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07 May, 2009 - 1:17 pm

Hello all‚

I thought you might be able to help me out here. I was diagnosed with cluster headaches by a neurologist about 3 months ago. I was getting throbbing headaches twice a day at the back left of my head‚ generally between 8.30-9am and 5.30-6.30pm. I also had associated strange feelings in my left eye - itchiness‚ watering and a bit of tingliness on the left side of my face.

After going for a CT and then an MRI they eliminated a tumour or other physical reason and the neurologist diagnosed cluster headaches.

The headaches continued for about a month then gradually stopped. Then last night I got one and again this morning (2 months after they had stopped).

My question is - do I really have cluster headaches? Because while the pain is bad it definitely isn't as bad as the descriptions I have read on wikipedia (eg. worst headache ever‚ suicide headache‚ worse than childbirth etc).

Is it possible to have cluster headaches that aren't as strong as those other people get? What I am really worried about is - will the pain get worse?

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

Easy

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07 May, 2009 - 3:14 pm

Welcome to the forum

Did you take the cluster quiz which you can find on the left of the page? That could give you some indication.

And yes‚ it is possible that you are having mild CH‚ and in that case you are very lucky

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07 May, 2009 - 3:19 pm

Hi Easy‚
I have only heard of CH in a really painful way but if your Neuro diagnosed yours as CH he probably knows.
The cluster quiz in this site is well worth taking.
Keep us informed and your not alone.
All the best
David

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07 May, 2009 - 3:35 pm

Thanks for the welcome

The quiz came up as 77% chance of them being cluster headaches. And as you said‚ the neuro probably knows what he is talking about.

So I guess I should consider myself lucky that they aren't as bad as they could be.

Any idea if they could get worse as time goes on or if they will generally remain at about the same level?

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07 May, 2009 - 9:18 pm

CH is very unpredictable and can change at any time for no apparent reason. They can go from being chronic to being gone for several years‚ or vice versa‚ so no one can really say what's going to happen.

But my partner and I do believe that eating healthy food can greatly reduce the frequency of CH‚ or get rid of them altogether. It was mentioned in another thread here recently‚ I'll have to see if I can find the link.

Basically you'd cut out coffee‚ bread‚ milk‚ and other processed food‚ and eat a LOT of fruit and veggies every day (more veggies than fruit)‚ and drink mainly water.

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01 Jul, 2009 - 9:33 pm

hate to be a downer‚ but yeah‚ mine didn't start off that unbearable at first‚ but about 4 months later I got them again & again & again.

& now when I get them they are absolutely terrible.

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08 Jul, 2009 - 9:41 am

For the most part CH's wake you during sleep but they are rogues and can occur by day. My specialist used to say ' you wake and have a migraine but a CH wakes you'. Classical symptoms also include pain behind the eye‚ drooping eyelid‚ runny nostril (same side)‚ horrendous pain. They occur in clusters‚ usually repeatedly by night
almost like clockwork.

I have just recently discovered and joined this web-site having suffered from age 19. Now 71 and through self treatment have been free for almost eight years. See my post under Member History 8 July 09.

Tom.

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