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Hi Eli. Unfortunately most doctors don't understand Clusters, including many Neurologists! Many years ago I was told NOT to take Birth Control because of migraines. And i was also told that women did not get Clusters as well. Well, how wrong that was!!! Many doctors need educating on Clusters. I did HRT with no issue regarding my Clusters. Perhaps let your Gyno know that Clusters are NOT migraines, but are often treated the same because they don't have 'meds' for Clusters, just hand-me-downs from migraine patients. He should let you do a trial run at least. You might get more hits and likely you won't see any change in your head, but the 'other' will be helped immensely! Best of luck! And have you tried O2 using the proper flow rate and mask so that it actually does something? Or were you handed a script and sent on your way with no instructions? It makes a huge difference!!

...yeah, stress hormones....i think mainly this one since it is slower but longer acting....but adrenaline and norepinephrine too. Cortisol What It Is: A steroid hormone, commonly known as the stress hormone, produced by the adrenal glands. What It Does: It takes a little more time -- minutes, rather than seconds -- for you to feel the effects of cortisol in the face of stress, says Sood, because the release of this hormone takes a multi-step process involving two additional minor hormones. First, the part of the brain called the amygdala has to recognize a threat. It then sends a message to the part of the brain called the hypothalamus, which releases corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). CRH then tells the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which tells the adrenal glands to produce cortisol. Whew! In survival mode, the optimal amounts of cortisol can be life saving. It helps to maintain fluid balance and blood pressure, says Sood, while regulating some body functions that aren't crucial in the moment, like reproductive drive, immunity, digestion and growth. But when you stew on a problem, the body continuously releases cortisol, and chronic elevated levels can lead to serious issues. Too much cortisol can suppress the immune system, increase blood pressure and sugar, decrease libido, produce acne, contribute to obesity and more. "Ducks walk out of a lake, flap their wings and they fly off," says Sood. "When you face something stressful, particularly if it's not likely to repeat or doesn't have a huge long-term impact, you want to be able to shake it off and move on with life."