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Kate, have you tried a cup of coffee? That works well for me where shadows are concerned. I would vibrate over to Memphis with two Red Bulls!! I am a bit older than you, so perhaps it might help without the side effects? Worth a shot. Also, if I am out and cannot get coffee, I keep caffeine caps in my bag for emergencies. Just take it or if the shadow is bad and fast, I dump out the powder and chase with some water. I did not find HRT to cause any change in my CH years ago. You can buy ginger capsules too. I think they are available on Amazon. I know the caffeine pills are there. That might avoid the gag mess. I use ginger candy personally at different times too. Benadryl is often used with the Vitamin D3 Regimen. Anyway, allergies seem to make our CH worse for a lot of people, so Benadryl, an original allergy med that does penetrate the blood/brain barrier helps. That is why it works. You might want to do a blood test to see where your D is currently. It may be low now and that is the reason for the mess you are currently in. Do you have O2? I use that for shadows too. So, also worth a try. Just be sure to stay on for a few minutes after the shadow is gone.

There hasn't been much commentary here about "standard" HRT (hormone replacement therapy). I do remember one prominent member saying it had no effect on her CH. You can search for HRT (using "hormone replacement" as the search phrase) using the search bar at the top of each page. I know there will be a lot of comments from MoxieGirl, but her HRT was part of a male-female transition, so probably not relevant. Regarding shadows, here's a little from a post in the ClusterBuster Files. Ginger seems to be the most effective go-to for many. There is probably other advice in other posts. "Some people find that standard headache medicine such as ibuprofen helps with shadows, some find that caffeine helps (and Excedrin migraine tablets include both a headache med and caffeine), and some find that oxygen helps. Ginger seems to help many people (some also take it as a possible preventive). Tea is one way to take it. Slice or grate a bunch if it (maybe a tablespoon if grated; more if chopped) and simmer it for 10 - 20 minutes in a couple of cups of water. It should feel really strong when you drink it. You can add honey, sugar, etc. You can buy ginger tea, but make sure it’s real ginger. Crystallized ginger and real (strong) ginger candy are also good. Candy from Ginger People is strong. You can make your own crystallized ginger candy. Someone once posted “Ginger and honey on toast. Yum!” There’s apparently a Nut Bar that contains ginger and sugar. Ginger beer (non-alcoholic) has worked for some people." Can you get RC seeds (rivea corymbosa)? Legal to purchase and possess, but often very effective for busting. Are you doing the D3 regimen? As you might know, allergies (even ones you don't notice) can really kick up CH activity at unusual times. Have you tried some Benadryl? We can say more about these or other options, depending on your responses.

Hi @Sumari, sorry I don't know the availability status of imigran injections. If your dad has any left, and if they are 6 mg, he can actually get 3 aborts, instead of just one, from one syringe, with the extending imitex tip successfully used by legions of clusterheads for a good couple decades now. I imagine it is the only prescription medicine that has helped so far, but non-pharmaceutical approaches have been found to be more effective, with high success rates, as seen at the blue New Users - Please Read Here First banner at the top of the page ^^^^. Also if 100% oxygen at a high flow rate is at all available, it is a non-toxic abortive that can be an effective replacement for imigran in most instances.

Hey Mariana, It's my pleasure. With regards to the "phantom pain" I also get those. It lingers the entire day at a mild level. Causing stress and anxiety like it gonna start an attack. All the pain meds or antiinflammatory meds will not get rid of it. However, what I found is that when I took O2 for a short while that pain disappears. Feels like the clutches have released from the side of your head. Give that a try. If you search on my alias here you will find all my posts and like you, I started of not knowing much about treatment and this site has taught me patience and how to cope. You will also read that I was very hasty in trying to get relief as quick as I could. Oh and that I tried alot of stuff along the way out of desperation including dangerous procedures and the use of pharmaceutical drugs that left me with 2 hip replacements. I experimented alot and some times I ended up worse to begin with. Let's start with O2. My very first experience I thought it would work the moment I put the mask on. Then gave up on it. However after alot of encouragement and advise from this group I started on it again and it worked. Then I played around with the flow rate and adjusted my breathing techniques to now where I finally found a way to abort day time attacks in a matter of 4 to 5 mins or less using a low flow rate of as little as 8 litres per minute. As mentioned on previous posts, when you find that an attack is starting, you have to let it start at least 2 to 3 mins. Then head in for O2. Using the non-rebreather mask, I set the regulator to 8lpm. Let the bag fill up. Pull the O2 through your mouth with your tongue touching your upper palette. Hold the O2 in you lung till the bag fills up. You will still feel like the attack is going to get worse but it won't. For comfort during this time, cup the affected side of your head with you hand whilst doing this and slowly apply pressure and massage that area in circular motions. Exhale one the bag fills up and repeat. You will find that you will stop the attack much faster and also save on O2. Leaving the tank at 8ltpm, is kind of like a timer of how long you should hold the oxygen in your lung before exhaling. Of course this won't be the case for nocturnal attacks since they are difficult to catch. So for those, do the norm of 15 to 20lpm and remember as difficult and as painful as the attack is at that moment, you have to try to focus on trying to hold as much O2 in your lung as possible for as long as possible and keep telling yourself that it's going to release just now. Try to focus on a happy place. I know it's really hard to at that moment but I found that if I force myself to try to be calmer, the quicker I get relief. I picture being in a boat in the middle of the ocean with dolphins swimming past. Lol. I always have that image and it does help me during O2 treatment. I think we all can agree that as a rule of thumb: Always have O2 wherever you are during cycle. Regarding the D3 I think I'm like a 3rd year student of Mr @xxx. The reason I say this is cos I didn't do it right the 1st time. But after having grusome attacks every 2 hours for the whole of 2019, I had no other choice since non of the other remedies on here helped me. The first thing I think you should do is bloods. Check where your D3 is sitting at. The first time I checked mine, it was at a shocking 18. Explained why my attacks were so frequent and so so painful that I almost peeled the skin of my forehead on the affected side. After loading as per the schedule, it climbed to 40 after 3 weeks. Then 80 in another 3 weeks. Sure I was still getting attacks but it was too few to mention during the loading. There were a few days where I did have what you may call "slapback" attacks which were painful but always keep your eye on the ball so to speak. So once you get your d3 levels tested, check what it is at. My guess is that it is very low. Then work on trying to bring it up and never forget to take the regimen every day. Including the cofactors as they also play a very important role including proper absorption of the D3. I strongly recommend that you get in touch with @xxx, as he will guide you on specifics and dosages etc also as mentioned previously, its on the files section. Print it like I did. Highlight as you read through and trust me, you won't go wrong. So I don't thing that the D3 brought on that attack. I think you should persevere and make sure you do your bloods. Get your number and take it from there. Cos it is the starting point. unfortunately, we have to be patient and let the regimen start to work. There is no quick fix as much as we wish there was. But like I said, keep your eye on the ball. Once you know where you want to be, you will know when you want to start. I strongly believe that you can do this!! Take care and best wishes Snowflake

Hi there Mariana, Welcome and nice to meet you. Regarding the D3 regimen, I have also had the same experience initially. However last season and this season I decided to give it a chance and for me it really made such a huge difference in the frequency and intensity of the attacks. From someone that had been getting hits every 2 hours day and night to 2 mild attacks a night only which I aborted with oxygen, it's given me my life back. With the proper dosages and cofactors it really does wonders. Our humble friend @xxx aka batch has developed this regimen and he can guide you further. Also have a look at the files section, there's tons of information on it and it will also guide you as you go along. Wishing you well and I have alot of faith in this regimen. Once it starts working, you will be amazed at the results. Also make sure you have O2 on standby and work on your breathing techniques and you will be just fine. Pain free wishes always Snowflake

Hey @spiny Hope you are well. THank you! I stopped the calcium magnesium citrate and taking 400mg of the magnesium glycinate when the cramps were bad. Since then, it seems to be subsiding. I just finished placing an order on iherb for more D3 the Biotech one as well as all the cofactors. Should arrive by mid October. THank's again my friend well wishes Snowflake