Cluster headaches and Migraine

JulieTuesday
JulieTuesday Community Member Posts: 73 Contributor
in Neurological impairments and pain

Hi, I have just recently started to get Cluster headaches, I get migraines from weather conditions, thunder and lightning! I can't get much information from my GP about Clusters other than to apply a cold compress when they happen or frozen packet of peas! (which I do) he prescribed Sumatriptan which is a tablet that works in an hour, with Clusters they only last a minute or so and the pain is able to double you over, its like a knife digging over my eye and temple area. A tablet won't work quick enough. Does anyone on here have any knowledge or information about these painful attacks please. It sounds like nothing but it has brought me to my knees the pain is something else. I'm an older person so I keep thinking why is this happening at my stage in life?

Comments

  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 5,417 Scope online community team

    That sounds awful @JulieTuesday, I'm sorry you're suffering with these. I don't have any experience of these myself but I looked it up and found some information on the NHS website NHS - Cluster Headaches. It mentions these treatments:

    • medicines called triptans, given as an injection or a nasal spray
    • oxygen, which is breathed through a mask
    • using a device to give mild electrical pulses to the back of the neck

    Did the GP not mention any of these?

  • michael57
    michael57 Community Member Posts: 3,429 Championing

    Doctors are reluctant to prescribe injectable triptans because of the price you may find calcium channel blockers ie verapamil will help

  • Anhedonia2
    Anhedonia2 Community Member Posts: 456 Empowering

    How were yours diagnosed @JulieTuesday? I have a home oxygen machine for when I get attacks, it does help but remembering or being able to use it in that sort of pain is another issue altogether! Honestly I think it's one of the worst pains I've ever felt.

    Sumitriptan works okay on my migraines (although I get bad side effects with it) but I don't think it's suitable for cluster headaches?

  • michael57
    michael57 Community Member Posts: 3,429 Championing

    i believe you will find sumitriptan injections are the most effective method for relieving a cluster headache unlike migraine sufferers who like to lock themselves away in the dark and quiet the cluster headache sufferer is the reverse i have tried lots of treatments over a lot of years the best for me was daily calcium channel blockers and the jabs but a couple of strokes have now cured the worst of them but i would not recommend such drastic measures for good advise i would check out OUCH uk

  • JulieTuesday
    JulieTuesday Community Member Posts: 73 Contributor

    Thank you so much for replies. I got diagnosed by my GP and I've just found Ouch who have been helpful too. I felt at my wits end with the pain from the Cluster headaches if you've had them you will certainly know about it. I thought it was a stroke and that's what made me contact GP, who is helpful but limited due to costs of everything I suppose. I'm one of those who have had a lot done via NHS and it makes me feel guilty asking for more help now. I see comments made by MP's as I'm one of the 'frequent users' of our health service. I have now asked for a CT scan and nasal spray (sumitriptan) as advised from Ouch. I wait for contact as it'll be a telephone appt at sometime. Migraines I can hide away for a day or two, this sudden pain there is no escape from it. Thankyou for lovely comments.

  • MBPJS
    MBPJS Community Member Posts: 39 Connected

    I have tension headaches that can be very debilitating. I have tried the medication described above and unusual apply heat apply cool packs.


    I don’t know if you’ve tried any Home remedies like soaking your feet in A small bucket of warm water with some Epsom salts as that can muscle tension that might be associated with tension that’s moving up and gathering towards the head.

    also if you Google these conditions on YouTube and there will be some Yoga gentle Movement and Pilates videos that show exercise exercises that help move acidity within the body if that is what is causing the accumulation of tension.


    The holistic view is generally a buildup of inflammation in the body that could be the. If you’re open to that kind of approach, it’s worth exploring as there are so many treatments that work directly this kind of tension like Acupuncture that might need a more direct kind of approach.

    🍋🍋‍🟩🗡️⚽️🌷🌷🌷👸🏽🦋⚖️

  • JulieTuesday
    JulieTuesday Community Member Posts: 73 Contributor
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1155843#Comment_1155843

    Hi, I have a tens machine here which I use when I have a migraine, it really helps me. I have an auto immune disease (Sjogren's) and have some nerve damage from a previous operation to my inner ear (choleaostoma) first operation I just didn't heal well enough, second to redo and clear up a serious infection just creeping into my brain. . I seem to have infections best part of my life and try everything and anything to help. I will look at all alternatives suggested thank you. 🙂

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