Bejeeber

What they said. But now here I go blabbing my mouth off even though I'm not chronic, and you have probably long been very well aware of the Jesus Shot, but yeah last I heard it was (anecdotally) showing better results for chronics than episodics. I even tried searching the forums for Freud Jesus Shot, to confirm my assumption it's nothing new to you, but came up empty, so this is me saying the dumb thing.

So sorry about the forum bug that is causing the error messages and preventing some posts from posting.....I've been encountering it too, and it is frustrating enough when out of cycle, but when experiencing chronic Kip 10's it has to be beyond infuriating. FWIW a tech person has been looking into it.

Sorry to hear of the bad side effects, but glad to hear of this bit and hope you can get back to it ASAP! I've had the same impression as Spiny, seeing mixed results reported from CH'ers regarding the shot, with no wide consensus as to whether it is nice or evil for CH.

Hi @A-Z, I only have an exceptionally anecdotal contribution regarding memory. I don't know how much it may be related to CH, but I considered my memory to be 'bad' until getting on Phosphatidyl Serine (which is touted for memory) years ago. I've been on and off it a few times since, and whenever I go off I notice the memory slipping again. Feeling very fortunate that the memory is significantly improved, though certainly not so miraculously much that it could be described as stellar - I know I've displayed some glaring lapses right here on this forum. I think there was just maybe a sideways kind of response to your question about mood. Some of us don't know if depression is related to CH, because busting has had the welcome side effect of lifting our moods, and with continued maintenance busting, this mood lifting can potentially go on for years! Count me as one. There have been a lot of CH'ers here struggling with depression though. I don't know if it is a higher percentage than John Q Public, or maybe a correlation has been made that I once knew of but have FORGOTTEN! OOF! I personally like the meditation action (or inacation? ). Just recently there has been more discussion here about the Wimhof breathing method, and I notice he says it goes really well with meditation. I tried it a bit last last night, and intend to try it some more. The really dumb thing is I can't pursue meditation when in a full on cycle though - it's a hellacious trigger for me, just like naps, night time sleep, and most anything else relaxing!

Personally I would assume he's episodic and for now anyway, forget the fears of possibly being chronic. You of course have so much else to think about, and the 9 week duration of his CH so far doesn't indicate chronic. I have used imitrex a lot in the past, in a pinch, when I couldn't get an abort with O2. There's not a tremendous amount of love for it around here for it, or any other drug really, for good reason (potential side effects, etc.). I much prefer to blow an entire cycle away via busting and have done just that repeatedly, but if a cycle spins out of control on me I'm not willing to just take a CH hit when I have imitrex on hand and it is the only thing that is going to abort it. It is probably unheard of for someone to have used the tremendously impactful, game changing Extending your imitrex tip for injections with their very first dose ever, but hey your husband could, if he ever needs to go there with the trex. I think most would advise that if he's going to be on Verapamil, better to get on it sooner than than later, but I'll leave that to those with more verapamil experience than i.

Hi Kimbers! I have to agree that as exceptionally unfortunate as it is for anyone to experience CH, it is decidedly fortunate for your husband to have had it diagnosed and addressed relatively early, and that you are helping him. Speaking of fortunate, I see Dallas Denny posted while I was writing this - you just got advice from a true RINGER there - I know I've listened very closely to what DD has had to say for over a decade now, and have always taken great stock in it. I can confirm a lot of us are quite familiar with prednisone tapers. I really hate to confirm this part, but yes after the taper down, the attacks can come back. They have always come back after a pred burst for me, but occasionally it will actually break the cycle for someone, so there's that ray of hope. Meantime good on you for not sitting on laurels - it is indeed time (IMO) to be doing this research, and pulling together a mighty arsenal for fighting back and potentially killing off the beast (one cycle at a time). Dallas Denny isn't kidding around about the the D3 regimen as a preventive, O2 as an abortive, and if he had mentioned busting as a powerful preventive, he wouldn't have been kidding around about that either! You hadn't asked yet if some of us really do find significant relief and get our lives back. The answer is yes.

Amen.

I have the Bejeebiheebies if that helps any.

Wow, so for someone like him, it's: "Got cluster's? Go lay down in the deep end of your pool!" Or maybe it isn't "lay down" at the bottom so much, since last I checked as a kid you have to empty your lungs to pull that off, and that wouldn't be so O2 enriching? Maybe he uses some weights in order to stay deep with full lungs?

Some can do an afternoon nap??!! Wow that's practically an unfathomable concept to me (when in cycle). And while beer at least may the closest thing to a universal trigger (I unwittingly experienced its power once - never again), some find that a drink like vodka doesn't trigger them. I personally have no intention of 'trying it out' to find out, I'm just not that kind of risk taker - I guess since CH isn't just f**king around here, neither am I.

I'm moving this over to official Cluster-ville territory in hopes that might also help it gain more eyeballs and attention.

WOW. The potential of hyperbaric treatment has been on my radar for a long time, but your report about the deep depths scuba therapy is the coolest - that has to be the about the best surprise you have ever had! Will be interested to see if our long time CH'er (and also scuba diver I believe) @ThatHurtsMyHead has a take on this.

I'm afraid I don't, but want to say good on you for seeking this out, plus I'm posting here to help keep this bumped and getting attention.

Oh.

Yes, weird! And seemingly warranting investigation/research (?)

The most haunting song ever created right there (IMO). Stones at their peak, with the cool, and just passed, Charlie Watts on drums. I'll admit this is something I still cling to...speaking of demons.....as a way of justifying the existence of CH for myself, that I thoroughly deserved it for past evils committed (cruel behavior as a teenager, etc.), but while ruminating on this I also I like to add in there that I've paid the piper at this point and it's OK for the piper to now leave quietly!

LOL between this typical behavior during a hit, and our tendency to personalize CH as a beast or demon, I guess I can't blame anyone for considering literal demonic possession. At least when they remake the Exorcist we should be hired on as consultants/producers for the possession scenes.

True - I too have been happy on occasion to refer to the beast as a demon.

To me belief in demonic possession is the stuff of Salem Witch Trials, Dark Ages etc., so nope I don't personally believe CHs are a form of demonic possession. If I did believe in it though, I would think prayerwould help, and O2, etc. wouldn't?

Here's hoping whoever diagnoses you doesn't subscribe to the apparently still common (but outmoded pure B.S) notion that only males should be diagnosed with CH.

I too salute Spiny's bible dispensation above! I'll just emphasize a couple tidbits Doubly avoid alcohol - it is a HUGE trigger for so many. Holding an ice cube against roof of mouth while breathing freezing air from that blasting car air conditioner vent , until a soothing in comparison "ice cream headache" develops and CH disappears, has been an abort technique that has helped some, sometimes - if caught at onset. Lots of CHers have ditched the medical RX O2 in favor of welding O2 (which is reputedly the same stuff), available without prescription.

Congrats on the ditching of the Dopeymax, and on the awesomely accurate spelling of quercitin (I think).

Glad to see you're at least getting some truly stellar advice @BoscoPiko, and I know a lot of us fully endorse this sentiment: And this is about as chock full of irony as it gets :

Along with the O2 for aborting attacks I think you'll find busting and the D3 regimen for prevention are the most commonly and enthusiastically advised CH killing treatments here. Note none of those are actual meds. Count me as another headbanger who absolutely prefers to avoid the meds if at all possible (and it can be very possible with those powerful approaches), but who is not above resorting to them as a fall back in a real pinch. So even with my general anti-pharma viewpoint I still like to have a headache specialist lined up for prescriptions beyond O2 if necessary, and I figure it could be good for you to be able to consult with one. Glad to see you got a referral here from Racer1, I hope it works out!