Hello and welcome to both of you!
I am sort of an oldie who has been a bit quiet lately having a break but now poking my head back in for my 2 pennies worth!
Not the greatest place to have to meet people, but a good place to meet to learn about our illness. You are both on the right track if you are reading all you can on the left with all of the links.
Knowledge is power. So to is giving your Doctors all the information you can about what is happening to you. Keep a diary of your headaches, what is happening and when, how bad they are, what could be effecting them, how quickly anything you take or do helps or doesn't. To others it may appear to be a big self centred/focused but to the Dr this is information that is gold--rather than vague interpretations of I have headaches. My neuro in Adelaide actually sat up and took note when I first gingerly handed over my diary-at last he had something to work with.
To avenues of attack--get a grip on what to take for the actual pain of the headache. Take it at first sign of the headache. Do not fuss about. The earlier the better. Kathleen is right--O2 used correctly is a great abortive, VERY EASILY acquired for home use. Zomig is recognized as being helpful as is Imigran.
Certainly there are other treatments about -- prednisone, dihydroergotamine, lignocaine--read as much as you can to get a bit of a handle about what is out there. but for a start just get a handle on the basics.
On the other front is the preventative--this can take some time to work out what is right for you and there really is no magic one pill cures all. What these drugs are trying to do is to break the cycle and keep the next one from kicking in. Probably the most common would be Verapamil. I am on that plus Topomax which is currently the "in" drug but has pretty heavy side effects. The key for me is to know what YOU are taking and WHAT for. Become knowledgeable and aware of what you might expect the drug to do for you.
I am also a great believer in being in control of myself more and doing a lot of relaxation and breathing. If we need more oxygen to the brain -- hence the value of O2 treatment, there is no better way than controlling the way we breath during an attack. I found that when I was at my worst I was hyperventilating, totally out of control, head butting walls--not a pretty site. The beast really had me! A couple of visits to a psychologist who helped me with pain management made a world of difference--I still felt the pain--but I managed it with a different style of breathing through the peak. Worth thinking about.
Yes I am green! 2010 saw me in and out of hospital for 15 weeks undergoing treatment--I know what you are going through.
Work through your problems, stay positive, work with your doctor. If not getting success ask for a referral to another neurologist. I too have felt the extreme lows of why bother when the pain has continued without relief, stay strong. The tunnel may be long but I believe there is always light at the end. I believe we now have a neurologist in Melbourne who has worked with Prof Goadsby who is acknowledged as being the guru in CHs, maybe we will see some work being done is Australia.
I do not give individual advice on what to try etc, there is plenty of that floating around on the site--I am not a Doctor, I just encourage you to be proactive in your own treatment, keep positive. Remember this is an illness, discuss it with your family and friends and dont hide it.
Best of luck, and hopefully a happier 2011
Heather