Welcome to the Cluster Headache Blog
Published October 22, 2008 | 
Hi,
As you can see on this site, cluster headache is one of the most severe headaches someone can suffer from. My husband, for example, has this desease for almost 10 years. Two times every year, for 6 to 8 weeks, he will wake up at night, screaming from all the pain he has. And those attacks will repeat themselves during the day. In the peek of the cluster period he will have up to 5 attacks a day, and while they are happening the only thing I can do is assure him that it will pass, ’cause that’s the only thing that will keep him sane.
To help him and others I started this website where you can find information about cluster headaches and possible pain relief. Because doctors aren’t used to dealing with this kind of headaches your symptoms won’t easily be recognized and you will face a long time of pain before someone can tell you what you have.
I hope you will find a way to deal with your headaches, and for all the partners and family members of cluster headache patient, I wish you all the luck. It’s hard to deal with, not only for them, but also for you.
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Hi,
I am in the 14th day of a cluster attack. I have been to the ER 6 times and they do not know what to do with me and basicly told me not to come back because they think I am there for the drugs. This is the only 2nd time in my life I have ever had these attacks. I get the headache every night at the same time and the afternoon as well. The pain is so bad it is making me suicidal. I do not know what to do. I feel like my fiance and everyone else is at the end of their rope because I just recently had a hysterectomy and appendectomy…so I have been sick awhile. I am scared if another headached comes on this afternoon and I’m bymself I won’t be able to handle it! HELP!! What can make these stop?!! I seriously think the guillatine would feel better than the headache….
Hi Leigh,
I’m sorry to hear this. I know how much problems you can have when it comes to doctors recognizing these headaches as cluster headaches. What you need to do: call a neurologist, ’cause that’s the one you need. Tell him you have cluster headaches and that you are in an active period. Tell him you need medication for it and asap. Normally they should be able to fit you in with an emergency appointment. If not, next time you have a headache like this go to the ER (yes, I know they told you not to, but go). When you’re there tell them you have cluster headaches and that you are waiting for an appointment with a neurologist but that in the mean time you need help. Take the information from this site with you: http://ouchuk.org/html/clusters_treatments.asp It has the three medications systems you need: abortive (to stop a headache), short term preventatives and long term preventatives. Let them know you know what you need. Demand help. Believe me, it’s hard to do, but you need to to get help.
Hope you’re period will pass soon.
How often is this updated and do people post on it?
I’m in a cycle right now (about 5 weeks in) and it would be interesting to talk to others who have had them and see what they have found (if anything) that helps to any degree at all. Hopefully it is about over for this go-around, but there is always next time.
I just want to share some home remedy that worked for me and lower the attacks to zero. During the day drink one or two lipton “diet” green tea mix berry, but the most important is that before you go to bed, you drink a whole bottle of this (500ml) and if you feel the sensation of going to the bathroom in the middle of the night you can do two things; go and pee and drink another whole one of this or hold it until you get up of bed, good luck.
After experiencing cluster headaches over a period of twenty one years, I can tell you that unless you have actually had one, its hard to describe the misery they create. In my case, an episode of these comes around ever so many years, usually at night. You know as soon as you have awaken, whats comming, after ten minutes the pain is extremely intense. Normal pain killers won’t work well enough. The pain is most likely around the left, or right eye. The only thing I have found to knock one out is to get a prescription for a small oxygen bottle, and deep breathe this for about 12-15 minutes. If one takes place away from home, I take a butalbital pill, which will eventually ease the pain, after 15 minutes or so. Alot of medical people, will try to tell you that this is probably a sinus or migraine headache, which is not the case, you know that this is not an everyday headache. Seeing a doctor or better, a neurologist is mandatory, because a cluster headache episode, will most likely last for 3-6 weeks.
Hello,
I am 27 years old and have been married to my huband who is 35 years old for the past 6 years, last year he was diagnosed with a 3mm basliar aneruisum in the brain. What triggered us to this discovery was the headaches he has the same symptoms of a cluster headache, eye tearing no appetite and pain to the point he has considered suicide. He had told the doctor while in my presence if it was not for his brother committing suicide in 1994 and seeing what it does to your family he would have already done it. His brother did not have the headaches he was going through a bad divorce. Anyway do you think that it the aneruisum and headaches could be linked? the aneriusm is too small to operate in the mean time he is just miserable and we have no where to turn we have been to so many different doctors that want to try different and radical medications with dangerous side effects and we have also discovered that he is allergic to alot of them. Additionally some of them could cause birth defects and we do not have any children and do not want to take that risk.
I am not a doctor, so I can’t give any information on this. What I can say is that “real” cluster headaches aren’t caused by an aneurisme, although I’m sure the headaches your husband is experiencing will come very close to the pain a CH will give anyone. Only your doctor can tell you what is what. I’m sorry I can’t give you more answers.
Oxygen works with a lot of people, although with my husband it only worked if he could use the oxygen before the headache would break through completely. Once it broke through, oxygen wouldn’t help anymore. The injections he’s getting now, work much better, but he can only use two of them in a 24 hour period. Combined with his other medication though, we are able to work through his active periods.
it sounds like the water therapy I’ve discussed on this site. I’m glad this works for you.
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