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Smart headache knows the time and hurts too!

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Migraine Headache
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Headbanger
New Member
Joined : Feb 2010
Posts : 5
Posted Today 11:04 PM (GMT -7)

OMG!! I've had what I'll term a 'smart headache' for at least 6 months now. I call it smart because it knows the time. My right-sided headaches start every single day at around 10:30 pm and last approx. 12 hours. These headaches are so smart they made it through a four hour time zone change and 'corrected' themselves from western to eastern time!

Usually these headaches completely disappear throughout the day, only rarely do i have any symptoms during the daylight hours...thank goodness.

When these headaches are at their worst I feel like i could bash my head up against the wall. It feels like my neck discs are bulging,  there is pressure and pain in the back of my head, the top right side, as well as the right temple and forehead.

The doctor prescribed Verapamil...but to no avail. Pain relievers do nothing as well. Has anyone experienced these 'smart headaches'...and if so, what did you find helped?

A few years back, I suffered a headache 24/7 for 6 months. By the time they got around to doing any tests, my headache had vanished and left no trace. The doctors diagnosed me with 'cluster headache'...and I was glad it never returned! I feel B12 injections given by a naturopath at that time cured it...however, this time it failed to work.

This headache that has plagued me for as long, (if not longer), is different...acts different and feels different too. My doctors has diagnosed me with 'cluster headache' again, although no tests were performed.

Any suggestions other than headbanging? I'll try almost anything!

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Annuk
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2006
Posts : 1308
Posted 2/28/2010 8:36 AM (GMT -7)
Hi Headbanger,

Welcome to Healing Well. So sorry to hear you are suffering so. Your 'smart headaches' do sound like your diagnosis of Clusterheadache is correct!!! Have you been given any information on this condition?? I work on a Helpline here in the UK for Clusterheadache.

Imitrex injections (not tablets as they do not work) are the first line of treatment for Clusterheadache and also high flow oxygen!! You are right it doesn't matter what pain killer you are prescribed it will not work.

Diagnosis of CH is made not by any test as such but by headache diaries and what the sufferer is able to tell the Doc. There are two types of sufferer Chronic (daily attacks indefinitely) and Episodic (attacks come in bouts of weeks or months) It sounds like you could well be Episodic, which means that when you headaches disappeared last time you had come to the end of your bout or cycle!

This is a dreadful disease and if there is anything I can do for you please let me know!

take care

Ann
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Headbanger
New Member
Joined : Feb 2010
Posts : 5
Posted 3/1/2010 11:04 PM (GMT -7)
Went to the doc again today, as the  meds given last time didn't help. They don't want to talk about treatment until they get a CT scan, and were surprised to hear nothing has changed after 6 months. They haven't given me any info on cluster headaches, so I'm just starting to do my own research...sorry to say I'm finding SO many ppl out there suffering from the same thing. Thanks so much for the reply, I think you're exactly right.
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Annuk
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2006
Posts : 1308
Posted 3/2/2010 2:18 PM (GMT -7)
Hi Headbanger,

You say you have tired Verapamil and it did not work? What dosage were you on and was it Verapamil BP??? The reason I ask is that sometimes the dosage has to be very high up to 900mg + per day for it to work for CH. This dosage would be increased very gradually with ECG's before each increase to get to that high dose. There are also some other versions of Verapamil that do not work for CH, those being Verapamil SR (slow release) or MR.

It is important that you get the Imitrex injections as well as high flow oxygen as these are the first line of treatment to abort attacks!! If you want to know more about this disease please email me and look at this site, which I might add can be found as a link on the HW site. www.ouchuk.org

Have you tried ice to help with attacks? The CT scan will be to rule out any other nasties, and I would expect it to come back clear.

Hang in there, there are many things that can be done to help you!!

take care

Ann
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