Posted by Mike L (63.225.232.14) on September 11, 2000 at 01:45:10:
In Reply to: cluster migraines posted by August on September 10, 2000 at 22:20:23:
I do suffer from both clusters and migraines. Often during a migraine bout I will get a cluster attack. A completly different type of HA. I have to attach the word attack to clusters because a migraine is a severe headache not a sudden headblasting attack of pain that brings me to the floor almost every time. When I first started getting clusters they were not as severe and I thought maybe they were related to my migraine. When the clusters were not as severe I just thought my meds for migraines wore off very quickly and was getting the migraine back even though it was behind my eye and always on the same side. During my second cycle of clusters (I am now chronic) I learned the true meaning of cluster attack. To me they are two different problems altogether. However since when my clusters got chronic I started more frequent and longer lasting bouts with migraine. (Sometimes lasting several weeks). Sometimes I could stop the cycle with prednisone and break the migraine and also get some cluster relief also. The Dr.s at Diamond HA Clinic told me that when this happens you have to try to deal with the migraines as well as the clusters. Because they seemed to feed of each other. I could still barely work with just migraines. Not at all with the clusters so I only really tried to deal with the clusters. Now I use Meds to deal with both. For example Imitrex works very well for my migraines but not for my clusters. Narcotics work well for clusters but almost not at all for migraines (sometimes made them worse.) Fortunatley My Dr. has a handle on both and I get get pretty good relief. I can't use imitrex though because sometimes I get get a main artery that go into spasms and feels like a heart attack when it happens. Perhaps there is such thing as a cluster migraine? In my case it is two different problems that still cause a lot of pain. Thanks Mike L