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I had high hopes for masturbation. I must be doing it wrong.

This is really going south quick. Maybe laughter is the "cure"???

Don't worry guys I'm not a quitter. But my vision is really starting to go.

Reminds me of Woody Allen's joke, "Sex isn't dirty, unless you're doing it right." As I recall, one or two posters have suggested that not actually completing the act is the secret to stopping an attack. So actually doing it "wrong" might in fact be the secret to doing it "right." (This might also be within the posted materials, but I'm not going to look.)

LazyG', I have a (pinned) post over in the ClusterBuster Files section about "non-busting" topics related to CH. I'd suggest you look at that for a sense of the landscape. Denny's post in that same section (also pinned) will lead you to info about busting.

Repost from my topic on clusterheadaches.com http://www.clusterheadaches.com/wwwboard2/index.html My name is Dr. Elliott. I have a Phd. in kicking ass and Googling shit. This thread will be for 2 years, 730 days. Like every good scientist, I will be experimenting on myself (lol, some sarcasm to lighten the mood) and whoever else is willing to do whatever it takes to be cluster free for the rest of their lives. The goal is to reach 2 years with absolutely no clusters, thereby concluding my "research" and cementing my finds, in hopes of being the man that shuts the door on CH and laughing in its face. Hypothesis: CH are caused by dopamine overdose/dopamine receptor overload. Dopamine plays a part in the hypothalamus (active region of the brain during CH attacks?) which controls the Endocrine system (trigeminal nerve, the one that fucks up your day). CH suffers are genetically susceptible to one adverse effect of "dopamine syndrome": Cluster Headaches. Through a "rebooting" of the brains internal wiring, dopamine receptors can heal themselves of the damage caused by overuse or overstimulation. CH suffers, being largely male, have overstimulated these dopamine receptors through masturbation. (RED FLAG, keep reading though). Our generation at least, has been able to constantly increase the limit cap of our dopamine receptors by finding newer and newer untapped dopamine banks due to the Information Age. Porn is always ready to give the dopamine receptors what they need, when they need it, something that may seem convenient, but is pumping the endocrine system with so much that the overwhelming amount of "dopamine damage control" loses its fucking mind when the seasons change and daylights savings occurs, resetting the hypothalamus, triggering a daisy chain effect. The Trials: Give up porn, give up masturbation. Sex is ok. Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to or Who's in? I am currently on day 5. First Cluster Free day of my cycle. I have a very strange shadow going on that started dead center of my forehead, and is moving left. Just a moment ago it shut down my left nostril. My clusters occur on the right side. There is something very strange going on in my brain. I feel it really is being rewired. I hope this doesn't bite me in the ass and I end up having one tomorrow. Will update tomorrow, and every day after. I will find the cure for us, if not through this, somehow.

One big thing I'm not understanding is why are you singling out dopamine? It is related to the hypothalamus as an endocrine hormone that gets released, but so is Thyrotropin releasing hormone, Growth Hormone releasing hormone, Somatostatin, Gonadotropin releasing hormone, Corticotropin releasing hormone, Oxytocin, and vasopressin....Why Dopamine? Similarly, Orgasm does produce a rush of Dopamine, but it produces a rush of all sorts of other hormones too... To me, this whole thread might make more sense to get rid of the idea of Dopamine altogether, and ask "is excessive masturbation causing my clusters?" Still pretty doubtful to me, but I guess every question is worth asking. For me, I am pretty much positive that this is not happening. I do not watch nearly enough porn to justify the number or frequency of hits that I get, and there has never been any sort of correlation between my clusters how much sex or "me time" that I get. I will say this though, I get hit with a cluster any time I have green tea, and I have never met anyone that has this as a trigger. Everyone is different, maybe porn and "being able to get off exactly as you want to" as you say, is triggering you. Still doubtful. I would just eat some shrooms, rent some Debby Does Dallas and enjoy your life. -Ricardo

Switch hands maybe.? bb

You've got to have variations in your experiment. To help you out, I'll watch as much porn as humanly possible and see if I notice an uptick in my clusters.... -Ricardo