Does anybody else on here suffer from "Cluster Headaches"? If you don't know what I'm talking about do a google for Cluster headaches or visit HERE.
I suffer from what are called "Episodal Cluster Headaches" meaning every year, for a period of about three months they spontaneously occur, normally the middle of January to about the end of March or beginning of April. I've been suffering these for about twelve years now.
When in full swing the first one will happen at ten minutes past midnight (yep, they're like a very precise alarm clock) and then for the rest of the night at regular intervals. Normally to a total of four or five per night. The current treatment is Oxygen, as soon as I am awoken I have to reach for the bedside oxygen mask and inhale neat O2 for about 8 to 10 minutes. It messes with the head, psychologically I am scared of going to bed because I know what's going to happen, but the oxygen works, and the pain minimised after only a few minutes.
The first two years, before they were diagnosed I had to suffer the full effect, trying all sorts of pain killers, none of which had any effect. The headaches onset is only about 2 to 3 minutes and only last for about half an hour of excrutiating screaming agony, so the pain killers didn't have time to take effect. I cannot emphasize forcefully enough the degree of pain that they cause. People in our group (Government backed help and support group) who have suffered kidney stones have repeated many times that they would prefer multiple kidney stones to the headaches, that's how painful they are.
I only write this now because I had my first one of this year this morning, and I am totally pi**ed!!!!!
I suffer from what are called "Episodal Cluster Headaches" meaning every year, for a period of about three months they spontaneously occur, normally the middle of January to about the end of March or beginning of April. I've been suffering these for about twelve years now.
When in full swing the first one will happen at ten minutes past midnight (yep, they're like a very precise alarm clock) and then for the rest of the night at regular intervals. Normally to a total of four or five per night. The current treatment is Oxygen, as soon as I am awoken I have to reach for the bedside oxygen mask and inhale neat O2 for about 8 to 10 minutes. It messes with the head, psychologically I am scared of going to bed because I know what's going to happen, but the oxygen works, and the pain minimised after only a few minutes.
The first two years, before they were diagnosed I had to suffer the full effect, trying all sorts of pain killers, none of which had any effect. The headaches onset is only about 2 to 3 minutes and only last for about half an hour of excrutiating screaming agony, so the pain killers didn't have time to take effect. I cannot emphasize forcefully enough the degree of pain that they cause. People in our group (Government backed help and support group) who have suffered kidney stones have repeated many times that they would prefer multiple kidney stones to the headaches, that's how painful they are.
I only write this now because I had my first one of this year this morning, and I am totally pi**ed!!!!!