Hi, just want to introduce myself as a new member to this forum. (Thanks to Peter510 for linking me to this site which is actually very difficult to find on the web). My name is Con, I am 51 years old and I am very much an apprentice clusterhead. Thankfully I am married to a wonderful caring wife and have 2 very supportive sons who are both in university.  I live in Co. Cork, Ireland (very much a Dub exiled in Cork for his sins). Non-drinker, non-smoker.

Here’s my cluster story so far:
On the 20th of November 2015, I awoke with the most excruciating pain through my right eye and right side of my head. I initially thought that it was a migraine which I suffer from occasionally. That was not that case and I ended up in the ER. ER doctors diagnosed cluster headaches following a detailed assessment. This was further confirmed by my GP, a full in hospital medical assessment and a neurologist.

Since November 20th my life has been on hold. I have been unable work, socialise, exercise to any extent and at times even read. My new ‘friend’ arrives in the early hours of the morning when it suits him with no particular pattern, he kicks my ass and leaves me in a mess. Normally it takes me 3-4 days to start to feel anyway ok again but even at that I find I must pace myself through the day so as to have enough energy to get to bedtime. Every time I start to slowly ramp up my activities to somehow begin to get back to normal my ‘friend’ visits me again. My GP recently described my situation like a game of snakes and ladders.

On the treatment side, O2 and Zomig are very effective for stopping the pain when my ‘friend’ arrives however they do nothing for the after effects which last for days. I was initially put on Verapamil 360mg per day however this had a serious effect on my blood pressure and gave me what I would call movement or reading headaches. I was then put on amitriptyline but this had no effect on my ‘friend’ and left me in a bad way in the mornings. For the past month I have been back on Verapamil 120mg per day but always have a background headache and my ‘friend’ still visits. My dosage was increased to 240mg in the past week giving me more headaches and my ‘friend’ came to visit the other night.

My wife is a strong believer in the benefits of vitamin D and I have been taking a daily dose of 1250IU. I firmly believe that this had had a very positive effect on my mood and has helped keep me positive throughout this challenge.  I also find being out in the sun (when it shines here in Ireland) very comforting.
From talking with Peter the D3 regime looks like my next port of a call and I intend to discuss it with my doctor during my check up next week.
Thank you for reading, I still have a lot to learn about my ‘friend’. I hope that I can make meaningful contribution to this forum over time
Stay positive
Con      

hello and wellcome con..
You are in the best place for read and get support about CH.
( i say that.. and.. i am new on this forum.. but u will discover it soon ).
It looks that vitamine d3 regime by batch have awesome results.. im going to try as soon i have the blood analysis.

Meanwhile.. my tip for you.. try to focus in all the small problems you have in your body.. ( stomach.. problems in the column ?? .. apnea ?? etc etc etc.

Wellcome !

Starting Cluster at age 51puts you in an awkward age  in that most new cases appear in late teens to early 20s.

Raises the possibililty that you have one of a wide range of cluster-like disorders which are not headache disorders but which appear to be headache. Suggest you raise this question  with you doc soon.
===
Yet another report on the need to work with a headache specialist if we are to obtain optimal treatment. A secondary lesson: use of abortives BEFORE a diagnosis is made can mislead the physician by masking important clinical signs.
===========================

Cephalalgia. 2009 Sep 7. 
Cluster-like headache. A comprehensive reappraisal.

Mainardi F, Trucco M, Maggioni F, Palestini C, Dainese F, Zanchin G.

Headache Centre, Neurological Division, SS. Giovanni e Paolo Hospital, Venice, Italy.

Among the primary headaches, cluster headache (CH) presents very particular features allowing a relatively easy diagnosis based on criteria listed in Chapter 3 of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-II). HOWEVER, AS IN ALL PRIMARY HEADACHES, POSSIBLE UNDERLYING CAUSAL CONDITIONS MUST BE EXCLUDED TO RULE OUT A SECONDARY CLUSTER-LIKE HEADACHE (CLH). The observation of some cases with clinical features mimicking primary CH, but of secondary origin, led us to perform an extended review of CLH reports in the literature. We identified 156 CLH cases published from 1975 to 2008. The more frequent pathologies in association with CLH were the vascular ones (38.5%, n = 57), followed by tumours (25.7%, n = 38) and inflammatory infectious diseases (13.5%, n = 20). Eighty were excluded from further analysis, because of inadequate information. The remaining 76 were divided into two groups: those that satisfied the ICHD-II diagnostic criteria for CH, 'fulfilling' group (F), n = 38; and those with a symptomatology in disagreement with one or more ICHD-II criteria, 'not fulfilling' group (NF), n = 38. Among the aims of this study was the possible identification of clinical features leading to the suspicion of a symptomatic origin. In the differential diagnosis with CH, red flags resulted both for F and NF, older age at onset; for NF, abnormal neurological/general examination (73.6%), duration (34.2%), frequency (15.8%) and localization (10.5%) of the attacks. WE STRESS THE FACT THAT, ON FIRST OBSERVATION, 50% OF CLH PRESENTED AS F CASES, PERFECTLY MIMICKING CH. THEREFORE, THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCURATE, CLINICAL EVALUATION AND OF NEUROIMAGING CANNOT BE OVERESTIMATED.

PMID: 19735480 [PubMed]

All,

Thank you for the kind welcome to the CH fraternity and for the advice and information. I will be able to have a more informed discussion with my GP when I meet her next week.

Thierry,

I actually work in Galway, hopefully someday soon I will actually get back to work.

Stay positive
Con.

My first dance with the devil happened 3 years ago when I was 60.  So, while it is rare, a few of us do indeed get it later in life.

Sorry to hear you are one of us.

Hey Stevo, great to know there's another Irish here, though don't wish on anyone to end up here.
You probably guess from the name that I'm not irish, but i'm here in Galway 28 years now, i came for 2 weeks lol.
Like yourself, i'm on Batch's D3 regimen and smiling. I'm just rarely getting shadows in spring.
So far (as far as I know) there are 5 people (including me) on this site that are in Ireland, would be good to organise a meet up sometime.
Peter's in Waterford, Con in Cork, yourself in Dublin, 1 lady in Kerry (sorry, i forget her name) and myself in Galway. And all of us are on Batch D3 regimen. Batch saves Ireland 

All the best, may you remain PF.

Stevo,

Thanks for the welcome, starting my 1st full week on Batch's D3 regime after consultation with my GP & Neuro, so here's hoping.

One week off the verapamil and the difference to my body is unbelievable, feel noticeably better every day.

Stay positive

Con.