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Hey @Phantom99 welcome to the forum. It sounds like what you’re describing as clusters. Migraines don’t usually disappear for a few years and come back out of no where. Unless you make some sort of drastic change, moving, completely new diet etc. it’s good that you have already recognized some patterns so you can act appropriately. The mild pain you are having after an attack is a shadow. I would go buy fresh ginger and grate it, throw it in a blender with some honey and Apple cider vinegar and take a shot every day! Ginger is good for shadows. I also have ginger capsules you can get at the grocery store (not as affective as fresh though), AND it’s good for you :). I would automatically find a new neurologist. Prescribing topamax when he even said what you have are clusters is not a good line of treatment. It’s not a good drug. I was on it for a long time and the side affects were brutal. They didn’t help my headaches either. I would put all of my energy into getting some oxygen. It may take a while, but if you are persistent you will get it! The D3 regimen is something you can start right away without a script. There is a link for it on here if you just search for d3. No script needed, and the vitamins can only help you over all. I would ask my doctor about verapamil instead of topamax. It’s a way better medication when it comes to treating clusters, and I can’t imagine the side effects long term are anything like with topamax. Hang in there kat

The location of the pain along with the signs and symptoms you feel during are classic cluster signs. Yes they can change in timing, length, frequency, go from episodic to chronic or vice versa, as several say here, the moment you think you know your cluster, it changes. O2 is a go to suggestion, 15-25 litre per minute in a good non-rebreather mask. 100% oxygen. If your dr knows what clusters are you are ahead of the game, so few do. I would get the other tests, as a precaution. Topamax aka topiramate has some unpleasant side effects, and is not always the first go-to drug. Generally any abortive meds, such as triptans and such for clusters are rarely used orally, since it takes a while to work, nasal triptans or injections work far faster, but triptans can cause rebounds if over-used. If advil is working for you, you are very lucky most pain meds up to and including opiates and such tend to do nothing for a cluster. I would go through the diagnostic criteria with your neuro, get the tests to rule out other causes and maybe ask/talk about a prednisone taper, verapamil combo before going with the Topamax. Others will have more suggestions and ideas, you may also want to have a look/search for the vitamin d3 regimen here, many have had great success with it.

https://youtu.be/AbOhVahPNl0

Here's some basic info about treating cluster headaches (it does sound like that's likely to be what you have). Among other things, there's a link in here to the D3 regimen, which the previous posters recommended (for good reason). You should start the D3 right away. https://clusterbusters.org/forums/topic/6213-basic-non-busting-information/ Check out the "Triggers" link, too. I have a slightly different view regarding the Topamax. Yes, it is not a first-line CH treatment. So, if you can get a revised set of prescriptions quickly (something like oxygen, a nasal or injected triptan, verapamil, and maybe a course of steroids), those (or something like them) are your best bet. You will also see in the post I linked you to some strategies for dealing with CH without prescription meds (energy shots or caffeine; "busting"; Benadryl; standing in very hot water; and some others). But there are some people who take Topamax without severe side effects, and it helps them. So if you are going to be without the better prescriptions for a while and the non-prescription methods aren't helping enough (D3, for example, can take several weeks to get to effective levels), I would consider taking the Topamax and seeing how it affects you. If you don't want to continue it, you can stop. Incidentally, if you want to look into posts on a topic, you can use the search bar at the top right of the page. You'll find lots of information that way.