This topic is relevant to me at the moment as well. 21st year as a cluster head. The only treatment that has ever worked for me was high doses of prednisone, but does not work anymore and caused me to become diabetic. I am episodic amid get hit the same time every year with 3 years being mild and manageable and the fourth being a battle on every level. I am two months in to a bad cycle 7-9 hits a day with 2-3 total hours of sleep. I just took emgality with no effect, in fact, I think a couple hits are more intense since the injections and I had a mild allergic reaction.
I work as a high school assistant principal and athletic director. Have not worked since the start of the cycle. FMLA gives me 12 more weeks before I lose my job and insurance. Hoping the cycle ends before then, but if the pattern holds, it won’t end until May/June. I obviously am not safe to perform my duties and can’t do them from home. So, the added stress of potential income and insurance loss sure does not help my efforts to battle these things.
Looking for options at the moment, but it is going to have to be a home business that I manage as no one else is going to hire me at my age (53). Was thinking about disability, disability retirement and the like, but it is so difficult to get. Actually, it is easier if you have migraine, tension headache or anxiety. I have 2 of the three with cluster cycles, but still too difficult to get.
Unfortunately, I too have had negative thoughts. I thought about getting a little better life insurance policy and having an accident so my family would be taken care of. Honestly, I think about that at least two times a day/night during kip 9-10 attacks. I do not have the courage to follow through. There are so many things I want to see/experience and I know what it is like to have a parent commit suicide as my father did when I was 4 yo.
Anyway, maybe all us clusterheads should band together and start our own business of some type…lol Sorry to ramble, thanks for listening. It is 2:30am and I am between hits. Have a good night y’all.