Fabalicious

Omg Haz....dentists..../shudder.

OK so gleaning the information of what we have in common thus far... 1) no discernible sleep pattern 2) controlling behavior bordering on obsessive 3) inability/difficulty "quieting the mind" I would ask if everyone else finds it easier to concentrate when faced with a bunch of tasks, rather than just one? As if the brain is happier and more comfortable thinking in 5 different directions at once rather than just focusing on one thing?

HA! Thanks Jeebies! Fab Academy is officially open for business! HUGS CHFather! You are too funny!

http://search.nih.gov/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&affiliate=nih&query=cluster+headaches&commit.x=46&commit.y=8&commit=Search OMG I did a link thingy! I am so proud! ;D

OH!! I almost forgot....Start yourself a file of CH info...There is really a decent amount of beginner websites for people who know NOTHING about CH, that explain things pretty well. A lot of them can be found right here in the CB Files, The National Institute of Health also has quite a bit of info on CH (much to my surprise) its at nih.gov.

Hey Toni! So dang sorry to hear you are having that trouble. I had a Trex script, 2 of them actually. One for pills and one for injections. This is when I was episodic, but I would take my pills with me everywhere. And I KNOW I shouldnt have done this, but I used them as a preventative when I was in an episode (this is probably the reason I went chronic but I had a family to take care of) I would take a pill in the morning before work started, then another around lunch, and another right before bed. Like I said, that was WAY too much, but at the time I was only episodic, and my episodes would last from 3 days to 6 weeks. After the episodes was over I wouldnt have to take anything. But I am STILL finding bottles of Trex tablets that I had stashed...in the car, my purse, my oldest daughters house, my moms, my sisters. Trex is awesome until it makes you go chronic....then ....not so much.

Spiny, Actually born and raised in Texas, lived in Louisiana longer than anywhere else though, yes hubby was/is a Marine, and now living back in Texas after his job transferred him. So hopefully we are here for a while (though I dont really mind moving). Didg, You are SO organized, and present information so well. I am jealous! lol HUGS!

Hey Ted! I am a fellow Texan as well. Sorry you have to be here, but happy to meet you. There is SO much great advice on this site, and even better than the advice is the incredible wonderful people who are on it. They have saved the lives of many, including mine. Its overwhelming at first but the more you read the more you will become familiar with everything, the terminology, the different methods of beating the beast down. Please be careful with the Imitrex. I know its hard to suffer through an attack when you have the shot RIGHT THERE. But Tony is right, they make the attacks worse and episodes last longer. And before you know it you will be taking 5x as much as you are supposed to be taking, thats when the OTHER side effects start. Just getting off the Trex diminished my attacks from K9-10 x 5-8 per day, to K4-7, 3-5 per day. Its Ok for emergencies, cause sometimes you just gotta have a minute of respite. Please let us know if you have questions or anything k? HUGS and PFW (Pain Free Wishes)

Yes! come to Texas!

YES! To all of it. I am so anal retentive that I don't know how my family tolerates me. I too keep the pen and paper handy and am a list maker from the very bowels of hell. I have caught myself making a list of lists so I can keep up. But then realized that this was completely ridiculous behavior. When I am faced with a task I would much rather do it myself, because I know if anyone "helps" me, it won't be to my standards and I will redo it anyway. I am working on rectifying this through my meditation . And as far as sitting still....never...always gotta be going and doing. Cleaning the house at 3:00am? Thats normal...right? :

Hey Didg! Like DM I have had CH as long as I can remember. It really makes me listen when a small child is telling you that their head hurts, their complaints take me back to the day...but I digress, sorry. Also like DM I have moved many many times during my life, product of being a military brat, and a military wife. We had settled in Louisiana though for 12 years after my hubby retired from the Beloved Corps. I had always been episodic, until May 2013. It came and never left. The attacks vary, since stopping the trex and starting my customized mishmash treatment program they have gotten SO much better. I could not agree more. Trex is all right for episodes that last less than a week or so, but any longer than that is just asking for it. Digression again, sorry. Anyway we moved to Texas after 12 years in Louisiana, but since I went chronic before we actually moved I guess the change had no effect on CH. I do know of folks for whom changes in weather/bar pressure is a major trigger though.

OH we also started a family outing schedule. Where we all do something together WITHOUT the cell phones. For at least a day/evening a week and one weekend a month. Don't care if you think you are too busy...you are going..done...lol. its been awesome thus far. Hello life! Remember me? It's ON now! 8-)

Oh Lord...I am really the last person who should give advice...I still am such a noob. And I can't take any credit for any of it...all I did was follow the advice of ...everyone...lol. Seriously. If I had to make a list... 1) Read EVERYTHING I could get my hands on. 2) Got OFF the trex and everything else. (Trex is harder to quit than smoking imo) 3) Got O2. 4) "Came out" to my family and close friends. I was very nervous about this but their support is unexpectedly amazing. 5) Started my garden 6) Used the seeds to give me a little help until my crop was ready. 7) Someone who knows a lot more than me suggested trying yoga, and meditation. I was skeptical of this, thinking that there was no way my gimped up behind was going to do yoga, or my OCD self be able to sit still for proper meditation. But, WOW...just the difference doing the (VERY MUCH) Beginners routine made my body feel SO much better. You don't realize after so long a time of being "clenched" how many aches and pains it causes. This led to meditation. Its hard at first ( I know, "how hard can it be to SIT there?", its harder than you think.) Meditation helps to calm the mind. it works. (?) Still in process...I don't know if its busting, or the yoga/meditation, but the pain is diminished to the point I dont even notice it sometimes. Because I felt better I also made the decision that my family and I eat like crap, and we are all WAY too busy, and WAY too stressed. So we all now eat raw foods for at LEAST one meal a day (its not THAT bad, just think of it as one of those veggie/fruit trays people serve at parties), We DO have days where we eat something we should'nt, but since we started eating right, we realize how yuck we felt all the time,, and what made us that way, and some stuff is a lot easier to say no to. This combo worked for me....so far /does the happy dance ;D

Wow.....thats all I can say. The new lifestyle, the new treatments, the beating and stomping and rending of the beast until he is a little tamer (not gone yet but OMG the difference). I can actually do other things now besides sit home worrying about the next attack. This is too incredible to believe. I went back and read some of my first posts, which were not all that long ago in the grand scheme of things, I can not thank you all enough, and when i say all of you and this site saved my life, that is no exaggeration. I would not be here right now if it weren't for you! And who knows...maybe one day I will win that big ole Powerball jackpot and make a VERY large anon donation to help us with research! I cant remember if I told yall that my doc sent me to a neurologist because I was "out of their league"..well...on a familiar note he looked over everything and said theres really nothing else to be done outside of surgery, I didnt share my busting with him(didnt think that was a good idea) but at least I have an actual headache doc now..and the upside of that is...he is REALLY easy on the eyes, and has a fabulous bedside manner...OH COME ON!!! Us old ladies need our meditation fodder too you know! LOL...HUGS!! Love y'all! PFW!!!! ;D

Agreed! HUGS!

Niiice! Makes me more and more anxious to try them...wont be long now! ;D

Thats the thing though, you should NOT have to nag to get them the medical care they need. They should be getting that and then some. When I look at what the medical field has turned into...its just disgusting. There are still those out there who are in it for the right reasons, but sadly, more and more of them are in it for money..thats it. Makes the ones who are good and really want to help people look bad.

^^^^^^^ exactly!

Eric, Lol My neighbor has a great dane. When she barks it actually vibrates my spinal cord I think. I have a need to keep moving as well, I wonder if that might be a side of the beast? Cause sleep brings it on, therefore most of us don't sleep(normally), so subconsciously maybe our brain is keeping us moving and refusing to shut down to keep us awake so we don't have an attack? hmmm never thought of it that way before...like the brain is hurting the body by trying to protect it from the pain. :-?

All I can say is...wow.. I wish you lived closer I would bring you one of my tanks. AND drive with you to that company and open us up an old fashioned can of whoopass. HUGS Didg!

Wow, the music really helps a lot. Maybe, like Diamond says, my mind is too loud. I don't have any of the Hindu mantras or chants on CD, so I ordered some of the recommended ones above. In the meantime, my daughter gave me one of her CDs of cello music. It works much better giving my mind something to focus on, while allowing me to relax at the same time. I cant wait till my new CDs come in. Also, I like the idea of the counting beads while you chant. I am not really worried about what any religious leaders say (I believe in God and the universal flow, but believe that most religions are nothing more than a system of control wrought by greedy (insert bad word here) to get tax free money, much like our battle with CH, we have to figure out our relationship with God ourselves) Sorry went on a rant. And just from reading above, it seems I might benifet from meditating twice a day. Hmmm gonna try it. The yoga is going great as well. I can already turn my head almost all the way to the side with out pain. Why did I not try this sooner? HUGS to you all, hugs and PFDs! ;D

I have had CH all my life, but no acid reflux here. I think my tummy is made of cast iron.

alcohol, car exaust, tar (roofing and blacktop), gasoline. That it so far as immediate triggers go. Smoke doesnt really bother me except for the smoke that comes from the tar heater thingy.

Wow this poor guy...that SUNCT sounds terrible. But 1-500 has CH? Is that a new number that I havent read about yet? Holy Crapola 200 attacks a day....sheesh. I was complaining about having 6.