Sign in

Cluster Headache Diaries

Cluster Headache Intensity Scale

  1. Slight twinge of the CH type of pain. Shadows.
  2. Normal headache type of intensity. Annoying, but life is still beautiful.
  3. Shadows are getting constant but can deal with it.
  4. Higher level of pain than normal headache. Interferes with normal life.
  5. Starting to get bad, want to be left alone to deal with it.
  6. Need to pace and move and drive your fist into your temple.
  7. Major non-stop pain, left feeling exhausted after it finally leaves.
  8. Immense paid, time to yell, bang head, rock, whatever works. Fear that it won't stop.
  9. The "Why me?" syndrome starts to set in.
  10. Screaming, head banging. Hospital trip. Depressed. Suicidal.

To view a private diary, enter the member's membership number:


This needs to have been provided by the member, and can only be found on their Account settings page when they are logged into their account.


Public diarys ordered by most recently active - Click a member's name to view their Cluster Diary.

shrek_2226's CH attack diary

shrek_2226's Profile

Tuesday 20 September, 2011: 05:30pm - 07:15pm

10

The absolute worst headache I've had all year. Thank God it's over. I collapsed in the kitchen minutes after my Mum arrived home and grabbed 2x Neurofen Zavance and a cold-pack from the fridge. After 15 minutes on the kitchen floor I moved to my bedroom and just yelled into my pillow for the next two hours. Pacing, wanting to punch the wall in. Extreme anger, frustration, just excruciating pain.

2 hours and 15 minutes later at 7:15pm I suffered from a shadow headache until around 9:00pm. I slept - feeling exhausted after the catastrophic event I just underwent.

Tuesday 20 September, 2011: 01:15pm - 02:20pm

6

Working on computer. Had to go to bed and sit down.

Tuesday 20 September, 2011: 08:30am - 09:15am

2

Aborted with 2x Neurofen Zavance - it worked.

Monday 19 September, 2011: 02:00pm - 04:00pm

9

Major pain, excruciating. Unable to sit still. Shut my bedroom door and screamed. Lying down made it worse. Suicidal thoughts.

Serious shadow for rest of day

Monday 19 September, 2011: 07:00am - 08:30am

8

Woke up again after 2 hours. Same pain, no relief.

Monday 19 September, 2011: 02:15am - 05:00am

8

Major pain. Nothing to relieve it with. Woke me up.

Sunday 18 September, 2011: 01:00am - 03:00am

8

Excruciatingly painful and long. Kept me up most of the night. Major shadow headache afterwards.

Thursday 15 September, 2011: 09:30pm - 10:40pm

8

My God this one is hurting big-time! In bed, can hear tv on downstairs and it's making me furious. Second one today. Abortive methods did fuck all. Today has been shit. I'd do anything for a shot of morphine! Anger, tears, frustration. Worst in a long time. Leave me alone you son of a bitch! Incapable of leaving my room in fear I'll snap at someone. Need to be alone. I'm calling neurologist tomorrow for an urgent appointment - willing to spend time in hospital.

Thursday 15 September, 2011: 02:00pm - 02:50pm

3

At computer doing work - hit me extremely quickly. No appropriate medication available (out of stock). Short headache, minimal pain but classic symptoms of C/H including very watery right eye and runny right nostril. No shadow headache. Possible sign of worse things to come?

Tuesday 13 September, 2011: 04:00pm - 05:15pm

5

Woke up after another afternoon sleep (still withdrawing from Xanax and I'm using Valium as a substitute to prevent seizures) to a level 5 cluster. I was in rather a deep sleep and although I knew I should have raced down to the kitchen to get my medication I made the mistake of leaving it for 5 minutes to see if it was going to go by itself - big mistake!

4:00pm - Headache Began 5/10
4:10pm - Abortive Treatment (2x Neurofan Zavance + 1x Coke + 2x Cigarettes)
4:30pm - Headache easing to 4/10
5:15pm - Headache free with no shadow.

Monday 12 September, 2011: 05:00pm - 06:15pm

6

Quite a serious cluster. Abortive action didn't work. Thankfully it was quick and I suffered no shadow headache afterwards. Headaches seem to be increasing in pain level. I was woken up in the middle of an afternoon sleep at 5:00pm as I'd stayed up the night before.

Sunday 11 September, 2011: 04:00pm - 04:30pm

3

Immediately took abortive action - 2x Neurofen Zavance, 2x Cigarettes and a can of coke. Fortunately it worked and suffered minimal pain for 30 minutes with no shadow.

Friday 09 September, 2011: 05:20pm - 06:00pm

1

I felt a "threat" coming on - not good. Immediately took action.
Abortive:
- 1x Xanax 2mg
- 1x Valium 5mg
- 1x 375ml Coke

By 6:00pm pain had subsided with no shadow. Generally indicative of a second headache within the next 12 hours. I'm praying this is not the case.

Thursday 08 September, 2011: 02:00pm - 02:40pm

4

As I was awake and actively working during the initial stages I could quickly act and took:
- 1x Xanax 2mg
- 1x Valium 5mg
- 1x 375ml Coke
- 2 x Cigarettes

All within 5 minutes of the initial warning sign. The abortion methods worked well limiting my attack to 4/10 and lasting only 40 minutes. Thank you God.

Wednesday 07 September, 2011: 03:00am - 04:00am

7

Initially attempted aborting headache by taking 2x Neurofen Zavance, 2x cans of coke and multiple cigarettes. Nothing worked. Whilst it was 3:00am I couldn't for a second bare the thought of lying down. I paced around the backyard smoking and cursing. Thank God it was only an hour. I was left with no shadow headache which is uncommon for me and a welcome surprise. I was able to go back to bed at 4:00am and sleep.

Tuesday 06 September, 2011: 02:40pm - 03:30pm

6

Onset: 2 minutes
Pain: 6/10
Abortive: 1x Coke + 2x Neurofen Zavance + 2x Cigarettes and Relaxation