Cluster Migraine! Help!

Hi, I'm a 36 year old male and have suffered from migraine attacks from about the age of 5 years old. Until my late 20's these attacks were manageable (so far as is possible with migraine!!) with about 2-3 per year. However, from my late 20's through today, my migraine pattern seems to have changed. I now go through phases of weeks (4-8) where I can experience anything upto 3 per week, all with the same symptoms as my bi or tri-yearly ones of years gone by i.e. eye aura, headache, then (sometimes) nausea. The symptoms have always remained constant. After this, what I refer to as "cluster period" passes, I can go for the same period of weeks without experiencing any attacks, and life is good.......then they come back again! I've gone through a number of preventative and reactive drugs from my GP (Pizotofen, immigran etc etc) in the past, but generally I still experience these attacks flying under the radar of all medication! I've also had a brain scan carried out (no abnormalities found), and had numerous appointments with my GP and neurologists about this, but I'm just told "you're a sufferer!!" I lead a particularly active lifestyle, so sitting or lying at home prone with these awful things doesn't sit well with me. I've done all the food/activity diaries etc to see if I can pin down my "trigger", but the bottom line is that all of these things are a constant throughout my "cluster" attacks and the time when I am not experiencing any, thereby making no sense of trying to pin the blame on any one thing! I'm going through one of my "clusters" presently, and have decided to write this post as I'd be interested to hear if anyone does, or has experienced this type of migraine?? Any chat/help is good help!! FRUSTRATED!    

Ann, thanks for responding, and also you have my fullest sympathy for your condition Hermicrania Continua - that sounds just awful, and kinda puts my condition into a bit of perspective!!
I have been diagnosed some 20 years ago as being a migraine sufferer, and as I said previously, have spent alot of time with docs and a few neurologist appointments also (scans etc). However, I've not specifically asked for a "headache specialist" when asking my GP to refer me for consultation - perhaps I will now - thanks for that. My previous neurology appointments did not last very long at all - again, simply told "you're a sufferer, continue with your GP's medication!" Frustrating!
Re your comment on "clusters" I do realise that there is the "cluster headache" condition which is a different beast, but I'm not sure how else to explain the pattern of the migraines occuring in their frequency and in a confined time.....and then disappearing?! If anyone knows of the a proper terminology here, I'd be glad to hear of it?
Re my symptoms, they are generally very consistant, and I don't experience the watering/drooping eye which you mention. Basically, I have med's stashed everywhere so that when I feel the onset of one (aura) I get some pills into me asap, as if I don't my headache and nausea are unbearable! Generally my aura can last for 3/4 - 2 hours, almost always starting as a small blind spot in the centre of my vision which enlarges into an arc of jagged flashing electrical looking lights, which works its way into my peripheral vision, and then out of sight (generally the attacks alternate to either side of my vision - no specific "one" side for all attacks). As the aura disappears the headache kicks-in very quickly unless I have taken med quickly enough, followed approx 1-2 hours later by nausea. I have experienced pins and needles down my arms in isolated cases. The effects stay with me for anything up to 48 hrs, with the first 12-24 spent attempting to arrest the headache pain - the nausea, when it does occur, generally passes after about 2 hours. The trouble I'm having with the frequency of the attacks is that they have been occuring in about 48-72 hr cycles when they come in their "clusters", leaving no time at all from recovery of previous!! Aaaahhhhhh!! I think the person who comes up with a cure for these god-forsaken things should be knighted..... immediately!!!

i hope that this will help you..i am also a sufferer of migraine and usually have them once in a month..

well~

now, i have controlled it and for 2 years i haven't get any migrains and i am overwhelmed..why not try what i have try..

when there is air in my stomach, due too too much gaseous drink..

cold drinks..drinking alcohol on empty stomach..drinking stimulus coffee,teas or pepsi..

affect the migraine..they usually trigger them when there's too much air in your stomach..for some ladies, they will experience migrain when they are having their period..cause that is the period where our stomach feels bloated..

i hope it will help..

good luck !!

 http://colour-sam-life.blogspot.com/2010/11/migraine.html

since i have already write in my blog, you can feel free to look around~ hope it will help lot..the pain is really killing..