Icepick cluster headaches
Discussion
Any other sufferers here?
I was recently diagnosed with this unpleasant condition. For those who haven't heard of it, imagine someone pressing a nail gun to your head and firing it just over your eye socket so it goes down into the back of your eye. Sometimes the nail is attached to the mains electrics - the pain is sudden, severe, and lasts between a few seconds and up to half a minute. Now imagine this happening between 20 and 40 times a day. And it waking you at night. It is exhausting, debilitating and no fun whatsoever. Treatment so far is 20mg sumatriptan delivered via nasal spray - it's marginally effective at best; normal painkillers won't touch the sides.
I've had a referral to neurology, just in case, as my father had similar symptoms prior to his diagnosis and death from a brain tumour. But that's proving to be a nightmare of bureaucratic red tape and GP incompetence.
Anyway, enough moaning. Just curious to know if anyone else has this and what treatment works for you. I've read about this being connected with the vagus nerve and vagal nerve stimulation sometimes being effective. But what I've read about this all seem highly conjectural with a side-order of woo. Plus the vagal nerve stimulation machines are stupid expensive.
I was recently diagnosed with this unpleasant condition. For those who haven't heard of it, imagine someone pressing a nail gun to your head and firing it just over your eye socket so it goes down into the back of your eye. Sometimes the nail is attached to the mains electrics - the pain is sudden, severe, and lasts between a few seconds and up to half a minute. Now imagine this happening between 20 and 40 times a day. And it waking you at night. It is exhausting, debilitating and no fun whatsoever. Treatment so far is 20mg sumatriptan delivered via nasal spray - it's marginally effective at best; normal painkillers won't touch the sides.
I've had a referral to neurology, just in case, as my father had similar symptoms prior to his diagnosis and death from a brain tumour. But that's proving to be a nightmare of bureaucratic red tape and GP incompetence.
Anyway, enough moaning. Just curious to know if anyone else has this and what treatment works for you. I've read about this being connected with the vagus nerve and vagal nerve stimulation sometimes being effective. But what I've read about this all seem highly conjectural with a side-order of woo. Plus the vagal nerve stimulation machines are stupid expensive.
I remember watching a tv programme a few years ago where a doctor would stay with someone with a problem they couldn’t work out what the cause was.
On the programme there was a woman with similar symptoms to yours. Turns out she had a car accident a few years before and had a trapped nerve or similar iirc, so perhaps it could be something like that??
On the programme there was a woman with similar symptoms to yours. Turns out she had a car accident a few years before and had a trapped nerve or similar iirc, so perhaps it could be something like that??
I have suffered with something similar but only occasionally not as much as you have. What I tend to do is run a basin full of cold water and put my face in it as long as I can hold my breath, then I do the same with each side of my head. I don't dry my face or head off, just let it dry naturally, helps I have a shaved head though lol. May sound weird, but it really does help (well it helps me) as a short term measure to get it under control.
Failing that I take two 400mg tablets of cuprafen to assist
Failing that I take two 400mg tablets of cuprafen to assist
Ladders said:
I remember watching a tv programme a few years ago where a doctor would stay with someone with a problem they couldn’t work out what the cause was.
On the programme there was a woman with similar symptoms to yours. Turns out she had a car accident a few years before and had a trapped nerve or similar iirc, so perhaps it could be something like that??
You're not the only person to mention trapped nerves in my neck. But apart from a lousy posture, there's been no trauma in that area.On the programme there was a woman with similar symptoms to yours. Turns out she had a car accident a few years before and had a trapped nerve or similar iirc, so perhaps it could be something like that??
snoopy25 said:
I have suffered with something similar but only occasionally not as much as you have. What I tend to do is run a basin full of cold water and put my face in it as long as I can hold my breath, then I do the same with each side of my head. I don't dry my face or head off, just let it dry naturally, helps I have a shaved head though lol. May sound weird, but it really does help (well it helps me) as a short term measure to get it under control.
Failing that I take two 400mg tablets of cuprafen to assist
Not sure the near-drowning suggestion appeals Failing that I take two 400mg tablets of cuprafen to assist
I used to suffer from frequent migraines, triggered most by stress and alcohol, but once I got my stupidly high blood pressure under control they mostly went away. But this is a whole new thing, but I think stress is still a major factor in what's triggering them. Dealing with that is not so easy as much of is external and out of my control.
Replying as i have just been woken up by a cluster headache and was doing some googling.
I have had them for around 8 years, usually in September/October and would stay for a few weeks, then disappear.
It is always the same, headache on the right side of my head, along with neck pain, teeth pain, and a blocked nose on the right side only. Would sometimes result in vomitting.
Mine started this year in April, i believe triggered by long haul travel somewhere warmer. I have previously visited the doctor but have been brushed off. This year my GP referred me and I saw a neurologist who diagnosed me with cluster headaches within 20 minutes.
I have been given verapamil to take daily to try and stop this cluster but most importantly I have been given sumatriptans injections which are an absolute life changer.
When a headache starts (or I wake up with one) I use this auto injector, within 2-3 minutes the headache is gone- replaced with a slight tingling sensation for a few minutes. I’ve never had anything this effective.
So if you can ask your gp I’d highly recommend getting them. Imigran Subject is the proper name, but yeah highly effective and I feel like I have some freedom back when it comes to these headaches.
Any questions please fire away. Not met anyone myself that also suffers
I have had them for around 8 years, usually in September/October and would stay for a few weeks, then disappear.
It is always the same, headache on the right side of my head, along with neck pain, teeth pain, and a blocked nose on the right side only. Would sometimes result in vomitting.
Mine started this year in April, i believe triggered by long haul travel somewhere warmer. I have previously visited the doctor but have been brushed off. This year my GP referred me and I saw a neurologist who diagnosed me with cluster headaches within 20 minutes.
I have been given verapamil to take daily to try and stop this cluster but most importantly I have been given sumatriptans injections which are an absolute life changer.
When a headache starts (or I wake up with one) I use this auto injector, within 2-3 minutes the headache is gone- replaced with a slight tingling sensation for a few minutes. I’ve never had anything this effective.
So if you can ask your gp I’d highly recommend getting them. Imigran Subject is the proper name, but yeah highly effective and I feel like I have some freedom back when it comes to these headaches.
Any questions please fire away. Not met anyone myself that also suffers
Thanks for the reply; I'd forgotten I'd posted this.
The sumatriptan I was taking was having no noticeable impact on my headaches.
A few weeks ago I managed to get an appointment with a neurologist through Bupa, who diagnosed a rare condition called SUNA (short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with cranial autonomic symptoms). Treatment for this condition is completely different and the neurologist prescribed Lamotrigine, which is mainly used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder.
Due to my monstrously inefficient GP surgery, I've only just had these tablets. Reading the accompanying leaflet was enlightening; the list of possible side effects is as long as it is frightening, but I will be on a low dose so fingers crossed.
I also have an MRI of my head tomorrow. While SUNA is mostly a primary condition, it can also be a secondary condition brought on by a pituitary gland tumour. So yay! That's not in any way worrying...
The most puzzling thing in all this is that a few days after the neurologist saw me, the attacks mostly stopped. I know this is an episodic condition, but I had a coughing fit (cause unrelated - I was was watching something very funny on TV and something caught in my throat). However, after the coughing fit my vision went weird, like someone had turned up the contrast and brightness on my eyes - even in the dimly lit room, everything was painful to look at and I had to go lie in a dark room and sleep. Even when I had severe migraines it was never like that. It may be unrelated, but since then I've had no severe pain attacks.
The sumatriptan I was taking was having no noticeable impact on my headaches.
A few weeks ago I managed to get an appointment with a neurologist through Bupa, who diagnosed a rare condition called SUNA (short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with cranial autonomic symptoms). Treatment for this condition is completely different and the neurologist prescribed Lamotrigine, which is mainly used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder.
Due to my monstrously inefficient GP surgery, I've only just had these tablets. Reading the accompanying leaflet was enlightening; the list of possible side effects is as long as it is frightening, but I will be on a low dose so fingers crossed.
I also have an MRI of my head tomorrow. While SUNA is mostly a primary condition, it can also be a secondary condition brought on by a pituitary gland tumour. So yay! That's not in any way worrying...
The most puzzling thing in all this is that a few days after the neurologist saw me, the attacks mostly stopped. I know this is an episodic condition, but I had a coughing fit (cause unrelated - I was was watching something very funny on TV and something caught in my throat). However, after the coughing fit my vision went weird, like someone had turned up the contrast and brightness on my eyes - even in the dimly lit room, everything was painful to look at and I had to go lie in a dark room and sleep. Even when I had severe migraines it was never like that. It may be unrelated, but since then I've had no severe pain attacks.
judas said:
Thanks for the reply; I'd forgotten I'd posted this.
The sumatriptan I was taking was having no noticeable impact on my headaches.
A few weeks ago I managed to get an appointment with a neurologist through Bupa, who diagnosed a rare condition called SUNA (short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with cranial autonomic symptoms). Treatment for this condition is completely different and the neurologist prescribed Lamotrigine, which is mainly used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder.
Due to my monstrously inefficient GP surgery, I've only just had these tablets. Reading the accompanying leaflet was enlightening; the list of possible side effects is as long as it is frightening, but I will be on a low dose so fingers crossed.
I also have an MRI of my head tomorrow. While SUNA is mostly a primary condition, it can also be a secondary condition brought on by a pituitary gland tumour. So yay! That's not in any way worrying...
The most puzzling thing in all this is that a few days after the neurologist saw me, the attacks mostly stopped. I know this is an episodic condition, but I had a coughing fit (cause unrelated - I was was watching something very funny on TV and something caught in my throat). However, after the coughing fit my vision went weird, like someone had turned up the contrast and brightness on my eyes - even in the dimly lit room, everything was painful to look at and I had to go lie in a dark room and sleep. Even when I had severe migraines it was never like that. It may be unrelated, but since then I've had no severe pain attacks.
I take slightly over the max recommended dose of Lamotrogine (Lamictal).The sumatriptan I was taking was having no noticeable impact on my headaches.
A few weeks ago I managed to get an appointment with a neurologist through Bupa, who diagnosed a rare condition called SUNA (short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with cranial autonomic symptoms). Treatment for this condition is completely different and the neurologist prescribed Lamotrigine, which is mainly used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder.
Due to my monstrously inefficient GP surgery, I've only just had these tablets. Reading the accompanying leaflet was enlightening; the list of possible side effects is as long as it is frightening, but I will be on a low dose so fingers crossed.
I also have an MRI of my head tomorrow. While SUNA is mostly a primary condition, it can also be a secondary condition brought on by a pituitary gland tumour. So yay! That's not in any way worrying...
The most puzzling thing in all this is that a few days after the neurologist saw me, the attacks mostly stopped. I know this is an episodic condition, but I had a coughing fit (cause unrelated - I was was watching something very funny on TV and something caught in my throat). However, after the coughing fit my vision went weird, like someone had turned up the contrast and brightness on my eyes - even in the dimly lit room, everything was painful to look at and I had to go lie in a dark room and sleep. Even when I had severe migraines it was never like that. It may be unrelated, but since then I've had no severe pain attacks.
Scary list of side-effects indeed. But most are quite rare.
My advice - if you get a rash; go straight to hospital. Don’t stop for a coffee as ‘well its just a bit of rash’.
You could be dead in hours.
jdw100 said:
I take slightly over the max recommended dose of Lamotrogine (Lamictal).
Scary list of side-effects indeed. But most are quite rare.
My advice - if you get a rash; go straight to hospital. Don’t stop for a coffee as ‘well its just a bit of rash’.
You could be dead in hours.
Well, wasn't that a reassuring pep talk! Scary list of side-effects indeed. But most are quite rare.
My advice - if you get a rash; go straight to hospital. Don’t stop for a coffee as ‘well its just a bit of rash’.
You could be dead in hours.
judas said:
jdw100 said:
I take slightly over the max recommended dose of Lamotrogine (Lamictal).
Scary list of side-effects indeed. But most are quite rare.
My advice - if you get a rash; go straight to hospital. Don’t stop for a coffee as ‘well its just a bit of rash’.
You could be dead in hours.
Well, wasn't that a reassuring pep talk! Scary list of side-effects indeed. But most are quite rare.
My advice - if you get a rash; go straight to hospital. Don’t stop for a coffee as ‘well its just a bit of rash’.
You could be dead in hours.
‘If you develop a rash, fever, or swollen lymph nodes while taking Lamictal, contact your doctor or seek emergency care immediately.’
Any rash in first eight weeks of treatment - straight to hospital.
Can’t mess around with this stuff!
Grim but worth the warning as most men will get the rash and think, like men do; I’ll give that a few days see if goes away…..just a rash.
I would have done exactly that, but my neurologist really hammered the point home.
jdw100 said:
Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis are life-threatening conditions and require prompt diagnosis and treatment.
‘If you develop a rash, fever, or swollen lymph nodes while taking Lamictal, contact your doctor or seek emergency care immediately.’
Any rash in first eight weeks of treatment - straight to hospital.
Can’t mess around with this stuff!
Grim but worth the warning as most men will get the rash and think, like men do; I’ll give that a few days see if goes away…..just a rash.
I would have done exactly that, but my neurologist really hammered the point home.
Yeah, I read the leaflet that came with the meds - twice. This is not something to be blasé about. But frankly, even the non-life threatening side effects look to be far worse than the condition they're treating. :/‘If you develop a rash, fever, or swollen lymph nodes while taking Lamictal, contact your doctor or seek emergency care immediately.’
Any rash in first eight weeks of treatment - straight to hospital.
Can’t mess around with this stuff!
Grim but worth the warning as most men will get the rash and think, like men do; I’ll give that a few days see if goes away…..just a rash.
I would have done exactly that, but my neurologist really hammered the point home.
Did you get any of the side effects?
Hi Judas - sorry to read about your head problem. I'm a longtime 'clusterhead'. Having been treated by several GP's for years and years for what they all decided was migraine I was eventually diagnosed as a chronic cluster headache sufferer. 'Chronic' is daily attacks without any form of remission, 'episodic' is short bouts followed by long[ish' periods of remission. It was a long road to get this diagnosis - countless arguments with GP's, referrals to three different specialists at our local hospital all of whom ended up with the severe migraine diagnosis. After one very confrontational meeting with one of these so-called specialists I finally mamaged to get a referral to Dr Giorgio Lambru at St Thomas' Hospital in London. What a breathe of fresh air my first meeting with him. He is one of the top consultants in UK on Cluster Headache and SUNC. The net result was a diagnosis of sumatriptan injections - what a life-saver these have turned out to be. My twice daily attacks were [and still are] aborted within 5 - 10 minutes of a jab. Over the years I've been a bit of a guinea-pig for alternative treatments [injections into my head just above the eyebrow, pulsed electrical treatment to the base of the brain, etc all of which have worked after a fashion & lasted for up to six months before I've had to go back to the old favorite of sumatriptan. The problem is that there is no real 'cure' for a condition where the cause is not really fully understood. The number one expert in this field is Professor Goadsby who once told us that until such time as there are thousands & thousands of confirmed sufferers there will be precious little research carried into the condition - no money available in the NHS and drug companies not willing to commit to investigating & coming up with a solution which would generate an income stream for them. No-one seems to know how many 'clusterheads' there are in UK but something under 40,000 has been mentioned.
If like myself and others you have found GP's to be a relative waste of space bear in mind that most of them have never ever heard of cluster - the redhot needle or six inch nail driven into the skull over an eye. Luckily for new sufferers the word is slowly spreading tghrough the world of GP's.
We clusterheads use a pain scale of 1 thro 10 to record attacks, with 10 being the most agonising. Women have described a full-blown 10 as being 10 time more painful than natural childbirth. I also know of a fellow sufferer who put his head through a 100mm concrete block wall as it was at the time the only way to get some minimal relief from the full-blown 10 he was suffering!
A lot of us belong to OUCH[UK] - the Organisation for the Understanding of Cluster Headaches. The website is www.ouch.org and it contains a wealth of information and advice.
If like myself and others you have found GP's to be a relative waste of space bear in mind that most of them have never ever heard of cluster - the redhot needle or six inch nail driven into the skull over an eye. Luckily for new sufferers the word is slowly spreading tghrough the world of GP's.
We clusterheads use a pain scale of 1 thro 10 to record attacks, with 10 being the most agonising. Women have described a full-blown 10 as being 10 time more painful than natural childbirth. I also know of a fellow sufferer who put his head through a 100mm concrete block wall as it was at the time the only way to get some minimal relief from the full-blown 10 he was suffering!
A lot of us belong to OUCH[UK] - the Organisation for the Understanding of Cluster Headaches. The website is www.ouch.org and it contains a wealth of information and advice.
Ivor Flag said:
Hi Judas - sorry to read about your head problem. I'm a longtime 'clusterhead'. Having been treated by several GP's for years and years for what they all decided was migraine I was eventually diagnosed as a chronic cluster headache sufferer. 'Chronic' is daily attacks without any form of remission, 'episodic' is short bouts followed by long[ish' periods of remission. It was a long road to get this diagnosis - countless arguments with GP's, referrals to three different specialists at our local hospital all of whom ended up with the severe migraine diagnosis. After one very confrontational meeting with one of these so-called specialists I finally mamaged to get a referral to Dr Giorgio Lambru at St Thomas' Hospital in London. What a breathe of fresh air my first meeting with him. He is one of the top consultants in UK on Cluster Headache and SUNC. The net result was a diagnosis of sumatriptan injections - what a life-saver these have turned out to be. My twice daily attacks were [and still are] aborted within 5 - 10 minutes of a jab. Over the years I've been a bit of a guinea-pig for alternative treatments [injections into my head just above the eyebrow, pulsed electrical treatment to the base of the brain, etc all of which have worked after a fashion & lasted for up to six months before I've had to go back to the old favorite of sumatriptan. The problem is that there is no real 'cure' for a condition where the cause is not really fully understood. The number one expert in this field is Professor Goadsby who once told us that until such time as there are thousands & thousands of confirmed sufferers there will be precious little research carried into the condition - no money available in the NHS and drug companies not willing to commit to investigating & coming up with a solution which would generate an income stream for them. No-one seems to know how many 'clusterheads' there are in UK but something under 40,000 has been mentioned.
If like myself and others you have found GP's to be a relative waste of space bear in mind that most of them have never ever heard of cluster - the redhot needle or six inch nail driven into the skull over an eye. Luckily for new sufferers the word is slowly spreading tghrough the world of GP's.
We clusterheads use a pain scale of 1 thro 10 to record attacks, with 10 being the most agonising. Women have described a full-blown 10 as being 10 time more painful than natural childbirth. I also know of a fellow sufferer who put his head through a 100mm concrete block wall as it was at the time the only way to get some minimal relief from the full-blown 10 he was suffering!
A lot of us belong to OUCH[UK] - the Organisation for the Understanding of Cluster Headaches. The website is www.ouch.org and it contains a wealth of information and advice.
It is good to see another experience of this. I have two questions for you if you don't mindIf like myself and others you have found GP's to be a relative waste of space bear in mind that most of them have never ever heard of cluster - the redhot needle or six inch nail driven into the skull over an eye. Luckily for new sufferers the word is slowly spreading tghrough the world of GP's.
We clusterheads use a pain scale of 1 thro 10 to record attacks, with 10 being the most agonising. Women have described a full-blown 10 as being 10 time more painful than natural childbirth. I also know of a fellow sufferer who put his head through a 100mm concrete block wall as it was at the time the only way to get some minimal relief from the full-blown 10 he was suffering!
A lot of us belong to OUCH[UK] - the Organisation for the Understanding of Cluster Headaches. The website is www.ouch.org and it contains a wealth of information and advice.
How is the prescription for the sumitriptan injector handled? Is it possible to have on repeat?
Have you heard of or tried Aimovig (erenumab)?
This thread is interesting to stumble on.
I've had constant headaches for about 15 years now. I can't remember my last day without one.
A lot of the time it is a squeezing/band type pain but I do get the stabbing pains that stop me in my tracks too. Usually over the eye or at the side.
I've had all sorts of different antidepressants which were supposed to have nice side effects of stopping headaches, they didn't work. I've had an MRI and all is fine. After the MRI then consultant suggested nerve block injectiona but Bupa wouldn't cover it and the NHS said it wasn't appropriate but gave no alternative.
I'm tempted to try something daft like acupuncture next as I don't the the docs will entertain seeing me again.
I've had constant headaches for about 15 years now. I can't remember my last day without one.
A lot of the time it is a squeezing/band type pain but I do get the stabbing pains that stop me in my tracks too. Usually over the eye or at the side.
I've had all sorts of different antidepressants which were supposed to have nice side effects of stopping headaches, they didn't work. I've had an MRI and all is fine. After the MRI then consultant suggested nerve block injectiona but Bupa wouldn't cover it and the NHS said it wasn't appropriate but gave no alternative.
I'm tempted to try something daft like acupuncture next as I don't the the docs will entertain seeing me again.
judas said:
jdw100 said:
Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis are life-threatening conditions and require prompt diagnosis and treatment.
‘If you develop a rash, fever, or swollen lymph nodes while taking Lamictal, contact your doctor or seek emergency care immediately.’
Any rash in first eight weeks of treatment - straight to hospital.
Can’t mess around with this stuff!
Grim but worth the warning as most men will get the rash and think, like men do; I’ll give that a few days see if goes away…..just a rash.
I would have done exactly that, but my neurologist really hammered the point home.
Yeah, I read the leaflet that came with the meds - twice. This is not something to be blasé about. But frankly, even the non-life threatening side effects look to be far worse than the condition they're treating. :/‘If you develop a rash, fever, or swollen lymph nodes while taking Lamictal, contact your doctor or seek emergency care immediately.’
Any rash in first eight weeks of treatment - straight to hospital.
Can’t mess around with this stuff!
Grim but worth the warning as most men will get the rash and think, like men do; I’ll give that a few days see if goes away…..just a rash.
I would have done exactly that, but my neurologist really hammered the point home.
Did you get any of the side effects?
It’s the third (fourth?) one I’ve been on.
Epilepsy medication is very hit and miss.
One was like walking through fog and made me throw up at pretty much 11:00 every day.
Another was also hard to get going in the morning but also made me lose weight.
Lamictal has been fine and I still get the occasional deja vue or time-slip, focal aware type stuff but nothing major.
On it for four years and and no side-effects I’m aware of…although I wouldn’t necessarily notice changes in mood.
Hope it works out well for you!
jdw100 said:
Thankfully no.
It’s the third (fourth?) one I’ve been on.
Epilepsy medication is very hit and miss.
One was like walking through fog and made me throw up at pretty much 11:00 every day.
Another was also hard to get going in the morning but also made me lose weight.
Lamictal has been fine and I still get the occasional deja vue or time-slip, focal aware type stuff but nothing major.
On it for four years and and no side-effects I’m aware of…although I wouldn’t necessarily notice changes in mood.
Hope it works out well for you!
The pain spikes have come back, so started on the Lamotrigine. Immediate thing was feeling distinctly odd, like the world was just a bit off-kilter. Today I'm tired and struggling to think straight, and have been noticeably clumsy. So, a lot like a migraine postdrome It’s the third (fourth?) one I’ve been on.
Epilepsy medication is very hit and miss.
One was like walking through fog and made me throw up at pretty much 11:00 every day.
Another was also hard to get going in the morning but also made me lose weight.
Lamictal has been fine and I still get the occasional deja vue or time-slip, focal aware type stuff but nothing major.
On it for four years and and no side-effects I’m aware of…although I wouldn’t necessarily notice changes in mood.
Hope it works out well for you!
Hope it's something my body adjusts to quickly, cos this whole thing is getting old real fast. But I guess taking anything that messes with your brain chemistry is going to be weird. 
judas said:
The pain spikes have come back, so started on the Lamotrigine. Immediate thing was feeling distinctly odd, like the world was just a bit off-kilter. Today I'm tired and struggling to think straight, and have been noticeably clumsy. So, a lot like a migraine postdrome Hope it's something my body adjusts to quickly, cos this whole thing is getting old real fast. But I guess taking anything that messes with your brain chemistry is going to be weird.
I’m sure you’ll settle down on it soon. Hope it's something my body adjusts to quickly, cos this whole thing is getting old real fast. But I guess taking anything that messes with your brain chemistry is going to be weird. Brain is a strange old thing. I have the very occasional migraine and the next day I always feel a bit odd, but in a good way. Things seem sharper, I have a noticeably improved mood.
I take slightly over the limit of Lamictal and don’t think I notice effects any more - hope you find the same.
jdw100 said:
I’m sure you’ll settle down on it soon.
Brain is a strange old thing. I have the very occasional migraine and the next day I always feel a bit odd, but in a good way. Things seem sharper, I have a noticeably improved mood.
I take slightly over the limit of Lamictal and don’t think I notice effects any more - hope you find the same.
Well, today's been a surprise! Clear head, no fog, the occasional mild pain spike, but feeling like I'm functional again. Brain is a strange old thing. I have the very occasional migraine and the next day I always feel a bit odd, but in a good way. Things seem sharper, I have a noticeably improved mood.
I take slightly over the limit of Lamictal and don’t think I notice effects any more - hope you find the same.
Let's hope this is the meds actually working, not just a remission.I suffered from these for 18 years, and tried most of what has been posted in this thread. Some of the side effects of the medication I was prescribed for cluster headaches was horrendous. The headaches themselves were incredibly severe, I had about 7 episodes a year; each lasting approximately one week with a full blown attack every 2 hours for around 10 minutes. Those ten minutes were at pain level 10 . I used to hide in the toilets at work whilst having an attack. I slept in the spare bed when I was in a headache cluster and could not tolerate any light or noise. Some very tough times , worst ones being on a plane when in an attack with nowhere to hide:
I finally beat them 2 years ago by moving to the ‘ batch’ anti inflammatory regime which you can find online by googling batch anti inflammation cluster headache regime: it is a combination of vitamins; fish oil, turmeric plus some anti histamines occasionally. I also take one aleve a day and that’s it. It has changed my life . Note - I am not a doctor or medical professional so cannot recommend this to others, please consult your doctor and make your own decisions including reading up about it all: but it has worked amazingly well for me and I have been cluster headache free for 2 years since I have been on this regime. My d3 levels remain normal despite daily supplements.
I finally beat them 2 years ago by moving to the ‘ batch’ anti inflammatory regime which you can find online by googling batch anti inflammation cluster headache regime: it is a combination of vitamins; fish oil, turmeric plus some anti histamines occasionally. I also take one aleve a day and that’s it. It has changed my life . Note - I am not a doctor or medical professional so cannot recommend this to others, please consult your doctor and make your own decisions including reading up about it all: but it has worked amazingly well for me and I have been cluster headache free for 2 years since I have been on this regime. My d3 levels remain normal despite daily supplements.
mcmigo said:
I suffered from these for 18 years, and tried most of what has been posted in this thread. Some of the side effects of the medication I was prescribed for cluster headaches was horrendous. The headaches themselves were incredibly severe, I had about 7 episodes a year; each lasting approximately one week with a full blown attack every 2 hours for around 10 minutes. Those ten minutes were at pain level 10 . I used to hide in the toilets at work whilst having an attack. I slept in the spare bed when I was in a headache cluster and could not tolerate any light or noise. Some very tough times , worst ones being on a plane when in an attack with nowhere to hide:
I finally beat them 2 years ago by moving to the ‘ batch’ anti inflammatory regime which you can find online by googling batch anti inflammation cluster headache regime: it is a combination of vitamins; fish oil, turmeric plus some anti histamines occasionally. I also take one aleve a day and that’s it. It has changed my life . Note - I am not a doctor or medical professional so cannot recommend this to others, please consult your doctor and make your own decisions including reading up about it all: but it has worked amazingly well for me and I have been cluster headache free for 2 years since I have been on this regime. My d3 levels remain normal despite daily supplements.
Good result!I finally beat them 2 years ago by moving to the ‘ batch’ anti inflammatory regime which you can find online by googling batch anti inflammation cluster headache regime: it is a combination of vitamins; fish oil, turmeric plus some anti histamines occasionally. I also take one aleve a day and that’s it. It has changed my life . Note - I am not a doctor or medical professional so cannot recommend this to others, please consult your doctor and make your own decisions including reading up about it all: but it has worked amazingly well for me and I have been cluster headache free for 2 years since I have been on this regime. My d3 levels remain normal despite daily supplements.
The fact that some people smack heads against wall to knock themselves out and are at a high risk of suicide really tells you how bad these must be to experience.
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff