  I was so hopeful for a chance to nock one of these lousy, life disrupting headaches, out of my head faster.   Without the "sore" feeling in my head.  Day 19. I'm so tired.... Just soooo tired.

You guys and girls have been great.  Been reading the forum off and on for a year now.

Paul
New Joisey

     Hey  Paul,  Your experiences sound a lot like mine, sure sorry you have to go through this nightmare.  Yep, 9 seems to be the magic number for most people, insurance won't pay for any more than that a month. Though oral sumatriptan is not real popular here, it has been my savior for years... to get me through the night. I cut those 100mg puppies in half and take one right before going to bed, takes an hour to go to work, just in time for that first ch of the night.  Most nights it'll buy me 6 to 7 hours of real sleep and I get 18 nights of it. There's a catch..... after a few days or more that morning wake up ch you're gonna get can be a real monster so you better have that oxygen tank ready. My worst headache off all time was a rebound ch from Imitrex..before I had oxygen. I think a lot of clusterheads would be lost without oxygen, I know I would.
   
     Sounds like you've been following this forum for a while so you know about the d3 regimen and oxygen so keep on reading and learning. And those afternoon naps, well they're a no no. Day time hits are pretty common when I'm in full cycle but a nap is a guarantee I'll get one.

      You might try running the next time one starts, I've killed many a headache within half a block and it's better than rolling on the couch like I used to do.

     Good luck and stay in touch,      Sean

Definitely Dopymax for me too.  I hated it.  Couldn't get any work done...

It would help clear the ari if you would give us an ouline of what the headache specialist had to say, what specific treatments (and doses/fequency) he prescribed. AND is "specialist" your label or does he have credentials or training in treating headache?