Dave, what you are going through is immense. Even more reason to thank you for your response. You must be in so much pain all the time, or if not in pain then at the mercy of the side effects of the drugs. I too get the cluster headaches with my neuralgia but only at certain times of the year - the changing of the seasons. Thanks for sharing your experience, and for your advice. I shall update with my decision once I have met with the surgeon next week.