Migraine Headaches Support Group

Yes I am going through the same thing. They are doing CT Scans of my cranial nerve and MRI of the brain. And Allergy tests. I feel like a human science project. lol. I feel your pain, literrally. he he.

My name is valerie. I am a mom of 4. feel free to email me. vkewl182@yahoo.com

This is not exactly advice, but my headaches also follow the patterns of cluster headaches. My headaches include intense pain around and behind my eyes. No medical treatment has ever worked for me. I also see migraine auras all the time. I went through several CT scans and MRI's about 10 years ago but nothing was ever found to be wrong. It's all in my head, so they say. I say, well, yeah...lol. It's my head that hurts!

i too suffer from migraines and cluster headaches, i am tired of all the ct, mri, food journals, pain calenders. i just wish that the pain would go away!! i hope that i do not sound mad or angry, but i know what you are talking about, and i feel your pain.

Yes I have that, chronic migraines and chronic daily headache. I was taking Topiramate 150mg plus Imigran injections, nasal and codeine. Im in remission from clusters since a few years now thankfully but still having chronic migraine. I also have seizures from time to time. I had the MRI etc but NAD. My clusters were spring/summer [episodic] triggered by light and heat. Migraines are all year aaround and approx 22 days per month. CDH is every day but subsides by midday. Bloody nuisance isnt it?

Oxygen has been used as treatment for some patients with cluster headaches. It may work for you and is quick and easy to use (a mask and a tank). It's worth talking with your doctor about.

Good luck!

in the UK it isnt easy to get oxygen

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply oxygen is easy to get here in the US either; it's not and is only avialble in emergency rooms or some doctor's offices. But if it proves to be effective and you can get a prescription, it is much easier to use than the injections, and much less painful. I think it's worth considering and having a discussion with your doctor about.

I am confused - My doctor said that because I am having migraines 3-4 days in a row I am having cluster migraines.

In the last year, I have had pain around my eyes (was sure I was going blind (lol)) and recently have then over my entire face. These are no where near as painful as an ice pick type migraine.

Is it this combination that makes it a cluster?

Cluster headaches are a specific type of headache. The pain usually comes on with no warning, occurs around/near the eye and is accompanied by tearing in the eye, nasal congestion on that side of the nose, possible swelling on that side of the face/eye and intense pain. The pain doesn't generally last as long as a traditional migraines, usually less than an hour at a time, but the headaches themselves occur in clusters (thus the name), often hours apart for a few hours or a few days. The frequency of the clusters are generally unpredictable. Often patients wil describe the pain as having an icepick drilled into their skull, but this is more than the momentary ice pick headache that some of us experience that goes away within a few seconds or minutes; these headaches can last for hours. Treatment is very difficult; traditional migraine medications often don't work and the preventive medications are also generally not effective either due to the unpredictability of the headaches and the problem and questions about where and how the headaches originate. The intense pain of cluster headaches have been known to drive some sufferers to suicide just to get rid of the pain. Cluster headaches are more common in men whereas migraines are more common in women.

Cluster headaches are very different from migraines. Migraines may occur every day, but that frequency alone does not make them cluster headaches. It's unusual to see cluster headaches and migraines in the same patient, although painfully and conceiveably it could occur.

There is just so much we don't know about how the brain works and how pain is perceived. Yes, it is all in our heads...because all pain is perceived by our brains. But it's real, honest to goodness pain and it hurts! And I really wish it didn't.

I wish you all a quiet and pain-free weekend!

I suffered a brain injury almost three years ago and started having migraines three to four times a week a year ago.

About three weeks ago I was waking in the middle of the night with the most awful wretching pain in my left eye, my left temple and right above it. Every night for 16 days straight. I thought I was going insane.

On day ten or so I went to my neurologist he gave me all sorts or new meds, one of them being Claritan, another Prednisone, oxygen and a MRI/MRA. He said I was having cluster headaches.
Long story short, for two days now I have been cluster headache free. Thank God (or the powers that be). I had a sinus infection. I am very glad, mind you, because these cluster headaches are the worst.

I still have reservations as to whether or not it was a sinus infection or a bout of clusters, time will tell. BUT, never rule out something simple.
I hope they find a cure for these, I really do. Peace everyone. kim