regor
my age
62
my diagnosis
Episodic Cluster Headaches
date clusters started
2005
background - family, location, career, etc.
No family history of cluster headaches
My story:
I, like all here on the forum, have suffered for a long time with cluster headaches. WHen they first started, I was asleep, when BANG! It hit for the first time. I sat up and asked my wife what the heck did I do? Why did you hit me? It was like a hammer blow to the cheeck bone, followed by the worst piercing pain I had ever known. They went on a couple times per night for about a month before I saw a neuroligist.
timeline of major events:
2005 - After many tests, MRI's, etc. to diagnose clusters, I was prescribed prednisone to break the cycle. It worked for a couple weeks and they returned. I was put on Verapramil and Depakote.
2007 - 2009 - I took meds for 2 years, with less episodes in between, and less severe than before. Normally starting just before the first frost of the season.
2010 - No cluster headaches at all, a good year.
November, 2011, clusters begin again. Started a regimine of prednisone again, It gave me 3 days of relief. Did not want to start the process all over with Depakote and Verapramil and MRI's etc. No job or insurance this time and the meds, MRI's etc are expensive. Started reading all I could find on alternative treatments. One was cayenne pepper. I mixed 1/8 tsp. of ground cayenne with sterile, boiled water, put it in a nasal spray bottle and shot it up my nostril on the headach side. It was like an immediate lightning bolt had struck me and burned like crazy. Then in seconds the headache was gone and the burning was subsiding. I have gone all day without an episode thus far. I was desperate, and it offered me immediate relief. Not sure if it will do damage to my nasal passage, but relief was in seconds. I am going to follow it up tonight with 10mg. of Melatonin, which is supposed to help reset the body's clock making it easier to sleep. I'll let you know how that goes in my next entry.
Also, I agree with one of the other posts, that sexual arrousal also worked, until the next episode. Maybe endorphins play a role as well. Sure is more pleasant than cayenne pepper.
| Date: Nov. 17, 2011 | CLuster relief event |
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Diagnosis:
Clusters started:
Timeline