lapsan

I am currently going through a bout, not the worst ever, but a bout nonetheless. I'm leaving the US, headed to Mexico, in about a week and a half. It's not exactly something I can just scrap, change plans on, or not go. Tickets booked. You know. I mainly use oxygen and imitrex nasal spray or shots to deal if the O2 doesn't work (which it hasn't been this time around yay). I also take Verapamil and topamax on an increasing dosage as the headaches continue to try to get them to stop. Of course, it's not been going on that long yet, so I'm not that far along in the process, and it's not like they are looking like they are coming to an end anytime soon. Usually they go for about a month or month and half. So I have several questions for people. I don't know if anyone even knows. But I figured it was worth a shot. I personally know that prednisone will stop a bout for me (but only temporarily) and then when I start to taper they often come back with a vengeance. I seem to remember seeing somewhere something about a steroid shot? Is that a thing still? I'm asking because I have a doctor who is very open to trying stuff and reading up on the research and helping me out. Is it possible to get imitrex nasal or pens OTC in Mexico? Are they cheaper than in the US? I can't find anything about it specifically in my searches, but I do see that a lot of meds that are not OTC in the US are OTC in Mexico. I'm obviously not bringing a weeks worth of O2 with me on this trip. That would be utterly ridiculous. I use a tank per headache and am getting at least two a day right now. So the O2 is out. It's meds only. Does anyone have any advice for me that I haven't asked about or maybe thought of? I haven't ever flown while getting clusters. I've never travelled from one climate to another. Does it matter? Should I expect horrible things? (I kind of expect horrible things... i just want some inkling of what I'm getting myself into I guess). Thanks!

I've been getting CH for about 16 years now. The bouts have never lasted more than 6 weeks, tops. This time around they've been coming full steam since November 2013. Nearly always at night. Often, one every hour and a half, all night long. I've been using oxygen for several years, with pretty good success (probably works about 90% of the time). I've been put on steroids and weened off while ramping up Verapamil to 480 mg a day and Imitrex only if the O2 doesn't work. This plan stopped working this time around. I haven't had a full nights sleep in months. Not just a full nights sleep, but I go weeks without reaching Stage3 or 4 sleep, I'm pretty sure. I had my wisdom teeth out on Friday. Made the mistake of taking the painkillers I was prescribed (Tylenol3 and Ibuprofen). Turns out, I'm allergic to Tylenol 3 (wheee) and the site of the teeth removal is in bad shape and painkillers are needed. Now I've been prescribed Tramadol. I don't know that I should take it, as the Ibuprofen/Tylenol 3 threw me into a horrible set of headaches last night. The CH are beginning to not respond to the 02 and not even Imitrex worked last night. I don't know what to do. I'm thinking RC or HBWR but I am unclear on how and how much. I'm also thinking there has to be a way for me to get sleep. But I can't for the life of me think of how I would go about that short of being in a coma I'm rambly and a bit out of it. Can I get pointers to how to use the RC seeds? They seem easier. Anyone got any ideas about the sleep situation? :-[