Cluster Migraine Headaches

[asdve23rveavwa]

I've suffered from these things on and off over the years. Been alot better since I quit smoking almost 2 1/2 years ago, but, they have come back big time the last two weeks. In fact for about a two hour period last night, I had what might have been the worst one I've ever had in my life.

I did a google search, and, one product I found was Sinusol...an all natural nasal spray, non-addictive. They have a headache specific formula, but, couldn't find it. I bought the sinus/allergy one, seems to help a bit, along with using a facial steamer.

Any of you guys or gals, get these "ice pick in the eye" headaches? If so, what the heck do you use to get rid of them?

 

Thanks,

Frank

[lew]

Interesting that you post this today Frank as my wife was just diagnosed with cluster headaches yesterday. She's been getting them for awhile now and the pain is centered around her left eye. It comes on fast and is quite painful for her but fortunately only lasts a very short time.

 

Her doctor prescribed Cafergot but rather than taking it when the pain starts as it says in this link, he wants her to take one pill twice a day for 2 weeks and see what happens.......Fingers crossed.

 

Maybe talk to your doc and see what he says.

 

http://www.medbroadcast.com/drug_info_details.asp?brand_name_id=1163#Indication

[ptf]

Let me introduce myself . My name is Don , I have never posted or replied before until now , but I know what you are going through . I have suffered with cluster headaches all my life (57yrs). It has only been the last 6 years I was properly diagnosed . My new docter prescibed AMERGE (NARATRIPTAN) . You only take it at first sign of an oncoming headache , it has worked for me every time within 15 minutes . I could not sit back and let a fellow fisher suffer !

[fishing n autograph]

i get cluster migraines every first night shift....has been happening for the last 2 years. I find what makes them go away is enough sleep and a proper meal.....advil also helps on occasion. I also find that the headaches are worse since i'm still suffering from whiplash...which is also causing facial numbness in spots and increased frequency of the headaches

[asdve23rveavwa]

Thanks for the replies, guys. Also welcome to the board PTF. Unfortunately I don't have a family doctor, but, might be able to get either of these treatments through a clinic.

Sounds like your wife gets them in the same spot as me, Lew. I used to get them more on the right side of my head, but, these are all in and around my left eye...literally feels like someone is driving an ice pick into it. Like you said, for the most part they don't last for too long...the worst part is they will almost always come about an hour to an hour and a half after going to sleep. Needless to say, the lack of sleep is really catching up with me. When she gets a severe one, does her eye water like crazy??

Edited January 21, 2011 by FRANKIE65

[GBW]

When I get one I lie down and cover my head so it's dark and try to get some sleep. If I can't do that then pill's (advil) out the wazoo but they take time to kick in.

[rpsmith]

I get them about once/twice a month. Feels exactly like you describe--ice pick in my left eye. Tylenol with codeine works 99% of the time for me. I take two at first on-set of head ache and have a cinnamon tea.

[lew]

the worst part is they will almost always come about an hour to an hour and a half after going to sleep. Needless to say, the lack of sleep is really catching up with me. When she gets a severe one, does her eye water like crazy??

 

Frank, the doctor also asked if her eyes water during the headache and the answer is no, never. And she also never gets them while asleep.

 

I'm a very lucky person who never gets headaches, infact as I posted in a thread a few weeks ago, I've honestly NEVER had a headache in my life....touch wood.....yet my daughter has suffered with them since she was a child and is now 37 and now my wife is getting them too, but fortunately not too severe.

 

Anybody know if migrains are hereditary or not ??

[Fang]

Have been getting them more frequent as I get older and Aleve has been working for me recently

[wallyboss]

Thanks for the replies, guys. Also welcome to the board PTF. Unfortunately I don't have a family doctor, but, might be able to get either of these treatments through a clinic.

 

If you don't have a family Doctor you should definetly look for one. it took me and my doctor about 15 years to find a medication that gets rid of them (if I take it at the right time) But I haven't found anything to control them. A clinic will not be able to follow you as well as a family Doctor could.

 

Right now I am taking a regimen of vitamins that seems to cut the frequency of them by about 75%, but the ones I do get seem to be worse than my regular ones before, might be because my pain tolerance has drop a bit.

 

When I get back home tonight I will post the Vitamin regimen that I follow. it's COQ10--Magnesium-and B2 Riboflavin. I'll give the dosage tonight.

 

I use Maxalt to get rid of teh migraines and it works within 10-15 minutes only if I don't wait until the migraine is full blown.

 

 

PS my migraines do affect some of my fishing outings and that really pisses me off. Plus now I have develloed Fibromyalgia and tnat is also cutting down on my fishing time.

[jimmer]

Frankie-Have you identified the trigger to your migraines?

Mine is caffiene, direct sunlight and changing barometer. I did try cafergot which contains caffiene, so I only took it once; it made me sick. I cut out drinking coffee and reduced the number of migraines I got. I also had a doctor prescribe beta blockers one year many years ago to prevent them and they almost disappeared after using them for one summer.

Lately the auras have been coming back, but not followed by any severe headache. They used to be horrible, making me puke and the only way to get rid of it was to go completely dark and sleep.

[camillj]

My experience has often been rooted in two causes : Dehydration - in addition to 'the remedy' of choice drink two glasses of lukewarm water ... seems to speed recovery

 

and ... dont laugh ... nasal irrigation ... thats right ...snort up warm water and then blow your nose ... Very often when I have suffered a really bad migraine the root of the problem showed up during this exercise... I am guessing a little pressure on the wrong spot in your sinus causes the pain.

 

(non medicinal but it is worth a try ... I now irrigate as a daily habit like brushing teeth before bed and when you wake up ... it reallllly made a difference for me

[wallyboss]

My experience has often been rooted in two causes : Dehydration - in addition to 'the remedy' of choice drink two glasses of lukewarm water ... seems to speed recovery

 

and ... dont laugh ... nasal irrigation ... thats right ...snort up warm water and then blow your nose ... Very often when I have suffered a really bad migraine the root of the problem showed up during this exercise... I am guessing a little pressure on the wrong spot in your sinus causes the pain.

 

(non medicinal but it is worth a try ... I now irrigate as a daily habit like brushing teeth before bed and when you wake up ... it reallllly made a difference for me

 

I agree camillj it helps me a bit, google " Neti Pot " and check that out for nasal irrigation, It does a heck of a good job.

[asdve23rveavwa]

Thanks, again, guys. Lots of good info on things to try. I find that the facial steamer, definitely helps ease the headache once I have one.

As far as triggers, I find if I lean back, watching TV, or lie on my back...be it in bed or at the dentist's chair this past week, almost a guaranteed headache. So I try to avoid doing these things, IF I catch it in time, and, lean forward or move around I sometimes can "nip it in the bud."

As for affecting fishing, Wallyboss, yeah that's when it really sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Meely]

For the looooongest time, I would suffer from wicked migraines.I mean to the point where it felt like I was going to toss my cookies. At first, I thought they were caused by tension in my shoulders from slugging around this big melon-head of mine.

 

On a long shot, I convinced my doctor to allow me to do a sleep study for sleep apnea. Well guess what? It turns out I had/have a severe case of sleep apnea and was not sleeping properly for the longest time. Since then, I have been sleeping using a CPAP machine and it has literally given me my life back!

 

Tons of energy and guess what?? The migraines have disappeared. Havent had one in two years !!

 

Never take a good night's rest for granted.

You may want to have a sleep study conducted.

Again, I can not begin to tell you what a change it has made in my life.

 

http://www.relieve-migraine-headache.com/HeadWay-migraine-sleep-apnea.html

 

Meely

[crappieperchhunter]

What Meely said.

Another sleep apnea sufferer here. I had headaches pretty much EVERYDAY before I was diagnosed.

 

If you snore like crazy...toss and turn all night and get up for a whizz or a drink of water several times a night I highly recommend you get a sleep study done.

 

If it is your problem...ONE night...with a CPAP machine will make such a difference you won't believe it.

[TDunn]

My GF is a registered sleep tech.

She agrees that you should set up an appointment. It really couldn't hurt.

A CPAP machine might be exactly what you need.

Goodluck!

 

TDunn

[irishfield]

.. and if you're a pilot or transport canada medical holder (truck/boat).. don't ever admit you have sleep apnea or seek "official" treatment for same.. just sayin...

[crappieperchhunter]

.. and if you're a pilot or transport canada medical holder (truck/boat).. don't ever admit you have sleep apnea or seek "official" treatment for same.. just sayin...

 

 

I know what your hinting at Wayne...but...if you have it and it is severe like mine was/is...your first priority should be your health...just sayin...cause at the end of the day nothing else matters.

[irishfield]

Of course it is CPH.. not doubt at all. I was just cautioning those that may need the machine to do it on the sly.. otherwise their livelyhood and/or enjoyments in life my suffer because of it. Absolute nonsense.. but Sleep Apnea is medical invalidating.. and is nuts if you are treating it.

[Tree worker]

I've suffered from these things on and off over the years. Been alot better since I quit smoking almost 2 1/2 years ago, but, they have come back big time the last two weeks. In fact for about a two hour period last night, I had what might have been the worst one I've ever had in my life.

I did a google search, and, one product I found was Sinusol...an all natural nasal spray, non-addictive. They have a headache specific formula, but, couldn't find it. I bought the sinus/allergy one, seems to help a bit, along with using a facial steamer.

Any of you guys or gals, get these "ice pick in the eye" headaches? If so, what the heck do you use to get rid of them?

 

Thanks,

Frank

[Tree worker]

Man I feel sorry for you because I have fought clusters headaces for the last 15 years.after 10 years of local doctors I went to the Cleveland clinic they gave me a shot of Imitrex that took the pain away in 2 min. You can give yourself the shot it comes in a little pin needle.That and oxygen take the headace away. Oxygen can take most away but not always, I sleep with a oxygen machine just for the 4-6 weeks they last. I guess they hit people in different pain levels. I never thought I was a sissy but when they are bad they can damn near put me down on the ground.Makes your one eye water, nose plug up and a ice pick in the eye feeling they last 4-6 weeks. I,m 50 years old and didin't get them for the last 3 years and thought they was gone but got them right around Christmas. I wish I knew about them shots a long time ago.Migraines are a walk in the park compare to clusters. Good luck

[asdve23rveavwa]

Man I feel sorry for you because I have fought clusters headaces for the last 15 years.after 10 years of local doctors I went to the Cleveland clinic they gave me a shot of Imitrex that took the pain away in 2 min. You can give yourself the shot it comes in a little pin needle.That and oxygen take the headace away. Oxygen can take most away but not always, I sleep with a oxygen machine just for the 4-6 weeks they last. I guess they hit people in different pain levels. I never thought I was a sissy but when they are bad they can damn near put me down on the ground.Makes your one eye water, nose plug up and a ice pick in the eye feeling they last 4-6 weeks. I,m 50 years old and didin't get them for the last 3 years and thought they was gone but got them right around Christmas. I wish I knew about them shots a long time ago.Migraines are a walk in the park compare to clusters. Good luck

 

Funny, but, oxygen has been mentioned to me a few times, the woman at the dealership I take my vehicle to has a husband who suffers from them...same thing, oxygen...like a miracle cure she said.

They have eased off the last few days, so I think this series might be ending quickly. I know what you mean about the pain, though, I have had some pretty painful experiences, but, that last severe headache last Thursday night, literally had tears coming out of my eyes for close to an hour.

Thanks, for the input!!

[uglyfish]

ive suffered from headaches and migraines my whole life. i actually had to miss work today because of one. only way i can get rid of them is to take the strongest pain killers i can find, and go to sleep. try to stay cool, get the room as dark as possible and not a sound, and just sleep it off.