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Javan, how many people have to tell you that if you have CH, oxygen will save your life? I have no idea what you're talking about, and it's really frustrating me. You inhale O2 at the first sign of an attack and something like 10-15 minutes later, most of the time, you can go on with your day. Triptans will f you up in the long run. Steroids will double f you up in the long run. Caffeine is not going to be effective in the long run, and you can't live a lifestyle of drinking caffeine all day. It will f you up (and, no matter what you think, it doesn't help, if it is CH that you have). ONLY oxygen will abort your attacks without eventually fing you up in some way. You're not "hooked up to an oxygen tank all day" -- you use it when you have an attack. You can make a nice portable backpack and take some with you pretty much anywhere. If you have psychological issues about using O2, I'd recommend seeing a shrink. You don't even have to use a mask if that bothers you; you can breathe through a tube so your face isn't covered. You CANNOT get by without O2 in the long run without a huge amount of completely unnecessary suffering. They aren't called suicide headaches for nothing. You can't smoke while using O2. Your dog hair and other messes and smoking pot aren't going to have any effect on your O2. And, to repeat what I said yesterday, Zomig, the triptan, is an abortive, as is Imitrex, which is the injectable triptan. They're not preventives. They are very powerful stuff that you would only subject your body to because you want to end an attack. You can't take them all day, or take them as though they were preventives, because you'd be killing yourself, and you'd also be making each subsequent headache worse and each cycle longer. There is a reason things are done as they are. I admire your truthfulness and your inquisitive spirit and your complete determination to remain as "normal" as possible. CH sucks, big time. Improperly treated, it has destroyed many, many lives. Your passions for life will see you through, and there are very promising treatments on the horizon, so that you almost certainly won't have to go through what people before you have endured. The founder of this site started taking psychedelics because for him, it was try that completely untested idea or commit suicide. Most people here who take MM or other psychedelics hate the experience. But they do it because it's the best thing they've found, with the fewest side effects -- for prevention. But they all, or virtually all, have O2 for abortion. I'm not recommending that you take psychedelics; I'm trying to help you see what CH can become if you don't deal with it sensibly. Now the D3 regimen is working pretty big wonders for hundreds of people and, as I say, it's possible that a very effective preventive, Aimovig, might be very helpful. Don't just read about the D3 regimen, do it. The guy who created it is an amazing person who will help you in any way he can, and he's there for you pretty much 24/7. And get the damn O2.

Also, Jon the Zomig sounds pretty righteous. You use that exclusively now? Does it just "bust" the headache or keep them away for any sort of time Last resort after all else fails....for me effective nearly every time, no noticeable side effects, typically got an 18 hr "free time", no rebounds. DAMNED expensive tho (even with insurance). In my case much better all around than sumatriptan. If you try either BE SURE to research manufacturer coupons and other pharmacy discount options... Real quick - I know that pills can tear your stomach up, but the excedrin tension that ONLY contains acetaminophen and caffeine - that's not as bad for your tummy as the regular excedrin right ? Correct...just be sure not to mix with alcohol or exceed listed dosages....can be hard on the liver. Do a google search.... The O2 sounds interesting and I would be willing to try, I'm just not sure if I can keep that up lifelong as I try to be as active as I can. I guess I could take it with me camping and my long car drives but it seems like a lot. But this condition is a whole lot and I am willing to do anything to seek relief When...not IF you go this route... you WILL curse the delay and regret all the pain that COULD have been avoided. I have trouble finding the words how important this is!!! Without O2 I could not have worked, could not have participated in life, and would have been insane or WORSE. These are called suicide headaches for a damn good reason. There is even one doc who asks patients if they have at least contemplated suicide...and if they say no...then they probably don't have CH..... I kept an e-tank (quite portable with a caddy... but large enough to be useful) in my office, one in the car (strapped down) and a couple of E's or M's at home. When travelling I arranged for E tanks pickup from the local O2 shop (I used Lincare...LOTS of locations)….yup...even on the way to a 7000' mountain cabin. The only problem I ever had when travelling was explaining the O2 regulator to TSA. They would make me explain EXACTLY what it was and how it was used. I was happy to comply. Oddly, they never even looked at the Zomig nasal sprays...which look a lot like a bullet! Also a friend of mine did give me a few topamax pills and a sumatriptran injection box, and I havent taken any of them. His wife has MS and said it helps with her headaches heavily. Thing is, I've read about the effects and seems they can be pretty severe. Obviously I'm the kind of guy that would rather smoke a joint, flap my arms and pray the pain goes away but...perhaps I'll shoot one in my forehead tonight ! Joking of course Topomax (an anti-epileptic supposedly useful for migraine and sometimes CH) is known by many a clusterhead as "dopeymax"….as the side effects include making you STOOOPID....worst side effects of any med I ever tried. Kind of a med of last resort when nothing else works IMHO. IF it's gonna work it will take a while...so a one off pop is worthless. Wait for a doc to give an ok before using suma...it can be harsh and can be counter indicated depending on your overall health situation.... Also a doctor friend of mine had said this when I was texting him today - "Sounds like your symptoms fall into a diagnostic group of diseases called Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgias (TACs).The five diagnoses in the group are: 1. Cluster 2. Paroxysmal hemicrania 3. SUNCT 4. SUNA 5. Hemicrania continua Well...ok...those are all nasty...which is why you need a headache specialist...... Even if the symptoms are textbook and diagnosis (usually by a neurologist) is made, treatment can be difficult to get “right” Yeah...soes a Class IV or V difficult....ya gonna sit on the bank and watch the 81 yr old guy flip you off on the way by...or get in the game? Another diagnosis in the group is called hemicrania continua and responds to a drug called indonethacin (basically ibuprofen) - also prescription If ya got HC...indomethacin is reportedly quite effective...usually doesn't do squat for CH but it's one way to eliminate HC in diagnosing... Well if we’re going with CH - which I think is right - it seems that the best place to start is a triptan" Yeah....as an emergency abort....it's not something to rely on (expensive, limited allowed usage, potential rebounds, side effects). I'd try the D3 regimen in the meantime....AND some smartass fuzzface has a lot of nice things to say about O2 (relatively cheap, easy, quick, NO SIDE EFFECTS) ...just sayin'.... BTW: Can I get an AMEN on O2 Brothers and Sisters???? Best Jon