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Hey MM, I know what you've been going through and the good news is it doesn't need to be that way. You're very likely vitamin D3 deficient. When you see your doctor on Monday ask for labs of your serum 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D3, a.k.a., 25(OH)D3, calcium and PTH. The odds are very high your 25(OH)D3 will come back < 40 ng/mL. As CHers we need to maintain our 25(OH)D3 between 80 ng/mL and 100 ng/mL. We do this by taking at least 10,000 IU/day vitamin D3 plus the vitamin D3 cofactors. You can pull down a copy of the published treatment protocol at the following link. Readers of my webpage at vitamin D3 wiki have downloaded over 60,000 copies of this CH and MH preventative treatment protocol since I posted it on 21 Jan 2017. It works.: http://www.vitamindwiki.com/tiki-download_wiki_attachment.php?attId=7708 The following photo illustrates the supplements by brand and dose that I take and suggest to other CHers and Migraineurs to prevent their headaches. Take care and please keep us posted. V/R, Batch

Hey Mike, Vitamin D3 is not a monotherapy. To be effective in preventing CH it needs all the cofactors illustated in the following photo of what I take and suggest to other CHers. You can find the published treatment protocol at VitaminDWiki at the following link. http://www.vitamindwiki.com/tiki-download_wiki_attachment.php?attId=7708 Readers of my webpage at VitaminDWiki have downloaded 61,671 copies of the anti-inflammatory regimen CH and MH preventative treatment protocol since I posted it on 21 Jan 2017. Dr. Mark Burish, MD, PhD, Director, Will Erwin Headache Research Center, UT Houston, thought enough of this CH preventative treatment protocol and the medical evidence from the online survey of CHers taking the anti-inflammatory regimen to control their CH for the last 9 years, to publish an RCT on clinicaltrials.gov based on this treatment protocol. https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04570475?sfpd_s=09%2F30%2F2020&amp;sfpd_d=14 If you have any further questions about this regimen, please shoot me a PM Take care and hang in there. V/R, Batch

Hey Kate, Sorry you're having problems getting started on this regimen. I've sent you a PM to get the ball rolling to get you back on track for a speedy response to this regimen. Take care and please keep me posted. V/R, Batch

To all, This is a dream come true. https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04570475?sfpd_s=09%2F16%2F2020&sfpd_d=14 This is the gold standard RCT protocol I've been working with Dr. Mark Burish, MD, PhD., Will Erwin Headache Research Center, UT Houston School of Medicine to develop for almost a year at this point. We cut a lot of corners getting the protocol down to two pills with two look alike placebos and no loading dose, but I'm confident this dose will result in at least 70% of CHers responding with a significant reduction in the frequency of their CH during the course of this protocol. Take care, V/R, Batch

This is a dream come true. https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04570475?sfpd_s=09%2F16%2F2020&sfpd_d=14 This is the gold standard RCT protocol I've been working with Dr. Mark Burish, MD, PhD., Will Erwin Headache Research Foundation, UT Houston School of Medicine to develop for almost a year at this point. We cut a lot of corners getting the protocol down to two pills with two look alike placebos and no loading dose, but I'm confident this dose will result in at least 70% of CHers responding with a significant reduction in the frequency of their CH during the course of this protocol. Take care, V/R, Batch

Hey Siegfried, CPH responds to vitamin D3 at higher 25(OH)D3 serum concentrations when accompanied with other anti-inflammatory agents. Please shoot me a PM with your contact data so I can send you a copy of the latest version of the anti-inflammatory regimen treatment protocol. Take care, V/R, Batch

Hey Nicole, Check your message InBox. I've sent you a PM. Take care, V/R. Batch

Dear GBeth, Check your PM InBox. I've sent you a message that should help. Take care, V/R, Batch

Name is required information.

There's an excellent video of Dr. Paul Marik, MD, Chief of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, explaining his MATH+ COVID-19 protocol at the following link. It's long, but well worth the time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZJixjgu3tk I've been exchanging email with Dr. Marik for the last 5 months. There's an excellent analysis of the MATH+ protocol at the following link. https://covid19criticalcare.com/math-hospital-treatment/scientific-review-of-covid-19-and-math-plus/#1596274217294-29a4f4e2-63ce Take care, V/R, Batch

Spiny, As I indicated in an earlier post in this thread, Pepcid (Famotidine) is a histamine H2 receptor blocker. There's evidence Quercetin is a little safer and more effective as an antiviral than Famotidine. That said, the COVID-19 Critical Care Working Group (FLCCC) treatment protocol for COVID-19 patients in the ER calls for intravenous methylprednisone, high-dose ascorbic acid (vitamin C), thiamine (Vitamin B1) and heparin. Optional additions include melatonin, zinc, vitamin D3, atorvastatin, famotidine and magnesium. Quercetin also acts as an ionophore transporting zinc ions across cell walls to help stop viral replication. Vitamin C and quercetin have synergistic effects that make them useful in the prevention and early at-home treatment of COVID-19. Both are part of the MATH+ protocol developed by the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Working Group (FLCCC). For COVID-19 prophylaxis, the FLCCC recommends vitamin C, quercetin, zinc, melatonin and vitamin D3 The at-home treatment for mildly symptomatic patients is very similar to the prophylactic regimen, but adds several optional drugs, including aspirin, famotidine (an antacid) and ivermectin (a heartworm medication that has been shown to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro) There are two distinct phases or stages of COVID-19 — the viral replication stage and the immune dysfunction stage — and the treatment must be appropriate for the stage you’re in. Equally crucial is starting aggressive treatment as early as possible. Vitamin D3 boosts immune system functions that help prevent viral infections. Vitamin D3 at a high enough dose and responding 25(OH)D3 serum concentration, also helps prevent immune system dysfunction Quercetin was initially found to provide broad-spectrum protection against SARS coronavirus in the aftermath of the SARS epidemic that broke out across 26 countries in 2003. Now, some doctors are advocating its use against SARS-CoV-2, in combination with vitamin C, noting that the two have synergistic effects. Incidentally, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and the bioflavonoid quercetin (originally labeled vitamin P) were both discovered by the same scientist — Nobel prize winner Albert Szent-Györgyi. Quercetin’s antiviral capacity has been attributed to five main mechanisms of action: Inhibiting the virus’ ability to infect cells by transporting zinc across cellular membranes Inhibiting replication of already infected cells Reducing infected cells’ resistance to treatment with antiviral medication Inhibiting platelet aggregation — and many COVID-19 patients suffer abnormal blood clotting Promoting SIRT2, thereby inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome assembly involved with COVID-19 infection Similarly, vitamin C at extremely high doses also acts as an antiviral drug, effectively inactivating viruses. During the 2003 SARS pandemic, a Finnish researcher called for an investigation into the use of vitamin C after research showed it not only protected broiler chicks against avian coronavirus, but also cut the duration and severity of common cold in humans and significantly lowered susceptibility to pneumonia. I compiled a list of immune boosting COVID-19 prophylaxis people can take at home in the following table provided by experts in nutritional medicine. Column 4 is my summation. Supplement Riordan Orthomolecular EVMS/FLCC Batcheller Vitamin C 1-2g t.i.d. 3 g/d (1g t.i.d.) 500 mg BID 3 g/d (1g t.i.d.) Vitamin D3 5,000 IU/d 10K IU/d for 2 wk* 1000-4000 IU/d 50,000 IU/wk** Vitamin A 10,000 IU/d 3,000-6000 IU/d Vitamin B1 25 mg/d Zinc Picolinate 30 mg BID 30 mg/d 75-100 mg/d 50 mg/d Quercetin 500 mg/d 250-500 mg BID 400 mg BID Selenium 200 mcg/d 200 mcg/d 55 mcg/d Magnesium 500 mg/d 400-800 mg/d Melatonin 1-5mg/d 0.3-2.0 mg/d Omega-3 PUFAs 1500 mg/d Multi Vitamin 1 Tablet/d 1 Tablet/d *** * 10,000 IU/day vitamin D3 for 2 weeks then drop back to 5000 IU/day ** 50,000 IU/day vitamin D3 for 12 days then drop back to 50,000 IU/week. Water soluble vitamin D3 suggested such as Bio-Tech D3-50 as it has a higher bioequivalence than the oil-based liquid softgel vitamin D3 formulations. *** The Kirkland Adult 50+ Mature Multi is an excellent source of vitamin D3 cofactors. It just doesn't have enough magnesium or any vitamin K2 Of course you won't hear anything about this from HHS, the good Dr. Fauci at NIH, the FDA or CDC. They're heavily influenced by the Big Pharmas who don't want people to know how effective vitamins and minerals can be in treating viral infections. Members of these organizations are also heavily invested in vaccine development (at tax payer expense) so don't want the public to hear about any competitive treatments that are more effective, safer and less expensive. Take care, V/R, Batch

Jon, Er... Make that Spiny, (Forgot my cheaters) Regarding Pepcid (famotidine), it's a histamine H1 blocker and there have been two completed studies taking it during a COVID-19 infection listed in clinicaltrials.gov. The first was based on a questionnaire sent to COVID-19 outpatients who took it during a COVID-19 infection. The second study involved a Therapeutic Plasma Eexchange as a treatment for COVID-19. The protocol called for supportive treatment that included Vitamin C, Zinc, Vitamin D, Famotidine, Enoxaparin and Methylprednisolone so Prpcid wasn't the only intervention. Neither have been through peer review. There was a reduction in mortality among COVID-19 patients who had taken Pepcid (famotidine). Take care, V/R, Batch

Here's a lesson learned from the last time CMS requested public comments on their Non-Coverage Determination for home oxygen therapy for Medicare Beneficiaries suffering from CH in 2010. Do not write about your personal experience with home oxygen therapy as a CH abortive. It will be redacted and a waste of time. Do write about what you have observed in other CHers using oxygen as a CH abortive. Do write about the cost differential between home oxygen therapy as a CH abortive and the $100 dollar a pop street price for a subcutaneous imitrex injection limited to nine per month. For example, the average CHer experiences three (3) CH in a 24 hour period. When used with proper procedures, an M-Sized O2 cylinder contains sufficient gaseous oxygen for 30 CH aborts at a flow rate of 25 liters/minute (more than 100 aborts using my latest procedure hyperventilating with room air for 30 seconds then inhaling a lungful of 100% oxygen and holding it for 30 seconds). Doing the math, the average CHer will consume 3 M-Size oxygen cylinders in a month. At an average co-pay cost of $30 dollars per M-Size oxygen cylinder after insurance, that comes to $90 dollars a month out of pocket to cover aborts for all CH. The out of pocket co-pay for a single 6 mg/.05ml subcutaneous injection of imitrex comes to $28 dollars. Doing the math, with the limit of 9 injections/month, the total cost comes to $252/month for nine (9) aborts. This doesn't cover the cost of the horrific pain CHers experience without home oxygen as an abortive when they've used up their monthly allowance of nine imitrex injections. Take care and take action. V/R, Batch

Siegfried, What was your 25(OH)D3 serum concentration? Here are my labs for serum 25(OH)D3, Calcium and PTH over the last three years. My PCP understands calcium homeostasis and that I keep my 25(OH)D3 serum concentration this high to prevent my CH during periods of high pollen and mold spore counts. Accordingly, he has no problems with it being this high as long as my serum calcium remains within its normal reference range and as you can see, it has. Did your PCP run labs for your serum calcium and PTH? Take care and please keep us posted. V/R, Batch

For what it's worth, here's the logic and science behind the 12-Day accelerated vitamin D3 loading schedule and why the initial target 25(OH)D3 serum concentration is 80 ng/mL. 1. From the online survey data of 313 CHers who have reported their results after starting this regimen since Dec 2011, we have the normal distribution chart of baseline 25(OH)D3 lab results before starting this regimen and normal distribution chart of the objective (Favorable CH Response) 25(OH)D3 labs after ≥30 days on this regimen. As you can see, CHers reporting in this survey with active CH, went from a mean 25(OH)D3 serum concentration of 24 ng/mL before starting the anti-inflammatory regimen to a mean of 80 ng/mL after ≥ 30 days on this regimen with a significant reduction in the frequency of thier CH. The following chart illustrates the notional change in serum 25(OH)D3 made possible by starting this regimen with the 12-Day accelerated vitamin D3 loading schedule. Data from the online survey confirms the above notional response. As you can see, if the CHer took only 10,000 IU/day vitamin D3 and no loading, it could take well over 2 months to reach a mean 25(OH)D3 serum concentration of 80 ng/mL. The following charts illustrate the favorable CH response to this regimen by day after starting it. The first chart illustrates favorable responses by day after starting this regimen. I used a favorable response as at least a 50% reduction in CH frequency by at least 70% of participants. Data from the survey indicate the mean reduction in CH frequency is 80% by 82% of participants. This second cart illustrates days after start of regimen to a sustained complete cessation of CH symptoms. Survey data collected during 2019 indicate the favorable response rate increased with over 90% of CHers reporting a favorable response. I attribute most of this increase in the response rate to the switch to Bio-Tech D3-50. 2. Why is the initial 25(OH)D3 serum concentration target set at 80 ng/mL? This is where a little statistics and what's called the confidence interval comes into play. In statistics, a confidence interval is a type of interval estimate, computed from the statistics of the observed data, that might contain the true value of an unknown population parameter. Data in the following chart comes from the D* Action database at Grassrootshealth. It represents the results of 25(OH)D3 lab tests from over 10,000 people who take the 25(OH)D3 home blood spot test for their serum 25(OH)D3 every six months reporting their vitamin D3 dose over the six months prior to this lab test. As you can see, the mean 25(OH)D3 response to various vitamin D3 doses is represented by the blue lines and that at a dose of 10,000 IU/day, the mean 25(OH)D3 response is 76 ng/mL. The red lines represent the 95% confidence interval. In simple terms we can say that the results a given lab test for 25(OH)D3 at a dose of 10,000 IU/day will fall between these two red lines with 95% confidence. The green dashed lines represent 25(OH)D3 serum concentrations at 40 ng/mL, 30 ng/mL and 20 ng/mL. Accordingly we can say that at a dose of 10,000 IU/day the confidence interval for 25(OH)D3 response lies between 42 ng/mL and 118 ng/mL with 95% confidence. If you go back to the second chart illustrating the normal distribution of 25(OH)D3 results among CHers responding to this regimen with a significant reduction in the frequency of their CH, you can see this same confidence interval falls under the normal distribution curve. For practical purposes, this is also the effective therapeutic range of serum 25(OH)D3 (40 ng/mL to 120 ng/mL) for favorable responses. You can also see where a lower vitamin D3 dose of 5,000 IU/day results in a confidence interval between 25 ng/mL and 90 ng/mL. In this case a significant number of CHers would not respond to this regimen. As an "Oh by the way..." the following charts from two different COVID-19 studies indicate taking 10,000 IU/day and keeping your 25(OH)D3 serum concentration over 40 ng/mL is a pretty good idea... This isn't rocket science and you don't need to be a physician to understand the importance of this information. Hope this helps explain a little more about the anti-inflammatory regimen treatment protocol. Take care, V/R, Batch

Bryan, I would try loading vitamin D3 at 50,000 IU/day for a week just to build your 25(OH)D3 reserves higher and in the process, help get the CH beast back under control. Taking vitamin D3 is particularly important to help prevent viral infections like COVID-19. It's also best to start taking at least 50 mg/day zinc picolinate, 400 mg/day Quercetin and 1 gram of vitamin C three times a day. These are the immune boosting supplements that work the best. The nutritional supplements illustrated in the photo below provide a safe (No Harms) and proven prophylaxis for most viral infections. If you're already taking the anti-inflammatory regimen, all you need to do is add the 50 mg/day zinc picolinate, 400-800 mg/day Quercetin and 3 grams/day liposomal vitamin C (1 gram every 3 hours). Zinc: The need for supplementation increases with age Take care, V/R, Batch.

Hey SECAuthentics, All of us on the anti-inflammatory regimen experience burnthrough CH at one time or another. The solution is simple. If you haven't switched to the Bio-Tech D3-50 50,000 IU water soluble vitamin D3 now is a good time to do so. You can order it from amazon or iherb. In the mean time most CHers in your shoes, me included, have loaded vitamin D3 at 50,000 IU/day for a week then droped back to the usual maintenance dose. When you switch to the Bio-Tech D3-50, one capsule a week is a good starting maintenance dose. I updated the basic regimen in July of 2018 adding the Bio-Tech D3-50 in place of the oil-based liquid softgel vitamin D3 formulation. In Jan of 2019, I added Methyl Folate + in place of the generic vitamin B 50/100 complex. The following photo illustrates the latest version of this regimen by brand and dose. CHers who stick with the above brands tend to experience a faster rate of response to this regimen. Take care and please keep us posted. V/R, Batch

Hey Siegfried, A vitamin D3 level of 85 ng/mL only helps a little over 50% of CHers prevent their CH. The rest need higher 25(OH)D3 serum concentrations up to 180 ng/mL as illustrated in the normal distribution chart of 25(OH)D3 labs reported by 257 CHers who reported a favorable response to vitamin D3 in the online survey. Granted, this data is from cluster headache sufferers not people diagnosed with hemicrania continua (HC). That said, there is ample evidence that HC shares most of the same pathophysiology as CH which means it should respond to the anti-inflammatory regimen with therapeutic doses of vitamin D3. I've worked with two HC sufferers who responded to the anti-inflammatory regimen. Both took the Bio-Tech D3-50 50,000 IU water soluble vitamin D3 at one 50,000 IU capsule/day for at least two weeks before experiencing a significant and lasting reduction in the severity of their HC. They also took the Methyl Folate + vitamin B complex, which like the Bio-Tech D3-50 has a higher bioequivalence. As you've already noticed, indomethacin is hard on the stomach and GI tract due to bleeds. If you do continue taking it, experienced headache specialists familiar with indomethacin side effects suggest acid-suppression medicine due to this gastrointestinal side effect. Take care and please keep us posted. V/R, Batch

Hey Tess, Sounds like you're on the right track with all the supplements and your plan to switch back to the liquid softgel vitamin D3 formulation. If you add 50 mg/day zinc picolinate and 400 to 800 mg/day Quercetin, you'll have an immune boosting combination that should lower the incidence of viral infections as illustrated in the following photo of what I've been taking since January of this year. There's ample medical evidence of efficacy in reducing viral infections for vitamin D3, vitamin C, zinc, and Quercetin in the form of RCTs. There's an extensive list of vitamin D3 studies at vitaminDwik.com at the following link that provide additional proof of efficacy in treating or preventing 88 health problems. https://vitamindwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page_id=1336 I was on travel in February and went through Seattle when the COVID-19 Pandemic epicenter was there and I've also flown to Juneau, Alaska from Seattle in June so have I've been through two rounds of the COVID-19 Reverse Transcription - Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) assay labs with negative results both times over the last two months. As a side note, I've not had the flu since I developed and started this vitamin D3 regimen in October of 2010. Same for my wife. Between us we've had less than a handful of colds since then as well. Carol Baggerly at the GrassrootsHealh Nutrient Research Institute has been all over the relationship between vitamin D3, vitamin C and zinc status as they relate to COVID-19 severity like a hawk on a June bug as illustrated in the following graphics. Please keep us posted. Take care, V/R, Batch

Hey Rudolf, Good questions. For starters, the following chart comes from the online survey of 313 CHers taking this regimen of which 257 (82%) experienced a favorable response in the first 30 days. The favorable response was a significant reduction in the frequency of their CH from 21 CH/week down to 3 to 4 CH/week as illustrated the normal distribution and cumulative probability curves for their 25(OH)D3 serum concentrations measured ≥30 days after start of regimen. As you can see, the mean 25(OH)D3 response is 80 ng/mL (200 nmol/L) with a min at 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/L) and max at 175 ng/mL (437 nmol/L). The blue S-shaped sigmoid cumulative probability plot illustrates the therapeutic response range as a probability. Ordinarily, I would shoot for a 25(OH)D3 serum concentration between 200 and 250 nmol/L (80 to 100 ng/mL) to ensure a higher probability of a favorable response. However, as you were unable to get a PTH lab, your serum calcium concentration is up against the normal reference range upper limit bump stop, you're not in a CH cycle and you're experiencing joint pain, I would hold off on any further loading doses and drop back to a vitamin D3 maintenance dose of 50,000 IU/week along with all the cofactors. After you've been on the vitamin D3 maintenance dose for a week to 10 days, do try to press your PCP/GP for a complete set of labs for your serum 25(OH)D3, calcium and PTH all at the same time. This is the only good way of assessing normal calcium homeostasis. Are you taking at least 400 mg/day magnesium and the vitamin K2 complex? The vitamin K2 complex menaquinones, MK4 and MK7 have the capacity to reduce calcium accumulation in soft tissues, joints and arteries while serving as a catalyst in building bone mineral density. If you're not taking the K2, I would start it as soon as you can get some. I take the LEF Super K with advanced K2 complex as it has both MK4 and MK7. If you haven't already done so, I would add Turmeric (Curcumin) at 1000 mg/day, 1000 to 2000 mg/day Omega-3 fish oil, and 3 grams/day liposomal vitamin C (1 gram every 3 hours). Curcumin and the Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatories so should help with the sore knuckle. Vitamin C is essential as the human genome lost the gene that expresses the enzyme needed to synthesize vitamin C from simple carbohydrates. Vitamin C is essential in synthesizing collagen needed by cells throughout the body including the cartilage in joints. It's also a potent antioxidant that supports hundreds of enzymatic reactions. Regarding the swollen knuckle, I've not seen this as a side effect from vitamin D3 therapy or taking the entire anti-inflammatory regimen in the 9+ years I've been tracking results reported by thousands of CHers taking this regimen. In most cases, vitamin D3 and Omega-3 fish oil would tend to reduce inflammation like this, hence the anti-inflammatory name I gave this regimen. That said, anything is possible. The Kirkland Adult 50+ Mature Multi is formulated with 220 mg of calcium here in the US. It may be different in formulations available in the UK and Europe. For reference, I'm a chronic CHer so have taken this regimen daily since I developed it in October of 2010. I've been essentially CH pain free the entire time and I keep my serum 25(OH)D3 above 100 ng/mL (250 nmol/L) all the time. My PCP is okay with this as long as my serum calcium remains within its normal reference range. I switched to the Bio-Tech D3-50 50,000 IU water soluble form of vitamin D3 in 2018 and have been taking one D3-50/week since January of 2019. The 3-year chart of my labs for 25(OH)D3, calcium and PTH illustrates both the safety of vitamin D3 at higher doses as well as normal calcium homeostasis. That is illustrated by the inverse relationship between serum calcium and PTH. As the calcium serum concentration goes up, the PTH serum concentration drops. This keeps serum calcium within its normal reference range by pulling less calcium from the gut. Take care and please keep us posted. V/R, Batch

Dehabel, Off hand it appears you're starting to respond to the anti-inflammatory regimen. Steroids tend to slow the response to vitamin D3 and all the cofactors. That said when push comes to shove, steroids do work... it's a tradeoff. Oxygen and a week to 10 day course of Benadryl (Diphenhydramine HCL) at 25 mg every 4 hours during the day and at bedtime will help. Just be careful and not drive as this much Diphenhydramine will make you drowsy. Many CHers who need to drive during the day have found it's best to wait until you've home for the day then take 50 mg as you walk through the door and another 50 mg at bedtime. Take care and please keep us posted. V/R, Batch

Hey Dehabel. You're not annoying. You've received some great answers about Benadryl (Diphenhydramine HCL). Diphenhydramine is classified as an anticholinergic - a chemical that blocks the action of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) at synapses in the central and the peripheral nervous systems. Accordingly, it should only be taken for a week to 10 days dosing at 25 mg every 3 to 4 hours during the day and at bedtime. As Diphenhydramine a also classified as a first-generation antihistamine, it's antcholinergic properties will make you drowsy so you should avoid driving while taking this much. If you do need to drive during the day, wait until you're home for the day then take 50 mg as you walk through the door and another 50 mg at bedtime. If an allergic reaction is contributing to the frequency, severity and duration of your CH, Benadryl (Diphenhydramine HCL) should start providing relief in a few days. If there's been no change in your CH patterns, after a week, discontinue.' The Diphenhydramine mechanism of action is relatively simple. As a first-generation antihistamine, it crosses the blood brain barrier (BBB) into the brain and blocks histamine H1 receptors at the genetic layer in neurons throughout the brain and in particular, the trigeminal ganglia where histamine released as a result of an allergic reaction, triggers the expression of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) and Substance P (SP) another neuroactive peptide. These are two of the four neuropeptides responsible for the neurogenic inflammation and pain we know as cluster and migraine headache. It is also important to note that second- and third-generation (non-drowsy) type antihistamines cannot cross the BBB to block histamine H1 receptors in neurons throughout the brain and CNS so will be less effective. I look at Benadryl (Diphenhydramine HCL) as a diagnostic tool. If it works to reduce the frequency, severity and duration of your CH, histamine is the likely culprit. If it doesn't work, the odds are higher histamine is not your problem. Many of us have found adjusting the vitamin D3 intake to be a more effective and much safer method of controlling and preventing CH than taking Benadryl (Diphenhydramine HCL). The following photo illustrates the supplements by brand in the basic anti-inflammatory regimen CH and MH preventative treatment protocol. All are taken daily with the largest meal of the day at the doses shown for the first 12 days. After that, you reduce the vitamin D3 dose (Bio-Tech D3-50) to one capsule a week and continue taking everything else daily. There's a lot more to this regimen and you'll need to discuss it with your PCP/GP before starting it, when asking for labs of your serum 25(OH)D3, calcium and PTH (Parathyroid Hormone). CHers who stick with the brands illustrated below tend to have higher favorable response rates. With the exception of the Bio-Tech D3-50 50,000 IU water soluble vitamin D3 that I added in place of the 5,000 IU oil-based liquid softgel vitamin D3 formulations in July of 2018 and the Methyl Folate + I added in place of the vitamin B 50/100 complex in January of 2019, the rest of these supplements have remained unchanged since 16 December, 2011. The rationale for these changes is due to the higher bioequivalence and improved efficacy in controlling and preventing CH and MH these two supplements offer. Readers of my webpage at vitaminDwiki.com at the following link have downloaded 51,216 copies of the anti-inflammatory regimen CH and MH preventative treatment protocol since I posted it in January of 2017. https://vitamindwiki.com/Cluster+headaches+substantially+reduced+by+10%2C000+IU+of+Vitamin+D+in+80+percent+of+people You will also find a copy of this protocol at the above link. If you're interested in starting this CH and MH preventative treatment protocol please take a copy to your PCP/GP to discuss and ask for lab tests of your serum 25(OH)D3, calcium and PTH before starting this treatment protocol. You can also download a copy of this treatment protocol by clicking on the following link. http://www.vitamindwiki.com/tiki-download_wiki_attachment.php?attId=7708 I've sent you a PM with more information about this CH and MH preventative treatment protocol. That you experienced an 8-year haitus, free of CH tells me you're a good candidate for the anti-inflammatory regimen. It's likely something changed in your diet or there was a decrease amount of summer sun you were getting that caused your CH to return. This bring us to the burning questions you may have... Will this treatment protocol be effective for me and is it safe? The best answer I can provide comes from data compiled from the online survey of 313 CHers who have started this treatment protocol since 16 December, 2011 when I placed this survey on the Internet. The year over year efficacy of this treatment protocol between December of 2011 and December 2018, finds 80% of CHers experiencing a significant reduction in the frequency of their CH from 21 CH/week down to 4 CH/week in the first 30 days after starting it. 53% of CHers starting this regimen experience a lasting cessation of CH in the first 30 days. It's important to understand that this regimen needs to be taken daily in order to experience results like this. Most of us who take this regimen daily, consider it a way of life that keeps us CH pain free. Moreover, the health benefits that come from taking this regimen are hard to ignore. The exciting news comes from CHers who started this survey during 2019 after I changed the suggested form of vitamin D3 to the Bio-Tech D3-50. The efficacy of this protocol during 2019 finds over 90% of CHers experiencing a favorable response with a significant reduction in the frequency of their CH in the first 30 days from 21 CH/week down to 4 CH/week and 67% of CHers experiencing a complete and lasting cessation of their CH in the first 30 days. I've tracked results from all open source RCTs of CH prophylaxis and none of them come even close to this level of efficacy. Moreover, since this treatment protocol went online, there have been no reports of hypercalcemia, a.k.a., vitamin D3 intoxication/toxicity nor have there been any adverse events reported that required medical attention. The following charts illustrate data from 313 CHers who started this treatment protocol since December of 2011, then took this survey ≥ 30 days later. The following chart illustrates the normal distribution (green curve) and cumulative probability (blue curve) of lab results for serum 25(OH)D concentrations after ≥ 30 days on this regimen. The following two charts illustrate the time to respond after starting this regimen. Taken in concert with the efficacy data, the above charts make a clear case that an inverse relationship exists between the frequency of CH and 25(OH)D3 serum concentration. In simple terms, when the frequency of CH is high, the 25(OH)D3 serum concentration is low around a mean of 24 ng/mL and when the CH frequency is low or the CHer is CH pain free, mean 25(OH)D3 serum concentration is higher around 80 ng/mL. This is why it's important to obtain lab tests of your serum 25(OH)D3, calcium and PTH before starting this regimen and again 30 days after starting it. You can thank the 313 CHers who took the time to take this survey. They came from 35 countries around the world. Take care and please keep us posted should you decide to start this treatment protocol. V/R, Batch

Pebblesthecorggi, Understand... However, as there is no down-side safety issue in taking 3 grams/day vitamin C or 5000 IU/day vitamin D3, and there is more than sufficient up-side potential based on substantial evidence in their efficacy in preventing and treating colds and flu, there's much to gain an nothing to lose at a cost of 12 cents/day. Nothing is 100% effective or certain save for death and taxes. Moreover, as none of us gets out of here alive, at 75, my goal is to maintain the best quality of life possible. I take far more vitamin C and vitamin D3 than listed above. Joyce and I have been taking the anti-inflammatory regimen since I developed it in October of 2010. Neither of us has had the flu since then and our incidence of colds is down to one every 3 to 4 years. We've also had school age grand kids and their friends running around the house dripping with cold and flu bugs several times a year so we don't live in a bubble. Take care, V/R, Batch