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@Bejeebercould say that buddy . We are just on cloud 9 at the moment

Woo hoo! images (1).mp4

WHAT!? That is just huge @Shaun brearley - everybody must be pretty much over the moon over this development.

BIG DAY tomorrow daughter coming home on day release from rehab .

2022 was an amazing year of growth, and we are grateful for your support! Clusterbusters continues to advance research on cluster headache. We're expanding our advocacy to be more effective in supporting those with CH. We're planning 2023 in-person conferences in both the UK & US, as well as continuing with other smaller events such as camping, the virtual 5K, and our online support groups. Please consider Clusterbusters on #Giving Tuesday, November 29th.

Registration for the first annual Clusterbusters U.K./European Patient Conference is open! Join us in Glasgow for what promises to be a memorable inaugural event. Register today. https://cbglasgow2023.planningpod.com/

I suffer from cluster headache episodes. They happen every 10 years or so and last up to 9 months with frequent attacks. Home-based oxygen therapy works for me (fortunately) to abort attacks. But what worked for me even better is scuba diving at relatively deep depths. I discovered this by accident a few years ago as I was preparing for a 120 feet dive on regular air. I had geared up and was preparing to dive in when an acute attack started. I was in month 3 of the episode and my morale had been eroded by the frequency and violence of the attacks (at that time, my physician had refused to supply me with home-based oxygen treatment - she was afraid I would start a fire!). We had been planning the dive for days and I thought to myself: "Screw that... I'm going in.". While the first few minutes were made quite difficult by the pain, I started feeling better at 80 feet and the attack vanished when we reached 120 feet. At first, I though this was a coincidence. But as we repeated the 120+ feet dives over the next 4 days, something unexpected happened: the episode was aborted and I was pain free for years afterwards. After talking to my neurologist about this event, he confirmed that there were more reports of busting an episode with diving at these depths. He also explained that he prescribed hyperbaric chamber treatment at simulated depths of 60 feet for cluster headache sufferers. He also explained that at the depths we went to, the oxygen concentration is almost 5 times higher than at surface level (approx. pO2 1.0 ATA at 125 feet vs 0.21 ATA at surface). This was the equivalent of a mammoth O2 treatment. I don't suggest here that anybody go out there and try this. Diving at these depths require special training and certification. But if you are a diver who is qualified and who suffers from cluster headaches, consider it. But make sure that you are comfortable at those depths (i.e. not anxious) and that your buddies are aware of your condition and what you are attempting to do. Frederic

Hi all ... so an update ... first and foremost, thank you all for being here. I have not experienced a CH again. I have, for the most part, abstained from drinking. I am not taking proponoyl regularly (it was prescribed for anxiety not the headache). So that is great news. However, I do have a dull, very mild persistent headache behind my left eye - the CH was in my right eye. So I a found a headache specialist, but won't be able to see him for a few weeks. So I am still confused, but doing OK.

If it makes any diffrence... I will say that I'm in constant amazement of the people on here. They are beyond kind and definitely the strongest people I've ever encountered in my entire life! I had no idea that there were others like me, others that could understand and respond from the same perspective and understanding of the level of pain. When I found this place and interacted with them I found a new sense of hope! I felt so alone as I've never met a fellow cluster head. I've chosen to stay because if I can help anyone in the way this site has helped me I owe at least that much..

Thank you so much, Rod, Spiny and Jon, and all this information CHfather. It means a lot to me right now, to understand this better, lowers the stress level. No MSG or dental work near me that day. Even though my attack lasted 3 hours and it was a blur, I did end up making coffee (albeit at the very end) and that seemed to help. It is interesting that this site revolves around magic mushrooms. I have drank quite a bit over my adult life, it has never made me hit 'rock bottom' or anything drastic. However, when I moved after the pandemic, the same brother-in-law gave me a gift certificate to a whiskey bar in my new city. Concurrently, I was given a bag of mushrooms from a friend as a going away present. Did not think much about them, but after 2 weeks in my new city, I needed to go out. So I went to the whiskey bar and grabbed that bag of mushrooms for good measure. I had the time of my life. So much fun, felt fantastic - until the next morning. Could not have felt worse, awful, sick. For many months alcohol was repulsive to me, not just a bad hangover reaction, but something had changed, like I walked through a door with the mushrooms 'curing' me for lack of a better word of wanting to ever drink alcohol again. I have not drank too much since... a little more as of late, but will definitely stop now. I pray it is just a one-time attack, I can keep you all posted if you are interested. I imagine having this group is very therapeutic for you all. It already is for me. Is it odd that I have not had another attack the past two nights? Thank you again

Hi NIck!! I suspect that many of us can recall exactly when we were first hit. None of the stories are happy. First step is to find your triggers. Booze is #1. Strike that off everything. Period. Get scans done. You have that in motion. If you have CH? They will tell you that your scan was 'perfect' or 'clear'. You are eliminating other bad stuff that is treatable, not getting 'we see'. You have no reason to think about chronic or episodic currently. You may not have CH or you may be starting out at a low level episodic. Currently, get the tests done. avoid booze, then access your situation.

Wow this weird i managed to obtain my PADI certifcate in Mauritius in 2017 whilst on holiday can only dive up to 30 metres at the moment , but thought that id never be sble to really stretch it any further due to CH interesting

Interesting! Ironic that I was medically removed from the Navy's 2nd class(salvage) dive school due to cluster episodes. Might have been exactly what I needed the whole time! Been 15 years since my last episode but if they ever hit again I am headed to the local hyperbaric therapy center for a little experiment.