For the curious http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_headache If so how do you deal? After a couple of pain free years, its starting up in february, with the seasonal change.... like clockwork. I havent started getting the headbangers yet, just the dull ones. For me, no over the counter stuff works, it just makes it more intense..though sometimes shorter. I have been getting these things off and on since around 14. The usually come everyday for 2-3 months, and stress, noise and bright sunshine make them monumentally worse. I have found that rubbing my head continously lessens the pain. Any one else deal with this? PS...I did not start this for any kind of pity party or whatever these types of threads usually devolve to on this board, just curious. My head is starting a dull banging right now..
I have migraine, but I don't think I have these. I can definitely understand what it's like, though. Migraines are bad enough to induce vomiting sometimes, and this is supposed to be even worse? Good thing they don't last as long usually.
I've actually suffered from these. They were REALLY bad when I was overweight and about 305 lbs (I'm only 5'9"), but I changed my diet and dropped 125 lbs, and they subsided big time. I've only had them a couple of times since then, and I've found putting my head between my legs (no jokes please) and iced tea help to calm them. Hope this helps, they REALLY suck
I am not the smallest guy now, but I even had them even at like 150 lbs. What did you change in your diet? For me they come every other year, or ocassionally 2 years without them. They always come between feb/mar when the weather goes from cold to hot, and is fluxing between the two. They usually stop in may/june.
I used to get Severe Migraines, they thought might be cluster headaches for a while, but then the doctors downgraded them back to migraines. So i've researched the subject quiet a lot over the years, enough to know that Clusters headaches can make even the worst Migraine feel like cool breeze, the same was people who never had a migraine just pass it off as a headache and don't understand. They are totally different beasts. I feel your pain brother, its a terrible thing. The aren't as bad now, and no idea what causes them they just happen. The really bad ones could take me out for a weeks, and I'd essentially just have to lie in a dark room til it went away. Eventually I noticed i'd get strange food craving when they were coming on like a bowl of tomato soup and a glass of orange juice (together). Only prescription stuff ever took the edge off, and all that really did was just knock me out til it was over, so didn't really mitigate the pain. I've found lots of milk and these kinda oatmeally biscuits we have if taken soon enough and in right amounts can sometimes stave them off. But when they hit, all I can do is sit in the dark and put cold compresses on my head.
I get what are called 'migraines' but which have never been fully diagnosed because back when I was 'diagnosed' migraines weren't as well known as they are today, and the VA refuses to properly diagnose them unless I've taken every drug under the sun, which is quite dangerous for some types of migraine. I've tried over-the-counter and at least one migraine med, Midrin, and the former doesn't work and the latter stopped my breathing. Anyway, what has worked for me the best, and I don't know if it will help you or not but I thought I'd suggest it - Mt Dew, aspirin, and potato chips (Pringles works best) or french fries. The Dew expands the capillaries, the aspirin deals with the inflammation, and danged if I could tell you what the fries or chips do other than they do help a lot. Probably has something to do with a large infusion of potassium and salt and fat. One other thing you could try - when you feel the first twinges, drink LOTS of water, like downing 32 ounces in a few minutes until your stomach can hold no more. Dehydration contributes to headaches. --Moony
sometimes the twinges start and I take aspirin or motrin, at best that usually dulls it, and i end up with a dull throbbing for several hours. The only problem is it still usually comes back. Sometimes I have found its just best to let it "play out" in the morning. That way it wont come back that day. The only medicine that would help is vicotin or percocet. I dont have that kind of stuff any more.
I take the Dew, aspirin, and potato chips together, 'cause singly they only at best dull the pain for a little while. But together for some reason they often kill it completely in about 5 hours. I don't do Motrin, Advil, or Tylenol anymore because they stopped working for my headaches and in fact intensified them. --Moony
*Deathblade, I have been dealing with what doctors call "severe migranes" all of my life, and so has my mother, but based on the description of cluster headaches, it would not surprise me to learn that what she and I have always dealt with is cluster headaches instead of severe migranes. I have felt the shadow sensation prior to attacks. The pain is always unilateral, usually on one side of the forehead or around one of my temples. It often radiates to my neck and my neck and shoulder muscles tense up. When I was a kid I would tell my mother that it felt as if an "indian shot an arrow into my temple". The pain was so bad sometimes that I would seriously consider using a knife to cut my head open to relieve the pressure. When my mother had these in our native country, she would have to be taken to the nearby clinic to get Morphine shots. What I have used to deal with the pain is to take two 200mg Ibuprofen pills, followed by one 500mg Naproxen pill and then I turn off all of the lights, put a pillow over my head and try to relax. This works 90% of the time for me. The other 10%, I have to use percocet. I have found that loosing weight helps to reduce the frequency and intensity of the headaches. Also, stress seems to either trigger them or at least make them worse. I am fortunate that I don't seem to get them as frequent or as bad as my mother and we both seem to be getting them less and less as we get older. I hope that this info helps you and I hope that one day someone finds a cure for this terrible pain that so many of us share.
What I changed in my diet was I cut out fast food almost entirely, and switched to healthier stuff (fruits, veggies, still did chips and stuff, but no heavy greasy stuff). I still did the caffeine (though diet soda) and through tea (Chai Tea might be better if you like hot drinks) and I used Aleve as well. I had success with ibuprofen like others have mentioned, but Aleve extra strength at 2-4 pills were the best for me
my dad has cluster headaches (that's what they called them back in the 80s) and i don't know how he copes with them. i have seen him incapacitated by them. caught him slamming his head into the bathroom wall to dull it. it's one of those pains where more pain from something else is a form of relief. usually he finds the darkest place in the house and muffles out all the sound he can until it passes. depending on the severity, it lasts a few minutes, or at its worst, a couple hours. i think my dad would say that you don't cope with these things, you endure them.
Thanks for the advice everyone, it does seem like there are some things I may be able to do to mitigate the pain. Fortunately they dont seem to be that bad this year, I havent gotten any of the ones that wake me out of my sleep yet. And I ate some cereal as I felt one coming on this morning, that seems to have calmed it. The worst thing is when you have the "shadows"...you know you are going to have one that day, and all it takes is a mild stresser, some noise, or bright sun to get it full on banging. It makes you not even want to do anything.
Something else I just thought of that might help, too - I also use nettle tea when any kind of neurological signs start to show (vision change, weakness, etc). I personally use a tablespoon of dried nettle to 1 mugful of hot water steeped for 20 minutes and sweetened with honey. It makes a very strong infusion, so if you want to try it you should work up from 6 minutes to whatever strength works for you. It calms inflammation in the nervous system, which is why I also use a weaker 3-minute infusion for my cat with her neurological problems. You can get it at an organic store/co-op in the teas section or online. It is also a diruetic, but not any worse than sodas are. --Moony
