Batch

Brain on Fire, Thanks for the update and sorry you're still having problems... It's time to take up oxy-acetylene welding.... I've been using welder's oxygen as a CH abortive for many years. Just don't tell the welding supply people how you intend to use it. There's less than a handful of medical conditions that carry a contraindication for vitamin D3. With proper medical supervision, most if not all of them can be overcome. Sarcoidosis is the main problem... and I know of at least two CHers who were also diagnosed with sarcoidosis who are now taking vitamin D3. The rest of these conditions are easily managed with proper mineral balance and the problem with kidney stones is overblown and an old wives tale spread by Big Pharma. Please shoot me a PM with any particulars. Take care and please keep us posted. V/R, Batch

Hey Seff, Thank you for the update. It appears you're responding nicely to the vitamin D3 loading schedule... Good on you for skipping the prednisone. It would have helped a little, but slowed down the vitamin D3 response. You're on the right track at this point. Another round of labs for your serum 25(OH)D, calcium and PTH will be in order after 30 days on this regimen. You'll be looking for a 25(OH)D serum concentration up around 80 ng/mL (200 nmol/L), calcium within its normal reference range (That means no vitamin D3 toxicity) and PTH in the lower third of its normal reference range. Take care and please keep us posted, V/R, Batch

As the guy who suggested the "mini brain freeze" as an aid in aborting CH in the first place, I'm not sure I could stand ice cold water up the nose. That said, flushing the nasal passages to rinse out allergens can be helpful... The basic idea behind sucking ice water through a straw is to chill the hard pallet on the hit side until you feel a mini brain freeze. This helps chill the sphenopalatine gangila (SPG) on the hit side that's located in the rear of the nasal passage above the hard pallet. This is the only nerve ganglia outside the skull and it's directly connected to the middle branch of the trigeminal ganglia. This is also the reason why some neurologists use the SPG block with intranasal lidocaine as an abortive. The theory behind the mini brain freeze and SPG blockade is reducing the expression of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the trigeminovascular complex. The mini brain freeze works best when used to start oxygen therapy with hyperventilation. It still works without oxygen with an efficacy similar to slamming a cold sports drink with caffeine and taurine. I'm open for comments. Take care, V/R, Batch

Elrik, 5,000 IU/day vitamin D3 is fine for healthy adults... That said, it is too low a dose for CHers with active bouts of CH. 10,000 IU/day has been the go to daily maintenance dose of vitamin D3 following a 12-Day accelerated vitamin D3 loading schedule at 50,000 IU/day for 12 days. The following graphic illustrates the rational for this dosing schedule. As you can see, the 12-Day loading schedule elevates serum 25(OH)D rapidly into the therapeutic range around 80 ng/mL where most CHers respond to this regimen. At just 10,000 IU/day it could take 2 to 3 months to elevate serum 25(OH)D to 80 ng/mL. Again you can pull down the anti-inflammatory regimen CH preventative treatment protocol at the following link. Take a printed copy to your new neurologist to discuss. http://www.vitamindwiki.com/tiki-download_wiki_attachment.php?attId=7708 Take care and please keep us posted. V/R, Batch

Hey Dandownunder, There is almost always a reason why some CHers don't respond to the anti-inflammatory regimen. Have you had a recent lab test for your serum 25(OH)D concentration? The most common reason for non-response is a low 25(OH)D response below the therapeutic range around 80 ng/mL, (200 nmol/L). If that's the case, a higher dose of vitamin D3 may be needed. Several CHers including me have found the Bio-Tech D3-50 water soluble vitamin D3 is more effective than the liquid soft gel vitamin D3 formulations. Taking all the cofactors... including Omega-3 fish oil and a 3-month course of vitamin B 100 Complex is essential. If your serum 25(OH)D concentration is up in this therapeutic range and you're still getting whacked... the problem is either an allergic reaction or diet related allergy. Allergic reactions are a spoiler for this regimen as they result in a flood of histamine that makes nearly all forms of CH intervention ineffective, A week to 10-Day course of a first-generation antihistamine like Benadryl (Diphenhydramine HCL) at 25 mg every 4 hours throughout the day addresses most allergic reactions. Just be careful and not drive as this much Diphenhydramine HCL will make you drowsy. If you need to drive during the day, wait until you're home for the day then take 50 mg Benadryl as you walk through the door and another 50 mg at bed time. If there's no favorable change in CH patterns after a week of Benadryl, discontinue. Diet is an important consideration for all CHers and migraineurs... The first two diet rules are zero sugars of any kind and no wheat products including bread, pasta, cereals, pizza and grain oils like Canola. Canola and grain oils come from GMO grains so are almost are contaminated with glyphosates (Roundup resistant genetically modified grains). You can eat all the organic grass fed meats and free range poultry including eggs, wild caught fish, green and yellow veggies, tomatoes and avocados you want. Whole fresh NON GMO Organic foods are best. Limit the fruits to a serving a day of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries or strawberries. Basically you're looking for a low carbohydrate diet, the Atkins diet or a good ketogenic diet that switches your metabolism from sugar burning to fat burning. Metabolizing dietary fats and any excess fat you may have around your middle and backside results in ketones being eliminated in urine. Pick up some keto test strips at your local chemist/pharmacy. A few drops of urine on the keto test strip will tell you if you're doing good or cheating on your diet. As long as the test patch turns pink to purple, you're diet is good. If the test patch remains beige, you've been cheating... A Big Mac or two slices of toast is all it takes to revert back to a sugar burning metabolism... Better living through chemistry... A 24 hour fast will help kick-start any of these diets. Be sure to drink at least 2.5 liters of water a day. Take care and please keep us posted. V/R, Batch

Hey CHMom and Muggle, Welcome to the anti-inflammatory regimen CH preventative treatment protocol with vitamin D3, Omega-3 fish oil and the vitamin D3 cofactors. You've both made a very good decision starting this safe, effective and healthy regimen. The following chart from the online survey of 283 CHers taking this regimen illustrates the reported time to respond by day. As you can see, the 80% of CHers who respond to this regimen do so within the first 30 days and the majority of them respond in the first two weeks. Muggle, you're doing great as an early bird responding in three days. Given the results obtained from the online survey of 283 CHers taking this regimen, the cessation of your CH attacks is not a coincident. CHMom, this chart tells you what to expect. The accelerated 12-Day vitamin D3 loading schedule at 50,000 IU/day for 12 days is still a good idea for both of you for several reasons. The typical CHer needs a total oral loading dose of 600,000 IU of vitamin D3. This can be taken in a single oral dose or spread out over 12 days to two weeks. There are several vitamin D3 studies using a single oral loading dose this high resulting in a 25(OH)D response of 60 ng/mL (150 nmol/L) on top of the baseline (starting) 25(OH)D serum concentration with no adverse events. Both molecular vitamin D3 and its first metabolite, 25(OH)D3 enter cells throughout the body to initiate genetic expression. When they reach neurons in the trigeminal ganglia, they flip a genetic switch that down-regulates, (suppresses) the expression of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and Substance P (SP). These are the two neuropeptides headache experts think are responsible for cluster and migraine headaches. This loading schedule builds 25(OH)D reserves into the therapeutic range around 80 ng/mL in 12 days to act as a reserve in preventing CH. A vitamin D3 intake of 10,000 IU/day works to prevent CH as long as its taken daily but at this dose, it can take two to three months to build 25(OH)D serum concentration reserves to 80 ng/mL. If you miss a day or two, the CH preventative effect drops as there are no reserves to cover the missed doses. This loading schedule also helps eliminate shadows. A lab test for 25(OH)D before start of regimen is nice to have for several reasons of which the most important is establishing a link between the frequency of your CH and a low 25(OH)D serum concentration in your neurlogist's mind. When your neurologist sees the results of your second 25(OH)D 25(OH)D lab test taken 30 days after start of regimen and you're either CH pain free or CH frequency is greatly reduced, it connects the dots... Low 25(OH)D = increased CH frequency and 25(OH)D around 80 ng/mL (200 nmol/L) = complete cessation of CH or a significant reduction in CH frequency. That's the "A-Ha" moment where the neurologists sees the light... that there's an inverse relationship between the frequency of CH and 25(OH)D serum concentration. In simple logical terms, IF A THEN B. This is the clinical evidence that tends to make neurologists a believer in this regimen. When that happens, you've got a neurologist who is willing to work with you while taking this regimen instead of prescribing pharmaceutical preventatives that don't work as well and which carry onerous side effects. This is also where the lab tests for serum calcium and PTH are important. Without these two lab tests, too many physicians will pitch a hissy over a 25(OH)D serum concentration around 80 ng/mL (200 nmol/L) saying you're "toxic." In reality, the lab test for 25(OH)D is a poor indicator of vitamin D3 intoxication/toxicity. Only the lab test for serum calcium should be used in this case. As long as serum calcium remains within its normal reference range, there is NO VITAMIN D3 TOXICITY a.k.a., hypercalcemia (too much serum calcium). Serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentration is also a good biomarker to use while taking this regimen. When 25(OH)D is low, PTH tends to be near the high end of its normal reference range. With a 25(OH)D up around 80 ng/mL or higher, PTH tends to be near the low end of its normal reference range. For reference, I've run my serum 25(OH)D up to 180 ng/mL (450 nmol/L), but my serum calcium remained within its normal reference range and my PTH was low as expected. I gave my PCP a copy of the anti-inflammatory regimen treatment protocol so he knew what to expect... Accordingly he had no problem with my 25(OH)D serum concentration being this high. Take care and please keep us posted. V/R, Batch.

Glo, Muscle cramps (not tummy/GI tract disturbances) are usually an indication of not enough magnesium. Vitamin D3 at the doses we take consumes magnesium. Without adequate magnesium supplements, we end up with a poor calcium - magnesium balance with too little magnesium. Our muscles need calcium to contract and magnesium to relax... Without a proper calcium - magnesium balance, muscle cramps are likely. Have your husband try doubling the magnesium with 400 mg in the morning with breakfast and 400 mg with the evening meal. Splitting the magnesium dose like this helps prevent osmotic diarrhea. Obviously, if the muscle cramps get worse, lay off the magnesium for a couple days to see what happens. Take care and please keep us posted. V/R, Batch

Hey Seff, You've taken the right course of action to prevent your CH. I'm confident you'll be happy with the results. Please let us know the results of your 25(OH)D lab test. My guess is your results will fall under the following normal distribution curve for baseline 25(OH)D test results from 257 CHers before start of regimen. Take care, V/R, Batch

Hey Dandownunder, We ran a pilot study of the oxygen demand valve method of aborting CH back in 2008 with Seven (7) CHers (6 CCHers and 1 ECHer) collecting abort time and pain level data on every abort with this method of oxygen therapy for a period of 8 weeks each. I developed this method of oxygen therapy as a CH abortive in 2005 using a flow rate type oxygen regulator good to over 70 liters/minuet and modified it to work with an oxygen demand valve in late 2007. I also hold a patent for the method of oxygen therapy. An oxygen demand valve delivers oxygen on demand just the same as a SCUBA diver's 2nd stage regulator. The harder you try to inhale, the higher the oxygen flow rate. You basically control the oxygen flow rate with respiration rate at deep tidal volumes. The procedures I developed call for a respiration rate high enough to support hyperventilation. That respiration rate equates to an oxygen flow rate of roughly 40 liters/minute. 3 of the 7 CHers used a 0 to 60 liter/minute "InGage" regulator from FloTec set at a flow rate of 40 liters/minute with the Cluster Kit mask from CH.com with the 3 liter reservoir bag. We also had one of the CHers in this pilot study, very experienced in the use of oxygen therapy as a CH abortive, collect abort time and pain level data for a week using the standard disposable oxygen mask with 1 liter reservoir bag and an oxygen flow rate of 15 liters/minute (curve shown in red). The results are illustrated in the following graphic. As you can see, oxygen therapy at flow rates/respiration rates that support hyperventilation result in significantly shorter abort times and higher efficacy rates than that experienced at a flow rate of 15 liters/minute with a disposable oxygen mask. We used ≤ 20 minutes to an abort as the primary endpoint for efficacy. All but two aborts took ≤ 20 minutes so there were 364 successful aborts for 366 attempts for a 99.6% efficacy. The two failed attempts occurred when the CHer got trapped away from home and his demand valve system when his CH hit. He was either locked out of his home or away from home shopping. Both times he was unable to start this therapy until his CH pain level had already reached 10 on the 10-Point Headache Pain Scale. There were no differences in abort times between the oxygen demand valve and InGage regulator set at 40 liters/minute. Moreover, the mean abort time across all pain levels was 7 minutes flat for oxygen therapy at flow/respiration rates that support hyperventilation. This graphic also provided an interesting finding that no other study of oxygen therapy as a CH abortive has reported. The higher the CH pain level at start of therapy, the longer the abort time. This little factoid should make it obvious to start oxygen therapy at the first sign of an approaching CH while the pain level is still low. We also discovered a curious phenomenon where the frequency of CH increased for 3 to 4 weeks after starting the demand valve method of oxygen therapy. This up-tic in CH frequency continued to a maximum at week 5 of the 8 week long study then dropped to less than the starting frequency by week 8. All seven CHers in this pilot study experienced this same up-tick in CH frequency. All this happened before I developed and started taking the anti-inflammatory regimen CH preventative treatment protocol with 10,000 IU/day vitamin D3, Omega-3 fish oil and vitamin D3 cofactors in October of 2010. Since then, my oxygen demand valve has been stored in a zip lock bag unused. The anti-inflammatory CH preventative treatment protocol has proven to be effective in the first 30 days by 80% of the CHers who start this regimen. They experience an 80% reduction in the frequency of their CH from an average of 3 CH/day down to 3 to 4 CH/week. 50% of the CHers who start this regimen experience a complete and lasting cessation of all CH attacks in the first 30 days after start of regimen. This regimen is effective for both episodic and chronic CH although ECHers tend to respond at a slightly higher rate. You can download a copy of the anti-inflammatory CH preventative treatment protocol at the following link. Take a copy to your PCP/GP to discuss and ask for the lab test of your serum 25(OH)D. This is the serum level metabolite of vitamin D3 that's used to measure its status. The normal reference range for this lab test is 30 to 100 ng/mL (75 to 250 nmol/L) CHers with active bouts of CH tend to have a mean 25(OH)D serum concentration around 23 ng/mL at baseline before starting this regimen and a 25(OH)D serum concentration around 80 ng/mL (200 nmol/L) after 30 days on this regimen. http://www.vitamindwiki.com/tiki-download_wiki_attachment.php?attId=7708 There are plenty of CHers down under taking this regimen who will be happy to help you source the needed supplements. Take care and please keep us posted. V/R, Batch

Hey Chano, The best course of action is to pick up some 5,000 IU vitamin D3 soft gel capsules and 400 mg magnesium softgels, Omega-3 Fish oil and 50+ Adult Mature Mulit shown with daily doses in the following photo. They're available at Cosco and most super markets. Rationale... You're likely vitamin D3 deficient and that deficiency is contributing to the frequency, severity and duration of your CH. Colds are a viral infection so will also respond to large doses of vitamin C and zinc. I take 6 to 8 grams (6000 to 8000 mg/day) of vitamin C and 50 mg/day zinc if I feel a cold coming on. Vitamin D3 and Omega-3 Fish Oil are also natural antiviral agents so will help reduce the length of colds... and help prevent your CH. Take care and please keep us posted. V/R, Batch

Hey Glo, Thank you for the feedback and great news your husband is responding well to the anti-inflammatory regimen. After 24 years with CH, chronic since 2004, I know the wonderful feeling the first time you wake up and realize you haven't had a CH in 24 hours... I've been CH pain free since I developed and started this regimen in October of 2010. The best course of action at this point is for your husband to stay on the anti-inflammatory regimen. A few days of a vitamin D3 loading dose of 50,000 IU/day vitamin D3 should take care of the shadows. After that, a vitamin D3 maintenance dose of 10,000 IU/day plus all the cofactors should keep him CH pain free. I'm not a fan of psychotropic drugs like Depakote, a.k.a., "Dopeycoat" as they have little efficacy in preventing CH and only cause other adverse side effects so would discontinue. Have your husband discuss this decision with his PCP/neurologist and to ask for the lab test of his serum 25(OH)D. This is the serum level metabolite of vitamin D3 that's used to measure its status. The normal reference range for this lab test is 30 to 100 ng/mL (75 to 250 nmol/L). As CHers, we need to maintain a 25(OH)D serum concentration around 80 ng/mL (200 nmol/L) or higher in order to remain CH pain free. Doing this will get two birds with one stone... On one hand, your husband will know the therapeutic level of 25(OH)D that keeps him CH pain free and on the other hand, it will help educate his doctor about the benefits of taking vitamin D3 and the cofactors as an effective CH preventative. Great questions. 1. It's best to take this regimen (all of it) with the largest meal of the day. This helps vitamin D3 absorption and lowers the probability of GI tract disturbances. 2 and 3. The anti-inflammatory regimen is not a cure for CH, but rather a way of life (a long and healthy way of life) that should be taken daily, until the body reaches room temperature, to prevent a return of CH and many other medical conditions. At roughly 50 cents a day, I look at this regimen as the most effective, safest, and least expensive form of health insurance we can buy. On that note, you should be taking this regimen too!. If your husband will have a long and healthy life while taking this regimen, I'm guessing you want to be right there with him... I started my wife on this regimen in December of 2010. She was a 20 year episodic migraineur at the time with migraine headaches hitting like clockwork for 3 to 5 days a month. She hasn't had a migraine headache since. She is now 82, in great health (she takes no Rx medications), has more energy than I've seen in over 20 years and she runs my backside off. This regimen has so many health benefits I have my entire family taking it and none of them have CH or migraines. That also includes two grand kids, a grand niece and grand nephew who have been bathed in maternal vitamin D3 since conception and while breast feeding (their mothers have been taking this regimen with 10,000 IU/day vitamin D3 for many years). After that, these incredibly healthy kids take 50 IU of vitamin D3 per pound of body weight per day. They're all young Einsteins. If your husband has been on this regimen for at least 30 days, now is also a good time for your him to take the survey for CHers taking the anti-inflammatory regimen to prevent their CH. To start this survey, click on the following link: http://www.esurveyspro.com/Survey.aspx?id=fb8a2415-629f-4ebc-907c-c5ce971022f6 This online survey of CHers taking the anti-inflammatory regimen has been running continuously since 11 December of 2011 so we are rapidly approaching seven full years of data collection. As of last week there were 283 completed surveys. The near term goal is 300 completed and submitted surveys. I will be using this survey data in early 2019 to publish the results. A survey population of 300 adds strength to reported results. The serum 25(OH)D data is also very important as it provides the clinical data and medical evidence neurologists, headache specialists and GPs need in order to suggest this very effective and safe CH preventative treatment protocol to their CH and migraine patients. Take care and please keep us posted. V/R, Batch

Hey Seff, Regarding vitamin D3 loading doses... I've been suggesting a total loading dose of 600,000 IU of vitamin D3 when starting with a low serum 25(OH)D concentration. This total loading dose of vitamin D3 can be taken all at once (there are several studies where this was done in a single oral dose with no adverse reactions) or spread out over 2 to 4 weeks. We've seen excellent results with the 12-Day accelerated vitamin D3 loading schedule at 50,000 IU/day for 12 days followed by a drop in vitamin D3 dose to an initial daily maintenance dose of 10,000 IU/day. I've also suggested CHers discuss lab tests with their PCP/GP or neurologist for serum 25(OH)D, calcium and PTH (Parathyroid Hormone) after 30 days on this regimen. 25(OH)D is a poor indicator of vitamin D3 intoxication/toxicity. Only serum calcium and PTH should be used here. As long as serum calcium remains within its normal reference range and PTH is in the lower third of its normal reference range, there is no vitamin D3 intoxication/toxicity as evidenced by hypercalcemia (too much serum calcium). For reference, I've maintained my serum 25(OH)D concentration up around 180 ng/mL (450 nmol/L) for at least two years. In all that time my serum calcium remained within its normal reference range and PTH was low as expected. My PCP had no problem with these results as there were no indications of vitamin D3 toxicity. Take care and please keep us posted. V/R, Batch

Antibiotics are a necessary evil when treating significant bacterial infections. They do nothing for viral infections. That's where a healthy immune system comes into play as that's how the body fights off viral infections. Again, there are no pharmaceutical silver bullets for viral infections. The best response to a course of antibiotics is to start at least a month long course of probiotics to rebuild and recolonize the friendly bacteria in the GI tract called the microbiome that were destroyed by antibiotics. This is an important course of action as the majority of our immune system centers around the GI tract. A healthy microbiome helps ensure a healthy immune system. Vitamin D3 and Omega-3 fish oil also help build a healthy microbiome and immune system. Take care, V/R, Batch

Hey Stev, Be sure to ask for the 25(OH)D lab test. Data from the online survey of CHers with active bouts of CH starting the anti-inflammatory regimen with 10,000 IU/day vitamin D3 and cofactors indicate they all have low levels of vitamin D3. The following normal distribution chart illustrates the results of baseline 25(OH)D lab tests taken before starting this regimen. Take care and please keep us posted. V/R, Batch

Madam, Thank you for the feedback and answers... Glad to hear you're CH pain free. Now we need to address the GI tract disturbance... My first inclination is for you to drop back to an initial vitamin D3 maintenance dose of 10,000 IU/day to see if that has any effect on the tummy problems. If there's an improvement after a week, you may be able to throttle back to 5,000 IU/day vitamin D3. Let's give that a go... Check the back label on the cal-mag tablets to see what kind of magesium salt is used. Magnesium citrate tends to cause the GI tract problems you're experiencing. Take care, cheers and please keep me posted. V/R, Batch